Olivia felt her fingers go numb around her fork.
"Your father is right," her adoptive mother agreed as she set down her wine glass. “You are old enough to settle down."
But Olivia didn't want to get married. She'd rather die than trap someone in a loveless marriage and live a miserable life. She wanted to tell them that, but her throat closed up just when she thought she finally had the courage to speak.
Olivia pulled herself together. “But Mom… the demands of my career are too high. Just today, I had to assist in three back-to-back surgeries. There will be more soon… My career needs my full attention.”
"There will always be patients, Olivia. Always another surgery, another emergency, another blah blah blah. But we won't be here forever," Mrs. Hilton added, pressing her lips into a thi
