Officially Over

Five days after I saved my girlfriend from an unhinged, violent patient, the wound on my arm tore open and got infected again. I wanted her to drive me to the hospital, but she spared me a glance before refusing, citing the need to avoid her being seen treating family. Left with no choice, I took a cab to the hospital by myself. Dizzy and weak from a burning fever, I lost my footing and tumbled down the stairs, injuring my foot in the fall. At that exact moment, my supposedly busy girlfriend, Stella Sloan, was gently supporting her young male intern and passing right by me to cut in line for emergency treatment. A nearby nurse quickly tried to smooth things over for her. “Dr. Sloan takes great care of all the new hires. Don’t worry, she’ll come and get you as soon as she’s done.” A bitter smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. She had registered me as a patient thirty-three times, yet my own girlfriend had never once picked up my medical chart. “Forget it. Don’t bother.” I stared up at the blinding glare of the fluorescent lights above. My ticket home was booked for two days from now, and my resignation letter had been approved. Stella, you and I are officially over. Chapter 1 “Daniel Collins!” By the time the nurse helped me inside, over two hours had passed since Stella Sloan and Eric Barker had left the emergency room. The pain in my back was so intense I couldn’t straighten up, leaving my posture stiff and bent over. The nurse, however, didn’t leave right away. “Dr. Grey, the wound on this patient’s arm is infected. He has a history of diabetes and a penicillin allergy. Just earlier, he fainted from the pain, tumbled down the stairs, and injured his foot as well.” As she spoke, she casually handed me a warm cup of hot chocolate. A bitterness hit me. Even she remembered that I couldn’t go on an empty stomach due to my diabetes, yet Stella didn’t. When I was waiting for my turn earlier, Stella had clearly seen me, but she had still given the only breakfast item in her hand to Eric. “Also, he’s Dr. Sloan’s–” “Could you please stop my bleeding first? And give me something for the pain?” I interrupted the nurse. Stella hated it most when I used her status as attending surgeon to get special treatment at the hospital. In the past, I would’ve dug deep into this, feeling hurt and upset, and demanded an explanation from her. Now, all I felt was relief and acceptance. The nurse seemed to realize that as well, so she stopped talking about my relationship with Stella. The moment I stepped out of the emergency room, I ran straight into Stella. “Don’t forget to apply a warm compress when you get back. The painkillers I had Dr. Jefferson prescribe for you usually take effect within three days. “You’ll be working in the waiting area all day, so you’d have to organize files and move medical records. Constantly pulling on your arms will only slow down the recovery of your injury.” As she spoke, she pulled out a hand warmer from her white coat and gently placed it against Eric’s hand. Her eyes were filled with tender care, as if she was looking at her boyfriend. “Alright, got it.” Eric’s lips curled into a smile. “My dear Dr. Sloan, even though you’re packed with surgeries, you made time to accompany me to my checkup. I promise I’ll take good care of myself from now on so you won’t have to worry.” The medicine in my hands dropped to the floor, the glass bottle shattering everywhere. Only then did Stella notice me. She hurriedly let go of Eric’s arm and strode toward me. “Why are you still here? Wasn’t it just a simple consultation? Forget it, don’t pick it up.” When she didn’t get an answer from me, she adjusted her glasses impatiently and continued, “I’ll write you another prescription so you can pick up another box from the pharmacy. Make sure you watch where you’re going. You can’t always be so clumsy.” I had no idea whether she was trying to cover up a guilty conscience or whether she truly felt guilty. In the past, she would never issue me a prescription or let me cut in line. Even when I stood in the corner crying in pain, she kept a cold face and acted strictly by the book. “As the attending surgeon, I cannot play favorites. And as my family, you should be mindful of avoiding conflicts of interest.” Yet now… “It’s fine.” I pushed away the prescription she handed me, without any of my usual hysteria. “The hospital isn't the only place to get it. A regular pharmacy works just as well.” With that, I picked up the glass shards on the floor and threw them into the trash bin. “Is Daniel angry?” Eric put on a thoughtful facade and spoke up. “How about… I give you mine? Please don’t get into a fight with Dr. Sloan because of me. “She just has a stubborn temper, and her words cut like a knife, but after some time, you’ll realize that when she cares about someone, she takes everything to heart and never holds back from showing it.” He spoke as if he understood Stella best, while I was the outsider. I looked down at that box of imported specialized painkillers he handed over, and my heart sank. The last time I was breaking out in a cold sweat from the pain, I had looked it up. This medication had the best pain-relieving effect, but only the heads of departments had the authority to request it. When I brought it up to Stella back then, she had lectured me. “Hospital medications are strictly regulated with set quotas. They cannot be allocated privately on a whim. Besides, yours is just a cut. You can tough it out. There’s no need to use specialized drugs.” However, she seemed to have forgotten that my arm was injured because I saved her. And now, she had given the medicine, the one she had refused to break the rule to get for me, to Eric. “Eric’s injury is worse than yours. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.” Before I could even speak, Stella rushed to push the box of medicine back into Eric’s arms. “The hospital recently relaxed the quota for specialized drugs. I can request some for you as well.” Chapter 2 It was as if I had caught her red-handed in her obvious favoritism and double standards. Out of fear that I would make a scene or give people a reason to gossip, she reluctantly agreed to make an exception for me. However… “I don’t need it anymore.” I looked at Stella and said, my voice flat, “You should save it for those you truly care about.” Ignoring her ugly expression, I hailed a cab and went home myself. On the way back, I stopped by the real estate agency and canceled the lease on the house Stella and I were renting. We had originally planned to purchase the house on our fifth anniversary. “Mr. Collins, are you truly sure you want to give up on this property?” the agent asked. “You risked your life to secure it…” I stared at the bright, exquisite architectural model on display. The house was located right in the center of the neighborhood, with great wind and incredible sunlight. It had the best layout and view in the entire area, and most importantly, it was right next to Stella’s hospital. Back then, the homeowner refused to let go of the property, so I set up a dinner meeting specifically to negotiate the terms. Throughout the meal, I kept pouring and downing drinks. It wasn’t until I drank myself into alcohol poisoning with that final glass that the homeowner finally nodded in agreement. That night, I called Stella over ten times, but none went through. When she finally called back, she claimed she was tied up with a surgery and told me to get to the hospital on my own. I endured the agonizing pain and didn’t think too much of it at the time. It wasn’t until later, when I scrolled through Eric’s Instagram feed, that I found out the truth. She didn’t have any surgery that night at all. Instead, she spent the entire evening accompanying Eric in the lab, helping him with organizing specimens. What stunned me even more was learning that behind my back, she had secretly lent all our savings—money we had saved over five years to buy a house—to Eric, claiming it was for his mother’s medical treatment. The day I found out, I lost it and got into a huge fight with her. For the very first time, in a fit of rage, I brought up breaking up. Stella panicked and explained to me with eyes full of earnest urgency. “Eric lost his father at a young age, and his mother is all he has. As his mentor, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.” She also assured me repeatedly, “He’ll pay us back, and it definitely won’t interfere with our plans to buy a house.” She spent the entire night reassuring me. Over and over, she kissed my hand, humbly begging me not to give up on our five-year relationship so easily. At that time, my heart softened, and I chose to give her another chance. Snapping back to reality, I nodded firmly. “Yeah, cancel it. You can keep the deposit as compensation for breach of contract.” Upon returning home alone, I pulled out the first-aid kit to treat my own wound. Just then, Stella walked in. Instead of standing at the entryway waiting for me to take her coat and her bag like she used to, she walked straight to the bathroom to wash her hands, then approached me and snatched the antiseptic cotton pad right out of my hand. Her movements were hasty, yet her assertiveness left no room for refusal. It reminded me of when I gave up my full-time job as a journalist in my city and followed her to this city. Back then, she had only had eyes for me. Twenty-four hours a day, she showered me with warmth and care. Whenever my injuries flared up, she would always crouch down in front of me. While carefully applying antiseptic to my wound, she lectured me gently. “How can you be so careless? You know you’re injured, yet you still don’t take care of yourself. If you keep this up, I’m really going to get mad! Does it hurt?” Stella checked out my wound before speaking up in a hurry. “Eric is an intern assigned to me. Nothing is going on between us. “Besides, our department is currently in a critical phase for promotion. Everyone in the hospital has their eyes on my position. I can’t have people gossiping about me combining my personal life with