Surprise Visit
I left the meeting room feeling like I was made of glass, each step threatening to shatter me into pieces. My heart was racing, and the walls felt like they were closing in. I didn’t know how to process what had just happened. Seeing him… seeing Rowan… was like a ghost from a life I thought I’d buried for good.
I hurried down the hall, my heels clicking against the tiles, heading for the nearest bathroom. I shoved the door open and leaned against the sink, gripping its edge so hard my knuckles turned white. The fluorescent lights were harsh, too revealing. I avoided looking into the mirror; I didn’t want to see my own reflection—didn’t want to face how broken I felt.
The tears came before I could stop them, hot and bitter, spilling down my cheeks. I muffled my sobs with my hand, but the sound of my pain echoed in the empty bathroom.
Why now? Why him? Why did life have to throw Rowan back into my world, just when I’d built something for myself? I’d clawed my way out of the pit he left me in, and yet here I was, falling apart all over again.
I splashed water on my face, hoping to rinse away the evidence of my breakdown. My fingers trembled as I reached for a paper towel. I inhaled deeply, trying to steady my breathing.
When I finally stepped out of the bathroom, still feeling fragile, I froze.
“Carter.”
Dr. Carter Vaughn leaned against the wall opposite the bathroom, arms crossed, his sharp gaze pinned on me. He didn’t look surprised to see me like this, which somehow made it worse.
“Remi,” he hummed, his voice low and calm. “If Asher sees you like this, he’s going to think I bullied you again.”
I wiped at my face hastily, trying to compose myself. “I’m fine.”
Carter raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “You don’t look fine.”
I sighed, leaning against the wall, my shoulders sagging. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s never nothing,” he said, his tone gentler this time. “What’s going on?”
For a moment, I hesitated. Carter wasn’t the easiest person to talk to, but he had a knack for cutting through the noise and getting to the heart of things.
“It’s Rowan,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
Carter straightened slightly, his expression darkening. “I figured as much. What about him?”
“He… he showed up. He’s my patient,” I said, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “And I don’t know how to deal with it. Seeing him again—it’s too much. I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel.”
Carter’s gaze softened, but his words were firm. “Cut him off.”
I blinked, startled by the bluntness of his advice. “What?”
“You heard me,” he said. “Cut him off. You don’t owe him anything, Remi. Not your time, not your energy, and certainly not your pain.”
“It’s not that simple,” I argued, my voice trembling. “He’s my patient. I can’t just walk away.”
“Then transfer him,” Carter said without hesitation. “You have options.”
“I can’t do that either,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s complicated.”
“Complicated?” Carter repeated, his tone skeptical. “Or are you just making excuses?”
His words hit a nerve, and I flinched. “It’s not excuses, Carter. You don’t understand—”
“Then explain it to me,” he said, his voice steady but insistent. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re letting him pull you back into a place you worked so hard to get out of.”
I looked away, unable to meet his piercing gaze. “It’s not that simple,” I said again, but even to my own ears, the words sounded weak.
Carter sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Remi, you’re one of the strongest people I know, but you have a blind spot when it comes to him. You think you can handle it, but he’s already getting under your skin. If you don’t set boundaries now, he’ll drag you down again.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off.
“Don’t do this to yourself,” he said, his voice softer now. “You deserve better than this. Better than him.”
His words brought fresh tears to my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “It’s not that simple,” I repeated, but this time, it felt like I was trying to convince myself more than him.
Carter sighed again, his frustration evident. “You keep saying that, but it is that simple, Remi. You’re not responsible for him. You don’t owe him anything. Protect yourself.”
I bit my lip, the weight of his words settling heavily on me. “It’s not just about me,” I said quietly.
Carter frowned, studying me carefully. “What do you mean?”
I hesitated, the secret I’d been carrying for weeks threatening to spill out. But I couldn’t bring myself to say it—not yet.
“Nothing,” I said finally. “It’s nothing.”
Carter didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t press me. “You’re not going to listen to me, are you?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted honestly.
He shook his head, a small, humorless smile tugging at his lips. “You’re stubborn, I’ll give you that. Just promise me you’ll think about what I said.”
“I will,” I said, though I wasn’t sure if it was true.
Carter nodded, pushing off the wall. “Take care of yourself, Remi. And if you need someone to remind you how to do that, you know where to find me.”
I watched him walk away, his words lingering in the air like a challenge.
As I turned to leave, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was right. If maybe, just maybe, it was time to let go of Rowan for good.
***
I arrived at Mrs. Isolde’s cozy home just as the afternoon sun began to dip below the horizon, casting warm hues across her quaint garden. She was sitting in her favorite armchair by the window, sipping tea and reading one of her historical romance novels. Her sharp eyes lifted to meet mine as I walked in with the twins in tow, a smile blooming across her face.
"Ah, Remi! And my favorite little troublemakers," she greeted, setting her book aside.
The twins darted toward her, their boundless energy lighting up the room. "Grandma Isolde!" they chorused, hugging her tightly.
"Goodness, you two grow taller every time I see you," she said, ruffling their hair.
I smiled, setting down the small basket of homemade cookies and herbal tea I had brought for her. “How are you feeling today?” I asked, pulling a chair closer to her.
“Oh, better now that you’re here,” she replied warmly. “You always bring such peace into this house, Remi.”
I reached out to check her pulse as we chatted about her day, but it didn’t take long for the twins to interrupt.
"Mommy," Laurabegan, her big, curious eyes locking onto mine. "Are you going to marry again?"
The question was so sudden I nearly dropped Mrs. Isolde’s wrist. “What?” I blurted, turning to face them.
Larry, her twin, nodded seriously, his expression far too mature for his age. “Yeah, like in those movies we watched. The princess always finds a prince, and they live happily ever after.”
I felt heat rising to my cheeks. “Who’s been letting you watch those movies?”
“Grandma Isolde,” they said in unison, pointing accusingly at her.
Mrs. Isolde chuckled, utterly unapologetic. “What? They’re classics.”
I groaned, placing my hands on my hips. “You two are too smart for your own good. And no, I am not remarrying.”
“But why not?” Laurapressed, her little brow furrowing. “Don’t you want to be happy?”
“I am happy,” I said firmly, trying to steer the conversation away.
Larry crossed his arms, looking unconvinced. “But what about a daddy? Don’t you—”
“That’s enough,” I cut him off gently but firmly. “You’re asking way too many questions for your age. Go play outside for a bit, okay?”
The twins exchanged a glance, their lips twitching into identical smirks. It was the same mischievous look they’d inherited from their father, a detail that always sent a pang through my chest.
“Fine,” Laurasaid dramatically, grabbing Larry’s hand. “But we’re not done talking about this!”
“Sure you’re not,” I muttered as they scampered off to the garden.
I sighed, leaning back in my chair. “Those two…”
Mrs. Isolde chuckled softly. “Don’t be too harsh on them. They’re just curious, and they’re not wrong, you know. You deserve to be happy, Remi.”
Before I could respond, the doorbell rang. I stood, brushing off my hands. “I’ll get it.”
As I opened the door, my breath caught in my throat.
Standing there, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers, was Rowan. He was dressed casually in a tailored blazer over a simple white shirt, paired with dark jeans. His hair was slightly tousled, giving him a rugged charm, and his piercing gaze locked onto mine the moment the door opened.
"Remi," he said softly, his voice warm but uncertain.
I stared at him, my mind racing. The flowers, his casual yet impeccable appearance—everything about him
felt both familiar and foreign, like a memory I couldn’t fully place.
“What… what are you doing here?” I managed to say, my voice trembling.
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