Chapter 853

“If I don’t move out, my mom will probably show up at the hospital tomorrow with a banner,” Lena sighed.

“Then just move. Let her chill. We’ll figure the rest out later,” Aaron said, clearly on her side.

Lena flashed back to her school days, when he’d cover for her every time she slacked on homework or skipped studying. Who would’ve thought, years later, they’d end up in the same dynamic?

“Lena,” a familiar voice called out.

She turned to see Nate jogging toward her. He nodded politely at Aaron, but his eyes locked on her. “Dinner tonight?”

“Nope,” Lena said, not missing a beat. “I already made plans with Uncle Aaron.” She didn’t even flinch as she used Aaron as her human shield—just like old times.

Classic Lena move: human shield in action. Back in the day, she’d dodged every awkward confession or cringy love letter by pulling the Aaron excuse.

Nate glanced at Aaron. “Then, Mr. Ace, mind if I join you?”

Aaron didn’t hesitate. “Yes, I do.”

Nate knew he couldn’t push it if he wanted a real shot at winning her back. So, he plastered on a calm smile and nodded. “Alright, Lena. Another time.”

“Nate,” Lena’s voice softened. “If this is about work, catch me during office hours. Outside of work… we’re done.”

Her bluntness made his chest tighten. “Even if we’re not together, can’t we still be friends?” he asked.

“We could, but it’s better if we don’t. Exes being friends? It’s never real—it just gets messy. And honestly… it’d ruin my chances of dating someone new.”

She was always logical like that. Who’d want to date someone still tangled up with their ex? She wouldn’t.

The idea of Lena moving on, finding someone else, hit Nate like a gut punch.

He wanted to say something, anything, but Aaron’s presence and his own pride stopped him. He came here to win her back, but her cold rejection left him reeling.

“Alright then,” he said, his voice tight.

Lena nodded before turning to Aaron. “Uncle Aron, let’s go.”

Chapter 853

As Lena walked away with Aaron, Nate stayed rooted to the spot, the distance between them widening with every step. The ache in his chest was sharp, a mix of regret and helplessness.

For months, he’d replayed their breakup—what went wrong, what he could’ve done better. There hadn’t been any big blow-up, just his work stealing time they should’ve spent together. He thought fixing that would fix them.

So, he rearranged his life, made sure he could stay close without compromising his career. He thought she’d see his effort and forgive him. He thought wrong.

Lena was colder than ever, completely unfazed.

“What’s wrong? Dr. Lane still icing you out?” Dr. Warren’s teasing voice broke through his thoughts.

Nate forced a bitter smile. “Yeah. No progress. She’s still mad.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Warren said, clapping him on the shoulder. “Winning her back is a marathon, not a sprint. And trust me, Dr. Lane was crazy about you. She still likes you—just keep at it.”

“Thanks,” Nate muttered, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He clung to the hope that this was temporary, just Lena’s way of making him work for it.

As Lena slid into Aaron’s car, she caught a glimpse of Nate in the rearview mirror. He was still standing there, watching her leave.

Her chest tightened. How do you let go of the guy who held your heart for half your life? The guy who once made you so happy? Moving on wasn’t as easy as she pretended.

She stared into the mirror, lost in thought, not noticing Aaron glancing at her reflection.

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