chapter 6

Adrian's POV

The door to the patient's room swung open, and I stepped inside, scanning the vitals on the monitor before glancing at the man in the hospital bed. Mr. Caldwell, a sixty-year-old post-PCI patient, was looking significantly better than he had two days ago. His color had improved, his breathing seemed less labored, and his vitals were stable.

Good. That meant our treatment plan was working.

But instead of focusing entirely on the patient, my attention was dragged toward something else.

Or rather, someone else.

Anna.

She stood beside the bed, her white coat slightly oversized on her smaller frame, her hair tied up in a loose ponytail with a few strands escaping, framing her face. She was smiling—laughing, even—as she playfully scolded Mr. Caldwell for trying to sneak unhealthy food into his diet.

And Tony was right next to her.

Close.

Too close.

I tightened my grip on the chart in my hands, my jaw locking as I watched the way Tony leaned in just a little when she spoke. His hand brushed against her elbow—unnecessary contact—and she didn't even seem to notice.

Did he always stand this close to her?

Did she always smile at him that way?

My chest burned, an unfamiliar heat crawling up my throat. The sound of their lighthearted conversation grated against my ears.

I forced my voice to remain neutral. "Mr. Caldwell, how's your discomfort level?"

All chatter in the room stopped.

Anna turned slightly, her gaze landing on me, but I ignored her completely. I focused on the patient, flipping through his chart, pretending I hadn't just witnessed whatever the hell that was between her and Tony.

Mr. Caldwell, oblivious to the tension in my body, smiled. "Much better, Dr. Carter. I was just telling these two how I'm craving a proper meal."

I hummed in acknowledgment, scribbling a note in the file. "Your vitals have stabilized. The echocardiogram shows mild left ventricular dysfunction, but with proper management, it should improve."

I felt Anna's gaze on me, expectant.

I knew she was waiting for me to acknowledge her, maybe even smile at her the way I normally did.

But I couldn't.

Not when he was standing so damn close.

"Dr. Carter," her voice was steady, but there was a slight hesitation, "has there been any indication of atrial fibrillation post-procedure?"

I didn't look up. "None so far. However, we'll continue to monitor for arrhythmic complications, given his history of hypertension."

I could feel the frown forming on her face.

She wasn't stupid—she knew I was acting differently.

I didn't care.

"Would you recommend an additional beta-blocker dosage adjustment?" she asked.

I exhaled slowly, gripping the pen in my hand a little too tightly. Since when did she ask this many questions?

"For now, carvedilol 12.5 mg BID should suffice. If his heart rate trends higher, we'll reconsider," I replied evenly.

And then, without another word, I turned and walked out.

Because if I stayed a second longer, I might have lost control.

---

Lunch Break – The Breaking Point

I wasn't sure what was making me more furious—the fact that Tony had been so damn close to Anna this morning, or the fact that I couldn't stop thinking about it.

I sat alone at a table in the cafeteria, pushing my untouched food around with a fork. The usual noise of the hospital staff on break filled the space, but none of it mattered.

Because the second I looked up, my stomach twisted into a knot.

Them. Again.

Anna and Tony sat together at a table near the windows, laughing over their food.

Laughing.

Did they always look this comfortable together?

Tony leaned in slightly, stirring his iced coffee while grinning at her like she was the most fascinating person in the damn world.

And Anna…

She was smiling. That smile. The same one she used when she was genuinely enjoying herself.

Something dark, ugly, and completely irrational twisted in my chest.

I hated it.

I hated the way Tony looked at her. I hated the way she let him.

I clenched my fists under the table.

I shouldn't care.

I had no right to care.

And yet, every time I saw them together, the irritation in my veins pulsed harder, more unbearable than the last.

A part of me—a very dangerous, reckless part of me—wanted to walk over there and tell Tony to back the hell off.

To remind him that Anna wasn't just any woman.

That she was…

She was what?

I inhaled sharply.

She wasn't mine.

I had no claim over her. No reason to feel this anger except that the mere sight of another man so close to her made my blood boil.

I tapped my fingers against the table, jaw tight, as I watched her talk animatedly about something.

Tony leaned in a little closer.

I swore under my breath.

Why the hell did it feel like I was losing something?

I shoved my tray aside and forced myself to look away.

But even when I closed my eyes, all I could see was her smiling at someone else.

And for the first time in my life, I didn't know how to handle it.

---

Afternoon Rounds – The Boiling Point

I spent the rest of my shift trying to distract myself with work, but nothing helped.

Every time I saw Anna, I could hear Tony's laughter in the back of my mind. Every time I passed her in the hallway, I wondered if she was texting him.

It was driving me insane.

By the time I reached the next round of patient checks, my patience was wearing thin.

I entered the next room, only to find Anna and Tony together again.

Of course.

They were reviewing a chart together, standing close enough that their shoulders brushed.

Tony was whispering something to her, and she laughed under her breath.

That was it.

I strode over, barely concealing the storm brewing inside me.

"Dr. Miller, do you mind if I have a word with Dr. James?" I said, voice tight.

Tony looked mildly surprised but nodded. "Sure."

Anna blinked up at me as I gestured for her to step outside the room.

"What is it, Dr. Carter?" she asked when we were alone.

Her tone was soft but confused.

I took a breath, forcing my expression to remain neutral. "You need to focus more on your rounds. This isn't a playground."

Her brows furrowed. "I was focused."

"Not enough."

Her lips parted slightly, like she was about to argue, but then she paused, her gaze searching my face.

Something flickered in her eyes.

"Adrian…" she said quietly, and for the first time today, I looked at her.

Not at the way she stood next to Tony. Not at how her lips had curled into a smile when she was with him.

I looked at her.

And I realized she had no idea how much of my patience it had taken to not lose control today.

No idea that the reason I was so goddamn irritated had nothing to do with her work ethic.

Everything had to do with the fact that I hated seeing her with someone else.

But I couldn't say that.

So I did what I did best.

I shut down.

"Just be more professional next time," I muttered and turned on my heel.

I walked away, even though every instinct in my body was screaming at me to do the exact opposite.

Because if I stayed, I might have said something I wasn't ready to admit.