Page 35

Ha-joon

My day was looking up when Ellie dropped off a bunch of matcha baked goods after her coffee with her half sister. She seemed down but also lighter, like she’d heard something difficult but knew she’d made the right decision to go.

“I think you’re amazing, and seeing you accept the past to move forward gives me a strength I never knew possible, my sweet kimchi,” I whispered.

I hadn’t wanted to let her go yet but we both had work.

Still, I’d chased after her to say one last thing and give her a kiss that I hoped conveyed my support.

“I should be furious with you that you just did that in your waiting room , but it’s too sweet,” she grumbled and smacked my chest. “You’re too old to be this blind.”

I winced and glanced around my completely full waiting area… All of whom were watching us like we were the best daytime drama they were catching. I flushed lava hot and covered my face. “I’m sorry. Shit, you get to leave and I have to see them all in an exam room.”

All of them erupted laughing and even Ellie chuckled. “That’s your punishment for making a spectacle.”

“And for being sweet?” I asked, hoping I wasn’t in trouble.

She kissed my cheek and left.

That meant I wasn’t in trouble, right?

The waiting area died again when I asked my office manager that.

“Doc, I think you’re going to get all the fun tonight,” one of my male patients drawled. “That woman had hearts dancing all around her after she’d been sad. Bring home flowers and you’re set.”

“How do you give such good advice and have never been romantic like that with your own mate?” the woman next to him demanded.

Oh well… I got the hell out of there. I mumbled a thank-you and focused back on work.

But I did listen to the man’s advice and brought home a large bouquet to Ellie. She simply chuckled and told me that I wasn’t in trouble. That the flowers were exactly what she needed to brighten her day too.

So double win?

She’d brought home groceries which was odd for her. She normally had them delivered Sunday after she relaxed Saturday night and made the list. Yes, we saw each other on Saturdays, and besides the occasional schedule hiccup, Ellie kept her spa Saturdays.

I was simply included now too. We still normally had sex, but it was softer—making love and no marathons.

Besides the occasional horny times.

And I didn’t just mean mine . My woman was right there with me most of the time which was honestly impressive for a vampire.

Or maybe not? What did I really know most days… Especially about women.

Something was up with the groceries though.

I didn’t push or ask what was going on, simply offered my skills.

I wasn’t a great cook, but I was a damn good sous chef.

Ellie had complimented my prep and knife skills many times.

I told her that I’d always liked the kitchen in my house because my siblings didn’t normally go in there.

And our chefs were nice people. I’d learned a lot, but I wasn’t the type to push people aside or push my family to try my cooking. I’d been too busy always trying to blend and stay out of more trouble.

Well… Until recently when they’d pushed me too far.

When she was done, we sat down and she told me what the different dishes were, clearing her throat as she moved her napkin to her lap.

“After I ran, I found a family—farmers who let me stay with them for help. The grandmother taught me how to make these, and her family couldn’t tell when they were from her or me because I’d help when her arthritis flared up. ”

“It all smells delicious,” I praised, my stomach having growled several times while she’d been cooking. “Armenian?”

“Yes.”

I took a bite and moaned, gesturing with my fork. “This is fucking fantastic, Ellie. Shit, I’m going to beg you to cook for me instead of us always picking up food.”

She was pleased at the praise and gave a slight shrug. “You made it much nicer with your help. As long as you help with the dishes or—”

I snorted, already having taken a bite of another dish.

“I’ll fucking do the shopping and all of the dishes, not just help.

This is ridiculous .” I pulled out my phone to take pictures because I wanted my mum to see.

She was adventurous with food and I knew she was still struggling. “Can we sneak some of this to Mum?”

She gave me a wary look before sighing. “You make—you seem like a mama’s boy I need to be worried about sometimes, but I know she’s—your dad is still on the couch, right?”

I sighed and set down my phone. “I think he was off the couch but got back there. He’s struggling too, and finding out Myung truly is a sociopath sent them both over the edge.

” I took another couple of bites before I figured out what I wanted to say.

“I don’t know how to help Da, and I don’t think I can because of his own issues. ”

“But you can help your mom.”

