Chapter 11

Leah's POVI didn't expect to run into Victoria before leaving.She blocked my path and taunted, "Leah, you really have no shame. You've already broken up with Ethan, and now you've come crawling to get back together with him."I took a deep breath. "Which eye of yours saw me coming here to get back together with him?""What are you doing here if not for that?" Victoria sneered. "There's no need to deny it. You know, everyone's betting on how far you'll go. Ethan's post has already hit 100 likes, and you still have the nerve to cling to him."I forced down my anger. "Victoria, I suggest you mind your own business.""Mind my own business?" Her smile widened."Let me tell you something. Ethan and I have been together every single day. We've been inseparable. He told me he doesn't have feelings for you anymore. He's only stuck with you because of the case analysis you helped him with. He just feels too bad to dump you—"Listening to her, I finally couldn't hold back anymore and cu

Chapter 12

Ethan's POVEthan's celebration party was held at the most luxurious hotel in Estain. Those in attendance were doctors from Redwood General Hospital and prominent figures from the medical field. Everyone offered Ethan their congratulations.Yet, the one person he wanted to see the most never appeared.Ethan sat at the head table, his expression dark. He responded absentmindedly to the well-wishes around him and barely engaged even when Seth tried to make conversation.Seated beside him was Victoria, dressed in an elegant evening dress and carefully made up. She kept talking to him, trying to draw his attention."Ethan, my dad said he's planning to allocate more research funding for you.""Ethan, the board is waiting for your speech.""Ethan, you don't look happy. Are you tired?"But Ethan remained distant. His gaze stayed fixed on the entrance of the banquet hall, filled with anticipation.He was waiting for a familiar figure to walk in.Waiting for Leah to arrive like she al

Chapter 13

When Ethan woke up the next morning, his head was pounding, and his thoughts were foggy and disjointed. He stared at the ceiling in a daze.Suddenly, he sensed that something was wrong.He turned around and saw Victoria beside him, her clothes disheveled.Ethan shot upright. "What the hell are you doing here?"His voice was sharp with shock and fury.Victoria, who'd been lying there with her eyes closed, slowly opened them as if she were just waking up.When she met Ethan's furious gaze, tears immediately welled up in her eyes. "Last night… you drank too much… I tried to stop you, but you still…"She squeezed out tears, attempting to make Ethan believe that he'd forced himself on her.But before she could finish, Ethan struck her across the face."You bitch! Did you drug me?"Half her face swelled instantly.This wasn't what Victoria had imagined.She'd expected Ethan to assume he'd simply lost control while drunk. And all she would have to do was play the victim, making hi

Chapter 14

After Ethan stepped out of his apartment, he immediately called the hospital security team and a private investigator. "Find out exactly what Victoria Hartfield has done behind my back! Not just her, look into her entire family!"A sudden, chilling panic gripped him.He was now certain that Victoria must have had another motive for drugging him and making him sleep with her.She'd planned it meticulously. There was no way it was out of simple affection. She must have had ulterior motives.Ethan knew for sure that he would never marry Victoria.But what terrified him more than anything was Leah finding out. He had to find her immediately.He frantically called her, but the line went straight to voicemail.He began frantically calling everyone who knew Leah—Emma, her lab colleagues, and even the head nurse from her clinical rotation."Do you know where Leah is?""Has she mentioned where she's going?""Please, tell me where she is!"However, no one knew where Leah had gone. Or

Chapter 15

Leah's POVIt had been six months since I started my residency at Northview Memorial Hospital when I saw Ethan again.That day, I dragged myself out of the hospital after a grueling 36-hour shift.Winters in Fedria were brutal, but the sun was shining brightly."Leah." A familiar voice came from behind me.I turned and saw Ethan.He looked thinner, with dark circles under his eyes. He seemed tired and worn down."Hi, Ethan." I nodded, ready to walk away."Leah, wait." He stepped in front of me. "Can we talk?"I glanced at my watch. "I'm exhausted. I just want to go home.""Just ten minutes," he pleaded. "Please?"I hesitated, then nodded.We found a quiet cafe. Ethan ordered a latte for me. He remembered how I liked it."I'm sorry, Leah," Ethan started. "I know saying that doesn't change anything, but I still need to say it."I looked at him in silence."I looked into everything about Victoria." His voice dropped. "You were right. I shouldn't have doubted you. I—""Etha

Chapter 16

Three months later, I met a special patient.She was a six-year-old girl with leukemia. Her mother was a single parent, buried in debt just to pay for her treatment.Watching her mother's worried eyes, I thought of my past self, standing helpless in the hospital corridors when my own mom was sick.To help them, I decided to apply for the hospital's charity program on their behalf.After months of treatment, the little girl found a matching bone marrow donor, and the surgery went perfectly.On the day she was discharged, her mother grabbed my hand, tears in her eyes. "Dr. Hayes, thank you so much. You're our lifesaver."At that moment, I knew it had all been worth it.This was the life I wanted—using my skills to help people who really needed it, not wasting time on someone who didn't deserve me.A year later, on Match Day, I received my acceptance into Northview Memorial Hospital's cardiology fellowship.Jennifer and a few friends I'd made during residency took me out to celeb