Page 18 of The Surgeon's Secret

CATHERINE

Catherine woke to the soft glow of morning light filtering through the blinds. For a moment, she simply lay there, eyes half-closed, the world still spinning with the aftershocks of yesterday’s revelations. Her body felt heavy, the memory of Lexi—the weight of her touch, the heat of their kiss—lingering in every nerve ending. But as her mind sharpened, guilt cut through the haze. She was in bed with James—her husband, the man she pledged to build a life with—who lay beside her unaware of the storm brewing inside her.

Turning slightly, Catherine studied James, trying to remember what it felt like to be in love with him. He was safe in his predictability, the steady pulse of their life together a comfort she'd relied on for years. But as she looked at him now, there was a hollowness in her chest she couldn't ignore. He was right beside her, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she was slipping away.

The past few weeks had felt like a constant battle between the life she'd known and the life calling to her. She hadn’t meant for this to happen, for the lines between right and wrong to blur so quickly. But she’d crossed them, again and again. Her thoughtsalways returned to Lexi, the pull of her presence so magnetic it felt like a physical ache. The connection between them felt more real than anything she'd ever experienced.

The sound of James stirring pulled her from her thoughts. His hand found hers, his fingers warm and familiar. The gesture should have been comforting, but all Catherine could feel was the sharp contrast between his touch and Lexi's—intense, burning, alive.

"Morning," James murmured, voice thick with sleep.

Catherine forced a smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Morning,” she replied. Her voice sounded like it belonged to someone else.

James rubbed his eyes and stretched. "So what's on the agenda today?" he asked, his tone casual, as if everything was fine. He had no idea that the person lying next to him had already slipped through his fingers.

"I've got rounds this morning," Catherine answered, her voice distant. "I should be free this afternoon, but I'll probably stay for a full day anyway."

James seemed content with her response, rolling over to check his phone for messages. Catherine stared at the ceiling, feeling the weight of a decision looming. Every passing moment brought her closer to a choice she had no idea how to make.

Later that morning, Catherine found herself walking the halls of Phoenix Ridge Hospital, the weight of her professional persona wrapping around her like armor. She’d always been able to compartmentalize—work was work, home was home—but today, that barrier felt thinner than it ever had before. The closer she got to the surgery wing, the more her mind raced. She knewshe had to keep up appearances, but with Lexi just around the corner, it felt impossible to focus.

Lexi was one of the brightest surgeons on staff. Catherine had always admired her drive and talent. But what had started as a professional admiration had blossomed into something far more complicated, something Catherine wasn’t sure she could control anymore.

When they met in the hallway, their eyes locked for a brief moment, and a jolt of electricity passed between them. It was like nothing else existed, not the crowded hallways, not the other doctors rushing past them—just the two of them. The unspoken tension crackled, making Catherine feel both alive and deeply ashamed.

“Morning,” Lexi greeted her, her voice low, just loud enough to be heard over the bustle of the hospital.

Catherine forced a smile and tried to keep her voice steady. “Morning. How’s the new patient?”

Lexi’s lips curled into a brief smile. “A bit tricky, but nothing we can’t handle.” She leaned in a little closer, her gaze dropping to Catherine’s lips before quickly returning to her eyes. It was a brief, fleeting moment, but it was enough to make Catherine’s heart rate spike. She couldn’t deny the hunger in Lexi’s gaze.

They stood there for a beat too long, neither of them moving, as if they were both trapped in a shared moment of desire. But then, the sound of footsteps interrupted their silence, and Lexi quickly stepped back, her professional mask snapping back into place.

“We’ll need to adjust the surgical schedule,” Catherine said, trying to steer their attention back to the task at hand.

Lexi nodded, but there was a flicker in her eyes—a silent acknowledgment of what had passed between them. “I’ll take care of it.”

Catherine watched her walk away, the sway of Lexi’s hips only deepening the ache inside her. She should have felt guilty, but she didn’t…at least, not as guilty as she knew she should be. Instead, the heat of desire burned in her chest, the longing for more of what they’d shared.

Catherine barely had time to think until the workday came to an end. Her mind was still buzzing with thoughts of Lexi when she walked through the door of their home. James stood at the stove with his back to her, not turning around as he spoke.

"You're home," he said flatly. No greeting, no warmth—just an observation.

Catherine shrugged off her coat. "Yeah, I got out a little early tonight."

James didn't respond right away. "Dinner's almost done," he said, still focused on his screen. "You can grab a plate if you want."

The indifference in his voice twisted something inside her. Once upon a time, James would have met her at the door and asked about her day. Now, he didn't even look at her unless he had to.

They ate in silence. James scrolled through his phone, Catherine picked at her food, her appetite nonexistent.

"How was your day?" she finally asked.

"Fine. Same as usual."

She waited for him to ask about hers, but of course he didn't. He'd stopped asking months ago.

"I had a tough case today," she said anyway. "Long surgery, high stakes. It was..." She trailed off, realizing he wasn't listening.

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