The Doctor Who Learned Love Too Late Chapter 01
The other patients scattered at once.
One card drifted lightly to the floor. He picked it up and placed it on my bed without expression.
“June, you’re still mad.”
A tired impatience surfaced between his brows.
“I didn’t stand you up on purpose that day. How long are you going to keep fighting me over this?”
Seven days ago was our second anniversary.
I had booked the restaurant more than ten days in advance. We had barely sat down, and I hadn’t even opened the menu when he took a call and rushed out.
He only left one sentence behind.
“A patient needs me.”
Under the waiter’s stare, I sat there blankly for a long time before saying I wouldn’t be eating. They didn’t need to refund the deposit either.
Not long after, I saw photos of Chloe Shaw at an event on the trending feed. In the corner, part of a man’s arm showed, the sleeve of his suit jacket rolled up.
The watch on his wrist was the one I had picked out for Landon myself that morning.
I stared at that photo, missed a step on the pedestrian bridge stairs, and fell all the way down.
Calling an ambulance, having surgery, checking into the hospital, I went through the whole process alone. By the time everything was done, it was eleven at night, and Landon finally called.
“I’m home. Where are you?”
I propped up my injured leg and stared at a chipped black spot on the bedrail.
“Did you go see Chloe today?”
He paused.
“Chloe hurt her back at the event. Her old injury flared up. I couldn’t just ignore it.”
The last time, she said she had twisted her back because a bug scared her, and he rushed over right after surgery.
The time before that, the movie had only just started when he got Chloe’s message saying her back hurt badly after standing too long at an event. He left with one line.
“I’ll watch it with you next time.”
Every time, he had no choice.
I closed my eyes and inhaled. For a long time, I didn’t say anything.
When I stayed quiet, Landon sounded like he was compromising.
“Enough. Stop making a scene. I’ll take time off later and spend it with you, okay? Where are you now? I’ll come get you.”
I couldn’t see his expression, but I could imagine it.
His brows were probably knitted together, his face full of exhaustion and impatience.
I laughed at myself.
“I begged you for half a month before you agreed to take one day off for me. How long should I beg next time?”
Landon’s voice cooled.
“June…”
I cut him off and said evenly, “Something came up last minute. I’m on a business trip. You don’t need to take time off for me anymore.”
Then, for the first time, I hung up on him.
