“Knock, knock, knock.”

The frantic rapping sliced through the thunderstorm like a blade. Aitana Nguyen, curled up on the couch and completely absorbed in a horror flick, nearly leaped out of her skin.

She shuffled to the door in her fuzzy slippers, cracking it open just enough to peer through. “Who is it?”

A man stood on the doorstep, drenched to the bone, looking more like a wraith than any of the ghosts she’d been watching on screen. It was Jaxxon Nguyen—her high school sweetheart and the boy next door.

He was soaked beyond recognition, his hair plastered to his head like mop strings. His white shirt was water-stained, his black pants flecked with mud. Despite the ten years that had sculpted his boyish features into sharp, chiseled lines and filled out his lanky teenage frame, Aitana recognized him in an instant.

“What do you need?” Aitana asked, a hint of awkwardness in her voice.

“It’s me, Jaxxon,” he rasped, his voice hoarse from the cold.

“I know. I recognized you.”

A flash of disbelief flickered through his dark eyes before he schooled his features. “I need to talk to you.”

“Okay, shoot.”

A long, thick silence stretched between them. Jaxxon’s brows furrowed, his jaw tight, lips pressed into a thin line, as if he were weighing unspeakable truths. He’d never been one for words, and it seemed that hadn’t changed. Speaking still came with a struggle.

“Well? What is it?” Aitana prompted again.

“Will you marry me?”

“…

This guy either said nothing at all, or he dropped bombshells. Aitana wondered if she’d misheard. “With who? Me?”

She wasn’t being dense. She just wanted to be crystal clear about his intentions, to avoid any crossed wires.

Jaxxon gave a tiny nod just as the motion-sensor light in the hallway clicked off. His eyes, swallowed by shadow, were impossible to read.

“And why is that?” Aitana asked, keeping her head on straight. Even with old feelings for him—her first love—stirring back to life, his bedraggled state wasn’t enough to make her lose it.

“My mom is sick.”

Plain. Simple.

“I see.”

Jaxxon didn’t need to say more for Aitana to get the picture.

Since starting college, she’d rarely come home, and she’d seen even less of Jaxxon or his mother. Her parents had let slip a few times that Jaxxon’s mom had heart trouble. Raised by his mother, Jaxxon probably wanted to give her peace of mind by tying the knot. Aitana could understand that.

Jaxxon’s mother was a kind, gentle woman who had always treated Aitana well. She was the only soul who’d known about their “secret thing,” a fact her parents were completely clueless about. Back in the school days, whenever Aitana went over to Jaxxon’s for homework help, his mom would give them space. Not that anything romantic ever went down—it really was just studying.

After Jaxxon’s mother got sick and moved into a care facility, Jaxxon went off to study in a big city, and the two families just drifted.

“Can you agree to it?” Jaxxon asked, his voice low and urgent.

“Let me think about it,” Aitana hesitated.

Without missing a beat, Jaxxon fished a wallet from his pocket, slid out two cards, and handed them over. “One’s my salary account, the other’s my side hustle. The PIN is 931111. You know what I do. It’s not much right now. There’s a mortgage on the house, but the car’s fully paid off.”

It was hands-down the most bizarre and straight-to-the-point conversation Aitana had ever had with him. She stared at the slightly damp bank cards in her hand, a weird mix of shock and unease flooding through her.

This guy has a car, a house, and, damn, he’s doing better than me.

Mimicking his move, Aitana slipped inside to grab her own bank card and handed it to him. “This is all I’ve got, but fair warning: no car, no house. Don’t say I’m dragging you down later.”

“So you’re saying yes?” Jaxxon looked genuinely startled.

Aitana nodded. “I’m not stupid. These days, you check the finances first, then the face. And honestly, you’re not lacking in either department.”

Plus, her parents would be over the moon. Jaxxon wasn’t just a familiar face from the block who’d aced every class; he was also a doctor—a steady gig that, in her parents’ eyes, was the golden ticket to happiness. Her dad, a civil servant, and her mom, a middle school teacher, were old-school like that.

