Chapter 2

Before Leroy's car disappeared around the corner, my phone lit up.

Julian Saunders's name flashed on the screen, as if he'd timed it perfectly.

I swiped to answer, and before I could say a word, his deep voice came through. "Did he sign it?" he asked.

The leaves of the sycamore tree outside my window rustled in the wind.

I stared at the divorce agreement on the coffee table, the ink still fresh, and found myself nodding automatically.

Then I realized he couldn't see me, so I muttered, "Yeah."

On the other end, I heard the sound of a pen being set down. It sounded like he was in his office.

There was a three-second pause, and I could hear his measured breathing, like he was trying to calm himself down.

"There's a pot of chamomile tea with a dash of local honey." His voice remained steady, but with a slight upward inflection at the end.

"You mentioned having trouble sleeping last time, so I got some wildflower honey from a local farm," he added.

But he already turned around the corner and left. If he's far away, how can she still hear his car?

Absentmindedly, I ran my fingers along the edge of the divorce agreement. The paper felt cold, but Julian's voice carried warmth. "How about I wait for you downstairs?" he asked.

"Okay," I heard myself say.

As I hung up, my phone lit up again.

Julian had sent me a photo, a steaming clay pot, and a box of macarons sitting next to it.

The strawberry ones, my absolute least favorite, had been carefully set aside on the other end.

It was like he always managed to sidestep all my triggers, every single time.

My finger hovered over the screen, and out of nowhere, I remembered how Leroy had carelessly tossed me those ruby earrings this morning.

Three years married, and he never even bothered to remember I was allergic to metal.

The sycamore leaves outside rustled again. This time, I knew for sure. It was the spring wind.

The first time I ever laid eyes on Julian was at Leroy's birthday bash.

He was standing next to the champagne tower in a charcoal suit, looking totally out of place among all those flashy, rich kids.

"This is my old buddy Julian," Leroy said, his arm snug around my waist. "He just got back from overseas with a medical degree."

Julian nodded politely. "Been looking forward to meeting you, Miss Reed."

There was a complicated look in his eyes when he glanced at me. Later, I realized he'd already known about everything Leroy was doing behind my back.

Three months later, I bumped into him again at Saunders Hospital during a routine check-up.

He frowned as he read my report. "Miss Reed, you've got mild anemia. You really need to take care of your health."

"Don't tell Leroy," I blurted out, almost on instinct.

"Of course," he said, adjusting his glasses. "He's probably pretty busy these days."

I instinctively looked down, avoiding his gaze, and he got the hint, not another word about Leroy.

But after that, Julian started showing up around me more and more often.

Every time Leroy stood me up, I'd end up running into Julian at restaurants or even in the hospital corridors.

Eventually, I snapped, "Are you pitying me?"

"I'm just waiting for you to wake up to reality," Julian said.

"This is between me and my husband," I replied.

Last winter, Leroy took Julian to Redenia for a ski trip and had Sienna Sutton tag along, too.

Julian flew back that very day and stood outside my door until two in the morning.

"Are you out of your mind?" I opened the door. "What if Leroy finds out?"

Frost clung to Julian's lashes. "I came back to tell you that you deserve better."

Julian's pursuit was like the blazing summer sun, open, unreserved, and always radiating warmth.

White roses from him greeted me every morning, without fail.

Whenever I worked late, some nutritious late-night treats would magically appear at the front desk, all thanks to Julian.

Once, I offhandedly said I liked a rare fragrance, and the very next day, he showed up at my office with a perfumer ready to recreate it for me.

"How did you know I use this brand?" I asked, amazed as I stared at the perfume he'd recreated for me.

"Maybe we just get each other," Julian said, lightly grazing my hair with his fingers before quickly pulling back. "As long as you like it, that's all that matters."

What I didn't realize was that he'd spent three months searching for a formula that came close to the original.

He also never mentioned Leroy when we were together.

One time, as we walked past Carter Holding, he suddenly pulled me into a side alley. He said, "Hey, there's a new dessert place here."

Turns out, he just didn't want me to see Leroy and his secretary getting out of the car.

Last year on my birthday, Julian rented out the entire observatory.

When I peered through the telescope and saw a comet bearing my name, I couldn't hold back anymore and asked, "Why don't you ever ask me about my marriage?"

"I'm waiting for you, not for your divorce certificate," Julian replied.

He adjusted the telescope's focus.

"When you smile, Hazel, your eyes should be shining with stars, not clouded by tears," Julian murmured.

There was only Julian and me at the observatory on that rainy night.

He took my hand, his touch burning with warmth.

"Hazel." Julian's voice was hoarse, barely recognizable. "I can't wait any longer."

I pulled my hand back, the cup tapping softly against the table. I said, "Julian, I have a husband."

"Husband?" Julian laughed, then pulled up a video on his phone.

On the screen, Leroy had his arm around Sienna as they walked into a hotel. The timestamp was from yesterday. "Do you think he's worthy of you?" Julian said.

Rain slid down the glass, just like it did the day we first met.

I turned to grab my coat, but Julian suddenly shoved me against the wall.

"Look at me," he demanded, his hands clamped down on my shoulders, the grip so hard it actually hurt.

He added, "For two years, I've been nothing but an idiot, watching you cry and get sick over him.

"You deserve so much more." Julian's voice broke, thick with emotion.

I'd never seen Julian lose his composure like this.

His tie was askew, his eyes behind those gold-rimmed glasses were red and tired, and a few messy strands of his usually immaculate hair had fallen across his forehead.

"I know. Let me think about it." Before I even realized it, I heard myself say those words.

His eyes lit up instantly, like a ship at night suddenly spotting a lighthouse.

His fingers paused mid-air, as if he wanted to reach for my face, but he restrained himself and ended up pouring me some coffee instead. He said, "Okay."

As he poured the coffee, steam drifted up from the cup, and his words mingled with the rain outside. "I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes."

Julian swallowed hard, his voice low. "Even if you decide to stay Mrs. Carter, I'll always be your Dr. Saunders."

Outside, the rain poured relentlessly, and Julian watched me, careful, but with hope shining in his eyes.