Chapter five

Reyna’s POV

By the time I stepped out of the apartment, I had convinced myself of one thing and one thing only, whatever happened last night did not exist outside of my memory.

It had been grief. Alcohol. Bad judgment stacked on top of betrayal. A moment I would bury so deep it would never see daylight again. I had more important things to focus on now. Like my promotion. Like my career. Like pretending my life hadn’t detonated in the span of twenty four hours.

Today was supposed to be good.

No, correction, today was supposed to be celebratory.

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my hair into a neat bun, smoothing imaginary wrinkles out of my blouse for the fifth time. I looked composed. Professional. Like a woman who had slept peacefully in her own bed and not woken up naked in a stranger’s mansion wondering what fresh hell awaited her.

“Get it together, Reyna,” I whispered to my reflection.

This meeting mattered. The hospital was officially announcing the promotions and introducing the selected team for a new research study, one that could shape careers and open doors I’d spent years knocking on. Being chosen for this project wasn’t just an honor, it was validation.

I grabbed my bag and headed out, heels clicking with more confidence than I felt.

St. Gabriel’s Medical Center buzzed with a different kind of energy that morning. Not the usual urgency of emergencies and shift changes, but excitement. Smiles lingered longer. Congratulations floated through the hallways like confetti.

“Congratulations, Dr. Martinez,” one of the nurses said as I passed.

“Thank you,” I replied, returning the smile, feeling something warm bloom in my chest.

For a moment, I allowed myself to enjoy it.

The conference hall was already filling up when I arrived. Long table. Neatly arranged folders. Bottles of water aligned with military precision. Administrators, senior doctors, investors, all mingling politely. I spotted a few familiar faces from the interview panel and nodded as I took a seat.

This was it. My moment.

The director cleared his throat and began speaking, praising dedication, excellence, and the hospital’s vision for groundbreaking research. My name came up, followed by polite applause. I smiled, nodding, hands folded in my lap to keep them from shaking.

Then he said, “We’re also honored to have our primary sponsor and lead consultant present today.”

Something in my chest tightened but I calmed it off, i was going to see a lot of the people I looked up to when I first started the career.

“The success of this research study would not be possible without his contribution.”

The door opened.

I didn’t look at first. I was still smiling, still clapping softly, until I lifted my eyes.I swear I felt it before I saw him, like a disturbance in gravity.

It was him.

The man from the pub. The stranger whose dark eyes I had memorized in fragments. The man whose sheets I had woken up tangled in. The man whose voice had murmured things I’d tried desperately to forget.

Marcus.

Except he wasn’t Marcus in a towel now.

He was tall and impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, dark and commanding, his presence instantly owning the room. His hair was neatly styled, his expression calm, controlled, powerful. The same eyes found mine.

And froze.

Just for a second.

But I saw it.

My stomach dropped.

“This is Dr. Marcus Fernandez Hesse,” the director continued proudly. “Renowned neurosurgeon, entrepreneur, and head of Hesse Biotech, our partner for this project.”

Hesse.

The name hit like a punch.

My heart slammed violently against my ribs as realization crashed down on me in sickening clarity.

Hesse.

Jeremy’s dad.

My breath caught, my hands trembling beneath the table. I couldn’t look away from him, and he couldn’t look away from me. The room buzzed with polite applause, but all I could hear was blood roaring in my ears.

This wasn’t just a stranger.

This wasn’t just a mistake.

This was my ex boyfriend’s father.

The director smiled, oblivious. “And of course, Dr. Hesse will be working closely with our newly promoted research leads.”

I swallowed hard.

Marcus finally broke eye contact, his jaw tightening almost imperceptibly. If anyone else noticed, they gave no sign.

But I did.

God help me, I did.

I sat there, perfectly still, heart racing, mind spiraling, realizing with a cold certainty that whatever I had thought was over was only just beginning.