Aitana wasn’t picky about her future partner’s job, but she refused to let her parents down. Not again.

“Keep your card,” Jaxxon refused her offer.

His fingers brushed against Aitana’s as he pushed it back, and she noticed how warm he was. That wasn’t Jaxxon’s normal temperature. It hadn’t been like this before.

“Are you running a fever?”

For a beat, he stayed silent, then gave a slight nod, his eyes half-lidded, pain etched on his face.

“Come in first,” Aitana said, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Marriage can wait. At least pick a better day to talk about it.” She bent down to rummage through the shoe cabinet for slippers.

Jaxxon paused, one hand already reaching for the door to close it. “I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Aitana tossed the slippers at his feet, straightened up with her hands on her hips, shooting him an annoyed look. “Fine, come over tomorrow. Dress nice, and don’t forget a bouquet. And the ring better be more than five carats, or forget it.”

Jaxxon, knowing she was just messing with him, stayed quiet, his face unreadable.

“Change your shoes before you come in. Don’t gunk up my floors,” Aitana ordered, grabbing a fresh towel and a set of new men’s pajamas. She pointed to the bathroom. “Go on.”

Jaxxon didn’t take the stuff right away. He glanced at Aitana, but all he could see was the top of her hair and the pale skin of her neck peeking out from her pajama collar. Her hair wasn’t fully dry, draped over one shoulder, carrying a faint floral scent. The pajamas were modest, old-fashioned things, hiding everything except that strip of skin—still as fair and luminous as it had always been.

Aitana busied herself fussing with the items, her mind racing to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. “This is all I’ve got. Make do, okay?”

Handing him the bundle, she caught his questioning look. “They’re new. Never worn. I meant to give them to you, but… we broke up before I could,” she blurted out. Then added, “If it bugs you, there’s still time to back out.”

She meant the marriage proposal.

Jaxxon studied the royal blue silk pajamas. They were smooth, clearly pricey, and it gave him a glimpse into Aitana’s situation—working on her doctorate, zero income, but still thoughtful enough to have bought these.

“So you and him, you’re totally done?” Jaxxon asked suddenly, veering off track.

Aitana got a little flustered, unable to spit it out right away. “Just read the message I sent you.”

There was a pause on the line, Jaxxon presumably reading.

A beat later, he replied, “Got it.”

“‘Got it’ what?” Aitana wondered, frustration prickling.

Did that mean yes, or no?

“Got it, as in bring the stuff over this afternoon.”

“…You could have just said yes, you know?” Aitana said, exasperation leaking through.

Jaxxon: “Why didn’t you just ask me over the phone?”

Aitana: “…”

Caught off guard by Jaxxon’s relentless logic, Aitana tried to refocus. “Will his dad get admitted to the hospital today?”

The longer they waited, the higher the costs. She was worried about Beau Schmidt’s financial burden.

Jaxxon: “I’ll arrange a bed.”

Aitana’s eyes lit up. “Seriously?”

In a major hospital where resources were stretched thin, getting admitted fast was nearly impossible.

“Seriously,” Jaxxon confirmed. “Bring the stuff.”

Aitana clutched her phone, a swell of emotion rising in her chest. She swallowed hard, barely reining it in. “Thank you, Jaxxon.”

“No problem,” Jaxxon’s tone softened for a second, then chilled right back down. “It’s rare to hear a nice word from you.”

Aitana’s face fell in a heartbeat. Jaxxon was a pro at ruining a moment.

“Bye.” She hung up before he could answer.

She stewed harder with each passing second. What did he mean, “rare to hear a nice word”? Which one of her words wasn’t nice?

While she was swapping shoes, Lucia Flores and Bodhi Nguyen got back from their walk. Spotting Aitana with her bag, ready to bolt, Lucia asked, “Where are you off to?”

Bodhi looked just as concerned. “Your mentor making you work overtime again?”

“No, a classmate’s dad is here for treatment. I’m going to help,” Aitana said, bending over her shoes.

