Lena didn’t say anything at first, just buried her face in the crook of my neck.


    I stroked her hair, teasing, “Missing Nate already, huh? It hurts, doesn’t it?”


    “It’s worse than when I was just crushing on him,” she sighed dramatically.


    “Well, duh! You just got a taste of what you’ve been wanting for, like, forever, and now you’re left


    hangi Of course it stings,” I said, nudging her with a yful grin.


    Lena shed a bold grin. “Who says I have to wait? I could hop on a ne and be with him


    whenever I want.”


    That reminded me of their convo fromst night. “Wait, are you seriously thinking about it?”


    She sat up on the couch, tucking her legs under her. “I don’t know yet.”


    Which meant she was seriously considering it. I mean, who wouldn’t? After years of secretly


    crushing o Nate, she finally got him, and now he’s miles away.


    “Take your time,” I said, giving her a yful nudge. “Bute on, spill. How wasst night?”


    Lena poked me in the arm. “Didn’t you say what I have, you have too? What’s there to be curious


    about? “Um, everything!” I grinned, leaning in. “I need to know what Nate, Professor Perfect


    Gentleman, is like once the clothese off.”


    Lena gave me a side–eye. “Ever since you got with Hayden, you’ve be so shameless.”


    I burst outughing. Okay, maybe I was pushing it, but I was dying to know! Everyone’s different,


    and this was a big moment for her.


    Before we could dive any deeper, the breakfast Hayden ordered arrived. We sat down to eat, but it


    was clear Lena wasn’t really into it. I mean, could you me her? Nate had just left. Food wasn’t


    exactly a priority when you’re in a love haze.


    I wasn’t super hungry either, so we just nibbled a bit.


    Even though Hayden told me to rest, I decided to head out after cleaning up a little.


    Lena and I made our way to the hospital to check on Tanya’s baby. He was fast asleep in the


    incubator, and the nurse said he was doing great–growing fast, all his vitals looking perfect.


    But the saddest part? Tanya hadn’te to see him. Not even once. Lena and I cared more about


    this little guy than his own mom did.


    “Is Tanya still here, or did she get discharged?” I asked Lena, suddenly curious.


    “She’s still here,” Lena started to say, but her phone rang.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    She nced at the screen, frowning. “It’s the director of the hospital. What does he want?”


    She stepped aside to take the call, and I focused on the baby again. He had Tanya’s eyes, but


    everything else? Totally Desmond.


    Thinking about Desmond made my heart ache. So young, and his life ruined by Tanya’s greed.


    1 zoned out for a bit, only snapping back when I realized Lena had finished her call. But she wasn’t


    moving. She was just standing there, staring into space, looking seriously off.


    I waved a hand in front of her face. “Hey, what’s up? Did the director call to offer you a promotion or


    something? Scared you’re gonna run off with Nate?”


    Lena turned to me, her face troubled, her eyes distant.


    “Okay, seriously, what’s going on? What did he say?”


    Lena’s voice was tight. “Tanya filed awsuit against me.


    I froze.


    Lena let out a bitterugh. “She’s using me of using my position to take revenge and deliberately


    removing her uterus.”


    I blinked, my blood boiling. “That’s such a load of crap! If anyone’s abusing their power, it’s her!


    She’s been spinning lies since day one.”


    Lena shook her head. “I followed every protocol. The medical board will investigate, but it’s out of


    my hands.”


    I’d watched enough TV dramas to know where this was going. “But for now, you’ll probably be


    suspended, right? Until they finish investigating?”


    She gave me a small, resigned smile. “Looks like I’m getting an unexpected vacation.”