Eva's POV
If you want, we can know each other.
I grabbed my heart, willing it to stop acting like it's about to explode and kill me. But come on, hearing such words from a sexy man, which woman would be unaffected?!
"I'm sorry," I replied, keeping my voice leveled and polite. "I don't date patients. It's against hospital policies. And I'm married."
His eyes narrowed when I mentioned I was married. I remembered then, I wasn't actually married. My fool of a husband decided to open our marriage. Oh and I have seven days, actually six now, to get a divorce by sleeping with another man.
This man before me is perfect. But I'm not that kind of woman. I'm sure Ethan is joking and we can settle out of this marriage without me having to do something I'd regret.
"I can take care of your husband."
My heart plummeted to my guts. "What?"
My instincts were right. This man is dangerous. The way he causally said it. Take care of my husband, like Ethan was sick and needed care. I knew exactly what he meant by those words, all the crime movies I watch prepared me for that.
The back of my neck burned, all my hairs standing on end. Every instinct I had screamed at me to run.
"That came out wrong, forgive me." the man said, turning his head to the side briefly. Without another word, he walked back to the bed and sat, his eyes watching me the way a hawk does when it finds prey.
I inhaled deeply, clenching my fists, and ignoring the way my hands trembled. "Excuse me, I'll get your medication. Try not to move too much."
"I won't."
I nodded and hurried out of the ward, nearly slamming the door shut. Once I was out, I doubled over, gulping lungful after lungful of oxygen. My heart raced in equal parts in fear and equal parts intrigue.
I can take care of your husband.
Sure, I hate what Ethan did to me. But that doesn't mean I want him dead! If he's dead, will the hurt go away?
But the offer is so tempting.
Eva, stop it. You're not going down that route. You're going to get the medication, continue about your day and forget all about him. Besides, you don't even know his name.
Fueled by my decision, I rose to my feet, threw a fleeting glance at the door, and walked out.
***
"Congratulations, you're pregnant."
My patient, a tall, slender and gorgeous young lady, looked at me with wide eyes. She touched her arm, her fingers toying with the bandaged I'd wrapped around the small burn she came in with, her eyes wide.
"What?" She whispered in an airy voice. "Nurse, I just came in for a small patch up. Pregnant?"
"You didn't know?"
She shook her head. "Although, I guess this is good news! My boyfriend and I…well we've talked about having a kid for so long! Oh my, this is great news!"
I exhaled the breath trapped in my lungs. Thank goodness she took the news well! It's not very often that it plays out this way.
"Congratulations," I said with a wide, but bittersweet smile.
She got to her feet, laughing softly to herself and spinning around. "I need to call him! Oh he's going to be so happy! Can you tell it's gender yet?"
"We can run further tests if you're interested,"
"I am!"
A couple of minutes later, and a few more tests, we found out that she was twelve weeks gone, a bit too early to determine the baby's sex.
The patient, who's name is learned was Emilia, was filled with joy. She glowed, soaking up congratulations from everyone, and responding equally.
My heart snagged, and I couldn't help but feel a tad jealous.
Babies. I'd long given up on ever having one, even though I'd always wanted to be a mother. Ethan was against it, and I could only dream. He wouldn't even let me get a pet at least.
I watched Emilia, and I wondered what it must be like to experience such heartwarming and sweet love. I overheard her conversation with her boyfriend, they seemed to have a good relationship. She even asked him to get some snacks for her and he was already on his way.
Ha! Just the other day Ethan let me nearly starve of hunger, when in fact he was fucking someone else and also getting fucked. Urgh! What a jerk!
Don't think about that idiot, Eva. You're at work. Work mode always on!
Emilia turned to me after a couple of minutes, her eyes shining with tears. "Nurse, thank you so much!" She squealed, pulling me into a hug.
"You're welcome," I replied, awkwardly hugging her back, although I had no idea why she was thanking me. Did I get her pregnant? All I did was relay the good news.
"Emilia!" A loud male voice called from the door.
Wow. He's here already? Did he teleport or what?
Emilia pulled back from the hug and spun around. "Baby!" She exclaimed and ran towards the door.
I looked up, still smiling.
My smile vanished.
Standing in the doorway, hugging Emilia and laughing like a drunken fool, was my husband Ethan.
"Ethan…" I whispered, my voice so low it was barely even there.
But he heard me.
He looked up from Emilia's shoulder and our eyes met.
"Eva?" He called, not even pretending to let go of her. "What are you doing here?"
What am I—
He doesn't even know I work here?! We've been married five years, I've talked about my work so many fucking times, and he doesn't know I work at this very same hospital?!
A cold feeling washed over me.
This can't be real.
There's no fucking way this is happening right now!
Tears burned into the back of my eyes. My fists clenched into my pants, so tight I felt my fingers go colder than normal. Something rose in my throat, was it vomit or bile I didn't know. All I knew was that I wanted to throw up.
"You…" I trailed off, the hunk of whatever caught in my throat, preventing any words from coming out. I swallowed it down. Along with the tears that were dangerously close to spilling from my eyes.
"Huh?" Emilia finally took notice of the tensed atmosphere. She stepped back, her soft eyes traveling between me and Ethan. "Baby, do you know her?"
"Not really," Ethan said without missing a beat. He took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. "Come on, let's go."
Something snapped inside my head.