“What’s he being treated for?” Lucia asked.

“Leg injury.”

Without missing a beat, Lucia said, “Go find Jaxxon.”

Bodhi nodded in agreement. “Yeah, have you asked Jaxxon? Isn’t he at the hospital today? Let him take a look.”

“… Aitana gaped. “You guys seriously treat Jaxxon like he’s family or something.”

“Well, we don’t know any other doctors, and Jaxxon’s an orthopedist,” Lucia said, looking all justified, almost proud.

Aitana, helpless, admitted, “I already reached out to him.”

“So you’re going to him now?” Lucia asked.

“Yeah, I’ll pick them up first, then find him.”

Lucia nudged Bodhi. “Go grab that meat for Aitana to take to Jaxxon. Save you a trip later.”

Aitana was floored. “The roast you set aside was for Jaxxon?”

She’d been wondering why they’d separated a perfectly good pot of roast.

Lucia explained, “Your Auntie Liang did us a favor, and Jaxxon’s the one who dropped it off. We can’t just take without giving something back. Jaxxon’s swamped and doesn’t have time to cook—take it to him for dinner.”

Aitana: “…”

Before she knew it, Bodhi had everything packed into the same thermal container Lucia used to send her soup.

Spotting the familiar container, Aitana froze. “This container?”

Lucia said, “Jaxxon brought it back this morning.”

“What—? That guy…” Aitana bit her lip, irritation flaring up.

What the hell was Jaxxon playing at, basically announcing they’d been in close contact, like she’d been sending him soup all along?

Lucia looked puzzled. “He’s been helping you with your doctoral data. Isn’t this a small way to say thank you?”

Aitana was stunned. “Is that what he told you?”

“Well, yeah,” Lucia shot her a look. “Why so jumpy? You didn’t send him soup to chase after him, did you?”

“Absolutely not!” Aitana owned up, righteous. Because if she didn’t, Lucia might really think she was chasing Jaxxon with soup.

You had to kill that suspicion before it took root.

Lucia handed over the thermal container. “I don’t know if Jaxxon can handle spicy food. If not, tell him to water it down, maybe toss in some potatoes to mellow it out.”

Aitana laughed to herself. She’d thought coming home on a Saturday was the best. She’d felt so lucky to have such doting parents. Who knew they’d dote on Jaxxon even more?

Waving goodbye, Aitana took the container and headed out.

Walking out of the complex, a petty jealousy simmered inside her.

Being an only child was sweet—all the love, no sharing. Who’d have predicted Jaxxon would swoop in halfway through, making her feel like they were his real parents? But then the thought of Jaxxon losing his dad as a kid crept in, and she let the resentment go.

…

East River East River East River University Hospital was enormous, the buildings numbered up to fifteen. But despite the numbers, only thirteen stood, because some floors just didn’t exist. Like skipping the fourth floor in room numbers, it was one of those unspoken taboos.

Some mysteries, you just didn’t poke at.

During a hospital internship, a teacher had told Aitana that even though they tried to dodge those superstitions, creepy stuff still happened. Some beds, for instance, seemed cursed—every patient assigned to them never came back out. To break the “curse,” doctors would deliberately stick a young, healthy patient there.

And freakily enough, it actually worked.

…

Jaxxon’s department—Orthopedics—was in one of the buildings. Standing between two of them, Aitana texted Beau her location and waited. Soon after, her phone buzzed with a WhatsApp notification. She figured it was Beau, but when she glanced down, it was a message from Jaxxon.

Jaxxon: Where are you now?

Aitana: I'm downstairs, waiting for them to get here.

Jaxxon: I’ll come find you.

Aitana: No need. They’ll be here soon. I know where your office is; I’ll bring them up.

Jaxxon seemed to ignore that, asking instead: Which entrance are you at?

Aitana hesitated before typing: A specific entrance.

Jaxxon: On my way.

Aitana felt a mix of frustration and anticipation bubble up inside her.

“Linlin, I did what you said—held hands, hugged. Now what?”