work.” The last time I braved a downpour to deliver urgent documents to her, I ended up drenched to the bone, causing my condition to flare up. When the pain became unbearable, I gave her name and was brought into the emergency room. Instead, she reprimanded me harshly. “Can’t you follow the rules for once? This is a hospital, not a place for you to ask for special favors or pull strings! Abusing my identity to cut in line is a waste of medical resources. What about the other patients waiting in line?” To keep from putting her in a difficult position, I endured the pain and waited for two full hours. In the end, my condition flared up so badly that I nearly went into shock. Yet that very night, I saw her supporting Eric, who only had a mild cold, as she sent him to the emergency room. Unable to contain myself any longer, I dragged my IV bag along and confronted her. She used the same excuse back then, too. “Eric is just my intern. My care for him is strictly professional. Daniel, you’re the only one who has my heart. Can you stop making a mountain out of a molehill?” “Here you go!” Stella pulled a black gift bag out of her purse and tossed it in front of me. “It’s Bally. Didn’t you used to love this brand? Consider this making up for what happened earlier.” Her tone was perfunctory, as if she were brushing off a child throwing a tantrum. If this had happened in the past, seeing the Bally belt would have instantly defused my anger. I might have even foolishly believed that, deep down, she still cared about me. I would have believed all her excuses about keeping work and personal life separate. I would have believed that her care for Eric was strictly professional. Yet now, I found it ironic. Just half an hour ago, I had scrolled past Eric’s Instagram post. He had posted a picture of an authentic belt from the same brand, complete with a neat, exquisite boutique gift box, leather care instructions, and an official certificate of authenticity. It was a genuine leather belt purchased at full price. Chapter 3 The piece sitting right in front of me, on the other hand, was nothing more than a cheap promotional gift awarded to those who spent three thousand dollars or more. There was no display box, no leather care kit, and not even the genuine product’s exclusive tag or certificate of authenticity. Anyone could tell at a single glance that it was a worthless freebie. “Forget it,” I said, pushing it back toward Stella. “This is far too extravagant. You should save it for someone who truly deserves it.” Stella froze for a second, clearly caught off guard by my response. Throughout our five years together, no matter how many arguments we had, I had never acted so cold toward her. In the past, whenever we fought, as long as her tone softened a little, I would automatically yield and make peace with her. Back then, I always believed that love could weather any storm. Looking back now, I realized I had overestimated this relationship all along. “What’s that supposed to mean, Daniel?” Just as Stella was about to stand up and grab my hand, the doorbell rang. Outside, the rain was pouring. Eric stood in the doorway, soaked to the bone and clutching a paper bag. “Dr. Sloan, the pipes at my apartment burst, and I have nowhere else to go. Could I crash here for the night?” he begged. “I won’t be any trouble at all. Just any spot to sleep is fine.” Out of habit, he looked right past me, his eyes locked entirely on Stella. The moment he got a subtle nod of approval from her, he walked straight to the kitchen and pulled out my brand-new mug. Stella had picked them out for me as a birthday gift last year. I usually couldn’t even bear to use it myself. “Put that down!” I pointed directly at the mug in Eric’s hand. “That’s mine. Put that down right now!” “What is wrong with you?” Stella slapped my pointing hand away and stepped in front of Eric to shield him. “It’s pouring outside, and his apartment is flooded. Can you stop being so mean? It’s just a mug, not some priceless artifact! What’s the harm in letting him use it for a bit?” A sharp, throbbing pain shot through my injured arm where she had struck me. Feigning timidity, Eric put down the mug. “Please don’t be mad, Daniel. It’s my fault for not knowing my place. I’ll put it back right now.” Though his words sounded meek, he didn’t look hesitant at all. Pointing straight at the master bedroom, he spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Dr. Sloan, I’ll take this room tonight then. My hands are injured so I’m sensitive to the cold, and this room gets the best light.” As he spoke, he pulled a whole bag of juices and stuffed them into the fridge. “This batch of juice is fresh off the production line, way better than the last batch. Dr. Sloan, help yourself whenever you want. Don’t be shy.” Then, he casually walked into the bedroom and pulled the silk duvet over him. His movements were so practiced, as if this place had long been his own home. I looked up at Stella. “How many times has this happened?” She dodged my gaze. “You know I have diabetes, and