Cadi froze in the doorway of his office.

Her husband, Gray, was inside. And he wasn't alone.

His colleague Vanessa stood close to him, her willowy frame accentuated by the curve of her white coat.

Vanessa reached up, brushing a hand through her hair, and a loose strand fell across her cheek. Gray's expression softened as he lifted a hand and gently tucked it behind her ear.

It was such a small gesture. So careful. So intimate.

Then, for a split second, Vanessa leaned forward, her eyes locked onto Gray's.

'' I want to peck you.''

Cadi's pulse pounded in her ears, her fingers gripping the doorframe to steady herself.

And my Gray didn't step back. He didn't move away.

Instead, he leaned down.

Their lips met tightly.

Cadi felt something inside her crack, the weight of betrayal slamming into her so hard she nearly staggered.

She needed to leave. Now. Before she broke down completely.

————————

Cadi

Cadi walked through the hospital corridors, exhaustion settling deep in her bones. The past month had been relentless-between managing her clinical commitments and pushing for a role on the diversity team, she barely had time to breathe. As a consultant in the department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, she was already juggling a heavy workload, and the influx of GP referrals had only made things harder. And then there was Gray. He had been distant, preoccupied, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Everything had been fine until they had celebrated her thirty-fifth birthday last month shortly after Gray’s birthday which they had celebrated in Morroco during their family holiday. Those casual touches that Cadi had taken for granted were gone. Even Tomos had noticed, his little face scrunching up in confusion whenever Gray half-heartedly answered his questions at dinner.

Lately, Gray had stopped reading Tomos bedtime stories, offering excuses about having to take on more night shifts due to staff illnesses. At first, Cadi believed him. But now, with his growing distance and the weight of her own exhaustion, doubts crept in.

It wasn't just Tomos who was feeling the absence. Gray had stopped reaching for her at night. Their once effortless intimacy had faded into something distant, unfamiliar. Too tired, he would say. Too much on his plate. She had accepted it at first, but the quiet void in their bed had started gnawing at her. He no longer curled his body around hers in sleep, no longer reached for her hand absentmindedly when they lay side by side in silence. It was as if he had started sleeping on the edge of the bed, as far from her as he could get.

That morning, before leaving for work, she had leaned in to peck him goodbye-just a small, simple pecking. But instead of meeting her lips, he turned his head at the last second, her pecking landing awkwardly on his cheek. The moment was brief, but it left a hollow ache inside her.

Had it been intentional?

She had dismissed it at the time, but now, with everything piling up, it clawed at her, nagging and relentless.

She used to love the way he held her. She could still remember when they had first married, living in their cramped flat, barely making ends meet. The night he had been offered a consultant's role at the hospital, she had been sitting on the couch, exhausted from her rotation, when he had come home grinning like a fool.

"Ye married a consultant, Cads," he had declared before swooping her up effortlessly, tossing her in the air like she weighed nothing.

She had shrieked, laughing as she clung to him. "Put me down, you lunatic!"

"Not a chance, woman," he had teased, pecking her soundly before nipping at her lower lip. "I've earned celebratory privileges."

"Oh, have you?" she had challenged, arching a brow.

His grin turned wicked. "Aye, and I plan to collect."

They never made it to dinner that night.

That was the Gray she had married-the Gray who made her feel adored, desired. But now... she barely recognized the man who shared her bed.

She had been vying for a position on the diversity team, hoping to improve communication issues for refugee patients. The interviews had gone well, and she had been optimistic. Until today.

.....

Regan, her stepsister, had recently joined the hospital's admin team. Over the years, she had shed her timid nature, growing into a woman who carried herself with confidence. Dressed immaculately in fitted trousers and crisp blouses, she commanded attention in every room she entered. Some admired her efficiency, while others found her bossy. Cadi had always supported her, ensuring she found a position at the hospital and helping her make the right connections.

That afternoon, Regan caught up with her outside the ward. "Cadi, do you have a minute?" Her voice was softer than usual, hesitant.

Cadi glanced at her watch. "If this is about scheduling, can we-"

"No, it's not that," Regan interrupted, eyes darting around before she touched Cadi's arm. "Come have a cup of tea with me in the cafeteria. Please."

Cadi frowned. Regan wasn't the type to plead. "Alright."

The cafeteria was quiet at this time of day, the low hum of conversation blending with the clinking of cups. They took a seat by the window, the winter light filtering in, casting a soft glow over Regan's face. She stirred her tea absently, then sighed.