Aitana blushed, forcing herself to sound brave. “Haven’t you kissed before? Stop wasting time.”

Jaxxon chuckled softly, tilting her chin up, his eyes swimming with warmth.

Aitana tipped her head back, drowning in Jaxxon’s intent, smoldering stare.

For what felt like forever, Jaxxon didn’t move. He just stared at her lips.

Aitana grew antsy, annoyed. “Are you gonna kiss me or what?”

Jaxxon grinned. “So eager, huh?”

Aitana turned beet red. She shoved Jaxxon, knocking his…

The rain pounded against the windows, a relentless drumbeat beneath the frantic knocking at Aitana's door. The sound cut through the stillness of her apartment, making her heart race. Pulling in a deep breath, she peeled herself off the couch where a horror movie played, the TV muted.

Cautiously, she cracked the door open. Jaxxon Nguyen stood there, soaked through, with a vulnerability clinging to him that she hadn't seen since high school—back when he was just the boy next door and her first love.

"Do you need something?" she asked, fighting to keep her voice steady.

Jaxxon dragged a hand through his wet hair, his eyes dark, stormy. "It's me, Jaxxon," he said, his voice rough and unfamiliar, cutting through the storm's roar.

"I know," Aitana said calmly. "I recognized you."

He shifted his weight, awkward, like he was wrestling with what to say. "I need to talk to you," he finally managed.

She nodded, waiting. But he just stood there, brow furrowed, eyes locked on the floor. The silence stretched, thick and heavy, until Jaxxon spoke again, his voice rumbling like the thunder outside.

"Will you marry me?"

"What?" Aitana blinked, stunned. "Me?"

Jaxxon nodded, his expression solemn as the hallway light flickered, shadows slicing across his face. "For my mom," he said quietly. "She's sick."

Aitana got it right away. Even after all the years and everything that had changed, she still knew Jaxxon well enough to see the urgency in his eyes. This marriage meant security for his mother—a chance to ease her worries while she was sick.

Thinking it over, she replied, "Let me think about it."

Jaxxon dug into his pocket and pulled out two damp debit cards. "This one's my paycheck," he said, handing them to her. "The other's my side income. The password's 931111."

Aitana took them, hesitating, the weight of the gesture settling in her hands. "Okay," she said at last, before turning to grab her own card.

"Here's mine," she said, coming back and offering it. "Just so you know, I don't have a car or a house. Don't get mad if I hold you back."

Jaxxon shook his head, refusing it. "Keep yours," he insisted, his tone softening for the first time. "This is more about family than money."

Warmth spread through her at his refusal—a glimpse of the boy she once knew still there in the man before her.

"Are you feeling okay?" Aitana asked, noticing the flush on his cheeks.

He nodded, exhaustion dragging at his features. "Yeah, a bit."

"Go rest," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "Marriage can wait; your health can't."

With a reluctant nod, Jaxxon headed for the guest room, leaving Aitana alone with the storm's howl and her racing thoughts.

As the rain kept pounding, Aitana thought about the man now sleeping under her roof. Even with how sudden his proposal was, there was something so familiar, so comforting about Jaxxon—a connection that hadn't faded with time.

She looked back on all her past relationships. Each one ended as smoothly as it started, every ex-boyfriend a closed book. But not Jaxxon. He was different.

Memories of their young love—stolen glances, whispered secrets—came flooding back. Jaxxon, she realized, was the one she could never truly forget.

As she considered marrying him, she couldn't help but think about how compatible they really were. Mentally, she checked off all the boxes: looks, personality, education, career, family background. Jaxxon ticked every single one.

"Wow," she muttered, smiling up at the ceiling. "Where else am I gonna find a better match than this?"

She knew the answer as soon as the question left her lips: nowhere. Of course, she would say yes.

But for now, she'd let him sleep, let the storm rage on outside, while inside, a brand-new Chapter was waiting to be written.

