Elise’s POV

My mom’s last wish had changed. It wasn’t just about having one last family dinner anymore.

She wanted me to find happiness.

Her frail voice echoed in my mind, each word heavier than the last. My throat constricted, and my eyes blurred with tears that wouldn’t stop coming.

When I finally spoke, my voice trembled and cracked with emotion. “Hayes, you can’t give me the happiness I want anymore, can you?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he let out a slow, deep sigh.

“Elise… we’re in our late twenties now. It’s time we grew up. Whether we love each other or not… it doesn’t really matter anymore.”

There it was.

He didn’t need to say it directly.

I knew exactly what he meant.

He didn’t love me anymore.

I let out a soft, bitter laugh, one that caught in my throat like a noose. It was a laugh of surrender, something breaking deep inside me that I couldn’t hold together anymore.

“Fine, then,” I whispered, the words barely escaping my lips. “I’ll let you go… and I’ll let myself go too.”

The moment I said it, my chest tightened, and my heart clenched so painfully I thought I might collapse from the weight of it because I’d heard it before. Five years ago.

Back then, we had nothing—not even a decent roof over our heads. Our tiny, rundown apartment was barely more than four walls, but we made it ours.

The only ring he could afford was a simple silver band.

But when he proposed, his eyes held a fire that made me believe everything he said.

“Elise, I promise you—wherever I am, that’ll always be your home. I’ll give you the life you deserve. You’ll never have to suffer again. From now on, it’s just happiness. Just us.”

I believed him. I didn’t hesitate. I said yes.

He was ecstatic, like a kid who’d just won the world. He lifted me up, and spun me around, laughing like we were the only two people on earth.

“From this moment on, you’re my wife. In this life and the next, we’ll never be apart. Don’t even think about making me let go of your hand.”

But now?

Now, he had forgotten every single word of that promise.

And he didn’t even bother fighting me on it.

Instead, he just said, “Fine. But don’t worry, Elise. No one can replace you. No matter what, my wife's position will always be yours.”

Once upon a time, I used to feel proud when people called me Mrs. Westbrook. It made me feel secure, loved, and like I belonged somewhere.

Now?

Now, it felt like a cruel joke.

Ever since Hayes started making headlines with one woman after another, the whispers around me never stopped.

Some people pitied me.

Others… they mocked me.

“Mr. Westbrook’s going through women like a revolving door. Do you really think you’ll still be his wife for much longer? If I were you, I’d get pregnant while I still had the chance—might help you cash in when he finally divorces you.”

“Five years, and she hasn’t had a baby yet? Maybe she can’t have kids. No wonder she can’t keep him.”

What they didn’t know—what no one knew—was that I had been pregnant.

In our first year of marriage, I carried our child.

But then, there was that night.

Hayes had been entertaining a group of potential clients. Someone had deliberately gotten him drunk, humiliating him in front of them while he smiled through the pain, just to close the deal.

I had just come from a work event when I saw him—his face flushed, his posture stiff, his fists clenched under the table.

My heart broke for him. I wanted to take him away from that place, away from those people who saw him as nothing more than a tool to get what they wanted.

But then, they turned their attention to me.

“If Mrs. Westbrook drinks with us, we’ll sign the contract right now. Hell, we’ll even send you two home.”

I knew how much that deal meant to him. I knew how hard he’d worked for it.

So, I swallowed my pride.

I picked up the glass.

And I drank.

That night, Hayes closed the deal he’d worked so hard for.

And I lost our child.

After that, no matter how careful we tried to be, pregnancy never happened again.

Maybe it was punishment.

Maybe the universe decided I wasn’t meant to be a mother. Maybe it was for not protecting my baby when I had the chance.

As Hayes’s voice faded into the silence of the room, the tears I’d been holding back finally broke free. Warm, heavy tears spilled down my cheeks, landing on my hand.

For the first time in a long time, I let myself cry.

Elise’s POV

After handling my mother’s funeral, I returned to work at the hospital like it was any other day. Grief clung to me like a second skin, but I kept moving, kept working—because, really, what else was there to do?

It didn’t take long before my mentor, Dr. Paula Reeve, popped by my office. She didn’t waste any time getting straight to the point.

