Chapter 5

Elena Cruz

My stomach dipped and my chest tightened the moment I saw him. He stood by the car like he’d been waiting a while, eyes moving across the courtyard until they landed on me. It wasn’t dramatic, just the kind of attention that made it impossible to pretend he wasn’t looking for me.

For a second, everything else around me blurred. The chatter, the footsteps, the groups heading home all faded until Harper nudged my arm so hard it almost pulled me back to earth.

“Oh my God, is that Dr. Hale? The Dr. Hale on campus?” Lila screamed, covering her mouth like she’d just witnessed a celebrity appear out of thin air.

Harper grabbed my hand without noticing. Her eyes were wide in a way I’d never seen from her. “There’s no way. That’s really him.”

I glanced at them, confused. “You guys know him?”

They looked at me like I’d just asked if the sky was real.

“Everyone knows him,” Lila said. “Dr. Hale is basically the town’s favorite hot rich guy his age doesn’t even matter . And don’t judge us, but he’s extremely hot. Like, unfairly hot. And the man is rich. His family owns the hospital he runs and like five other medical centers.”

“I wonder what he’s doing here,” Harper added, eyes still glued to him like she was watching a live broadcast.

Harper added, “He doesn’t even act flashy about it either. It’s always the quiet wealthy ones that kill you.”

I blinked at her. “Quiet wealthy ones?”

“You know what I mean,” she said, flustered. “They exist, Elena.”

Before I could reply, my phone buzzed. A new message from him short and direct telling me he was here and waiting to pick me up.

My stomach tumbled so fast I had to swallow. I looked at the message, then at him standing calmly beside the car, and then at the two girls who were still frozen in disbelief.

I didn’t know how to say it without sounding ridiculous or braggy. Or like I’d been hiding something on purpose. But the words left my mouth faster than my brain could catch them.

“He’s my ride home,” I said, and I didn’t even realize I’d said it aloud until they both turned sharply toward me.

Everything stopped. Lila’s eyes doubled in size. Harper’s jaw actually dropped.

“What do you mean? You know him? Wait, is that your dad?” they asked at the same time, like they had rehearsed it.

“No, he is not my dad,” I said clearly before they could build entire fanfiction theories about me. “He’s just a friend of my father’s. I’m… staying at his place for a while. Until everything is sorted.”

Harper stared harder. “Sorted? Elena, that’s not a small detail. You live with him?”

Lila grabbed both my arms. “YOU LIVE WITH DR. HALE?”

I nearly stepped back from how intense she was. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“It absolutely is,” she said. “People would donate organs to be in your position.”

I snorted. “Please don’t say that too loudly.”

They exchanged a look that said they wanted details, gossip, everything, but before they could ask, I felt his eyes on me from across the courtyard and he smiled at me

My pulse jumped without permission.

“I should go,” I told them softly and started walking towards him

Before they could bombard me with more questions, Alex started walking toward us. He didn’t rush. His gaze flicked briefly to Harper and Lila, but his attention settled on me like I was the only person he came here for.

That didn’t help my nerves at all.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I said, giving the girls a small wave before they combusted on the spot. “See you both tomorrow.”

Harper screamed out loud. “Text us when you get home. We need… updates.”

I laughed under my breath because there was no way they were letting this go.

I walked toward him, trying not to look like my insides were doing flips. Students kept looking at him, then at me, then back at him, and by the time I reached him, I felt like I’d walked across a stage.

He didn’t say much. Just opened the passenger door for me in that effortless way that somehow made everything feel formal. I climbed in quickly, trying not to think about how many eyes were following us. In that moment I felt like I just found the Prince Charming I always dreamed about but he just happened to be a man I’m forbidden from even looking at.

When he got in on his side, he glanced at me once, it sent a shiver down my spine . “Traffic wasn’t bad,” he said lightly, almost like he was giving me a reason for showing up early.

“School was fine,” I replied, even though he hadn’t asked yet.

A hint of amusement flickered in his expression. “I was going to ask that.”

“Oh.”

The car rolled out of the campus slowly. I could still hear faint whispers from students as we left the lot.

He kept his attention on the road. “First day can be overwhelming. You handled it?”

“Yes. I made a couple of friends.”

“That’s good.” His tone stayed even, but something about the way he said it warmed me more than it should have.

The silence between us settled, but it wasn’t awkward. More like neither of us wanted to talk too much. He asked gently about my classes. I told him about Lila and Harper. He seemed genuinely relieved that I’d made friends.

We didn’t talk about the staring. Or the fact that he picked me up like we were something close. I wasn’t ready to think about that.

When we reached the estate, I reached for the door handle, but he stopped me with a soft, “Be careful. The pavement near the steps is uneven.”

I didn’t argue. I just stepped out and turned back to thank him. Except he was already pulling off. He didn’t even wait for me to get inside.

For a moment I stood there staring at the empty driveway, unsure if he rushed off because of work… or because being near me made him uncomfortable.

I let it go and walked into the house. Miss Parker was in the living area directing two staff members who were dusting and fixing flower arrangements. Everything looked like it was being prepared for an inspection I also saw two younger workers who were rolling out a rug I hadn’t seen since I arrived.

“Everything all right?” I asked, stepping closer.

She smiled, polite as always. “Just getting the house in shape, dear.”

“For what?”

“Madam Vivian will be returning soon,” she said casually, as if the name should mean something to me. “She likes everything to be spotless when she’s home.”

I froze. “Madam… Vivian?”

“Yes,” Mrs. Parker said, adjusting a vase on the console. “Dr. Hale’s wife.”

The words landed harder than I expected. A strange pinch tightened deep in my chest, sharp enough that I had to steady my breath.

His wife.

The word hit harder than I expected. Not because I had any right to care. I didn’t even know why it hit me like that. It wasn’t like I had a claim to him. It wasn’t like anything was happening. He didn’t mention he had a wife

He wasn’t mine and I barely even knew him. But something in my chest shifted anyway, tight and unpleasant, like I’d walked into something I shouldn’t have.

“Oh,” I said quietly. “I didn’t know.”

Miss Parker nodded. “She travels often for work. But she may arrive any day now.”

I swallowed and forced a small smile. “Thanks for letting me know.” Still, hearing it out loud changed something inside me. Something I couldn’t name.

Mrs. Parker didn’t notice my reaction. She was already fussing over the next set of flowers. I managed a small nod before heading upstairs, my steps slower than before.

He was married. Of course he was.

Why did that feel like I had just been shoved into cold water? I didn’t have an answer.

And I hated that it bothered me at all.