2026-10-31 19:48:44
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CHAPTER 48
Ethan sat near the head table in the Grand Belvedere Suite, beside the reserved seats for Jordan Fischer and his wife, Aurelia.Classical violin music filled the ballroom, blending with the soft hum of conversations, champagne toasts, and laughter. But Ethan remained unusually alert, his eyes moving across the room as he quietly observed the guests.Near the service area behind the curtains, Gavin Grant approached a young waitress who was preparing a silver tray of dinner courses for Table 1.Before the waitress could leave, Chloe stepped into the alcove.Her emerald-green gown rustled softly as she approached, her expression calm and composed."Excuse me," Chloe said, offering the waitress a practiced smile. "I'm Dr. Ethan Reynolds's wife. That tray is going to his seat beside Mr. Fischer, correct?"The waitress paused, slightly flustered by the presence of the well-known businesswoman."Yes, ma'am. The main course and drinks for the host's table.""Ethan has had a particularly stres
CHAPTER 47
Ethan's hand paused over the deadbolt. He stood silently behind the door, listening.Sophia remained under the yellow porch light, breathing heavily, her cheeks flushed from the cold night air. She quickly pulled her hand away from the doorframe and reached into her pocket.She didn't pull out another envelope of cash.Instead, she produced a thick, cream-colored invitation embossed with gold lettering."This came for you yesterday," Sophia said, her voice losing some of its earlier arrogance as she held it out. "An important man who's been close to you since you married Mom asked for it to be delivered personally. His wife, Aurelia, is turning thirty-five, and the birthday dinner is in two days."Ethan's eyes narrowed as he stared at the elegant card."He said he tried calling you several times but couldn't get through," Sophia continued, glancing at the invitation. "So he gave it to Mom to pass along to you. He specifically asked that you attend."Ethan reached out and took the card
CHAPTER 46
More than a week had passed since Ethan walked out of Westbridge University Hospital, yet he had made no attempt to contact Chloe.High up in her office, Chloe stood by the window, her fingers wrapped tightly around a lukewarm cup. She stared down at the city below, her mind restless with thoughts she couldn't seem to control.Since Ethan's unexpected meeting with Chief Director Martin behind closed doors, he hadn't returned to the hospital. He hadn't filed any court motions, contacted her legal team, or called her number.Her carefully planned pressure campaign wasn't producing the results she had expected.She had been certain that losing his income, facing mounting motel bills, and living under the threat of public exposure would eventually wear him down. Within days, she had expected him to surrender and come crawling back.Instead, he had disappeared into the city, leaving her with no idea what Martin had told him or what he was planning next."I could go to the motel myself," Ch
CHAPTER 45
Ethan sat on the edge of the sagging motel mattress, staring at the banking app glowing on his phone. The harsh light overhead buzzed incessantly.$2,200.He pressed his thumb against his temple, a dull ache building behind his eyes.Seven days had passed since his termination from Westbridge, and the numbers were becoming impossible to ignore. At forty-five dollars a night for the room, plus meals, and other daily expenses, he was spending nearly eighty dollars every twenty-four hours.His remaining balance wouldn't last beyond three or four weeks.A cold knot tightened in his stomach.Throughout his eighteen years in emergency medicine, Ethan had built his reputation on remaining calm under pressure. In the trauma bay, when a patient's central line failed and blood splattered across the floor, his hands remained steady. He could analyze a situation and make split-second decisions while everyone around him panicked.But financial pressure was a different beast. He couldn't apply a to
CHAPTER 44
Seven full days had passed since the Board of Trustees voted to terminate Ethan’s employment at Westbridge University Hospital.Chloe sat behind her desk, trying and failing to concentrate on the documents in front of her. No matter how many times she forced herself to read the same lines, her thoughts kept returning to Ethan.She had calculated his breaking point down to the hour.She knew his financial situation. His checking account was running dry, their shared marital assets had been frozen by her legal team, his motel bill was mounting, and his name had been dragged through the mud across the medical industry.Stripped of his scalpel, his title, and his dignity, he should have reached for his phone by the third day. He should have called her, his pride finally broken, ready to accept her terms, her protection, and the medical business she had promised to build for him.Instead, there had been nothing.Just silence.And Ethan was still out there, refusing to come back.At first,
CHAPTER 43
"Sit down, Ethan," Martin said, his voice deep with fatigue.Ethan pulled out the heavy armchair and sat down. His heart beat hard against his ribs.Martin leaned against the edge of his desk. "I won't lie to you. When I first heard about this scandal in Taipei, I was deeply disappointed. I've watched you work for eighteen years. You've always been disciplined, you've handled pressure better than most doctors, and you've stayed out of the political games that plague this hospital. I put your name at the top of the promotion list because I believed you were ready for greater responsibility."He sighed and ran a hand through his silver hair."Then this hotel scandal came out, and I struggled to understand how the man I knew could end up in a situation like this."A knot tightened in Ethan's chest, but he kept his hands still."I've never claimed to be a saint, Director Martin, and I'm not denying that drinking so much that I blacked out was a serious mistake. But I need you to hear the
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