After Nine Rejections, I Stopped Waiting

Chapter 4

I felt utterly ridiculous. This private hospital had brought him such boundless glory, yet from beginning to end, I was the one who'd built it from the ground up.

Yet in everyone's eyes, I had become an unreasonable burden. Meanwhile, Amara, who had stolen my achievements, became the hospital's savior, praised for working tirelessly.

Jacob reached out to steady my agitated father, his tone calm. "Henry, go home. I'll stay with her here—you don't need to worry."

The door closed, leaving only Jacob and me in the room. His expression returned to its usual calm detachment. Then he paused for a moment and spoke, "I've missed too many medical conferences looking after you. Over the next few days, I need to attend a private research program. You've just recovered. Rest well at home and stop overthinking."

As soon as he finished speaking, without another glance at me, he turned and left.

I didn't move. I simply sat alone in the empty room all night.

In the early hours, my phone screen lit up. It was Amara's latest social media post. No caption, only a photo of two figures from behind. Dazzling aurora, endless snow-capped mountains. The sight of the two of them nestled together in the photo was unbearable. The man's tall, familiar figure; the girl nestled at his side. They looked intimate and completely at ease.

My fingers trembling, I tapped on the image. I zoomed in on the figures, again and again. It was Jacob. And Amara. My father commented below.

Henry: [Relax and have fun!]

My chest tightened painfully. As it turned out, the so-called private research program and emergency surgeries were nothing but excuses. He'd put off spending time with me, neglecting his patient backlog. He hid it from me while I was ill, just to take another woman abroad to see the snow and unwind. Even my father had not only known, but supported it.

I flipped my phone face down onto the sofa. I then opened my private email account, long neglected and untouched. Dozens of unread messages instantly flooded the screen, all prestigious job offers from the industry's top medical institutions.

In the past, to indulge Jacob and preserve his dignity as Dr. Jenkins, I had turned down every last one, content to hide in his shadow and ghostwrite his core academic papers. Now, I changed my mind.

My gaze swept across all the offers, finally settling on the email from Brooks Medical. Brooks Group was the industry leader. It was also the premier medical research center Jacob most yearned to attach himself to. The head of Brooks Group had exceptional vision and integrity; he was a senior figure in the industry I had always admired and respected.

I drafted a reply to the job offer. They responded instantly to confirm, even permitting me to start work that very day.

I got up and quickly packed my things, without attachment or hesitation. I booked the earliest flight out. The plane slowly ascended, breaking through the clouds.

The familiar city grew smaller and smaller beneath me until it blurred. As the plane leveled off, my emotions gradually calmed as well. Jacob, this time, I wasn't turning back.