“Dr. Montague,” she said, her brow furrowing with concern. “I heard about your application for Global Medical Relief. Are you sure about this? The area they’re sending people to is still a war zone. You’ll be facing gunfire, danger—every single day.”

I met her gaze, steady and unwavering. “I’ve thought this through, Dr. Reeve. I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. Just… never found the right moment.”

In the past, I couldn’t leave. I had my mother to take care of. And I had Hayes.

But now?

My mother was gone. And the Hayes I once loved—the one who once loved me—was long gone too. I had no real reason to stay anymore.

It didn’t matter where I was. If I could go somewhere and make a difference, even a small one, that was enough for me.

Dr. Reeve studied me for a long moment, clearly weighing her words. Then, she exhaled, a resigned sigh escaping her lips. She knew there was no talking me out of it.

“All right,” she said finally. “Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

I gave her a small smile. “I will.”

She left soon after, and I turned back to my desk, sorting through paperwork when the door suddenly swung open.

And there he was. Hayes.

His timing was impeccable.

He looked at me with those familiar furrowed brows. “Where did you say you were going just now?”

I froze for half a second, then slowly looked up, keeping my face neutral. No need to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much his presence still affected me.

“I was talking about taking a trip,” I said, my voice smooth and calm as I continued to organize my desk. “Since I started working, I’ve barely had time to travel.”

Back in college, I used to plan trips all the time. I loved seeing new places and exploring unfamiliar cities, and Hayes knew that about me.

And just like that, any suspicion in his expression faded away.

“That’s good,” he said, nodding approvingly. “It’s good for your health to travel more.”

Then, without missing a beat, he added, “By the way, Zara’s coming in for a check-up. Can you help her schedule an appointment?”

So that’s why he was here.

No pretenses anymore. No fake concern.

My fingers tightened around the file in my hands, a dull ache settling deep in my chest.

He was so excited about their baby.

Did he ever stop to think about the one we lost?

For a split second, I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to ask if he ever remembered. If he ever thought about the baby we never got to hold.

But I swallowed it down.

The past was gone. No point digging up what was already buried.

Or maybe… he had forgotten a long time ago.

I forced my voice to stay calm and steady. “The doctors at our hospital are more than capable. You can just register and wait your turn.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, the door opened again.

Zara Bennett.

Her baby bump was unmistakable as she walked in, linking her arm through Hayes’s. She looked up at him, her voice soft, almost pitiful.

“Hayes, is Dr. Montague unwilling to help us?” she murmured. “It’s my fault for forgetting to make an appointment. I didn’t mean to waste your time.”

Hayes didn’t pull away from her touch. Instead, he reached out and pinched her cheek playfully.

“I have time,” he said, his voice gentle, too gentle. “If she doesn’t want to help, it’s fine. I’ll wait with you.”

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, whispering something meant only for her.

The warmth between them was suffocating.

I didn’t know what hurt more—the fact that he had never been this gentle with me, or the fact that I once believed he could be.

There was a time when he would go out of his way to make me smile. When he’d spend his last dollar on a necklace I liked, promising me that whatever any other woman had, I’d have it too.

He used to come home worn out, his body spent from climbing the corporate ladder. But no matter how tired he was, he’d always make time for me. He’d still talk to me, still listen.

He used to tell me those late-night conversations with me made him feel alive.

And now?

Now, we barely exchanged words.

I tore my gaze away from them, forcing myself not to linger on something that had already crumbled.

Just as I turned back to my desk, Hayes spoke again, casual as ever.

“The incident last time… it was Zara’s fault,” he said like he was talking about the weather. “I had someone buy some supplements. I’ll send them to Mom later—to apologize.”

I froze. 'Apologize? To my mother?'

My jaw clenched, my nails digging into my palm.

She was gone.

What was the point of apologizing now?

Elise’s POV

“There’s no need,” I said flatly. “She doesn’t need it anymore.”

The day my mother passed, I had called Hayes countless times. Not once did he pick up.

With each ring, the same cold, automated voice repeated itself, hollow and distant. At first, I was furious. But as time passed, the anger faded, replaced by a numbness I couldn’t shake.

For a moment, I considered confronting them, demanding they take responsibility for what happened. For the stress. For the pain that worsened my mother’s condition.

