Page 19 of The Surgeon's Secret

James finally looked at her, but only for a second. "That's nice," he said distractedly.

That's nice.

Catherine gripped her fork tighter. How had they gotten here? How had their marriage become this hollow thing where neither of them could pretend anymore?

"James," she said, her voice quieter now. "Are we ever going to talk about what's happening between us?"

He set his phone down, sighing as if she'd asked him to do something exhausting. "What's there to talk about?"

"Seriously?" Catherine blinked at him.

"Catherine, we're tired. Sometimes people just drift apart. It happens."

Her stomach twisted. "So that's it? We just let it happen?"

"What do you want me to say? That I'll fight for this? That I'll beg you to love me again?" He shook his head. "I'm too tired for that. If you're unhappy, that's your problem."

Catherine felt the words like a slap. The worst part was that he wasn't even being cruel—just brutally indifferent.

"I don't know if I can keep living like this," she whispered.

James let out a dry chuckle and pushed back from the table. "Then don't."

And with that, he walked out of the room, leaving her sitting at the table alone.

Catherine stood up robotically and walked into the bathroom. The door clicked shut behind her, and she stood for a moment in front of the mirror, breathing in the stillness. She couldn't bring herself to look at her reflection.

Her phone buzzed, and the screen lit up with a message from Lexi:Are you still thinking about me?

The words sent a jolt through her chest. She should have put the phone down, but she couldn't. Lexi's presence, even ina message, had the power to make everything else fade into the background.

Catherine hesitated, then texted back:You've been on my mind all day.

Her phone rang almost immediately. It was Lexi.

Catherine took a deep breath and answered, her voice quieter than she'd intended. "Lexi?"

"Catherine," Lexi said, her tone like a caress. "You've been quiet today. I didn't hear from you after this morning in the hallway."

The sound of Lexi's voice sent a shiver down Catherine's spine. It was like an invisible thread between them had tugged, drawing her in despite every cautionary instinct.

"I was busy," Catherine replied, though even she could hear the lie in her voice.

"I miss you," Lexi said softly. "I've been thinking about you. About what we talked about yesterday."

The mention of their promise to try sent a wave of heat crashing over Catherine.

"I can't stop thinking about you, either," Catherine whispered, her voice cracking as she admitted it out loud.

Lexi exhaled slowly. "I can feel it. You're torn, aren't you? I can hear it in the way you're talking."

"I don't know what to do," Catherine admitted, the words falling into the quiet air like stones.

"You don't have to fix anything right now," Lexi said, her voice like a balm. "Just tell me what you need."

Catherine swallowed hard. "I need you," she whispered. The words were an admission of everything she'd been avoiding.

"Then come to me," Lexi said, her voice soft but firm. "Come to me tonight."

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