Chapter 3

The next day, I accepted the apple Ethan peeled for me.

We fell back into a routine.

He visited every day, sometimes bringing fruit, sometimes just sitting quietly, checking on my recovery.

He would tell me to "get some rest" and awkwardly try to make small talk to cheer me up.

His therapy seemed to be working.

However, his surgical schedule had been packed lately. The afternoon we were supposed to go get our marriage license, he was called in for two emergency surgeries.

So we pushed it to the following week.

But when the day finally arrived, Ethan called me again, saying another emergency had come in.

"Vivian, I'm so sorry. An urgent case came in, and I can't leave. Next week. I promise I'll clear my schedule next week."

"It's fine. Do your job. Get some rest."

As a doctor myself, I understood.

I pushed down the familiar pang of disappointment.

It was fine. It was just one more week.

I had survived three years of gunfire and explosions; I could wait a few more days.

Until the hospital held an all-staff meeting. After the Chief of Medicine finished the main agenda, he transitioned to a lighter topic:

"On another note, with our HR system upgrade, we need to update our staff records."

"Could all newlywed employees raise your hands? I need a quick head count."

A wave of chuckles rippled through the auditorium. This part of the meeting was always meant for a bit of playful public teasing.

I turned my head, only to see Ethan slowly raising his hand next to me.

Predictably, colleagues immediately started shouting and teasing:

"Ooh, Dr. Vance! Everyone in this hospital knows you’re marrying Dr. Mercer! But if you haven't got the license yet, it doesn't count! Put your hand down!"

"Exactly! You two are flirting in the hallways every single day. We're dying of sweetness here! Come on, give us a date. When are you actually making it official?"

"Dr. Vance, is your arm tired yet? Don't worry, Dr. Mercer isn't going anywhere!"

...

Friendly laughter echoed around us.

Blushing, I smiled happily. I gently tugged at Ethan’s sleeve and whispered, "Put your hand down. The Chief is asking for people who are *already* married."

But as my eyes drifted across the room, I froze.

Not far away, Chloe had raised her hand too. She was looking at me with a smug, provocative smirk.

An uneasy feeling gripped my chest.

In the next second, Chloe stood up and spoke loudly so the whole room could hear:

"You all got it wrong."

"The person Dr. Vance married is me."

Dead silence fell over the auditorium.

Then, the room exploded into a frenzy of whispers and gasps, like cold water hitting hot oil.

Countless eyes darted between me, Ethan, and Chloe. The murmurs were deafening.

The Chief on stage looked stunned. It took him a few seconds to regain his composure.

"Quiet! Everyone, quiet!"

"This is a private matter. We will not discuss this in public! Meeting adjourned! Go back to your departments!"

Whatever was said after that, I couldn't hear.

My mind went blank. It felt like I was back on the battlefield, my ears ringing from a nearby bomb blast, every nerve in my body screaming in pain.

I walked out of the hall numbly, merging with the crowd.

Ethan caught up to me in a secluded hallway, pulling me aside. His face was filled with guilt as he tried to explain:

"Vivian, I'm so sorry."

"Chloe's father was my mentor, Dr. Brooks. He is terminally ill, and his final wish was to see Chloe settled and taken care of. We made a deal. He used his influence and past favors to demand that I marry Chloe. But Chloe and I have an agreement."

"As soon as her father passes away, I will divorce her immediately and marry you!"

Looking at Ethan's face, I felt a massive, hollow hole open up in my chest. A freezing wind howled through it.

I quietly asked him:

"When did you and Chloe get married?"

Ethan stiffened, slowly lowering his head.

"The afternoon we were supposed to go to the courthouse for the first time."

"Then why did you keep promising we’d go the following week? Bigamy... is a crime, Ethan."

Ethan kept his head low. I could clearly see the shame in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I lied to you. I just wanted to stall for time until her father passed."

An icy chill washed over me. When I spoke, my voice was barely a whisper:

"Ethan, I am never forgiving you."