LOGINZoe looked over. "Did you order room service?"
"No." Nora's side of the pool was closest to the door. She threw on a bathrobe and answered.
Light slanted through the doorway.
Adrian stood in the hall. One hand in his pocket. Tall enough to block the overhead light and cast Nora into shadow.
She went wide-eyed. "What are you doing here?!"
The shared rooms were all downstairs. But Leo Hart was around.
Nora checked the hallway. The motion made the robe f
Excellent people attracted attention. Especially someone you worked beside every day.Before she'd known Adrian was married — Quinn had been interested.After — not at all.What replaced it was curiosity. Who could stand beside a man like him?Figuring out it was Nora hadn't been hard. Adrian came back to China — his wife was here. The cardiac nurses said he'd been taking late shifts at the hospital. And on his first day, the way he'd said her name in the hallway.Quinn pressed her lips together. "Sorry. For anything Dr. Ward might have misunderstood. Before I knew you were married.""Then I'd appreciate it if Dr. Sterling kept my wife's secret."—Ethan Shaw wouldn't leave. But he hadn't crossed a line either."Mr. Shaw." Nora's patience was thinning.Her phone rang.Adrian's voice. "Nora. Need me?"A dozen meters away. Nora spotted him in the lobby crowd. Standing under the
The door had barely shut behind Nora when Adrian called his mother."Nora?""It's me."Vivian didn't bother hiding her disappointment. "What do you want?""Mom." Adrian's voice went flat. "No more stunts."If Vivian hadn't pulled that move, Leo wouldn't have scared Nora half to death. But Adrian kept that detail to himself.Vivian feigned innocence. "What stunt?"Adrian's tone stayed level. "I saw your chat with Nora. From half an hour ago."Vivian had called saying Nora wasn't reachable. That she needed Adrian to find her. Clearly not true.Caught. Vivian didn't flinch."Wait. You looked at Nora's chat history?!"She was thrilled. "You two are at the share-phones stage already?"What. Adrian was speechless.Vivian was already in her own world. "Good! That's good! But let me tell you something — grown man, checking his wife's phone? Controlling. Tacky. Don't be like your father."
Zoe looked over. "Did you order room service?""No." Nora's side of the pool was closest to the door. She threw on a bathrobe and answered.Light slanted through the doorway.Adrian stood in the hall. One hand in his pocket. Tall enough to block the overhead light and cast Nora into shadow.She went wide-eyed. "What are you doing here?!"The shared rooms were all downstairs. But Leo Hart was around.Nora checked the hallway. The motion made the robe flap at the collar. Adrian's hand caught it without thinking. Pulled it closed."If you're free — my room?"Nora's brain short-circuited. "...Huh?"Adrian raised his phone. "Mom wants a video call. She's pushed it three times now.""...Oh." Nora exhaled. "Do I need to change? I can — if you need a minute—""Don't bother. Room's right next door."The resort was full of people wandering around in bathrobes. Nothing exposed. Nora skipped th
"Dr. Cross. What a coincidence."Quinn had spotted Adrian from across the grounds. Even in a crowd, he drew the eye. Same as back in school.Adrian was reading a student's thesis draft on his phone.He nodded at the greeting. Quick. Polite. Nora doubted he even registered who it was.Quinn didn't push. Not today.Across the garden, Nora had already pulled Zoe away."You're being ridiculous.""I'm not!" Zoe's voice was urgent. "What if she really doesn't give up?"Nora's brow tightened, just slightly. "She won't.""Every person who won't take no for an answer — somewhere, the other person gave them a reason to keep trying. I trust Adrian. And don't put this all on Dr. Sterling."Zoe had best-friend goggles on. That was natural.But one person didn't create a situation alone. Women survived in surgical departments through real competence. Quinn Sterling hadn't earned her place just through connections.
Nathan's big mouth had done its damage.Zoe was unusually quiet the entire drive.The resort sprawled across thirty hectares. New development. Members-only. Quiet on a Sunday.Leo distributed room keys at the front desk. Married couples got doubles. Everyone else shared.Cardiac Surgery had no female doctors. Cardiology had exactly two — Zoe and Nora. Roommates by default.Then Leo hit Adrian's name. Paused.The room count was exact. If the chief took a single, someone else had to take a single. That would look like favoritism. But making the chief share was worse."I'll take the single," Adrian said. "Chief resident can have the upgrade. No one will object.""Also. Upgrade Dr. Ward and Dr. Harper to a suite. Public baths — not ideal for women."Leo blinked. He was a straightforward guy. Hadn't even thought of that. "Right. Sorry, Dr. Ward. My oversight.""It's fine." Nora shook her head.Adrian
The coffee table — a disaster zone last night — was spotless.Adrian was on the balcony. Working out.This man had a genuine compulsion about surfaces.Nora swallowed and managed a greeting. "Morning."She'd assumed Adrian would sleep at the hospital after the aortic dissection. Instead, he'd not only come home — he'd had the energy to exercise.She scooped up her laptop and notebooks in one arm. "What time did you finish? Figured you'd just crash in your office.""One-thirty." Adrian's brow creased slightly. "The on-call room is dirty. No important reason to sleep there."His breathing was rough from exertion. The sound had a gravelly texture.Nora nodded and turned toward the bedroom."Nora."Adrian stepped off the elliptical. Towel around his neck. Wiped sweat."Bring your things to the study. The desk is big enough for both of us. That coffee table is too low. Bad for your spine."
The two nurses nearly jumped out of their skin. "Chief—""What are you talking about?" Adrian's tone was mild. Almost smiling.The nurses exchanged a look and shook their heads so fast it was a blur. "Nothing. Nothing at all."Adrian didn't press it. He walked away.The moment he was out of earshot
Elective surgeries. When a procedure was going smoothly, surgeons talked. Gossip. Jokes. Kept the mood up and the hands steady.Deputy Director Wang had the table today. Nora was first assist.The second assist started it. "Saw Dr. Sterling by the scrub sinks again. She's been in our department eve
Black Monday earned its name.Dr. Vaughn's clinic day. The department chair only saw patients one day a week — maybe a dozen slots. Every single case was a puzzle other hospitals couldn't solve. Every single one got admitted.With scheduled consults on top, Nora didn't sit down all day. Eating brea
It wasn't until the car left the parking lot that Nora fully registered Adrian saying "we're married."Flash marriage had been her idea, yes.But saying those two words out loud, that casually — Nora knew she couldn't do it.She turned to the window.In the blur of passing light and shadow, Adrian'







