Dinner for Him, Divorce for Her

I watched the dolphins leap from the water and said casually, "Dr. Glover, with that attitude, there's nothing to talk about."

"This time, canceling on you was my fault," she said. "But did you really have to curse me out and call me dead? You have ten seconds to take me off your blacklist. Otherwise, forget about staying married to me!"

Her tone almost made me laugh—like I was the one who'd screwed up.

I'd been about to tell her I was resigning when Dillon's voice slid through the phone.

That clingy tone again. Practically begging for attention.

I couldn't help myself. "Oh? Not staying with the intern you adore and instead calling me to argue? You really have the energy for that? Guess I'm getting in the way. Go keep your intern company."

Jayda snapped instantly. "A pampered professor's kid like you wouldn't know the first thing about how hard broke med students have it! He's struggling. Can't I help him?"

There it was again.

Then Dillon's voice drifted through, spoiled and clingy. "Jayda, this tastes awful. Why can't I make it like yours?"

Jayda laughed softly, her tone turning gentle. "I'm dealing with something right now. Wait for me, okay? I'll be there soon."

When she spoke to me again, the warmth was gone. Cold. Impatient.

"You skipped assisting in surgery this time. I've already switched your shifts with someone else. As punishment, you're on night duty for the next week. This is a notice, not a discussion."

She hung up before I could respond.

The line went dead.

I stared at the phone, listening to the steady beep.

Funny.

I'd thought this hot springs trip might warm up our dying marriage.

Turns out I was the only one pretending it still had a pulse.

After the dolphin show, I went straight home.

No surprise—the place was empty.

The work group chat kept buzzing, dumping every random task on me.

I didn't reply to a single message.

Instead, I sent in my resignation.

At first HR refused, saying they needed Jayda's approval.

Then, seconds later, another message popped up.

She'd approved it.

Process expedited. I could leave immediately.

Colder than I thought.

Fine.

Saved me the trouble.

While Jayda was busy touring the country with Dillon, I put the house I'd bought for her parents up for sale.

Back then, she always said she missed them. Said she only saw them once a year—then she'd start crying.

I felt bad for her.

So I dumped all my savings into buying the house next door outright and invited them to move in.

They said it was too small and turned it down.

Now there was no reason to keep it.

The day the sale closed, I stopped by the hospital to finish my handover.

When I walked out of the department carrying a cardboard box, a few coworkers whispered and chuckled under their breath, clearly assuming I'd been pushed out.

I stopped when a photo on the wall caught my eye.

It was taken the day Jayda became department chief.

She once said she wanted to be a doctor known by thousands.

So I used everything I had to build this hospital for her.

I brought in top-tier equipment, tracked down the best mentors, backed her every step of the way until she stood where she is now.

Guess some people forget who got them there.

She had.

Now she had someone new at her side.

I looked away and started to leave—then someone stepped into my path.

Dillon.

Arms crossed, that smug 'I already won' look on his face. He even pretended to be surprised.

"Holden, did Jayda fire you?"