Chapter 783

Nate wrapped Lena in his arms. “I’m sorry…”

He’d said that more times than “I love you,” and honestly, she was over it.

“Then go,” she said, gently peeling his arms off.

He kissed her neck softly, lingering. “I’ll try to make it back for lunch.”

“There’s no need,” she replied, her voice steady. “Nate, let’s break up.”

Nate froze. “Lena…”

“Keira’s uncle and aunt passed away. Yesterday,” she said, her voice breaking just enough to show the weight of it.

Nate’s brows knit. “What? That’s impossible—her aunt wasn’t that bad…”

“They ended their lives. Hand in hand.”

The words hit like a punch, and Lena’s face twisted with pain he’d never seen before. He’d noticed her mood shift last night, but he was too caught up in work to ask. Now it all made sense.

“Why?” he whispered. “They could’ve waited; the surgery might’ve helped—”

“Maybe they didn’t want to survive just to keep suffering,” she said quietly.

His throat tightened. “Lena, are you saying this is my fault?”

He’d visited Keira’s uncle and aunt, hadn’t he? If he’d just made time for the surgery, given them even a sliver of hope—maybe, just maybe, they wouldn’t have ended things like this.

Her head shook. “No. I’m not blaming you.”

“Then why are you breaking up with me?” His voice cracked, but her resolve only hardened.

“Nate, you’re amazing—brilliant, even. But you’re not boyfriend material.”

Her gaze dropped as she fought back tears.

“Lena…

“We’ve been together for months, Nate. Really think about it—how much time have we actually spent together? I know we’re both busy and our jobs are huge. I get that love isn’t all romance and roses. But isn’t the point of being with someone to have a safe place? Someone to lean on when you’re exhausted? Someone who’s there when it hurts?”

She shook her head. “We don’t have that. When we need each other most, we’re always apart. And even when you’re here, your mind’s somewhere else—work, patients, emergencies. Always something more important.”

“Nate, you can’t give me what I need as a boyfriend—care, time, presence. Maybe I’m just too ordinary for you, but I need those things.”

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “So yeah, let’s break up.”

Nate swallowed hard, his throat tight. He couldn’t argue—she was right. Every word hit home. Especially the part he didn’t want to admit: when she’d been kidnapped and hurt, he hadn’t been there.

Lena had said everything she needed to, and the silence between them grew heavier, almost suffocating.

Finally, she broke it. “Don’t you have something urgent to do? You should go.”

She pushed his suitcase toward him. “It’s all packed. When you’re done with work, don’t come back.”

Nate glanced at the suitcase, then at her. The pain on her face cut deeper than anything she’d said. Picking up the bag, he muttered, “Lena, I know I’ve failed. But I’ll change—I’ll figure it out.”

She didn’t answer. She just turned her back on him.

He hesitated, standing there like he might say more, but then he left.

When the door clicked shut, it felt like something shattered inside her. The ache in her chest was so sharp it made her stumble.

She moved to the window, watching as he walked to the car, suitcase in hand. Her vision blurred until her eyes burned. Her fingers gripped the windowsill, but her head dropped. A tear slid down her cheek, hitting the floor with a quiet splatter.

And like everything else, it broke into a thousand pieces.