All Chapters of The Winter He Fell for the Wife He Lost: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Claire Parker couldn’t have children.The moment she got the results, she texted Nathan Brooks.‘Let’s get divorced.’She put down her phone and felt something inside her loosen.She’d barely had time to process the diagnosis when her mother-in-law called and told her to come over. Claire agreed. With the Brooks family’s connections in medicine, she wasn’t surprised they’d heard already.The sky was gray on the way there. Claire stared out the window, her eyes dry and sore.She and Nathan had met on a blind date.People said sex was the quickest way to a woman’s heart. A woman never forgot her first man, especially when that man was her husband.Claire hadn’t forgotten hers.How could she? Nathan was a medical prodigy and the youngest chief of neurosurgery in Riverton.His younger sister was the first person Claire saw when she arrived.Sophie Brooks looked at her with open disgust.As far as Sophie was concerned, an ordinary woman from a small town had no business marrying

But Sophie had never been close to Claire. Asking her what had happened at home would be pointless.At the far end of the hallway, Lily appeared beside the hospital director. They were talking as they walked.In a white coat, Lily looked sharp and capable, her attention fixed on their conversation. The director watched her with obvious admiration.Sophie pushed past Nathan and rose onto her toes to wave. “Lily!”Lily glanced their way. She kept her expression neutral until the director excused her, then smiled and walked over.There was something proud and untamed about Lily. Rather than putting people off, it drew them in.As far as Sophie was concerned, Lily had everything: the family, the looks, and the talent. She was the only woman worthy of being her sister-in-law.Sophie looped an arm through Lily’s. “You’re finally back! Everyone at my school is talking about it. You have no idea how much Nathan’s missed you this past year.”“Sophie,” Nathan said. “We’re at the hospital

Nathan said nothing.“It’s been a year, and you still haven’t posted a single wedding photo. What’s wrong? Embarrassed to show her off?”He stayed silent.“You married her, so she can’t be that bad-looking. Who’s prettier, your wife or me?”Lily’s voice took on a teasing edge.“Come out here and answer me. Your wife or me?”Nathan clenched his fist. Standing in his bedroom doorway, he took a slow breath.“What are you looking for?”Lily laughed. “Fine, I’ll stop teasing you. I need a humidifier. It’s so dry in here my nose started bleeding.”“I’ll find it. Don’t move things around.”“What, are you afraid your wife will be mad when she gets back?”Moonlight caught the look in Lily’s eyes.Sophie had told her Nathan was divorcing his wife.“Go back to your room,” Nathan said. “I’ll find the humidifier. Watch where you’re going in the dark.”Lily started toward the guest room, then glanced back with a faint smile.“Nathan, why do you hate talking about your wife so much? Yo

Nathan wondered why his mother was suddenly asking about Diane.Diane had undergone surgery, but the results hadn’t been good. For now, all they could do was manage her condition and let her recover at home. The hospital still hadn’t completed her discharge paperwork.“Claire told me,” he said. “We’ll take care of it when she gets back.”Margaret relaxed. So Claire hadn’t lied to her.If her son and daughter-in-law were divorcing, Margaret was firmly on her son’s side.“The money we gave Claire when you married,” she said, as casually as if they were discussing the weather. “She spent it on her mother’s treatment, didn’t she?”“Yes.”“You earn so much more than she does, and her mother’s illness is expensive. You’ve been supporting them both.”Margaret went on. “You got the worse end of this marriage. Our family gave Claire plenty of money. We don’t owe her or her mother anything.”She lowered her voice. “If she asks for more, especially money, don’t give in just to keep the p

Claire’s eyes lit up.“Brain-computer interfaces? Do you think they’ll really be possible?”“Not anytime soon. But I think they’re where biotech is headed.”“That’s incredible,” she said.Lucas smiled. “You’re interested?”Claire nodded eagerly, her eyes bright.“When the company starts a project in that area, you can apply to join the team. You’ll have to pass the selection process, though.”“Really? I’ll work hard for it.”She’d followed the field since she was a student. To her, making brain-computer interfaces work for patients would be a breakthrough on the scale of reaching the Moon or Mars.She’d been an excellent student at medical school too. She had ambitions of her own.“Grandpa told me you and your mother were at the airport,” Lucas said. “That’s why I came to get you.”“Professor Zimmerman told you?”Claire felt embarrassed. David must have considered her practically family if he’d asked Lucas to come all this way for her.“I’m sorry, Lucas. This is such a bot