Chapter 4

By the time I came out of Marcus's office, the rain was heavier.

At least it wasn't completely hopeless.

Professor Reid released two appointment slots a day.

I paid a small fortune, and I finally got one for the day before he was scheduled to leave.

But right as we were about to walk into the exam room, the nurse at the desk stopped me, her face full of apology.

"I'm so sorry. Professor Reid was just called into an emergency consult on the eighth floor, the VIP wing. All the remaining appointments have to be refunded."

The words came down on me like a bucket of ice water.

"My father is coughing so hard he can't breathe, a flare-up like this can't wait! Can't you make an exception, even just one look..."

My voice shook with panic.

The nurse sighed helplessly.

"There's really nothing I can do. Upstairs pulled him away directly. Go up to the eighth floor and beg. Maybe he can still squeeze you in."

I tore up to the eighth floor like a madwoman, only to find two familiar figures outside the VIP room.

Chloe had her arm tucked cozily through Marcus's.

"Marc, this is so much trouble for you. My dad just feels a little tight in the chest with the season changing, he coughed a couple of times, that's all. You're so busy, and you still had to pull strings to get Professor Reid here..."

Marcus ruffled her hair, and his voice held a patience and warmth I had never once heard.

"Your father's health comes first. We're not taking any chances with it."

"I spoke to Reid personally. I told him to give your father a full workup."

My nails dug deep into my palms, yet I couldn't feel a thing.

I cut straight through their tender little moment.

"Marcus, do you have any idea how long I waited for that appointment? Do you have any idea that my father is downstairs coughing up blood!"

The hallway went quiet for a beat at my sudden arrival.

Chloe shrank back behind Marcus. "Please don't blame Marc. I'm the one who begged him for help."

"I just got back, I don't know anybody here, and the second my father felt unwell I panicked and there was nobody to call but Marc... I didn't know your father was sick too."

Her eyes reddened as she caught at Marcus's sleeve.

"Why don't you let Professor Reid see her father first? My dad will be fine."

"This has nothing to do with you." Marcus reached back and closed his hand around Chloe's wrist to soothe her, and his eyes came at me cold.

"Vivian, do you have no sense of decency at all? Barging onto a patient's floor and shouting!"

"Her father is an older man. I can't just stand there and watch him suffer and do nothing."

The hand I raised to point at Chloe wouldn't stop shaking.

"Her father's illness counts and my father's doesn't?"

Marcus paused.

"Your father's lungs are a chronic problem he's had for years. Book him into general internal medicine, get him something for the wheezing. What's the problem? Why do you have to pick this exact moment to compete with Chloe?"

Every word cut a strip off me.

Looking at how entirely reasonable Marcus thought he was being, I suddenly laughed, low and quiet.

Laughed until my tears hit the cold tile.

Chloe's father coughed inside the room, and Marcus waved me off in annoyance.

"That's enough. Don't stand here disturbing his rest. If general internal medicine isn't good enough for you, I'll find you another specialist in the country later, all right?"

I pulled the ring off my finger, the one I had worn for three years.

I raised my arm and threw it at him hard.

"Marcus, let's get divorced."