You Wanted Space! We’re Done, Dr. Whitmore Chapter 11

You Wanted Space! We’re Done, Dr. Whitmore Chapter 11

The wedding ended.

I planned to end things with Adrian for good.

But just before I left, pain knifed through my abdomen.

Adrian noticed immediately. He rushed me to Riverdale Medical Center.

The diagnosis came back: the minor procedure I’d kept postponing-combined with the stress of relocating and starting a new job-had triggered an acute episode.

This time, Adrian moved fast., Scary fast.

He scheduled the surgery that same day.

The procedure went smoothly.

I woke up to find him sitting by my bed, stirring a bowl of beef soup. Steam curled up, softening his features.

The old me would have seen this as a sign. Hope, rekindled. Because he’d finally put me first. Set everything

aside. For me.

Adrian lifted a spoonful of soup to my lips.

I turned away.

“Thank you, Dr. Whitmore. No need. I’ve got it.”

His hand froze mid-air.

“Claire. I’m your boyfriend. You don’t have to be so formal.”

I looked up, ready to remind him.

We’re already over.

But he cut me off first.

“I don’t agree.”

I exhaled.

To Adrian, this was probably just a sudden breakup. A tantrum. Something he refused to accept.

To me, it was anything but sudden.

The urge to leave had been building through every moment I’d felt invisible. Every time I’d been shoved to

the bottom of his list.

This relationship couldn’t be fixed with a single conversation.

The door burst open

Evelyn walked in, all smiles,

“Dr. Whitmore, there’s a case I don’t understand. Can you help me with it?”

Adrian looked at her. His voice stayed flat.

“Find the attending or your supervisor. Don’t come to me anymore.”

Evelyn’s smile froze. She blinked, like she hadn’t heard him right.

Then she turned to me. Same old move.

“Claire, I really don’t get it. Can you please not make it hard for Dr. Whitmore because of me?”

I smiled.

“We’re already over. What happens between you two has nothing to do with me.”

Something flickered in Evelyn’s eyes-quick, bright.

But she dropped her voice, layering on the hurt.

“Please don’t fight because of me. I’d feel so guilty.”

Adrian cut in, sharp.

“Same textbook. Same material. Why can everyone else get it except you?”

“If you can’t handle basics like this, maybe medicine isn’t for you. Consider other options while you still

can.”

Evelyn’s eyes went red, wet. She looked like she’d been slapped.

“I just wanted to double-check-I’m scared of making mistakes.”

Adrian cut her off again.

“This is Riverdale Medical Center. Not your tutoring center. I’m a doctor, not your private tutor. My time is for patients and family.”

He paused. Then twisted the knife.

“You are neither. Don’t come to me again. Exhausting.”

Evelyn fled in tears. Just like before.

But this time she was crying because of Adrian.

The room fell quiet.

Adrian turned to me, regret softening his eyes.

“After I heard the groom’s vows that day thought a lot.”

“I’ve been doing everything backward.”

“The people I should have kept at a distance-I was patient with them. Attentive. But the one person I should have treasured most-I was harsh with. Stingy with my words.”

“I explain things patiently to my patients. I take care of Evelyn because I told myself it was politeness. Responsibility.”

“But with you–I set the highest bar.”

“I wanted you to be independent. Didn’t want you relying on me. Didn’t want you in my life.”

“Like because you were the closest person to me-you should just accept my coldness. My neglect.”

He looked at me, his voice low.

“Claire. I know I was wrong.”

“Can you give me one more chance?”

I didn’t answer with words.

I picked up my phone.

“Thank you for the surgery, Dr. Whitmore. Calculate the cost. The appointment. The surgery. Whatever favor you called in. I’ll transfer it all.”

The hope in Adrian’s eyes.

Flickered.

And died.