All Chapters of THREE YEARS TOO LATE MR STANTON: Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

Veronica's POVThe beeping of machines filtered into my dream, slow and steady, until it pulled me out of the version of my life where Caleb's hand kept finding my face, where he walked away from me with Ava on his arm, the two of them already turning into strangers I used to know.I opened my eyes and the world arrived in pieces. A white ceiling tile with a water stain shaped like a half moon. The smell of antiseptic, thick enough to taste. Sunlight slicing through a gap in the blinds, straight into my eyes.A hospital, I thought, and let the thought sit there a long moment before it made any sense at all.I tried to speak. What came out instead was a thin scrape of sound, my throat raw as if I'd swallowed glass. I found the call button with fingers that didn't feel like mine and pressed it.A nurse came in fast, her shoes squeaking against the floor."Mrs. Stanton, you're awake." She was already reaching for my chart. "Don't try to talk too much. I'll get the doctor right away.""Wa

Veronica’s POV“Do I know you?” I asked the stranger who sat across from me on the bed.“My name is Adrian… We went to high school together.”“I… don’t remember you,” I told him truthfully.“I didn’t expect you to, but I could never forget you.” I looked at him, more confused than ever. He let out a sigh, rubbing his face. “When I was in high school, I was terribly bullied, but… you were the only one who ever stood up for me.”A memory surfaced a boy being tossed around by Caleb and his friends, his clothes torn to shreds.“So you’re a doctor now. Everything worked out,” I said with a small smile. At least life had worked out for one of us.“I own the hospital and some other businesses.”“That’s not possible. The owner of Moretti Hospital is Caleb’s rival, who has been dominating the business scene.” I shook my head.“My birth parents found me after senior year. Everything changed,” he said with a small smile.I simply nodded, trying to comprehend everything he had just said.“Listen