I gave a half shrug. “I don’t know anything can really help them right now. Byeol blasted me over text saying it was all my fault the family was falling apart and they’re all a mess.”

Ellie paused in her next bite. “You know it’s not your fault and she’s a fucking cunt, right?”

“I know,” I sighed. “I know that.”

“But?” she pushed.

“But I pushed over the domino, and she said Mum and Da were arguing about whose side of the family gave Myung the sociopath gene.”

She sighed. “I’ll talk to your mom. Yes, there’s a genetic component, but it’s way more complicated than that.

It’s not a done deal of getting it or not, and there are people who are sociopaths and psychopaths who have no history of mental illness at all in their families.

Sometimes assholes and monsters are just born. ”

“I know,” I promised. “It’s just… I never realized—I’ve always been a sympathetic doctor, especially with those who have suffered the same as I have. I just haven’t seen this side before and worry I didn’t handle it right.”

“Have you had many you’ve come across?”

I let out a slow breath. “One really, and I’ve always wished that I pushed harder for them to get tested. The parents were in denial and I was harsh.”

“That’s a doctor’s job and to hold them together when the results come through—get them answers then. People who hide their heads in the sand are doing damage, and those parents didn’t help their child that day. I feel bad for the kid.”

I blinked at my food and then slowly looked up at her. “Have you come across any?”

“Several,” she admitted, nodding firmly.

“I’m older and traveled all over. I was a doctor to humans for over a hundred years, and their bodies don’t heal the way we do.

It’s a ten percent chance in humans to have some tendencies at least. That’s a lot more than people realize.

Whatever magic makes us more than human—we rarely underdevelop unless abused. ”

I nodded, thinking that was fair and feeling comforted that she had more experience on the topic as well. “Thanks for talking to Mum. Ha-yun is down on herself too that she didn’t push harder. My brothers are in denial and think it’s all ‘psychobabble bullshit.’”

“Well, they’re dumbasses and we’ve known that,” she drawled before clearing her throat. “This probably isn’t the right time, but last time when I didn’t tell you what I knew it blew up in our faces.” She waited until I met her gaze, chuckling nervously. “Speaking of cunts…”

Mandy. Something had happened with Mandy’s case. Worry and nerves were pouring off of her to even bring up the topic, which meant it was definitely about Dr. Mandy Tate, my first love.

But not a doctor anymore probably.

“Might as well tell me since we’re already talking serious,” I grumbled. “I’m sorry. I wanted to be here for you after meeting with your sister.”

“Carla straightened me out,” she promised, telling me what the wolf had told her.

“She’s right. I couldn’t switch gears that fast and accept it, but she’s right.”

“She is,” Ellie agreed and cleared her throat again. “Mandy took a deal. She lost her license to practice medicine and can’t ever again. On any continent. She’s blacklisted from all the approval boards.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Good, but she got more than that, right?”

She snorted and listed off all that she knew explaining she got the heads-up since ASH had handed Mandy over and the news would break in the morning.

It would be big, and there would be some who tried to use it to smear ASH that she was interviewing or whatever bullshit that would help sell papers or get clicks.

I set down my fork and sat back in my chair. “Part of me is freaking out that she got a hundred and forty years for a mistake, but it wasn’t a mistake. There was more to it, right?”

“She wasn’t sorry,” Ellie answered bluntly.

“She was annoyed. She tried to play up—they used potions. They knew she was full of shit, and then she went off on some tirade that it was the fault of everyone at the hospital that made her so desperate to be accepted. The prosecution was given all her employment records—it’s bad. ”

“I heard she had a malpractice lawsuit,” I muttered.

“Several over such a short career is a joke,” Ellie muttered. “Major fuckups, not people just looking for money. All settled quietly, but her insurance premium would have been a huge red flag and knocked her out of ASH. I don’t even know how she afforded it.”

“Her family has money. Her brother spoiled her—fucking git used to treat me like trash because his princess sister was too good for me.”

She blinked at me for several moments before throwing her head back and laughing. “So the whole family is delusional. That’s awesome.” She shook her head and focused back on her food. “Fucking people. Seriously just makes me want to stop trying.”

I couldn’t agree more. It was honestly hard to keep going sometimes with all the bullshit and… People sucked.