Chapter 36 Self Pledge

Chapter 36 Self Pledge
Emily PoV

“Fiancée…” I repeated, the word tasting bitter as it left my lips. My eyes stayed locked on Marco, searching for something — an explanation, a denial, anything.

Ruby’s voice still echoed in the room, sharp and possessive, but it was Marco’s silence that hurt most. He didn’t move, didn’t speak, and that silence felt like betrayal.

I had stayed through the night, kept him alive. And now, standing here, I felt like an intruder in a story I didn’t understand.

I then understood his silence when he left that day after the hike. I had blamed myself, thinking it was because of my call with Robin. I carried that guilt, replayed it over and over, wondering if I had pushed him away.

But now I saw the truth. It wasn’t me. It was his guilt — because he is engaged. I felt played.

“I guess I’m no longer needed here since your fiancée is here,” I said quietly, forcing my voice to stay steady even though the hurt was written in my eyes.

“She will take it from here. It’s just taking your antibiotics and painkillers, making sure the wound is clean, and changing the bandage.”

I wanted him to stop me, to say something, anything. But the silence between us was louder than Ruby’s presence.

He did not say anything. He just looked at me and nodded.

That nod cut deeper than words ever could. It wasn’t denial, it wasn’t explanation — it was acceptance. Acceptance of Ruby’s claim, acceptance of my leaving, acceptance of the silence that had already broken me.

I felt my chest tighten , I turned away, my steps heavy, each breath sharper than the last. I didn’t look back.

When I stepped outside, a driver was waiting. He stood beside the car, his posture stiff, professional.

“Miss,” he said, opening the door. “I was told to take you home.”

I hesitated, staring at the car. I wanted nothing to do with him, not even the driver sent to escort me away. But standing there, I realized I had no choice.

The driver waited, patient but unyielding, his hand resting on the open door as if the decision had already been made for me.

I laughed at myself, the sound bitter and hollow. If someone had told me a few months ago that this would be me — standing outside a man house, dismissed like a stranger — I would have called them crazy.

Back then, I was too focused on my work, too grounded in the rhythm of my own life to imagine being caught in something like this. A charade. That’s all it was.

I got in the car and promised myself I would have nothing to do with him. After all, he is taken.

The city morning stirred awake around me — streets humming with early traffic and shop shutters rattling open but my mind was sharper than ever.I had wasted enough time, that chapter was closed.

All I had to do now was get through these last few weeks of residency. Finish strong. Then go home, breathe, reset. And when I came back, it wouldn’t be for him — it would be for me. For my clinic. For the life I had always dreamed of building.

I pressed my palm against my chest, steadying my breath. This was my promise: no more distractions, no more charades. My future was mine, and I would claim it.

I got home, and Sarah was not around. The silence was a relief — no questions, no eyes searching for answers I wasn’t ready to give.

I finally had time to rest without being interrogated. The weight of the night still clung to me, but at least now,I can rest.

I sent a quick text to my boss, telling him I would come in tomorrow. Work was the only thing that made sense now. I had to keep my mind busy, keep my hands moving, keep my focus sharp.

Residency. My clinic. My future. That was all that mattered.

I took a long shower, hoping the water would wash away the heaviness clinging to me. But when I got to bed, sleep was an enemy — it did not come.

I turned on my phone and before I could stop myself, I was searching for Ruby’s social media. I scrolled, and everything about her was beautiful. She was always dripping in designers, her life a parade of luxury — private jets, glittering parties, places I could only dream of.

It made sense. She looked like she belonged on another planet, untouchable, radiant, the kind of woman who turned heads without even trying. She was gorgeous.

And me? I was just… me. A resident doctor, exhausted, worn down, living on coffee and long shifts. My world was hospitals and textbooks, not champagne and yachts. No wonder he stayed silent. No wonder he nodded.

I closed her page quickly, before I accidentally liked one of the pictures. It happens — people slip, fingers tap where they shouldn’t — but the thought of it made me cringe. That would have been worse, more embarrassing, like exposing myself to her, letting her know I was watching.

I set the phone aside, my chest tight with shame. I hated that I had gone down that rabbit hole, comparing myself to her, measuring my worth against her glossy perfection. It wasn’t me. It wasn’t who I was.

But the truth was, I had looked. And it hurt.

I lay back, staring at the ceiling, reminding myself of the promise I had made: I would have nothing to do with him. He was taken. And I had my own life to reclaim.