"How are Mom and Dad?" Cadi asked before Regan could speak.

Regan's expression flickered before she straightened slightly. "They're fine. Same as always."

Cadi knew better. Their parents were good people, but their expectations had always weighed heavily on Regan. The tension had never entirely faded between them.

And then there was Tomos. Regan was stiff with him as if she didn't quite know how to interact with a child. She wasn't unkind, but there was an awkwardness that Cadi wished would fade. Tomos, in turn, remained wary of her, sensing the formality that lingered between them.

"Is everything alright with you and Gray?" Regan finally asked, her voice careful.

Cadi tensed. "Why are you asking?"

Regan hesitated, as if torn between protecting her and telling the truth. Finally, she exhaled, pressing her lips together. "I overheard something today. And I think you should know."

Before she could continue, a voice interrupted.

"Dr. Hughes!"

Cadi turned to see Mark, one of the orthopaedic surgeons, approaching with a polite but eager smile. "Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to ask if you had any input on the new rehab protocols we're trying out. We're seeing mixed results with the last set."

Cadi forced a tight smile. "I'll email my thoughts later. Right now, I'm in the middle of something."

Mark glanced between them and nodded quickly. "Of course. Sorry about that."

As he walked away, Regan watched him go before focusing back on Cadi. "I was passing by the committee room earlier. Gray was talking to one of the members about the diversity position. He... he suggested Vanessa Seymour might be a fantastic fit."

Cadi's hands tightened around her cup. "Did he say why?"

Regan winced. "He didn't mention you at all. He just said Vanessa was a good fit for the role."

The words echoed in her mind, each syllable a blow to her gut. She set her tea down carefully, afraid she might shatter the cup in her grip. "I can't believe this."

Regan reached out but hesitated before touching her hand. "I didn't want to be the one to tell you, but I thought you should hear it from me."

Cadi swallowed, the hurt creeping up her throat like bile. "Thanks, Regan."

Her steps felt heavy as she left the cafeteria. The disbelief turned into something sharper, more desperate. She needed to hear it from him. Needed to see his face when he explained why he had done this.

.....

Cadi made her way to the consultant's lounge, her heart pounding in her chest. Gray was always hanging out there after lunch on Thursdays because he said his office was too stuffy. She hesitated at the doorway, steeling herself before stepping forward-then froze.

Gray was inside. And he wasn't alone.

Vanessa Seymour stood close to him, her willowy frame accentuated by the curve of her white coat. Her dark hair shimmered under the fluorescent lights as she twirled a loose strand around her fingers, a coy smile playing on her lips.

"Mrs. Calloway's scans came back," Gray was saying, flipping through the notes on his tablet. "Pathological fracture, neck of femur. Secondary to breasts cancer metastases."

Vanessa sighed, folding her arms. "Sixty-five, frail, limited mobility already. Not exactly the ideal candidate for surgery."

Gray nodded, rubbing his jaw. "Aye, but she's in agony. Conservative management isn't cutting it. We could pin it, but she's got mets in her spine as well. She might not tolerate the recovery."

Vanessa tilted her head thoughtfully. "We could bring it up at MDT-see if oncology thinks she's got enough life expectancy to make it worthwhile. But if she's already this fragile..."

"Exactly." Gray exhaled, shaking his head. "Her daughter asked me outright if it was worth it. If it was worth putting her through all of it. I didn't know what to tell her."

Vanessa reached out, squeezing his forearm lightly. "You always take these cases too personally, Gray. It's why you're a great surgeon, but you've got to let go of what you can't control."

Gray gave a tired chuckle. "Easy for ye to say. You don't get teary daughters asking ye if their mum will ever walk again."

Vanessa's expression softened.

"You're impossible, Gray," she teased, her voice smooth. "Always so serious. When was the last time you actually relaxed?"

Gray chuckled lightly, shifting his stance. "Depends what ye mean by relax, Vanessa. But I don't get much time for it these days."

"That's a shame," she murmured, tilting her head. "I could help with that, you know."

Cadi's stomach turned to lead.

Cadi's stomach clenched at the shift in tone.

Gray didn't shut her down. He didn't laugh it off or tell her to stop. He just smiled.

"Maybe I should take ye up on that offer," he said, his voice lighter than it had been at home in weeks.

Cadi felt a rush of heat crawl up her neck, her breath hitching painfully. She should walk in. She should call his name. But she couldn't move, couldn't breathe.

