"Apparently she's got a golden pussy too." His voice is low. "No wonder you're so protective. Tell me, was she worth throwing away professional ethics? Or is fucking the fellows just a perk of your position?"
My fist cocks back before I've even processed his words. Muscles coiled tight, ready to drive straight into that perfectly punchable face. I want to feel cartilage give way beneath my knuckles, want to see blood splatter across those expensive teeth. Want to hurt him the way his words are hurting Mia, even in her absence.
"Sebastian, don't."
A hand clamps around my wrist from behind, stopping my fist mid-arc. I try to wrench free, but the grip is iron-tight.
"Let go," I growl, not taking my eyes off Harper.
"Not happening." Arjun's voice is firm in my ear as he maintains his hold. "This isn't you, man. This isn't worth your career."
I struggle against his grip, muscles straining as anger courses through me like electricity. "You didn't hear what he said. You don't know—"
"I heard enough." Arjun's other hand finds my shoulder, pulling me back with surprising strength. "He's not worth it. And he's definitely not worth losing your medical license over."
Harper uses the distraction to slip from my grasp, straightening his lab coat with exaggerated care.
"You should listen to your friend, Dr. Walker," he says, smoothing down his tie. "Assaulting a fellow is grounds for immediate termination."
My muscles bunch again, but Arjun's grip tightens in warning. Around us, the cafeteria remains unnaturally silent, dozens of eyes watching the drama unfold. I spot several nurses I know, a couple of residents from my department, even Dr. Henderson lingering near the coffee station.
"Calm down," Arjun murmurs, close enough that only I can hear. "You're not helping anyone by doing this."
"I don't need to calm down." The words tear from my throat, raw with emotion I've spent years learning to suppress. "I just need to find Mia."
Harper's eyebrows lift slightly. "Good luck with that. Last I saw, she was heading for the parking lot, crying her eyes out."
It takes everything in me not to lunge at him again. My breathing comes in harsh, shallow pants, each inhale feeling like it's filtered through ground glass. The confirmation that Mia has actually quit—has packed up and left—hurts like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
"If you'll excuse me," Harper continues, clearly enjoying the upper hand, "I should get going. Some of us still have jobs to do."
Around us, conversations slowly resume, the cafeteria's audience turns back to their meals, though I can feel their eyes still flicking in our direction.
"Let me go," I say to Arjun, my voice flat now. "I'm not going after him."
My friend studies my face for a long moment before releasing his grip on my wrist. "You sure about that?"
"Yes." I take a deep breath, willing my heart rate to slow. "I need to find Mia. Now."
I pull out my phone, checking again for messages I know aren't there. "I have to find her before—"
Before what? Before she disappears completely? Before she makes a decision she can't take back? Before I lose whatever fragile connection we've built over these past days?
The realization hits me with stunning clarity as I push through the cafeteria doors. I'm not just afraid of Mia throwing away her career.
I'm afraid of her throwing us away.
Chapter 32
Sebastian
Iweave through traffic with a recklessness that would normally make me wince. At a red light, I barely slow down, scanning for cops before blasting through the intersection.She can't be gone.The image of Mia's face as she ran from Cheryl's room is burned into my retinas, that look of absolute devastation that made my chest physically ache.
Fifteen minutes later, I screech to a halt in front of her apartment building, parking half on the sidewalk like some kind of lunatic. I don't bother locking the car, just sprint toward the entrance, taking the stairs two at a time because waiting for the elevator feels impossible. My heart hammers against my ribs like it's trying to punch its way out of my chest.
I practically crash into the hallway when I reach her floor, scanning the numbers until I find the door I’m looking for. Breathing hard, I raise my fist and knock.
No answer.
