Page 46 of Dr. Scandal Claus

NICK

Ilingered, pressing my lips to Scarlett's in a sensual but intimate kiss. Our foreheads pressed together, I could feel her breath dusting my face. After such an intense week, it was time to face all of my critics. They were gathering downstairs in front of the hospital, and I was on edge. Scarlett's arms wrapped around me, and she was the anchor I needed to push through this hurdle, which seemed like just another thing to weigh me down after months of torment.

"You're going to do so great, Nick," she whispered, encouraging me. Ethan lay sleeping on his hospital bed with monitors hooked up to him. As a doctor I knew he was going to fully recover and do well, but the board refused to allow me to even consult on his case now that his medical files had been recovered from Fiona's meddling. Now I was just his father, though my practice would hopefully remain intact.

"I just want this all to be over. I'm so tired of dealing with the negativity and gossip." My hands squeezed her sides and pulled her closer as I claimed another kiss.

We'd had deep talks late at night when she was restless and I was off duty finally. Once she understood everything thathappened, we returned to our intimate bond. Nothing that Fiona did could separate us. Nothing this town did could divide us. We were both fighting for our peace and our love, and even if we ended up having to sell my parents' home and move away, I knew we would remain together.

"One foot in front of the other," she coaxed, and I nodded.

Sighing, I pulled away. "I should head down there. They'll be waiting."

"You've got this," she said, smiling at me. "Now, go put all those jerks in their place." Her hand lingered on mine as I backed away and I felt more confident every time she smiled at me. It made me feel like I could do anything.

I turned and walked out of Ethan's room to the hall and headed toward the elevators. The week had worn me down. I had board meetings where I'd gotten reamed out by administration for doing the surgery on my own child. I'd had meetings with detectives and investigators who had proven without a doubt that Fiona was behind all of the tampering. Her mistake was leaving the flash drive in the computer. Not only did it have a partial fingerprint on it, but the code spoke specifically to a program on her laptop that was written for her, and the police found a money trail to the hacker she paid to write the code for her.

On top of all of that, there was more that came out about Marvin too. While he had nothing to do with this round of hatred that was incited against me, the police found evidence that he had doctored medical reports during the medical malpractice lawsuit to incriminate me. He wouldn't see jail time the way Fiona would once her trial was over, but he'd definitely lose his license to practice medicine and no hospital in the world would hire him. He was done.

I didn't like the feeling of happiness that settled over me when I heard the news. I felt like it made me jaded and sadistic,but Scarlett reminded me how badly these people had destroyed my life and my mental health. She told me in time, that happiness would simmer to relief, and eventually I'd move on. I had to believe her, but for now I just felt like a rotten soul.

I stepped off the elevator and turned toward the front entrance. When I walked through the doors, I was glad hospital security had managed to keep the press outside. The flash of cameras and scurry of bodies moving toward me was overwhelming. I didn't know how celebrities handled this sort of thing every day.

"Dr. Edwards, do you have a comment for us?"

"Dr. Edwards, how do you feel about the news of your ex-fiancée being arrested?"

"Dr. Edwards, can you tell us how the boy is?"

The questions rang out louder than the click of camera shutters, and I ignored them. My focus was on the raised dais that had been erected this morning. Four board members, a few police officers, and Marjorie Whitman were standing there. She spoke into the microphone and smiled at the cameras, and I could tell she was eating this opportunity up. I spoke to her once, off the record, about everything that was unfolding and she was flippant, but she apologized for her part in making this all happen.

I told her then that despite the hell it put me through, I was glad. Ethan was on his way to a full recovery, and he'd be healthier now than he'd been his whole life, and Scarlett and I were stronger than ever. Not to mention, the whole truth about my previous scandal had been exposed, and thanks to Marjorie's gossip, Fiona slithered out of the darkness to be caught. She was going to jail for a very long time.

Today was about clearing my name, and after the misery I'd lived for years, Marjorie Whitman would become my salvation instead of my torment.

"There he is folks! St. Nick!" She flung her arm out in my direction as I mounted the steps and the people applauded. The old mocking nickname Scandal Claus no longer fit me, according to her. A few people in town decided St. Nick was more fitting after hearing how a young boy in Evergreen Elementary collapsed, and I was the one who saved his life.

"Thank you," I said, waving to the crowd as I stepped up beside her.

My eyes roamed over the mass of bodies here to listen to whatever I'd say. The board called the press conference, but I told them I wouldn't speak unless Marjorie was in charge, for a very specific reason. I knew how people in this town ate up her words. She was home grown, and they worshipped her. And the crowd was so fickle, moving like a flock of birds whichever way the wind blew. Today I hoped they were blowing my direction.

"Alright," Marjorie said, holding her hand up. "Let's keep going here. Our revered guest, Dr. Nicholas Edwards, has a few words he'd like to say."

Marjorie stepped away from the mic and let me have the full attention of the press. I cleared my throat and nodded, feeling my chest swell with anxiety. After so long having my name cleared fully meant that I would no longer be the butt of people's jokes, or the leper they avoided.

"Thank you all for coming out today. I know you've all heard that Fiona and Marvin Bradshaw have both been arrested and arraigned." I paused as the crowd hushed. "The detectives have been working closely with investigators as I supplied the evidence needed to finally clear my name."

A cheer I wasn't expecting went up, and I paused and felt emotion welling up. I knew not to let it get to me too much. These people weren't my friends, and they would probably never hold a safe space in my heart, but at least they weren't hating me anymore. When the roar died down, I continued.

"Ethan Moore is recovering now, and I'd like to publicly admit to you that I am, in fact, his biological father." The area was so silent you could hear a pin drop. "I've spoken with the state medical board and hospital administration, and as of today, I am no longer his cardiologist, but I will always protect him and take care of him."

"Sir, what about the boy's mother?" A voice shouted from the crowd, and I tried to find the face in the sea of cameras. "Will she stay with you?"

I could never speak for Scarlett, but my heart told me she'd always stay with me. Still, I just wanted them to let things die down now.

"I cannot speak for Ms. Moore on that topic, but I am asking you all to respect her privacy at this time. This has been a tough year for her. Her son almost died—our son. He has a long road to recovery and needs the privacy to fully heal."

I took a few more questions before I started to get overwhelmed, and Marjorie noticed and walked back up to me. She again lauded my praise and excused me as I slipped off the back side of the dais and through the hospital doors. My part was over, and so far it appeared that things would be different now.

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