Too late , wife

Divorce

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Diane kneeling beside Damien.Not him. Not her husband.

Damien.

He looked at his bruised knuckles, wrapped them in a fresh bandage, and went to the hospital.

No matter what was happening in his personal life, his patients still needed him.

---

"Morning, Doctor."

The nurses greeted him in the corridor. Jonathan forced a smile. "Morning."

Amanda noticed the bandage at once. "What happened?"

"Nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing."

Jonathan looked away. "I fought Damien ".

Amanda's face darkened. "You fought him?"

"I lost control."

She exhaled slowly. "I can't say I blame you."

Before she could say more, an anxious nurse rushed over.

"Dr. Hawthorne! Emergency admission. Room Twelve."

Jonathan and Amanda hurried down the hall.The moment he stepped inside, he stopped.

Damien lay on the bed, lip split and one eye swollen shut. Diane sat beside him, pressing an ice pack to his face, her expression full of concern.

The same concern Jonathan hadn't seen in months. She looked up. The warmth vanished from her face.

"You."

"I'm the attending physician," Jonathan said evenly. "I'll examine him."

Diane stood. "No. I don't want you near him."

Several nurses glanced in.

"This is a hospital," Jonathan said. "I'm his doctor."

"You assaulted him!" Her voice carried into the hall. "What if you hurt him again?"

The corridor went silent. Jonathan felt every eye on him.

"I won't," he said. "I know my responsibilities."

"You expect me to believe that?" Diane stepped in front of Damien as if shielding him. "You behaved like an animal yesterday."

Amanda had heard enough. She stepped forward.

"Mrs. Hawthorne, if you're worried about your friend, that's understandable. But don't question Dr. Hawthorne's professionalism. He's one of the best surgeons here."

Diane looked her over with a cold smile. "You seem very invested in my husband."

Amanda didn't blink. "Someone has to be."

The room fell silent. Diane's eyes hardened. "So the rumors are true."

"What rumors?" Amanda asked.

"That the two of you are having an affair."

Several nurses gasped. Jonathan stared at Diane.

Amanda laughed. "An affair? The only affair here is the one you've made everyone believe isn't happening."

Diane flushed. "Watch your mouth."

"You first," Amanda snapped. "You've neglected your husband for months. Forgotten his birthday, his anniversary. Let another child call you 'Mommy.' You spend every waking moment with another man, and now you've come here to humiliate him."

Her voice shook. "Do you know how much he's suffered?"

Jonathan caught her arm. "Enough." She looked at him. He looked exhausted, defeated."Please."

Amanda clenched her jaw, then stepped back.

Jonathan turned to Dr. Lewis. "Please take over Mr. Cross's case."

"Of course."

Without another glance at Diane or Damien, Jonathan walked out.

Amanda found him in a quiet stairwell, shoulders trembling. For the first time since she'd known him, Jonathan Carter cried. Not loudly. Just silent tears.

Amanda stepped forward and hugged him. "You don't deserve this."

Jonathan buried his face in his hands. "I loved her so much."

His voice cracked. "I still do."

Amanda closed her eyes. "Then let her go. Sometimes loving someone means accepting they no longer know how to love you back."

Jonathan said nothing. He just stood there while the last pieces of his heart fell apart. He had to salvage his dignity. He had to let her go.