Chapter 1

The day before the hospital posted the annual fellowship nomination list, my fiancé gave my slot to another woman.

Someone asked him:

"Lena spent three years prepping for this. She hasn't taken a single real vacation."

"You're giving her spot to Sophie. Aren't you worried she'll leave you?"

Adrian Cole went quiet for a beat. Then his voice came out steady. Certain.

"She won't."

"Sophie's father, Dr. Grant, left behind an unfinished research project before he died. Now her mother's been diagnosed with a serious illness. She can't afford to wait."

"Lena has me. And her mom Laura still needs someone around. Once we're married, she can stay in Boston. She'll be fine."

I stood frozen outside the conference room.

I looked down at the ring I'd just picked up from the jeweler.

So in his eyes, my entire future only needed one thing — a wedding.

I didn't walk in. I didn't tell him my mom's latest scans had come back completely clear.

I was finally free to leave Boston.

That night, I canceled my plans to move into the new apartment. I requested a refund on the wedding deposits. And I sent my résumé to a children's medical center in New York.

If he could brush past my future and make decisions for me without blinking, then my decisions no longer needed his input.

He thought I'd stay by his side.

But the future I'd waited three years for couldn't be reduced to a wedding.

…

The next morning, I walked into the handoff room like any other day.

The department chief hadn't arrived yet. Sophie Grant was already sitting in my usual seat, Adrian's case notes spread out beside her.

She jumped up the second she saw me.

"Adrian told me to sit here and review these."

I sat down in the last row.

Adrian glanced up.

"Why are you sitting all the way back there?"

I ignored him.

He frowned, then turned back to Sophie and told her to continue her report.

The chief walked in and announced this year's fellowship nomination list.

"This year, our department's sole nomination goes to Sophie Grant."

"She'll also advance to the next round of academic promotion review."

He paused.

"Lena is getting married in September. Adrian informed us that she's decided to stay in Boston and has withdrawn from this year's program."

Applause filled the room.

Someone turned around with a grin.

"Lena's about to be a married woman. Can't have it all — gotta leave something for the rest of us, right?"

Sophie stood up, eyes red.

"Thank you, everyone. And thank you, Adrian."

"My father's research project almost died with him. Without Adrian's help, I honestly didn't know what I was going to do."

She looked at me. Her voice dropped.

"And I especially want to thank Lena for giving me this opportunity."

Every pair of eyes in the room landed on me.

I closed my notebook.

"I didn't volunteer to step down. And I didn't give my spot to anyone."

The chief's smile froze on his face.

Adrian cut in, voice cold.

"The nomination's already been submitted. Let's finish handoff."

After the meeting, he cornered me in the stairwell.

"You really had to say that in front of everyone?"

I stared back at him.

"Say what?"

"The final list has already been submitted. What's the point of making a scene now?"

He still had the pen I'd given him clipped to his chest pocket.

Years ago, the cap fell off. He spent two hours searching for it, terrified of losing anything I'd ever given him.

Now my three years boiled down to one sentence: The list's already been submitted.

"Who told the chief I withdrew voluntarily?"

Adrian hesitated.

"The last step required department signoff. I didn't submit your materials."

I stared at him.

"So you decided — on my behalf — that I wasn't applying."

"It was the last day. Sophie's mother was rushed to the ER. I was going to talk to you about it after things settled down."

I let out a cold laugh.

"Adrian, the deadline had already passed. What exactly were you planning to talk to me about?"

His patience visibly snapped. He pressed his fingers against his brow.

"After we're married, you can transfer to outpatient. No more overnight shifts. It'll be easier to take care of Laura."

"If the income's a little less, I can pick up the slack."

"Come look at furniture for the new apartment tonight. Stop making this into something it's not."

"No."

"Stop it, Lena. I've got things to handle. Cool down on your own." He reached over, patted my head, and walked away.

He was certain that once I cooled off, I'd follow him. Like I always did.

At ten that morning, a nurse handed me discharge papers.

"Dr. Bennett, Leo can go home today."

Leo was five. He'd been in our care for almost two years.

The second he saw me, he ran over and wrapped his arms around my leg.

"Dr. Bennett, can I still come see you?"

I'd barely crouched down when Sophie walked in carrying a stack of charts.

"Lena, Adrian wants me to take over Leo's followups."

The boy immediately shrank into my arms.

"I don't want her…"

Adrian appeared in the doorway behind her. His tone left no room for discussion.

"Sophie needs a complete case file for her fellowship in New York. Leo's treatment has significant research value. She'll be handling his followup care going forward."

Leo gripped my white coat and wouldn't let go.

Adrian's expression hardened.

"Leo, that's enough."

"Dr. Grant will take good care of you."

The boy froze.

Then he burst into tears.