Chapter 2Emergency Room Romance: My Ex vs. The Pack

When I woke up, I was in the inpatient ward.

I could hear hushed—but not hushed enough—voices buzzing nearby.

"We still can't reach her family. She's so pitiful. She looks young, but I saw a ring on her finger. Where's the husband?"

"Who knows? Even if she has no family, what about friends? Not a single visitor. She must be a total loner."

"Hey, I saw Dr. Hayes handle her admission personally. He seemed... weird about it. You think she's a stalker? I heard him asking about her current husband..."

"Shh! Don't be crazy. Dr. Hayes has standards. His fiancée is that heiress, Vanessa Vance. She’s his college sweetheart. Don't drag random patients into their fairy tale."

I couldn't take it anymore.

They weren't whispering; they were broadcasting directly into my ear canal.

Just as I was about to snap, I heard Ethan’s stern voice.

"Do not gossip about patients in the ward."

Great. So he was there the whole time.

He let them trash me and praise him just to stroke his ego, didn't he?

Divorced for three years, and he's still with his "white moonlight"—his precious first love?

Right. She’s the heiress he practically begged me for a divorce to be with.

Thinking about that rainy night, seeing their silhouettes tangled together in the doorway... I felt bile rise in my throat.

Ethan walked to my bedside, his tone flat.

"If you're worried about your family seeing me and feeling awkward, I can step aside. There are other doctors on rotation. As long as—"

Suddenly, a man burst through the door, panting for air.

He was dressed like he was dodging paparazzi—oversized hoodie, baseball cap, face mask.

But his aura screamed "celebrity."

Every head in the room turned.

"No need, Doctor. I'm family. Is it convenient to discuss my wife's condition?"

Ethan whipped around to look at the newcomer, then shot a questioning glare at me.

"You remarried? This guy is your husband?"

I stayed silent, tilting my head as I thought about the wording.

"Family, technically. We had a ceremony by the ocean."

The masked man walked up to me.

Even with the mask, his peach-blossom eyes were crinkled in a smile.

He looked Ethan up and down, then extended a hand.

"Hi, Dr. Hayes. I'm Maya's husband, Jax Ryder. You can run the surgery plan by me."

Ethan sized up the man who was just as tall as him.

Even hidden, those eyes were undeniably pretty. This guy was a looker.

Ethan’s voice dropped a few degrees.

"You're sure you're the husband? She came in alone yesterday and fainted. As her partner, you were notably absent."

Before Jax could reply, I jumped in to cover for him.

"He's busy. His schedule is packed. I didn't tell him."

Ethan’s lips thinned, his expression turning ugly.

"What kind of job is so busy that he can't care about his partner's health?"

"Your taste in men has really deteriorated."

I cut him off cold.

"Dr. Hayes, you're crossing a line. We are doctor and patient. That's it."

The next second, my hand was enveloped in a warm, desperate grip.

Jax pulled down his mask.

A face that graced half the billboards in Los Angeles leaned in close.

"Babe, don't be mad. It's my fault. I'm the worst."

"I called you all night and you didn't pick up. I finished the concert and hopped on the first flight back this morning."

"Don't fight with Dr. Hayes. If he wants to scold me, let him. As long as he doesn't yell at you."

Jax’s voice was dripping with "pick-me" energy.

He effectively made Ethan look like a bully and himself like a tragic hero.

The nurses nearly screamed.

"It's actually Jax Ryder! OMG, I watched his music variety show two days ago! He's even hotter in person! I heard rumors he was married, but I didn't think it was true—and his wife is right here!"

The gossip volume in the room cranked up to an eleven.

Ethan took a deep breath, glaring at me.

"Family members cannot disturb the patient's rest."

Jax didn't even look up.

"Then get my wife a VIP suite."

Ethan: "We're at capacity."

Jax narrowed his eyes: "Then we transfer hospitals."

Ethan gritted his teeth: "Her condition requires immediate surgery."

Sparks flew between them. The tension was thick enough to choke on.

Even the nurses sensed the vibe shift.

"Dr. Hayes... you seem really invested in this patient. Are you friends?"

"No."

Ethan denied it instantly.