All Chapters of Flash Marriage with My Stoic Boss: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

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."

"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.

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."

Nora braced herself. "Adrian Cross."Dr. Vaughn's blood pressure, just recovering, spiked again. For different reasons this time."Cardiac Surgery Adrian Cross?" He thought he'd misheard. When Nora nodded, he went quiet.Finally, he waved her out. "Go. I need a minute."—Adrian came out of a bypass just in time for end of shift. Changed. Found Dr. Vaughn blocking his doorway."Busy?"Between Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology, Adrian's usual contact was the chief resident. Dr. Vaughn was just a senior colleague. But he'd shown up — that meant something.Adrian's tone was respectful. "Not busy. Did you need something?""Personal. My office."That evening, colleagues saw the two department heads walk into Dr. Vaughn's office with stone faces. Half an hour. The rumor mill spun: must be a VIP transfer patient to get both chiefs discussing a surgical plan.Nora had a surgery. Off the table at eight.

Wendy's screaming didn't cut off until the car door closed."I'm sorry." Nora had tried to be careful. The parent visit had still gone wrong.Adrian didn't answer immediately. He studied her."Before this — living there. It was hard, wasn't it."Nora had been braced for awkwardness. Not for this. She turned to him. "Why do you ask that?"Adrian looked back at the house through the window. "Wendy's attitude toward you. Without the adults allowing it — she wouldn't dare."That was why he'd called Phoebe "Aunt" instead of "Mom" when they left.All the years. All the silent endurance. No one had ever named it. He'd seen it without her saying a word.The tightness in her chest loosened. She managed a small smile. "Thank you.""After my grandmother died — no one's protected me in a long time."The curve of her mouth was bitter."Is there more than the Wendy situation?" Adrian asked.Two m