At 11:30, he cleaned up, changed into the one good shirt Maya approved of, and headed back to County General for what felt like the hundth time in 2 days. The hospital had become strangely familiar, its corridors and sounds no longer foreign, but simply part of this new reality he’d stumbled into. Victoria was dressed when he arrived, back in clothes that looked expensive, even after spending a night crumpled in a hospital bag.

Her hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail, and she’d somehow managed to apply makeup that made her look professional rather than like someone who’d undergone emergency surgery less than 48 hours ago. But Ethan could see the careful way she held herself, the slight tightness around her eyes that spoke to pain she was determined not to show.

“You look ready to conquer the world,” he said from the doorway. She turned and her expression softened when she saw him. I look ready to get out of this hospital before I lose my mind. There’s a difference. Fair point. Ethan entered the room, noting the discharge paperwork already signed and stacked neatly on the bedside table. Dr.

Chen, already been by an hour ago, gave me approximately 17 lectures about rest, medication schedules, warning signs to watch for, and the importance of not returning to work immediately. Victoria picked up her purse with careful movements. I listened politely and agreed to everything while planning to ignore at least half of it. Victoria, I’m kidding.

Mostly, she managed to smile. I’ll rest. I’ll take the medication. I’ll watch for warning signs. But the moment Dr. Chen said 2 weeks before returning to work, I knew that was optimistic at best. I have a company to run. A company that will survive without you for a few days. You sound very confident about that. I sound like someone who just watched you nearly die from appendicitis because you were too stubborn to admit you needed help.

Ethan kept his voice gentle but firm. Maybe consider the possibility that the world won’t end if you take care of yourself for once. Victoria studied him with those sharp, dark eyes, and Ethan had the sense she was weighing something, making calculations he couldn’t quite follow. You’re going to be insufferable about this, aren’t you? Absolutely. Get used to it.

A nurse appeared with a wheelchair. Hospital policy, she explained. Even though Victoria insisted she could walk perfectly fine. The ride down to the main entrance was quiet. Victoria’s jaw set with the kind of determination Ethan recognized from combat medics who refused to admit they were injured. Pride and pain made for difficult companions.

His truck was parked in the pickup zone, and Ethan helped Victoria into the passenger seat with the same careful attention he’d used two nights ago in the rain. She didn’t protest the assistance, which told him more about her actual condition than any words could. “Where, too?” he asked once he’d climbed into the driver’s seat.

Victoria rattled off an address in the Marina District, one of the city’s most exclusive neighborhoods, where houses started at several million and climbed rapidly from there. Ethan shouldn’t have been surprised, but something about knowing exactly how different their worlds were made the gap feel wider. They drove in silence for the first few minutes, Ethan navigating through midday traffic while Victoria stared out the window at the passing city.

Finally, she spoke without looking at him. I’ve been thinking about what happens next after today. And what did you come up with that I don’t want this to be the end of something. I want it to be the beginning. She turned to face him. I know we’re from completely different worlds. I know this whole situation is bizarre and probably violates several social conventions about how strangers are supposed to interact, but you saved my life, Ethan.

And in doing that, you made me want to figure out what kind of life is actually worth living. Ethan felt something shift in his chest, like a door opening that he’d kept locked for 3 years. I’d like that, too. the beginning part. I mean, even though I’m terrible at having friends and will probably mess this up spectacularly. Even though.

Besides, I’m out of practice myself. We can mess it up together. Victoria smiled, and it reached her eyes this time, genuine and unguarded. Deal. The Marina district revealed itself in carefully manicured streets and houses that looked like they belonged in architectural magazines. Victoria directed him to a modern three-story home with floor toseeiling windows and a view of the bay that probably costs more than Ethan would make in a lifetime.

He pulled into the circular driveway, trying not to feel intimidated by the sheer wealth on display. “Welcome to my fortress of solitude,” Victoria said with a touch of irony. “It’s probably too much house for one person, but I bought it because I could, and because it proved something I felt needed proving at the time. And now, now it mostly just echoes.

She reached for the door handle, then paused. Would you would you mind coming in just for a few minutes? I know you need to get back to Maya, but I’d feel better knowing someone saw me safely inside. It was a reasonable request that they both knew was about more than physical safety. Victoria didn’t want to walk into that empty house alone.

Didn’t want to face the silence and isolation she’d built so carefully. Ethan understood that intimately. “Of course,” he said. “Let me help you.” Getting Victoria from the truck to her front door required more effort than she wanted to admit. Each step measured and careful. Ethan kept one hand at her elbow, ready to catch her if she stumbled, while Victoria maintained the fiction that she was fine.

The house’s security system beeped as she entered the code, and then they were inside. The interior matched the exterior. all clean lines and expensive materials and the kind of deliberate minimalism that came from having too much money and not enough warmth. Abstract art hung on white walls. Designer furniture occupied carefully measured spaces.

👉 [Tap here for Next Part] 👈