I believed him. I even felt sorry for him, working himself to the bone for his startup.
But the truth was—
The truth was that while I lay there in agony, he was in bed with Clarissa.
My tears finally broke free.
"Phil Gilbert, are you even human?"
I lunged at him like something inside me had snapped, wanting to tear apart the stranger wearing the face of the man I'd loved.
Clarissa rushed forward and grabbed my arm.
"Serena, stop! Don't hit him!"
In the struggle, I flung her off.
Clarissa seized the moment and toppled backward, crumpling to the floor. She clutched her ankle, whimpering in pain.
"It hurts..."
Phil shoved me aside without a second thought and rushed to her, scooping her into his arms.
When he looked back at me, his eyes were ice.
"Serena, you're beyond saving. Stay here and think about what you've done."
He turned and carried Clarissa away.
I slid to the floor, staring at the empty hallway where they'd disappeared. I couldn't even muster a bitter laugh.
Then the doors to the emergency room burst open. A doctor emerged, drenched in sweat.
"Who's the family of the patient Dorothy Abbott?"
I scrambled to my feet, half-crawling, half-running, and grabbed the front of his white coat.