But every time I closed my eyes, I heard her last words: 'Don’t hold onto hate, Elise. Let it go. Live your life freely… gracefully… happily.'

So, I did. Or at least, I tried.

Hayes, however, still thought I was upset about Zara’s little stunt. His brow furrowed, his voice edged with impatience.

“Elise, you don’t need to keep holding on to these little things. The past is the past.”

To him, it was over. A closed chapter.

To me? It never would be.

I lifted my gaze, locking eyes with him, my expression stone cold.

“My mom is gone,” I said, flat and final. “You won’t find her.”

Hayes’s face darkened. His voice turned sharp, cutting through the still air. “Elise! Don’t go too far! No matter what, she’s still your mother. How can you even say something like that? She’s sick—where else would she be if not in the hospital?”

My fingers curled into fists, nails digging into my palms, the anger bubbling up from deep inside.

My mother had treated him like a son. She had given him everything—her warmth, her kindness, even her savings when he hit rock bottom. She helped him rise when life knocked him down.

And in return?

She never knew peace. Not even in her last moments.

That’s when Zara spoke up, her voice dripping with false sincerity.

“Dr. Montague, I know I was thoughtless before, and I’m really sorry. Can you forgive me? Hayes really cares about Auntie. Please don’t be mad at him.”

The mention of my mother’s name, coming from her lips, sent a searing rage through me.

“You don’t deserve to say her name!”

The control I’d been holding on to snapped. I shot up from my chair, fury flooding my veins.

“Get out. I don’t want to see you.”

Hayes stepped in front of Zara instinctively, as if protecting her from me. His eyes went cold.

“Elise, are you really going to act like this?” His voice was harsh, edged with disappointment. “Is this how you, as a doctor, uphold your professional ethics?”

Before I could respond, he pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and turned his back to me. Right in front of me.

His voice was ice.

“I’d like to report Dr. Elise Montague, a surgeon at your hospital, for unprofessional conduct…”

A bitter laugh threatened to rise in my throat, but I swallowed it back down.

So this was who he was now.

Not the man who promised to protect me. Not the man who once called me his home.

The man standing in front of me now didn’t even care enough to hear my side.

He finished his call and turned, walking out without another word. Zara trailed after him, but just before she stepped out, she looked back at me.

And smiled.

It was smug. Triumphant.

Like she was saying, 'See? Hayes is on my side. You? You’re nothing but a joke.'

...

The hospital didn’t fire me, but I got a warning.

Dr. Reeve found out what happened and didn’t waste a second stepping in.

“I applied for your early leave,” she told me the next day, voice firm. “You’re being reassigned to the Global Medical Relief team.”

I didn’t argue.

I packed up my things, filled out the paperwork, and went home.

...

Hayes still hadn’t come back. But his social media?

Constantly updated.

The first post that popped up was an ultrasound picture of Zara’s baby. The caption read, “Can’t wait to meet you, little one.”

The next post was a picture of a freshly painted nursery. “Hurry up and get here, baby. Mommy and Daddy can’t wait to hold you.”

He didn’t block me from seeing any of it.

Maybe he thought I wouldn’t care.

Maybe he wanted me to see.

I stared at the post for a long time before tapping the like button.

An hour later, I checked again.

I had been blocked.

I wasn’t angry.

Instead, I went to his profile and, with one final click—

I blocked him too.

From that moment on, Hayes Westbrook no longer existed in my world.

...

Third Person's POV

Across the city, Hayes sat in his office, staring at his phone. A strange unease settled in his chest, a feeling he couldn’t quite name.

His phone vibrated with an incoming call.

Zara.

He hesitated.

For the first time in a long time, he didn’t pick up right away.

Third Person's POV

Hayes Westbrook had been carrying a heavy weight of guilt for days now.

Maybe it was because he hadn’t visited Elise’s mother. Or maybe it was the way Elise had been acting so distant, like she was a million miles away, even when she was standing right in front of him. Either way, something was gnawing at him, refusing to let go.

That evening, he wrapped up work early, picking up the most expensive supplements he could find before heading to the hospital. He barely got inside when he overheard two doctors talking nearby.

"Dr. Montague’s mother passed away a few days ago. We were the ones who personally sent her to the crematorium. You're her son-in-law, right? Didn’t you know?"