Yvonne did not come home that night.

The next day, she rang up.

"Got held up last night and didn't make it back. You see the papers on my coffee table? Drop them off at the law firm for me, and hand them to Jamie. I'm not around."

I barely glanced at the coffee table and muttered, "Yeah."

I had just given Jamie the files and was ready to head out when he asked if I wanted to hang around for Yvonne, who was supposedly tied up in a meeting.

It turned out Yvonne was full of it.

As I swung the meeting room door open, there was Yvonne, practically draped over Wade.

She did not spot me—it was Wade who piped up first.

"Dr. Green, what's up? Didn't expect to see you here."

Yvonne, hearing that, scrambled to her feet. Wade, looking a bit caught off guard, shot his arms up.

That was when I noticed her hair tangled up in Wade's wristwatch.

The very watch I had bought for Yvonne.

She had raved about how it was perfect for both guys and girls, but it was sold out everywhere back home.

I went through hoops to get it for her birthday, hoping to win her over. However, she hardly wore it after that. When I asked, she brushed it off, saying she lost it.

Well, it was pretty clear where it ended up.

Yvonne's eyes darted with panic when she saw me, fumbling to free her hair.

"Thomas, it's not what you think. Wade and I were just hashing out a case."

Wade chimed in with a grin, "Exactly. Just a little hiccup I needed Yvonne's help with. Dr. Green, you're not going to sweat the small stuff, right?"

Yvonne sidled up to me, pulling out all her flirty stops.

I was sick to my stomach with her act and called her out on the watch.

She flipped, lashing out at me, "Can't you take a hint when someone's being nice? It's just some lousy watch. I can give it to whoever I please. Why the third degree? You sound like a broken record, whining like that."

Her voice was so loud that the whole office must have heard.

I caught the smirk on Wade's face, but I just gave a composed smile. "No biggie. You said the watch was lost, and here I was thinking some lowlife had swiped it."

The room buzzed with whispers and side-eyes, but I just shrugged it off with a half-smile.

"Keep it up, folks. I'm heading out."

Yvonne was not far behind. She stormed in and chucked a gift box at me like it was a grenade.

Inside? A leather belt, the same brand as the watch, but this one looked extravagant.

"Enough already. It's just a dumb watch. Here's something pricier. Happy now?" she huffed.

I dumped the box on the coffee table, my voice ice, "I don't need your charity."

She mistook my chill for a sulk and softened, a rare sight, plopping down beside me.

"Wade's company mess is done. Now I'm at his divorce gig."

"Divorce?" That caught me off-guard. Wade, of all people, splitting from his loaded wife?

"Yep. His wife cheated, and her boy toy roughed him up. Wade called me to bail him out. She's way out of line. I have to snag him a bigger slice of the pie. It's strictly business between us."

'Sure, they're close like that, so of course helping out makes sense,' I figured.

I stood. "Whatever it is, it's none of my business."

She clutched at me, "Cut the act. I'm being nice here. No more games."

I glared at her. "Got too much time on your hands, Yvonne?"

With that, I headed for my room.

She did not see that coming. Fury lit her up like a firecracker.

She grabbed the gift box and hurled it at my back, a perfect hit. "Playing hard to get? You're pathetic. If you're so tough, let's get a divorce!"

I froze, then spun around. "You want a divorce? You got it."

Yvonne was right behind me as she roared, "Then pack your bags and go!"

I was just giving Yvonne a taste of her own medicine. She was so used to my constant doting; there was no way she could handle the frosty shoulder I gave her.

I made a beeline for the exit, but she was hot on my heels furiously. "Just leave, and don't you dare come back!"

I got myself a hotel room, freshened up, and got ready to sleep. Yvonne blew up my phone with call after call, but I ignored them all.

Then, 30 minutes later, a stranger rang.

"Hey, is this Yvonne's husband? She's plastered over here at our bar. Could you come get her?"

"You've got the wrong guy."

However, I thought better of it and added, "Check her contacts for a dude named Wade. He can deal with it."

I hung up, got online, and started the paperwork for a visa to Avrika.

Yvonne tried reaching out a few more times, but eventually, she gave up and went silent.

The hospital had been a madhouse lately, what with us gearing up for the Avrika medical mission.

However, the chaos had been a welcome distraction.

No more sucking up, no more feeling empty.

One of the obstetrician gynecologists, swamped with preparation for Avrika, had not even had a second to grab a bite.

Post-meeting, I got an extra meal for him.

However, as I dropped it off at the obstetrics-gynecology department, I spotted Yvonne, propped up by Wade, looking like she was on her last leg.

I flagged down a nurse. "Hey, what's going on with her?"

The nurse, spotting my white coat, took a quick look at Yvonne and let out a heavy sigh. "She found out she was two months pregnant after a night of drinking and came in for an abortion."

Pregnant?

The timeline matched up with the last time Yvonne and I were together.

A blaze of anger shot through me, and I beelined for Yvonne.

"You were pregnant? Why the heck didn't you tell me?"

She glanced up before swinging, slapping my face.

"Like it's my fault? Your swimmers are to blame for my miscarriage, and you have the gall to ask?"

I locked eyes with her. "Was it an accident, or did you get rid of our baby on purpose?"

"It was no accident. I meant to do it. What's it to you? I'm about to make a partner at the firm, and I won't let a baby mess that up."

Her eyes were like daggers, blaming our own child.

My heart squeezed tight, and I clenched my fist, trying to hold back the storm inside.

I never wanted to trap her with a kid. For eight years, I had gone along with whatever she wanted.

However, this? This made me boil over. I had a right to know.

I jabbed a finger at Yvonne, my voice rising. "I'm that kid's dad! How could you just decide without me? And to bring him along?"

Yvonne just smirked. "What's wrong with Wade being here? Be glad the kid wasn't his. Now get out of my face. You're bugging me."

She shoved me, and that was the last straw.

I tried to step up, to say something, but Wade shoved me back.

Yvonne threw me a look, frosty as ice. "Stand outside our house for a full day and night, then maybe we'll talk."

With that, she walked away with Wade's help.

I hit the wall hard, my breath catching in my chest.

I slid down, crumpled on the floor, gasping. I watched them walk away without a backward glance.

It felt like a giant fist was squeezing my heart, stealing my breath.

When a coworker found me 10 minutes later, I was out cold.

It turned out my old lung injury had flared up something fierce. I needed surgery quickly.

They needed a family member to sign off on it, and Yvonne's phone only picked up after five tries.

However, it was Wade who answered, "Sorry, she can't come to the phone."