Page 6 of Once Upon A Second Chance

"Oh, sure," I say to the TV as some woman tearfully explains why she’s moving across the world for a man she’s known for three weeks. "What could possibly go wrong?"

Bijou hops onto the couch beside me, side-eyeing me as she settles onto a pile of laundry.

"Don’t judge me," I tell her.

She exhales through her nose, like she absolutely is judging me, then curls up with a stolen sock.

I take a long sip of wine, letting the bitter tang sit on my tongue. The TV couple argues in the background, their voices rising as the music swells.

My phonebuzzes.

Lena:You ignoring me or just drinking alone?

I snap a picture of my wine glass and the TV screen, sending it with the caption: Both.

Lena:Ah. The ‘I’m fine’ combo. Classic.

I don’t respond. Instead, I drain the glass and reach for the bottle again.

Somewhere in New York, Rebecca Hogan is probably sipping champagne in some sleek high-rise, laughing about how pathetic I am.

And here I am.

With a half-empty bottle of discount Cabernet, a judgmental Papillon, and a heart that still hasn’t learned its lesson.

The glow of my laptop screen is the only light in the living room now. The wine bottle sits nearly empty on the coffee table, and Bijou has abandoned me for the bedroom, clearly disgusted by my life choices.

The TV murmurs in the background—some rerun of Say Yes to the Dress—but I’m not paying attention.

Instead, my fingers hover over the keyboard.

This is a bad idea.

I type before I can stop myself.

Richard Hogan Columbia Med

The results load instantly. Faculty page. Headshot. His stupidly perfect face stares back at me, all sharp jaw and easy smile. Dr. Richard Hogan, Orthopedic Surgery.

My chest tightens.

I click back, fingers moving faster now.

Hogan divorce New York

Gossip articles. Tabloid snippets. A paparazzi shot of Rebecca at some hospital charity gala, her left hand conspicuously bare.

"New York’s Top Surgeon’s Wife Spotted Without Ring—Trouble in Paradise?"

I shouldn’t care.

I don’t care.

I clickanyway.

The article is full of vague, salacious hints—"insiders say the split was messy," "Dr. Hogan seen leaving their Upper East Side apartment alone," "rumors of another woman?"

My stomach twists.