Chapter 26. Rejection and

bChapter /bb26/bb: /bbRejection and /bbConfrontation /b

Chapter 26: Rejection and Confrontation

(Sophia’s POV)

In the dimly lit hospital ward, I watched Marcus settle into the ufortable chair beside Oliver’s bed. bThe /bmoonlight streaming through the window cast shadows across his sharp features.

This was my chance. My boldest move yet.

“There’s no spare bed for caregivers tonight,” I said softly, moving closer to him. “We’ll have to share bthe /b

space.”

My heart pounded as I reached for his coat. My fingers trembled slightly as I began unbuttoning it.

I had desired him for so long. Six years of regret burned in my chest like acid.

Why had I chosen another man? Why had I gotten pregnant with someone else’s child?

If I could go back, I would never have left Marcus’s side.

My fingers worked on the second button, then the third. Marcus remained still, his breathing steady.

Suddenly, his hand caught mine. His grip was firm but not painful.

“We shouldn’t do this,” he said quietly.

His golden eyes met mine in the darkness. There was no desire there, only careful distance.

He rebuttoned his coat with methodical precision. Each button felt like a rejection stabbing through my

heart.

“Oliver is asleep now,” he said, standing up. “I should go.”

I remained frozen as he walked toward the door. My face burned with humiliation.

“Marcus, wait-”

But he was already gone. The door closed with a soft click that echoed like thunder in my ears.

I stood there in the empty room, my hands still extended where his coat had been. The pale moonlight made everything look cold and lifeless.

My hatred for Elena deepened like poison spreading through my veins. This was all her fault.

(Elena’s POV)

The next morning, I arrived at the Northern Territory Central Healing Institute early. My phone buzzed with notifications from a group chat I didn’t recognize.

I frowned, scrolling through messages about a 9 AM department meeting. The timestamp showed bthe /bbgroup /bwas created yesterday evening.

I wasn’t in this group.

When I reached the conference room at 9:15, Senior William Cross was already bspeaking/b. bAll /bbthe /bbdepartment /b

staff sat around the table, taking notes.

Chapter 26: Rejection and.

“Healer bElena/bb,” /bSenior William said sharply as I entered. b“/bYou’re bte/bb.” /b

Every head turned toward me. I felt their curious starès like pinpricks on my skin.

“I apologize,” I said calmly. “I wasn’t notified of this meeting.”

Sophia looked up from her tablet with perfectly crafted surprise. “But I announced it in the bgroup /bbchat /byesterday.”

Her voice carried just the right amount of confusion. “Didn’t you see the messageb?/bb” /b

Senior William’s expression darkened. “Do you think your special status exempts you from hospital rulesb?/bb” /b

His tone was sharp with disapproval. “This kind of attitude is uneptable.”

I remainedposed despite the public humiliation. “Which group chat are iyou /ireferring to?”

Sophia held up her phone, showing the group member list. “The new department coordination group.”

I studied the screen carefully. Every staff member’s name was listed except mine.

“I see,” I said quietly. “I wasn’t added to this group.”

The room fell silent. Several colleagues shifted ufortably in their seats.

“Are you suggesting this was deliberate workce exclusion?” I asked, my voice steady.

Sophia’s face paled slightly. She hadn’t expected me to challenge her so directly.

“Of course not,” she said quickly. “It must have been an oversight.”

Her fingers fumbled with her phone. “I’ll add you to the group right now.”

“That won’t be necessary,” I replied. “The damage is already done.”

Senior William cleared his throat awkwardly. The logic of my argument was undeniable.

Sophia’s eyes grew darker with each passing second. Her carefully nned humiliation had backfired.

“I sincerely apologize,” she said through gritted teeth. “I’ll be more careful in the future.”

But I could see the resentment burning behind her false smile.

After the meeting, I returned to my office to organize reports for my uing transfer. My phone rang with

my mother’s number.

“Elena, can we meet this afternoon?” Patricia’s voice sounded strained. “There’s something important we

need to discuss.”

I agreed to meet her at a restaurant near the institute. The familiar weight of family obligations settled on my

shoulders.

At the restaurant, Patricia sat across from me with nervous energy. She ordered my favorite bdis/b‘

no appetite.

“I need you to dy the mate bond severance,” she said without preamble.

Her hands twisted the napkin in herp. “Just until David passes his civil service examinationb./bb” /b

I looked at her tired face. “You made simr promises before.”

“This time is different,” she insisted. “We’re family. We shouldn’t be so calcting bwith /bbeach /bbother/b,

but I bhad /b

Chapter 26: Rejection and

The word ‘family‘ tasted bitter in my mouth. “What makes me different from David?”

Patricia’s face flushed. “You’re different from him!”

“How?” I pressed. “Why didn’t you just kill me at birth if you only care about your son?”

“Elena!” she shouted, her voice cracking.

But she couldn’t exin how I was different. She never could.

ughed, feeling my eyes redden with unshed tears. The sound was hollow and broken.

Without touching the untouched food, I stood to leave. Patricia reached for my arm desperately.

“I’m only giving you two months,” I said quietly. “If David doesn’t pass the exam after two months, everything about the ckthorne family will have nothing to do with me.”

My voice grew colder with each word. “By then, whether you look for Marcus or anyone else, don’te looking for me.”

I paused at her confused expression. “Because you won’t be able to find me.”

I left with a bitter smile, leaving Patricia stunned and confused by my final words.

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