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.