Aitana Nguyen hesitated, her mind spinning, trying to make sense of Jaxxon's words. "But—"

"I'll change," Jaxxon cut in, firm and unwavering. "To meet your expectations."

Aitana felt a sharp stab of guilt, her resolve weakening in the face of his sincerity. "We really need to think this through. Marriage isn't some game..."

"Are you reconsidering?" Jaxxon's tone was level, almost challenging.

Aitana paused, thoughts tangling into a mess. "Yes," she murmured.

"You sure you don't want to give me a shot?"

The question lingered in the air, Aitana perplexed. Before she could answer, Jaxxon slipped into a side room and came back with his phone. He pulled up an album and held the screen out to her.

One glance was all it took for her to recognize the man in the pictures, and her skin prickled with dread. "What... what is this supposed to mean?" she demanded, alarmed.

Jaxxon withdrew the phone, his face unreadable. "I know the man you're dealing with. I know what you sold him. Imagine if your parents found out."

Aitana let out a bitter laugh, more at herself than him. "I really let the wolf in, didn't I? So you're telling me—if I refuse to marry you, you'll spill everything to my parents?"

"Yes," Jaxxon answered bluntly.

She regretted this conversation wasn't over text. If it were, she'd have bombarded him with angry emojis. This man had changed, that was for sure.

He used soft persuasion followed by hard threats, backing her into a corner with strategy. In this scenario, surrender felt like her only way out.

"Fine. Tomorrow morning, ten o'clock. We get the marriage certificate," Aitana said through gritted teeth.

Jaxxon grinned, satisfied. "No rush. Let's make it afternoon—I've got stuff in the morning."

Aitana fumed silently. He'd proposed the marriage, yet somehow she was the one looking desperate.

"I'll need to request time off," Jaxxon added matter-of-factly.

She rolled her eyes, like she had nothing better to do than sit around waiting.

"Do you need to swing by your place for your documents?" Jaxxon asked.

"Don't worry about me," Aitana snapped.

The next afternoon, the weather was beautiful, but Aitana felt the complete opposite. Her secret had been uncovered by Jaxxon, and now he was weaponizing it to force her into marriage. This once straight-laced man had learned how to manipulate and threaten.

They stepped out of the registry office, Aitana looking pale and drained, Jaxxon relaxed and at ease.

"See you tomorrow," she said, her smile hollow and forced, secretly hoping tomorrow would never arrive.

"I'll drive you," Jaxxon offered, fishing out his car keys.

A Mercedes chirped a few feet away, and Aitana's eyes went wide.

When he'd mentioned he had a car, she hadn't pictured something this flashy.

"Do doctors seriously make that much?" she asked, disbelief thick in her voice.

Jaxxon didn't catch on at first. She nodded toward the car.

Some guy she'd gone out with once had mentioned this was a new model, costing around seventy grand. The carbon black finish shimmered with a blue undertone, dazzling in the sunlight—a little showy, if you asked her.

"Oh, it was a gift," Jaxxon said casually.

Aitana scoffed internally and waved him off. "I'm out of here."

"Where to?"

"The hospital."

"Which one?"

"East River East River East River University Hospital."

"Convenient—we're going the same way."

Aitana stared, stunned. "You work there?"

"Where else?" Jaxxon shot her a look that bordered on pity for her cluelessness.

She smacked her forehead. East River East River East River University Hospital was the top-ranked facility in the region. Where else would someone like him, top of his class, end up?

They weren't even at the hospital entrance when Aitana blurted, "I'll get out here."

"Afraid of running into my colleagues?" Jaxxon teased, catching the blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Of course not. I just don't want to make things awkward for you," she shot back, though her face was on fire.

Jaxxon smirked, a knowing edge to it. "See you later."

"Yeah, sure..." Aitana hopped out and hurried toward the hospital without a backward glance.

East River East River East River University Hospital, officially called East River East River East River University Hospital, boasted a stellar reputation, with top-notch departments in cardiac surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, and more recently, hepatobiliary and urology surgery.

Aitana's ex, the one with the shattered leg, was in orthopedics.

