Chapter 3

Chloe's POV

For a moment, Julian looked completely lost. He didn't seem to comprehend what I was saying.

"What?"

Before I could reply, the office door was thrown open.

"Dr. Vance, we have an emergency!"

The only person who dared to enter Julian's office without knocking was Maya.

Julian's attention shifted instantly. His expression turned dead serious as he strode toward the door.

As he passed me, he said out of habit, "Chloe, prep for surgery."

Maya stood at the door. Her eyes lingered on my face for a second with a hint of smugness before she quickly hurried after Julian.

I stood in the empty office, motionless.

I was no longer Julian's First Assistant. Prepping for surgery was no longer my job.

The Chief had settled this morning, and though Julian didn't know yet, it didn't change the outcome.

I slowly walked back to my desk and sat down, staring into space.

My colleagues rushed in and out. Some were changing into scrubs, others were checking charts. Everyone was busy.

Only I sat there, feeling like a gear that had been forcibly removed from a fast-spinning machine.

I used to be the most precise part of his machine. Now that I was cast aside, I had no idea what to do.

I somehow survived until clock-out time.

To make matters worse, the moment I stepped out of the hospital, a torrential downpour slammed the city.

Because of the rush hour and the terrible weather, the wait time on my rideshare app was over three digits.

I didn't have an umbrella. I had to hold my bag over my head, standing by the curb trying to hail a cab in vain.

Rain ran down my arms, and within minutes, I was soaked to the bone.

Julian had a car, but I had never once thought about hitching a ride with him.

Even though we lived together, Julian had never suggested driving to work together.

Since he never offered, I was too embarrassed to ask.

Over time, this became our silent agreement.

Suddenly, a sleek black Bentley pulled up smoothly in front of me.

The window rolled down, revealing Maya's face in the passenger seat.

"Chloe, get in! The rain is crazy. We'll give you a ride."

We.

That word, combined with the icy rain, made me shiver.

"No, it's fine. My clothes are soaked."

Usually, even when I had to ride in Julian's car for work-related reasons, I was incredibly cautious. Before getting out, I would wipe down every surface I touched with disinfectant wipes.

Looking like a drowned rat right now, I didn't want to annoy his inner neat freak.

A deep male voice came from the driver's seat. "Get in."

The storm was getting worse, so I finally opened the door and climbed into the back.

My dripping clothes soaked the leather seat. I sat stiffly, trying to minimize the contact area as much as possible.

In contrast, Maya was completely at ease in the front seat.

She turned around to look at me, smiling. "Chloe, where do you live? We'll drop you off first."

I didn't answer.

Nobody knew Julian and I lived together.

And nobody knew I was his girlfriend.

An awkward silence filled the car.

Finally, Julian spoke to Maya. "I'll drop you off first."

The atmosphere returned to normal. Maya started chatting with Julian about today's surgery.

She talked about how nervous she was, how her hands were sweating, how her heart felt like it was going to explode during the suturing, and how she almost screamed with joy when the patient's vitals stabilized.

Julian smiled occasionally, responding softly without a trace of his usual impatience.

When she mentioned her anxiety as the First Assistant, Julian actually offered a rare compliment. "You did great. Much steadier than Chloe's first time on the table."

Maya laughed happily, turning her head back. "Really, Chloe?"

I forced a silent smile.

I was surprised Julian still remembered my first time on the operating table.

But so what? He only remembered it to use as a negative contrast.

He used my past struggle just to highlight how perfect Maya was.

Maya casually turned on the car radio, and a lively pop song filled the car.

It was definitely not the kind of music Julian listened to.

Julian frowned slightly, but he didn't turn it off.

Maya hummed along with the melody, then opened the glove compartment. She pulled out a pack of cookies and offered one to me. "Want a cookie, Chloe?"

I shook my head.

I didn't mean to spy on the glove compartment.

But the space was too small. I couldn't help but notice what was inside.

There was a lipstick, a hairbrush, and a compact mirror.

It was Maya's personal drawer.

Knowing how much Julian hated clutter, I never touched anything in his car, let alone left my personal items there.

The brutal reality slapped me in the face once again.

I had spent over ten years trying to blend into his life, and I failed.

Maya did it in just two months.

I had lost completely.

Maya tore open the packaging and popped a cookie directly into Julian's mouth.

Julian froze for a split second, then slowly chewed.

The sound of his chewing was painfully loud in the quiet car.

I turned my head to look at the rain sliding down the window.

When we reached Maya's apartment complex, she ran into the building under her umbrella. She turned around to wave at the car, her smile incredibly bright.

Julian waited until she safely entered the lobby before driving off.

Now that it was just the two of us, the silence in the car became heavy.

Then I heard him ask, "Why weren't you the First Assistant today?"

"Maya needs the experience," I replied, staring out the window.

Julian stayed quiet for a long moment before uttering, "It's good that you can be understanding about this."