I grabbed the closest object, which happened to be a roll of bandages, and threw it at him. It struck the back of his head.
"What the fuck?!" He yelled, turning to face me. "Have you lost your damn mind?!"
"Have I lost my mind?!" I screamed, my voice higher than I'd intended. But right now I didn't give a shit. My hands reached out, grabbing anything I could and throwing it at him. "You bastard! You slimy, cheating bastard!"
Emilia screamed, her voice attracting people. I didn't notice any of them. Nothing else mattered except Ethan.
I lunged at him, throwing my fists anywhere I could reach. My shoulders trembled and before I knew it, I was wailing. The both of us tumbled out of the room and into the corridor. I moved, straddling Ethan as I continue to strike his face.
"You said you didn't want any babies! Two months! She's Two months pregnant! How could you fucking do this to me?!"
"Somebody get this bitch off me!" Ethan yelled, blocking my fists with his hands.
My heart ripped into pieces. I couldn't hear much past the erratic thumping of my heart in my ears. Tears streamed nonstop down my face, blocking my vision too.
It hurt.
Everywhere hurt.
I kept seeing Emilia's happy face. That lovey dovey conversation. How fast Ethan got here.
Ten weeks. Two fucking months! Who knows how long he's been fucking other people?!
"Eva!" Someone screamed my name. "Eva Wilson! For gods sake! Pull yourself together!"
Ethan shoved me off him, his elbow ramming hard into my ribcage. I cried out, the pain making white flash behind my eyes. The rage and betrayal in my heart blocked out the pain. I lunged at him again, aiming to claw out his eyes.
A pair of strong arms locked around my middle from behind. "Evangeline." a deep, familiar voice said in my ear.
My body went still. The man from earlier. He didn't leave? Evangeline…he knows my full name? Even Ethan doesn't know.
What is going on?
Blinking back the tears, only then did I see just what I'd caused.
Ethan was on the floor, bruises forming on his face, his nose crooked and bleeding, all while he glared at me with venomous eyes. Emilia rushed to his side, crying, trying to console him. She threw a dark glare at me.
"You'll be hearing from our lawyers! What sort of nurse attacks people?!" She yelled.
Ethan grabbed her hand and helped himself up. "Don't bother about her, baby. She's a mad woman. Are you okay? Hurt?"
She hugged him, crying into his chest while he stroked the back of her head.
I couldn't even say anything. Ethan has never held me so tenderly before. I can't remember the last time he spoke to me in such a soft tone.
My chest rose and fell rapidly, and I bit my lip till I drank my own blood, all so I wouldn't start crying my heart out in the middle of a fucking hospital hallway!
"Eva?!" The director arrived, pushing past the crowd of nurses and patients that had gathered. He looked around, his eyes wide with horror. "My office! Now!"
The man let go of me, although I still felt him standing close behind me.
Ethan looked at me, then over my shoulder. Shock filled his eyes. "Uncle Alexander?"
I turned and looked at the man behind me. Then at Ethan, who looked like he'd just seen a ghost.
Uncle?
"Eva Wilson!" The director barked, making me jump. "My office! Now!"
"Uncle! What are you doing here?"
Too much is happening. My head hurts. Every part of my hurts, especially my fists.
The man, whose name I'd just learned was Alexander, grabbed my hand as I made to leave.
"Are you okay?" He asked in a low tone, his brows slightly furrowed.
I nodded wordlessly. Because if I spoke, I knew I'd start crying.
I walked ahead up to where the director stood. As I passed Ethan and his mistress, she reached out and struck my arm. I barely reacted, even as the spot she'd hit me tinged.
They can both rot.
Inside the directors office, he immediately spun on my and began to rage.
"Have you lost your mind?! Attacking a patient?!"
"He wasn't a patient, sir."
"Even if he wasn't! Do you know that someone was taking a video?! It went live, Eva! Forty thousand views in less than two minutes! Do you have any idea the blow out reputation could suffer with this?!"
I clasped my hands together, picking at the skin on the tip of my fingers. "I'm sorry."
He paused, inhaling loudly. "What happened back there?"
"Nothing." I looked up and met his eyes. "I'll accept any punishment you deem fit, sir. I was wrong, I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."
"Exactly my point! You've worked here five years, Eva. You've never lost your temper. Not even when a patient attacked you! What happened?"
"Nothing, sir."
I've been embarrassed enough. Let me retain whatever fucking dignity I have left.
He stared at me long and hard, the lines on his face accentuated by his frowning. Then he sighed and shook his head. "You're suspended. The board will discuss this and decide what punishment will be netted out. Until then, you're suspended."
I nodded. "Will that be all?"
He waved in the direction of a sofa. "Sit down. You're off work for the rest of the day."
"Sir, there's no need for–"
"Sit down, Eva. I wasn't asking."
I calmly walked over to the sofa and sat down. Minutes later, he came up with a first aid box, grabbed my hands and started cleaning the blisters I'd gotten from punching Ethan.
"You don't have to."
"Be quiet," he snapped. "I can't take care of my employee again?"
I bit my tongue. "Sorry."
He worked in silence. Then gave me a bottle of water and my favorite brand of dark chocolate.
We didn't talk.
We didn't need to.
I don't know what happened next. All I knew was that halfway through the chocolate, I cried.
And when I was done, I made my mind up.
Ethan will pay for this. I will not rest till I've paid him back every fucking penny for the pain he has put me through.