Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 59: Pain in the Heart

Inside The Mercy Seas Clinic.

Raina Reddington tapped her head, her mind replaying what Ethan Lancaster had said last night. His words had been so shocking that she hadn’t been able to process them. In the end, she had fled into the bathroom to hide from him.

Ethan Lancaster hadn’t chased her to demand a clear answer. After all, he himself was baffled as to how he had blurted out those words.

After the first patient entered the consultation room, Raina had no time to think. She was so busy she didn’t even have a sip of water until the afternoon.

Someone pushed the door open and came in. Raina was writing up a medical chart and told the person to have a seat.

"Where are you feeling uncomfortable?"

"Rai... Raina?"

Raina looked up, startled by the face in front of her, but she didn’t recognize it at first.

"It really is you, Raina."

"Mrs. Sullivan?" Raina stared, looking closer. The woman seemed familiar.

"Yes, it’s me."

Raina’s brows knitted together. The May Sullivan she remembered looked nothing like this. She was now emaciated, little more than skin and bones. "Mrs. Sullivan, what are you doing here?"

"I came in for some tests a couple of days ago, and the results just came out today. I didn’t expect that you’d be the doctor I was scheduled to see."

Raina put down her pen. "Let me see the report."

May Sullivan handed Raina the report she had just received. Raina’s gaze fell to the bottom, and she immediately saw the diagnosis: late-stage cervical cancer.

Raina sucked in a sharp breath, her hand trembling slightly. "Mrs. Sullivan, did Mr. Hawthorne come with you?"

May Sullivan remained silent. Raina looked up at her and saw that her eyes were red-rimmed. She quickly wiped at the corner of her eye. "Raina, you can just tell me. Is it bad?"

"No... that’s not it. Where’s Miles Hawthorne? Where’s Mr. Hawthorne?"

"They’re... both busy." May Sullivan hastily snatched the report back from Raina. She knew her own body best; if the pain hadn’t become unbearable, she never would have come to the hospital. "I’ll just get a prescription for some medication. That should be fine."

With that, she stood up to leave. Raina quickly reached out to stop her. "Mrs. Sullivan, you can’t just leave like this."

May Sullivan walked out quickly, pulling the door open and leaving. Seeing this, the next patient walked right in.

Raina couldn’t stop her, and with another patient waiting, she had to let it go for the time being.

When it was finally time to get off work, Raina took out her phone, intending to call Miles Hawthorne.

May Sullivan probably wouldn’t tell him the truth about her condition, and her illness couldn’t be delayed.

’What has she been through all these years? Logically, with that huge settlement, she should be living a carefree life. Why does she look so old I can barely recognize her?’

A knock came from the door, and then it was pushed open.

"Dr. Reddington, your husband’s here!"

"Huh?"

"What a bombshell! I can’t believe you’re secretly married!"

Raina quickly tidied up and went out. She saw the doctors and nurses from her department gathered around the front desk, where a lavish spread was laid out: coffee, milk tea, pizza, cake, and all sorts of snacks.

Ethan Lancaster was standing off to the side. When he saw her approach, he waved.

Raina hurried over and pulled him aside. "What are you doing here?"

"Building some goodwill for you."

"Dr. Reddington, your husband is so handsome."

"Yeah, and so generous, too! We’re so jealous."

Raina hadn’t expected him to show up and expose their relationship just like that. She forced a laugh, but then looked up to see a nurse rushing over from the direction of the elevators.

"It’s terrible, terrible news..."

Raina stepped away from Ethan Lancaster and moved forward. "What’s wrong?"

"Dr. Zane is gone."

A heavy feeling settled over everyone, and they put down the milk tea and pizza in their hands.

Raina glanced at Ethan Lancaster. "You should go home first. I need to go... pay my respects."

"I’ll wait for you in the car."

"Okay."

When Raina got in the car, Ethan Lancaster was holding a freshly bought, steaming cup of pudding milk tea. Her expression was impassive as she pulled the door shut.

Seth Sinclair glanced back, about to ask for their destination, but Ethan Lancaster gave him a look, signaling him to drive straight home.

The milk tea was still hot. Ethan Lancaster poked the straw in and held it out to Raina. "Careful, it’s hot."

"Thanks."

"Are you okay?" Ethan Lancaster wasn’t good at comforting people.

Raina took a careful sip of the milk tea. ’It’s really hot.’ "What? Are you worried this will get to me? That I’ll be in a bad mood?"

"Try not to take it so hard."

A small smile touched Raina’s lips. "We doctors are better at letting things go than anyone. Life and death are fated. Dr. Zane was perfectly healthy. Then one day, on a total whim, he lay down in an exam room and joked with a colleague about checking to see if any of his ’parts’ were getting rusty. One scan later, and they discovered the cancer had already spread throughout his body..."

That’s just fate. You have no choice but to accept it.

"Maybe someday it’ll be my turn."

"Shut your mouth." Ethan Lancaster glared at her. She really had no filter.

"What’s so wrong with saying that..."

Ethan Lancaster wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his embrace. Seeing her mouth about to open again, he moved to cover it with his own.

Raina was still holding the milk tea in one hand, so she hammered his side twice with her other. Ethan Lancaster’s arm hooked tighter around the back of her neck as his other hand caught her balled-up fist, and he deepened the kiss.

The driver and the man in the passenger seat exchanged a look. Seth Sinclair quickly averted his gaze out the window, not daring to breathe too loudly, afraid he would once again be accused of interrupting them.

The cloying sweetness of the milk tea spread between their lips. After a long moment, Ethan Lancaster finally released her mouth, though he still held her tight. His lips pressed against the corner of hers as he whispered, "If you dare to say something so unlucky again, I’ll just have to give you a taste of something sweet."

Raina’s lips parted as if to speak, but he silenced her with a few more quick kisses.

The day of Dr. Zane’s funeral fell on Raina’s day off, and she was adamant about going to pay her final respects.

Ethan Lancaster saw it was raining outside. "I’ll drive you."

"There’s no need. I’m meeting some colleagues at Dr. Zane’s house first, and then we’re all going to the cemetery together." Raina grabbed an umbrella, hailed a cab, and set off.

「The Green Hills Cemetery.」

It was a long way from the city. If not for the lower price, no one would choose to lay their loved ones to rest so far away.

The family’s sobs were gut-wrenching. Raina felt her own eyes begin to sting, and every minute felt like an eternity.

On the way back, Raina tilted the edge of her lowered umbrella up slightly. Her eyes swept over the area, and she caught sight of a familiar figure.

She stopped in her tracks, staring quizzically at the person’s back. She was certain she hadn’t made a mistake. The rain wasn’t heavy, but the fine, dense mist was enough to soak one’s clothes.

"Dr. Reddington?"

Raina snapped out of her trance. "You guys go on ahead."

With those words, she hurried over. Because of the weather, the cemetery was nearly deserted. Raina walked up behind Miles Hawthorne, and her gaze fell upon the headstone. She saw the name Samuel Hawthorne, followed by an inscription: "Erected by his grieving son."

Raina was stunned. Miles Hawthorne’s father was dead? ’When did that happen?’

At the entrance to the cemetery, Ethan Lancaster held a large black umbrella as he walked inside. Muddy water washed over the concrete path. He took a few steps in and looked up, spotting Raina’s silhouette.

He stood behind Raina, who in turn stood behind Miles Hawthorne. A wave of unease washed over them all.