Page 61 of Bittersweet Addiction

“EIGHT PEOPLE?!” he bellows.

“I know, this is bad.” The hand not clasped with Charlotte’s runs through my hair. She squeezes the hand I’m holding hard in an attempt to ground me.

“I hope you are taking care of this? Taking legal action?” Dr. Marks says as his eyes find my father.

“We are handling it.”

“Have you met with any of your patients since then?”

“I’ve met with each of them once, but I haven’t told them anything. I wanted to discuss this with you to figure out the best course of action.”

“Great. Your contact ends with them effective immediately. We will take it from here.” All I can do is nod my head once. “Do you have the tape in question?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll be needing to hand that over. Are we sure there isn’t a copy?”

“I can’t imagine he would have one.”

“I don’t want you imagining anything. Is there a copy, yes or no?”

“No.”I hope not.

“He’s signed an NDA, so if he’s got a copy there’s nothing he can do with it,” J.R. chimes in.

“We’ll be needing to meet with you, as well Ms. Pierce.”

She nods. I prepared her for this, so I know she’s ready. “Yes, whenever you’d like to meet. I’m very flexible.”

“How is tomorrow, Ms. Pierce? The sooner we get this taken care of the sooner we can come to a conclusion about the fate of Dr. Montgomery here. Until further notice, Dr. Montgomery you are suspended. You cannot practice or meet with any of your patients until this investigation is complete, do you understand?

“Yes.”

“You’ll need to give us the keys to your office, and we will be doing a thorough sweep. Is there anything in there we will find? It’s better if you tell us now.”

“No, sir.”

“Pornographic photos…videos…?”

“No.”

“I imagine if you’re engaged to be married that she was the only one, but I have to ask—” he starts.

“Charlotte is the only one,” I pause. “I fell in love with her.” I look from one end of the table to the other. “I know how this looks. It looks like a sordid affair with a married woman—”

“That’s exactly what it is. Except, when men have sordid affairs they are legal and not breaking a hundred different rules. When a Doctor has a sordid affair it’s DIFFERENT!” one of the men bellows so loud I wouldn’t be surprised if it was heard throughout the building. “You know better, Dr. Montgomery!”

I try to swallow his words and simultaneously the bile rising in my throat. “I know. I…should have left her alone. But I couldn’t. She’s the love of my life.”

“You’ve known her five minutes, William.” I wince, hearing Dr. Marks use my first name in such a condescending manner. I feel like I’m being scolded like a child.

I feel like I’m being scolded by J.R.My eyes flit to him for a second. “Was it worth your entire practice?” another member asks, drawing my attention back to them.

“Yes,” I feel like a hand is being wrapped around my throat as I hear the potential ramifications of my actions spelled out for me. It’s as if I’m watching years of my hard work go up in flames. My gaze looks to my other side, finding Charlotte, who stares up at me, and a sad smile crosses her face. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” I say more to her than to the seven people on the other side of the table.

“Dr. Montgomery, security will follow you to your office to take any personal belongings you may need.”

“I took everything home with me yesterday.”

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