Chapter 2

New York,  Sacred Heart Hospital. 

"Dr. Hawthorne, the surgery was a success," Dr. Smith said, giving him a thumbs-up as the lights in the operation theatre dimmed.  

As they exited the operation theatre, a tall man in his late twenties, with a slightly lean but muscular build, paused when a little girl hugged his leg. He looked down to see a beautiful child staring up at him with glossy and tear-filled eyes.  

"Mr. Doctor, will my papa be fine?" the girl asked, her voice trembling but filled with hope. "He said he would buy me anything I want. Can you tell him I don’t want anything but just him?"  

"What is your name, little angel?" the doctor asked gently, kneeling slightly to her level.  

"Arielle," the little girl answered softly.  

Zachary shook his head, a rare chuckle escaping his lips while catching the attention of everyone nearby. Known for his aloof nature, Dr. Zachary Hawthorne was a man of few words and interactions. He had been working at the hospital ever since completing his postgraduate studies in neurosurgery at NYU Medical School.  

"Of course you are," Zachary said, his hazel eyes dancing with amusement. "Your dad is fine. Take care of him. When he recovers, ask him to buy you anything you want."  

The little girl whispered, her voice barely audible, “But Arielle wants nothing for herself. She just wants her daddy.”  

Zachary leaned down, gently rubbing her head. “But sometimes, Arielle should think about herself, right?” he said kindly.  

The little girl blinked up at him, her eyes filled with curiosity.  

“When your daddy gets better, ask him to buy you the world. Arielle deserves the world,” Zachary said with a soft smile before walking away.  

The hospital staff and nurses exchanged glances as their expressions were filled with surprise and curiosity. Was this the same aloof doctor who barely spoke to anyone? How could he be so kind and tender toward this little girl?  

Zachary had a night shift at the hospital, followed by back-to-back emergency surgeries with the other neurosurgeons. Rest was a luxury he couldn’t afford. He was lying on the uncomfortable couch in his office while catching a rare moment of sleep, when he was jolted awake by a pillow hitting him square in the face.  

"How dare you not tell me you are returning to Chicago? Am I even your best friend? Why do I have to hear it from the nurses outside?" Killian demanded, his tone dripping with annoyance.  

Zachary groaned while rubbing his face. "Gabriel's getting engaged next week. He is my father's only nephew. If I don't show up, my dad will disown me. Do you want that to happen?"  

Zachary had already strained his relationship with his family beyond repair. Despite their ownership of a prestigious chain of hospitals, he worked at a facility run by their rivals. It was just who he was, a rebel by nature. The more he was told not to do something, the more determined he was to do it.  

"You submitted your resignation," Killian pointed out sharply, bringing up the elephant in the room. "Why on earth would you do that?"  

Zachary stretched lazily. "I gave you a job offer too, didn’t I? You refused it. Not my problem."  

"I'm not going to work for your family’s hospital," Killian snapped. "And I’m definitely not moving back to Chicago."  

"Are you still avoiding Esme?" Zachary asked, breaking the silence between them. If there was one thing both men shared, it was a past so deeply entwined with heartbreak that neither wanted to revisit it. They had shattered the hearts of women who once loved them beyond words.   

"Are you ready to face Arielle?" Killian shot back, his voice rising with frustration. Then, unable to contain his anger, he added, "You broke her heart, Zach! It has been seven years, and we don't even know where she is. I don’t even know if she is alive. We went to boarding school together in the sixth standard, for God’s sake! We were best friends. Then you had to date Arielle and mess everything up. Tell me, was your ego more important than her?"  

Zachary didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he stood up and moved to the window, gazing at the cityscape. New York never stopped. It was this fast life that had been his calling. He had always known he wasn’t made for Chicago. New York felt like home, had always been home.  

But when it came to Arielle, it wasn’t about ego. It never had been. Life had happened. They had grown up, and one of them had to step aside to let the other soar.  

"Do you think she became a civil servant like she always wanted?" Zachary asked, his voice softer this time.  

"She was the smartest girl in our batch, of course, she did," Killian answered with a huff. "Since sixth standard, that was her dream. She sat for her first preliminary exam while we were still in medical college, remember? And she cleared it on her first attempt. If only she hadn’t fallen sick during the main exam..."  

The conversation about Arielle ended there. Killian was taken aback by how Zachary had even mentioned her. His friend often acted as though Arielle had never existed in his life. Killian wasn’t sure if this was Zachary’s way of coping or if he simply didn’t care about Arielle at all.

Soon, the day to leave New York arrived. It took longer than Zachary had anticipated to complete all the formalities at the hospital. Despite his best efforts, he knew he wouldn’t make it to Chicago before his cousin’s engagement. Gabriel, his only cousin on his father’s side, was someone Zachary wasn’t particularly close to, but they still shared mutual respect.

Gabriel Anderson’s family was a powerhouse in the media industry. Gabriel had taken over their writing house, which had flourished under his leadership, while his father was a media magnate and continued to oversee the larger business empire.

By the time Zachary reached Chicago, a bittersweet feeling had settled in his chest. There were too many reasons to feel conflicted.

"Did you make it to Chicago?" Killian’s voice came through the phone the moment Zachary landed. "Are you heading to the venue?"

"Ugh, what the hell," Zachary cursed under his breath. "Gabriel’s getting engaged in this tiny town called Little Bell, three hundred miles away from the city. Thankfully, I was able to book a flight to a nearby city. I will rent a car from there and drive another hour to reach the venue. But I don’t think I will make it in time. Who even wants to watch him slip a ring on some girl’s finger? I will be happy if I can just appease my family by showing my face."

Later, on the flight, Zachary freshened up in the airport restroom before slipping into his dark suit. He was ready for his cousin's engagement even though everything felt rushed. He had arranged for a car to take him directly to the venue, but the entire process seemed to be happening too quickly. He had no time to sort through his thoughts, as if life had already taken the reins the moment he stepped into the Chicago airport. No wonder he despised this damn city.

It felt as if he was descending a mountain, his feet moving without his control. His life felt the same way in that moment. He was just being carried along and was unable to stop.

The car pulled to a stop, and a man came to take his luggage, leaving Zachary standing outside the venue. He glanced at the house nestled within the lush greenery of Little Bell  town and sighed. How could anyone live in such a beautiful yet isolated place? The pace here was so slow that it felt as though time itself had come to a halt.

As he entered the venue, the sound of applause filled the air. 

"They got engaged!" someone called out.

Zachary waited for the guests to settle before he could get a clear view of the couple on stage. After a few moments, the crowd quieted and he finally saw his cousin standing proudly, staring at the ring on his finger. But Zachary's attention wasn’t fixed on him for long. Something made him shift his gaze, and when he did, his eyes fell on a woman more breathtaking than any angel. She wore a silver floor-length dress, and the moment his gaze landed on her, his heart seemed to stop. His eyes locked onto the newly-worn ring on her finger, and without thinking, he looked up to her face. She was staring right at him, and in that instant, Zachary felt as if couldn’t breathe.