As she stepped into the ward, she spotted Cayden Spencer propped up with one leg in a cast, chatting up a young nurse at his bedside with exaggerated animation.

"Once I'm out of here, I'll take you for a ride in my Porsche," Cayden boasted.

The nurse blushed, clearly amused but skeptical. "First, you should focus on getting better."

"Don't doubt me..." Cayden began, but his words died when he noticed Aitana standing at the door, watching.

"What do you want?" he asked, his tone flipping to annoyance.

Aitana strolled in, unfazed. "I'm here to talk compensation."

Cayden leaned back against his pillow, disdain glinting in his eyes. "Finally ready to settle? This leg isn't gonna heal by itself—don't expect to get off cheap. Twenty, thirty grand at the bare minimum."

His eyes turned nasty as he added, "Or you could just stay with me, nurse me back to health as my girlfriend."

Aitana snorted coldly. "Considering you used my ID to register a company without my permission, you're lucky I haven't called the cops. Trying to shake me down? Forget it."

"Oh, using your ID, you say? Prove it! My busted leg is real, and everyone knows your family's responsible. The whole neighborhood saw it go down," Cayden sneered. "I'm feeling generous, so I'm giving you a chance—how much can you cough up?"

"Don't even think about it," Aitana snapped. "I never signed a single registration document. I'll be the one asking for compensation, and if I'm not satisfied, we'll take this to the police."

"Go ahead, dig up your evidence. I'm in no rush. Meanwhile, I could file for assault, send your dad to prison, and you'd have no one to blame but yourself."

Aitana's fists clenched with fury. How could she have been so blind to fall for a guy like Cayden?

"Or maybe you're just out of options?" Cayden continued, smug.

"Mr. Spencer," the nurse suddenly interjected, "Dr. Nguyen is here."

Standing at the door was Jaxxon Nguyen, dressed in crisp white. His broad shoulders filled out the lab coat perfectly, and his slim waist accentuated its tailored fit. He radiated confidence and authority.

Aitana's breath caught at the sight of him.

Jaxxon's gaze swept over her, then settled on Cayden with an unreadable expression. "How's it going?"

"Excellent! Your hospital lives up to its reputation!" Cayden grinned. "Dr. Nguyen, just pick the best for me—money's no issue. I've got someone footing the bill." He shot a pointed look at Aitana.

"Prosthetics are top-of-the-line and pricey—interested?" Jaxxon countered dryly, his glare icy.

Cayden froze.

"Try moving your foot a little," Jaxxon ordered in a no-nonsense tone.

"Oh, uh..." Cayden's smugness evaporated; he knew he needed Jaxxon's skills and didn't dare push further.

Mrs. Lee, a patient's mother, remarked, "He looks like he knows what he's doing."

Aitana couldn't help but snicker. "What makes you say that?"

Jaxxon, with his standoffish vibe, seemed like he needed a good smack, but Mrs. Lee found him professional.

"Just a gut feeling—he gets things done," Mrs. Lee explained. "Feels... reliable."

Aitana silently noted that what she interpreted as Jaxxon's rigid seriousness, the families of patients saw as "reliability." Beauty really was in the eye of the beholder.

…

At the billing counter, the clerk said, "We'll need a five-thousand-dollar deposit."

"Five thousand?" Beau Schmidt exclaimed, then quickly swallowed his shock under Jaxxon's presence.

"It'll be adjusted against the final bill and insurance upon discharge," the clerk assured.

Beau hesitated, gripping his phone, worry written all over his face.

A bank card with the hospital's logo appeared in his peripheral vision. He looked up to see Jaxxon standing there, card in hand, offering no explanation as he handed it to the clerk.

Once the transaction was done, Jaxxon retrieved his card and said, "Let's go."

Beau followed, his emotions a messy knot of gratitude and humiliation.

"Why are you helping me?" he couldn't stop himself from asking.

Jaxxon stopped and turned. "I'm not helping you. I'm just sparing Aitana from you being a burden."