that’s why we never keep any sugary snacks or drinks in this house. And why does he have free access to our home?” During every late night when I was working overtime and couldn’t come home… Stella pinched the bridge of her nose, looking helpless. “That’s enough, Daniel! Eric is just a kid. What could happen between a kid and me? He just joined the department and isn’t familiar with any of the procedures or equipment. I stayed up all night training him, and by the time it got late, I didn’t feel right making him travel back alone. “Besides, just because you don’t consume sugar yourself doesn’t mean everyone else has to be banned from it, right? You’re being way too unreasonable!” I stared at her in utter disbelief. In the past, when my blood sugar spiked and caused me to pass out, she had held my hand and sworn that from then on, no sugary food would ever enter our home again, and that my health would always come first. Now, she stood by and let Eric fill the entire fridge with bottles of juice. “Alright, that’s enough,” Stella said. To smooth things over and lighten the mood, she reached out to place a comforting hand on my shoulder, but I shifted aside, avoiding her touch completely. “Stella, let’s break up.” Chapter 4 “What did you say?” I stared straight into Stella’s eyes, my gaze cold. “I said we’re breaking up.” Stella’s eyes widened slightly, as if she couldn’t believe that someone like me, who had always been gentle and accommodating, would be so firm in my decision. Beside her, Eric instantly panicked and apologized nervously. “I’m so sorry, Daniel. It’s all my fault. I was being ignorant. Please don’t be angry. I’ll leave right now.” He crouched on the floor in a flurry to tie his soaked shoelaces. His fingers trembled so hard that he couldn’t manage the knot even after several tries, and that was all it took to make Stella lose her patience. “Daniel! Haven’t you had enough of throwing fits? It’s pouring outside. Where is he supposed to go? Do you really have to embarrass everyone just to feel satisfied? “Every time, you threaten to break up with me. Isn’t that just your way of forcing me to back down? All these baseless suspicions and picking on others… You genuinely disgust me.” Stella flew into a rage, yet she didn’t forget to reach down and pull Eric up. She grabbed his bag, helped him put on his shoes, and draped a coat over his shoulders. Yet whenever the two of us argued, she would leave without a second thought, abandoning me alone in the empty house, staring blankly out the window. “But I’ve resigned… and my ticket home is booked for two days from now…” Before I could finish speaking, Stella had taken the umbrella and vanished from the house with Eric. I stood frozen by the window, gazing out through the fogged, rain-streaked glass. That umbrella was one we had picked out together five years ago. Back then, whenever we walked together in the rain, she would tilt the umbrella toward me, leaving half of her shoulder soaked. Out of concern, I had pushed the umbrella back toward her, saying, “The umbrella is too small!” She had simply smiled and replied, “It doesn’t matter if it’s small. What matters is that I don’t want you getting wet.” I didn’t want her getting wet either. So, I pulled the umbrella shut in one swift motion and dragged her right into the heavy rain with me. Back then, all we cared about was shielding each other, concerned that the rain might drench the person we loved. Yet in the end, we still drifted apart. Over the next two days, I packed my luggage. Everything that I used to cherish and care for so tenderly as my most precious memories—the ties and suits Stella had gifted me, the maple leaf stone she had personally picked up and placed in a little wooden box when we went into the mountains together years ago, and the plants we had spent days and nights traversing mountains and rivers to gather—I threw straight into the bin. On my final night before leaving my job, Stella rushed into the supermarket where I worked to buy a few things. I stood at the corner of the aisle, but because she was in such a hurry, she didn’t notice me in the shadow. After she checked out and left, I sorted through the register receipts and spotted a pack of condoms listed at the bottom of her receipt. For some reason, the obsession I had held onto for many years suddenly disappeared. Before boarding the flight, Eric sent me a message on Instagram. [Don’t mind it, Daniel. Dr. Sloan had too much to drink last night. Nothing happened between us.] Yet, attached were explicit photos, each one more intimate than the last. As my fingers swiped across the screen, I felt no sadness at all. We were never meant to be together to begin with. Dragging things out and forcing ourselves together was bound to end in separation eventually. Eric thought he had played his cards perfectly, using an explanation as a cover to show off in front of me. What he didn’t know was that Stella and I shared an Instagram account, and every message and photo he sent me was being synced to Stella’s side in real time.