Chapter 1

Jonah's POV

"I've already canceled the reception. Make sure you let the family and friends know."

My fiancee, Lydia Winslow, slammed on the brakes.

"Jonah Stratton, are you actually serious right now? You don't even trust your own sister and your best friend anymore? Is that it?"

She turned to look at me, her expression going stone-cold.

"Maybe you really should see a therapist. This isn't how normal relationships work. You won't even believe your own sister, so how am I supposed to prove anything to you? If there isn't even basic trust between us, what's the point of getting married at all?"

Her phone rang before the words had even settled. The moment she saw who was calling, her gaze softened.

"I have somewhere to be. Go home and think about what you've done. I'll pretend today never happened."

The black Mercedes pulled away without a second's hesitation. I flagged down a cab and followed her, unwilling to let it go.

Half an hour later, the GPS tracker on my phone showed her stopped at The Shoreline. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, I could see a first birthday party in full swing, and everywhere I looked, familiar faces raised their glasses and mingled.

The man at the center of it all wore the same watch I'd found in Lydia's car the very first time, and he was wearing the cufflinks I'd fished out of her pocket the third time.

When I finally made out his face, whatever composure I'd been holding onto crumbled.

It was him.

A month ago, I'd accidentally caused blood to flow back into a patient's IV line while changing the drip. Luke Penworth's family filed a formal complaint with the hospital, accusing me of patient abuse.

During the confrontation, his bodyguard shoved me to the ground. My right hand broke on impact, and I was suspended from work.

My sister, Leah Stratton, the lawyer who'd run herself ragged handling the lawsuit on my behalf, was now right by Luke's side, fielding drinks for him.

And Bryce, the friend who'd butted heads with the hospital's board for my sake and pulled all-nighters on my appeal, was busy playing host for Luke's guests.

As for Lydia, who just moments ago had been swearing up and down that she was innocent, she was the most laughable of all.

"Lydia, you're late! Don't you think you owe him a little something to make up for it?"

Lydia draped herself over Luke and kissed him while the crowd egged them on.

Scene after scene hit me like a sick joke. So they were the family behind the complaint all along, the ones who'd blown that one small mistake out of proportion and cost me my job.

My face burned like I'd been slapped with a hot iron, the heat spreading through every nerve until it exploded behind my eyes. So this was what it felt like, being played for a fool by everyone I'd ever trusted.

My phone buzzed with a transfer notification from the hospital.

"Dr. Stratton, your transfer request has been approved. Please report to Ridgemont Hospital in three days."

I stared at the screen and almost laughed. Fine. There was nothing left in this city worth staying for anyway. In three days, whatever was left between me and Lydia would be done for good.

I turned to leave, unable to stomach the sight any longer, but behind me, Luke caught sight of me and came after me.

"Dr. Stratton? Did you come all the way here for our little one's birthday?"