Chapter 25 Chapter 0025
•CASSANDRA•
"I don't want to be late for my first day, Mommy, hurry!" Elena shouted from the front door while I was busy rushing to get her lunchbox done.
I slept late and snoozed my alarm in the morning, which made me rush against time so we wouldn't be late for school.
But when I was done, I took her to the car and clasped the belt around her.
Lucky for me, there was no traffic or movement on the road. People were still at home and probably preparing for work.
Her small hand gripped mine tightly while she looked around at the other children running around the playground.
She had woken up excited about her first day, but now she seemed a little nervous.
I knelt down to adjust the strap of her backpack and gave her a reassuring smile.
“You are going to do great today,” I murmured. “Remember what we talked about. If anyone is unkind, tell your teacher right away. Okay?”
Elena nodded. “Okay, Mama.”
I stood up and took her hand. We walked toward the gate where the headmistress was waiting for us with a kind smile.
Halfway there, Elena suddenly stopped. She let go of my hand and pointed across the parking lot.
A man stood near one of the cars, talking on his phone. He was tall, with dark brown hair and broad shoulders.
Elena stared at him for a long moment before she started walking toward him.
I hurried after her. “Elena, wait! Where are you going?”
She reached him first. The man looked down in surprise when she tugged at his sleeve.
“Are you my daddy?” she asked.
The man blinked. “Excuse me?”
I rushed forward, my face burning. “I am so sorry,” I blurted. “She is just a little confused today. Come on, sweetheart.”
I took Elena’s hand and pulled her away. The man gave me an awkward nod before turning back to his phone.
Elena looked up at me with wide eyes. “He has brown hair, Mommy, just like me. He might be my father."
I crouched down to her level. “I know, baby. But he is not your daddy. Your daddy is someone special, and you will meet him one day, okay?"
She nodded slowly. “Okay.”
I hugged her tightly before walking her the rest of the way to her classroom.
The headmistress greeted us warmly and led Elena inside. I waved until she disappeared through the door.
The drive home felt longer than usual. When I pulled into the parking spot and turned off the engine, I sat there for a long time with my hands still on the wheel.
The image of Elena asking that stranger if he was her father kept replaying in my mind.
She was only four, but she already felt the absence and was already wondering about him.
Tears filled my eyes. I rested my forehead against the steering wheel and let them fall. I hated Mason for what he had done.
He had chosen Nadia, rejected our bond, and taken Rowan from me without a second thought.
But even after everything, Elena deserved to know her father. Keeping her away from him felt like another betrayal, this time by me.
My thoughts drifted to Rowan. He turned eleven three months ago.
I remembered every birthday we had celebrated together—his first steps, his first laugh, the way he used to cling to me when he was scared.
I wondered what he looked like now. Did he still have my smile? Did he remember me at all?
The tears came harder. I missed him so much it hurt to breathe.
My phone rang, pulling me out of the moment. The clinic director’s name appeared on the screen. I wiped my eyes and answered.
“Dr. Frost,” he said. “We have a patient here who needs your expertise. None of the current doctors can figure out what is wrong with her. The symptoms are unusual, and we are understaffed. We need your help.”
I sat up straighter. “What? I thought I was on suspension. Do you want me to volunteer my free time?"
He paused. “The investigation is ongoing, but this case is time-sensitive. If you come in today, I will review your suspension and consider lifting it early. I can also handle the lawsuit and the rumors circulating online. Someone leaked details about the incident, and I intend to find out who. We will protect your reputation.”
I took a deep breath. “I will think about it.”
“Please do. We need you.”
I ended the call and stared at the phone. Part of me wanted to refuse.
The suspension had been humiliating, and returning so soon felt like accepting defeat. But a patient needed help. That was why I had become a doctor in the first place.
I texted Dr. Langford and told him I was on my way. I then started the car and drove to the clinic.
When I arrived, he met me at the entrance. He looked relieved.
“Thank you for coming,” he said. “The patient is in exam room four. I have already spoken with the legal team. The lawsuit will be handled quietly. Our IT department will trace the sources of the online rumors and have them removed. Whoever leaked the information will be dealt with.”
I nodded. “I appreciate that.”
He placed a hand on my shoulder. “You are one of our best doctors, Cassandra. We want you back full-time as soon as possible.”
I nodded with a smile as I turned and walked down the hallway toward the exam room.
The familiar smell of antiseptic and the soft hum of hospital sounds surrounded me. For the first time in two days, I felt a small sense of purpose return.
Elena would be safe at her new school. The patient needed me. And maybe, just maybe, I could start to rebuild the pieces of my life that had fallen apart.
I pushed open the door to the exam room and stepped inside, but my blood ran cold when I saw the person on the bed.