Beau fell silent, his face flushing—a mix of shame and a grudging sense of thankfulness.

"Because you like her?" Beau finally whispered.

Jaxxon let out a short laugh. "So you're finally admitting it."

Beau gritted his teeth, fuming at his current pathetic state, unable to defend himself.

"When do you plan to tell her?" Jaxxon asked, his directness catching Beau off guard.

Beau jolted, thoughts scrambling. He'd been thinking about it forever but never found the right moment.

Back when Aitana was with Cayden, Beau respected their relationship and didn't want to be the third wheel. Now, with Jaxxon in the picture, and with Haley Cox insisting Aitana and Jaxxon weren't officially together, Beau thought he still had a shot.

But his current wreck of a life—he couldn't even cover his father's hospital deposit—made him feel worthless.

"It's not the right time," Beau admitted, turning his head, his voice strained. "Will you tell Aitana?"

"Tell her what? That you're into her?" Jaxxon replied evenly.

"Yes."

"She already knows."

Beau was dumbstruck.

"I pointed it out to her," Jaxxon added.

Beau's eyes flashed with anger.

Jaxxon's cold stare met his. "Did you expect her to figure it out on her own? Might take a lifetime."

Beau was left speechless, stung, but he stubbornly shot back, "You like her too, don't you? Have you told her?"

Jaxxon hadn't anticipated that bold question. After a beat, his expression darkened. "Who said I like her?"

Beau hesitated, reading nothing behind Jaxxon's mask.

"Then why stick your nose in so much?" Beau challenged.

Jaxxon, done with the conversation, said flatly, "We're already married."

The shock hit Beau like a tidal wave, his brain short-circuiting.

Jaxxon continued, "There's no love between us, but no man enjoys a love triangle. So, you can either bury your feelings and stay away from Aitana, or keep chasing her and risk being labeled a homewrecker."

The bombshell of Aitana and Jaxxon's marriage knocked the wind out of Beau, and Jaxxon's ultimatum struck like lightning, leaving him breathless and drained.

Eventually, Beau clenched his fists, forcing the words out. "If there's no love, why get married?"

"Mutual needs," Jaxxon replied impatiently.

Beau understood, but a wave of bitter disillusionment washed over him.

"Was Aitana's family pushing her? And you—what forced your hand?" Beau demanded.

"Same. Family pressure," Jaxxon said, his patience wearing thin.

Beau was skeptical. "I've read articles, and they said..."

"Jaxxon!" another voice interrupted.

A short man with neatly slicked-back hair in a pristine white coat approached.

Beau read the badge: "Liver and Biliary Surgery – Assistant Chief Physician – Arlo Spencer."

Arlo came over with enthusiasm, even leaning in to drape an arm over Jaxxon's shoulder as he glanced at Beau. "Family of the patient?"

"Yeah, Aitana's classmate," Jaxxon replied, barely hiding his discomfort as he sidestepped Arlo's touch.

Arlo chuckled, giving Jaxxon's shoulder a pat. "Look at you, pulling strings for Miss Nguyen. Back in the lab, you wouldn't even babysit my cell cultures—such favoritism, huh?" His tone was playful, borderline mocking.

Jaxxon's skin crawled at Arlo's familiarity, and he stepped further away.

But Arlo's innuendo-laced behavior wasn't lost on Beau, who'd read about Jaxxon's rumored "affair" with a doctor named Spencer.

Beau kept quiet, his fists tightening.

"We're heading out," Jaxxon said, eager to escape Arlo's unwelcome enthusiasm.

Oblivious to Jaxxon's discomfort, Arlo waved cheerfully. "Catch you later! We should all do dinner at 'Everest Excursions'—the gang's finally back together. Let's hang!"

Jaxxon frowned but replied simply, "Sure."

He knew exactly who Arlo meant by "the gang." The trio from East River East River East River University Hospital—Clockwork from Urology, Arlo from Liver and Biliary, and Reese Callahan from Obstetrics—had long been called the "Iron Triangle" thanks to their unbreakable bond.