Chapter 5

Rafe's face darkened instantly, as if Ezra had hit a nerve. "Then today, I'll show you exactly where you stand with Odette!"

He looked past Ezra at the passing traffic, and a vicious glint flashed in his eyes. "Drop dead!"

Rafe raised his hands and shoved Ezra with all his strength. Caught off guard, Ezra stumbled and fell backward.

In the chaos, he instinctively grabbed the hand Rafe hadn't pulled back yet, and Rafe let out a low cry as the sudden pull dragged him toward the road too.

At that exact moment, a white sedan came speeding toward them.

In a split second, Ezra saw Odette rush over and pull Rafe into her arms, and then the car slammed into him and knocked him to the ground. Searing pain tore through his entire body. Ezra lay sprawled on the pavement as warm blood poured out of him.

"Ezra!" Odette's heart lurched when she saw him lying in a pool of blood. She called 911, and for once, her face was full of panic.

Ezra tried to smile, but he coughed up a mouthful of blood and passed out.

When he came to, he was in the hospital. The moment Ezra opened his eyes, a piercing pain shot through his whole body.

"Ezra! Are you awake?" Odette's voice rang out.

Ezra turned toward the sound and stared at her blankly, still struggling to process where he was. It wasn't until his eyes focused on her worn-out face that he finally came back to himself.

"How are you feeling? Does anything else hurt?" Odette grabbed his hand, her voice trembling slightly.

Ezra didn't answer. He just slowly but firmly pulled his hand out of hers.

Odette's hand froze in midair, and her expression changed. Assuming Ezra resented her for not saving him first, she rushed to explain.

"Ezra, Rafe is my mentor's son. When he stayed behind in Port Seward, I promised his parents I'd take care of him. I can't let anything happen to him. You—"

"I know." Ezra cut off the same excuse he'd heard a hundred times. "Besides, who you save is your call. You don't have to explain yourself to me."

"Then please forgive me." Odette took his hand again and coaxed him softly. "As long as you forgive me, I'll do anything."

"Anything?"

Relieved that he was finally willing to talk to her, Odette quickly agreed. "Yes, whatever makes you happy."

"Then I want Rafe to go to prison. He shoved me into the road and nearly got me killed. That's attempted murder, and I'm pressing charges."

"Ezra, Rafe got hurt trying to save you too. While you were unconscious, he kept blaming himself for not holding on to you." Odette pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a soft sigh.

"I know my relationship with Rafe bothers you, but can you stop being so biased against him? He really wants to get along with you."

Ezra's face showed no reaction, as if he'd seen this coming all along. He simply looked up and gave Odette a cool glance. "Whether it's bias or fact, all you have to do is pull the security footage and you'll—"

Before he could finish, a nurse pushed the door open and walked in. "Dr. Fairbanks, your husb— Mr. Ellington just finished his tests, and he's been asking for you."

Odette murmured an acknowledgment and glanced at Ezra without thinking, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.

"Go ahead," Ezra said before she could speak.

Odette's eyes snapped up to him, a flicker of surprise in them. In the past, whenever Rafe called her away, Ezra would do everything he could to make her stay, but now he was actually sending her off himself.

Odette stared at him, searching his face for any sign that he was just putting on a brave front. There was none. He was so calm that he seemed completely detached.

A strange feeling welled up inside her, mixed with an irritation she couldn't explain. Finally, Odette couldn't hold back. "If you want me to stay, I—"

"No need. Just go." Ezra cut her off with a suffocating calm. "I really don't need you here."

Odette flinched as if something had struck her hard. His words left a sudden hollow in her chest, but it quickly filled with an even deeper anger.

"You don't need me?" She leaned in close, her voice sharp.

"Then who do you need?"

Ezra instinctively pulled back. Watching him recoil from her only fueled her fury. Odette bit her lip and was about to say something when the door burst open.

Rafe hobbled in on crutches. "Odette—"