Vanessa reached up, brushing a hand through her hair, and a loose strand fell across her cheek. Gray's expression softened as he lifted a hand and gently tucked it behind her ear.

It was such a small gesture. So careful. So intimate.

Then, for a split second, Vanessa leaned forward, her eyes locked onto Gray's. Cadi's pulse pounded in her ears, her fingers gripping the doorframe to steady herself. She willed him to step back, to move away. To tell Vanessa no.

But Gray didn't step back. He didn't move away.

Instead, he leaned down.

Cadi's chest constricted, her pulse hammering in her ears. Every fibre of her being screamed at her to move, to burst in, to stop it. But her legs wouldn't cooperate, rooted to the floor as if she were trapped in a waking nightmare.

Vanessa tilted her chin up, her lips parting just slightly, expectantly. The air between them crackled, charged with something undeniable.

And Gray-her Gray-wasn't pulling away.

Cadi felt something inside her crack, the weight of betrayal slamming into her so hard she nearly staggered.

Her vision blurred, the fluorescent lights suddenly too bright, the hallway closing in around her. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps. She needed to leave. Now. Before she broke down completely.

Spinning on her heel, she turned and fled.

She barely made it to the corridor before her balance wavered. The walls seemed to tilt, her stomach roiling. A wave of dizziness crashed over her, sending her stumbling forward. She gripped the wall, blinking rapidly, struggling to ground herself. But nothing could steady the chaos spiralling inside her.

The betrayal was suffocating, overwhelming.

She had seen enough.

Something inside her had broken. And she wasn't sure it could ever be fixed.

.....

The corridor felt too bright, the fluorescent lights burning down on her as though they were interrogating her, exposing her. Cadi inhaled sharply, but the air felt thin, metallic, as if she were breathing in something tainted. Her heart slammed against her ribs, a steady, punishing rhythm that didn't match the slow, deliberate pace she forced her feet to take.

One foot in front of the other. That's all she had to do. Keep moving.

The sounds of the hospital pressed in-snippets of conversation, the beeping of monitors, the faint squeak of rubber soles against the linoleum floor-but they all blurred together, distant and unimportant. Her brain refused to make sense of them. Everything had narrowed to the sound of her own breathing, shallow and uneven, and the way her pulse roared in her ears.

Sue's desk was just ahead, the cluttered surface a familiar sight in a world that suddenly felt alien. Cadi swallowed, trying to summon the composure she knew was expected of her. But her fingers trembled as she gripped the edge of the desk, forcing herself to meet her secretary's gaze.

Sue looked up, her sharp eyes immediately scanning Cadi's face. "Dr. Hughes?"

"I'm not feeling well," Cadi managed, surprised at how steady her voice sounded when everything inside her was fracturing. "I need you to cancel my afternoon clinic."

Sue frowned, concern flickering across her face. "Do you need me to call someone? You don't look well at all."

No. No one. There was no one to call. Cadi forced a small, tight smile. "Just reschedule the patients. I'll be fine."

Sue hesitated as if weighing whether to argue, but then she nodded, her hands already reaching for the phone. "I'll take care of it. You should go home, Dr. Hughes."

Home. The word made Cadi's stomach twist. She didn't know what home was anymore. But she nodded, murmuring a quiet, "Thank you," before turning away.

Her legs felt heavy as she made her way through the hospital's side entrance, stepping into the car park. The air was cold, the sky an unbroken expanse of grey that mirrored the emptiness inside her. She stopped beside her car, pressing the key fob with numb fingers, but she didn't open the door. Just stood there, staring at her own reflection in the darkened window. The pain was crippling.

She wasn't sure how long she stayed like that, unmoored and adrift. The edges of her vision blurred, her thoughts tangled and looping back to the same questions, the same aching realization. She had trusted him. And he had taken that trust and crushed it, leaving her gasping in the wreckage.

A car door slammed somewhere nearby, jerking her back to the present. Cadi blinked, exhaling shakily. She wasn't fit to drive. Not like this.

Her fingers fumbled as she pulled out her phone, navigating to the Uber app. It took only seconds to book a ride, and as she stood there waiting, her thoughts drifted to Tomos. He'd be getting out of school soon. Would she be able to pick him up? Should she?

Her hands clenched around her phone, the screen going dark.

One thing at a time. First, she needed to get home. Then... she would figure out what came next.