Forget Dennis. His father’s a real estate developer, and he’s never had to think before speaking.”
“I was starting to think you were all cut from the same cloth,” Elena said. “The cars, the clothes… Why would someone like you want anything to do with someone like me?” “I don’t know,” Mike said honestly. “Something changed for me the minute you held out those earrings.
I’ve lost people too. I know what panic looks like. Want to tell me what happened to you?” “My mother died, and I was left with my sister. She took legal custody, but mostly just kept living her own life.
She dragged me to clubs a few times, and then…” Elena stopped. The rest still hurt too much. “That’s why I went into medicine. I’m finishing my residency now. I want to save people.”
“That’s exactly why I can’t stop thinking about you,” Mike said. “You’re the real thing. No performance, no games.
And I’m not letting you disappear.” He drew her into a quiet embrace. Elena let herself lean into it. She had already fallen harder than she wanted to admit.
The old stereotype that wealthy people were all cold and selfish suddenly seemed less certain. She got home near dawn and started getting ready for another shift. Then Julie walked in.
“Well, look at you,” Julie said. “Just getting back? Did you spend the night with Mike?”
“No. We walked around the city.” “Sure you did.”
“What was that stunt with the wine?” Elena asked. “Oh, relax. I didn’t mean anything by it.” “Fine.
So how did the rest of the night go?” “He and I seem to understand each other.”
“Right. He’s just another rich guy. He’ll get what he wants and move on. That’s how it goes.” “He’s not like that.” “They all seem different at first…”
“He said he’d pick me up after work.” “Good luck with that.
I’m heading out with Vlad today. We’re going to a lake cabin for the weekend.” “So the place is all yours. Enjoy it while you can.”
Elena just laughed and ran for the bus. That same morning, Arthur stopped by Peter’s room with a bag of fruit. He began unloading apples and oranges onto the bedside table.
Peter looked much worse. “You shouldn’t spend money on this,” he said weakly. “Waste of good produce.” “Nothing wasted.
If you don’t eat it, the nurses will.” “Arthur, I need to say something.” “I’m listening.” Arthur studied his face with growing worry. He could see the decline clearly.
Inside, he was terrified, but he kept his voice steady. “I’m sorry for everything. I was hard on you growing up.
Too hard, maybe. I wanted to make a man out of you.” “You kept me out of foster care.
I worshiped you for that. I know exactly where I’d be without you.” “I thought of you as a son,” Peter said.
“I’m glad you came by. I didn’t want to leave things unsaid.” “Don’t talk like that,” Arthur said. “We’re not done yet.” Peter’s eyes filled.
What he regretted most was that he had hidden his affection behind discipline. But there was no changing the past. “I’ll come back tonight,” Arthur said. “Hang in there.” As he walked out, his phone buzzed.
It was a message from a friend of Masha’s. She had tipped him off that Masha had scheduled an abortion. Arthur felt the blood rush to his face and drove straight to her office.
He stormed in. “What is this about a clinic appointment?” he demanded. “Who told you?” she asked. “That’s not the point.
I put a tracker on your phone for safety, and this morning your friend confirmed it. So is it true?” Masha went pale.
“So it is,” Arthur said. “I bought a ring. I was planning a future. Whose child is it?” “Boris’s,” she whispered.
Arthur turned and headed for his business partner’s office. Boris wasn’t just a partner—they had built the company together. Arthur had trusted him completely.
But before he reached the door, his phone rang. It was the palliative unit. Peter Simmons had passed quietly. They asked him to come collect his belongings.
The news knocked the anger right out of him. At the hospital, Peter’s things were waiting in a neat stack. A nurse handed Arthur a form to sign.
He thanked the staff quietly for taking care of Peter and stepped outside. Elena caught up with him there. “Arthur, wait.” She held out the brooch with the earrings inside.
“Please take these.” “Where did you get them?”
“Peter gave them to me yesterday. I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“If he wanted you to have them, then keep them.” “I can’t. They belong with your family.
Give them to your future wife.” Elena placed the case firmly in his hand.
He gave a bitter little smile at the mention of a future wife. Masha’s betrayal was still raw. They said goodbye, and Elena went back inside.
The rest of the shift passed in a blur of tasks. Work was the only thing that kept her steady.
Whenever she had a spare minute, she studied for her state exams, now less than a month away. After her shift, Arthur was waiting outside. They walked through the park, grabbed something to eat, and then he drove her home.
At the entrance to her building, they shared their first kiss. “Tell me something,” Elena said lightly. “Is it true men only want one thing?” “That’s a lazy myth,” Arthur said with a half smile.
“Julie says you’re all the same.” “Julie sounds shallow.
With that attitude, she’ll keep attracting exactly the kind of men she complains about.” “You don’t know her.” “Maybe not.
But I know the type.” Elena stood there a moment longer, reluctant to go upstairs to her empty room. Then she turned back. “Do you want to come up?” “I’d like that.”
They spent the night together. In the morning, Arthur’s mother called.
“Hi. What happened? I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” “You’re leaving already?” Elena asked, disappointed. “My mother needs me at the office.”
“Then I’ll make coffee before you go.” When Elena got to work, she walked straight into an emergency staff meeting. She slipped into the room, where everyone was already gathered.
“Did I miss much?” she whispered to the nurse beside her. “Not yet.” A moment later the chief physician came in.
His face said the news was bad. “Everyone, I’m sorry to tell you this, but the palliative wing is being shut down.”
“What?” Elena stood up. “And where are the patients supposed to go?” “Home, where possible.” “Who approved this? There’s only one private facility in the whole metro area that can take these people.
Most of our patients could never afford it. We need to appeal this to the city.” “It won’t help.
The decision is final. The papers are being signed today.” Elena was so angry she could barely breathe.
She didn’t wait for the rest. She left the room and went straight to city hall. At the front desk, a secretary tried to stop her, saying the mayor was in a meeting. Elena kept going.
She burst into the office and found a man there with thick envelopes on the desk while the mayor calmly reviewed documents. “So this is how it works?” Elena said. “You’re taking bribes to sell off a hospital? I’ll go to the district attorney if I have to.”
Security arrived quickly and escorted her out. At that same time, Mike walked into his mother’s office. “Hi,” he said. “You wanted to see me?”
“Finally,” she said. “We’re about to land a major development. Prime central location.”
“Where exactly are we finding open land downtown?” Mike asked, pulling the papers toward him. “Wait. This is the hospital site? You can’t be serious.” “Why the sudden conscience?” she said. “The land’s already allocated.
Where are the patients supposed to go?” “That’s not our concern. Since when are you a philanthropist?” “I’m not signing anything unless there’s a real relocation plan.”
“Don’t start with me. Eugene will be here soon, and we’ll sort it out.” “Where is he?” “Finishing the paperwork with the city.
If all goes well, we celebrate tonight.” Just then the door opened and Eugene came in, furious.
“Well?” Mike’s mother asked. “Disaster. The mayor was about to sign when some woman stormed in and blew the whole thing up.”
“Unbelievable,” she said. “What now?” “I’ll handle it,” Mike said, and walked out. Meanwhile, Elena was sitting with Mrs. Hayes.
She was describing the morning’s confrontation in vivid detail. “Good for you,” the older woman said. “You put a wrench in the machine.
If not for you, they’d have tossed us all aside.” “Mrs. Hayes, it’s outrageous. How do you just dump helpless people?”
