Chapter 2
After Lucas left, I didn't cry or throw a fit. Instead, I kept my cool and, one by one, swept every dish, every piece of silverware, and all that carefully prepared food straight into the trash.
Glass and porcelain crashed to the floor, shattering everywhere. The wreckage looked just like the ruins of our seven years together.
I was painfully aware that any outburst would only make me look even more pathetic. But the emptiness in my chest was almost unbearable.
I never got an apology from Lucas. Instead, all I received was a bank notification. Seventy thousand dollars had just landed in my account.
[Your savings account has received a deposit of $70,000.]
Lucas had left a note, [Sorry you had to go through that. Go buy yourself something nice.]
I deleted the message without replying.
At the hospital's annual charity gala, Lisa Warren, the director's wife, and another department head's wife strolled over to me, wine glasses in hand.
Lisa gave me a pitiful smile. "Nina, it's such a shame about you and Lucas."
She added, "Last time, we saw Lucas taking Dr. James to meet his parents. They looked so happy together. She must be his real girlfriend, right?"
Instantly, all eyes turned to me, eager for the drama.
I picked up a glass of red wine and flashed her a smile.
"Mrs. Warren," I said, stepping closer. With a casual flick of my wrist, the entire glass of wine splashed all over her pricey gown.
I said, "Oops, sorry.
"Just finished a twelve-hour surgery. My hands are a little unsteady.
"Unlike you, I don't have the leisure to meddle in other people's family affairs."
Before she could react, I turned and walked away. As I passed the stairwell, Evelyn stepped in front of me.
"Dr. Shaw, please, I'm begging you. Don't be mad at me. Just let me go!" Evelyn cried out.
She grabbed my wrist tightly to stop me from leaving, begging desperately with her voice cracking.
She continued, "It was all Dr. Hayes. He said if I didn't do what he wanted, he'd ruin my internship and make sure I couldn't graduate!
"My mom's still sick, and she's counting on me to bring home the money to save her. I can't lose this job."
She was wailing like I was some monster forcing her into something shameful.
I looked at her and felt physically sick.
There wasn't a trace of fear in Evelyn's eyes, just pure calculation.
I coldly pulled my leg away. "I'll evaluate your performance fairly."
That night, I was pulling an all-nighter in my office, working on a rare case. Out of nowhere, someone kicked the door open. Lucas stormed in, furious, with two security guards in tow.
"Nina, get out here. Who do you think you are, forcing Evelyn to beg you?" Lucas shouted.
I didn't even bother to look up. I just reached under my desk and hit the panic button for security.
The alarm went off, echoing down the whole floor.
Lucas hadn't seen that coming. His expression soured in an instant. Within seconds, even more security came running.
As the security guards were escorting him out, Lucas spotted Evelyn standing nearby, clutching her internship handbook and crying as her world had ended.
There was a big red F on the cover, even though I hadn't even touched her evaluation yet.
Lucas completely lost it. He broke free from the security guards, pointed at my closed office door, and shouted at the top of his lungs, right in front of all the night shift staff who'd been woken up by the commotion.
"Nina, is your heart made of iron or something?
"Why are you picking on a young girl who's just starting her career?
"What kind of person comes down this hard on an intern? Where's your conscience?"