Hearts Out |H.S|

Chapter 16

MADELYN'S POV

Throughout my whole life, I'd had plenty of cherries on top.

The power goes out? I'll just light some candles. The cherry on top? I don't have matches. Oh, and the food in my fridge gets ruined.

Run out of coffee? Guess I'll go to the nearest store to buy some. The cherry on top? It's midnight, meaning all the stores are closed.

First day of residency running late? That's okay, I'll manage. The cherry on top? A man goes into cardiac arrest.

Dr. Armstrong tending my infected wound? I'll just lie and tell her I fell off the stairs. The cherry on top? She sees the rest of my scars and now this outraged man is demanding an answer out of me.

"Madelyn," he prompted, his breath hitting my cheeks as he leaned closer.

When I was little, my mom used to catch my lies by telling me that she could see a huge yellow spot on my forehead. And I'd smack my forehead and keep lying in hopes she wouldn't notice said spot.

Right now, as Harry's green eyes scrutinized me, I felt like my whole face was a bright yellow, with no surface to cover even with the hand of a giant.

I scooted backward to secure my personal space and swallowed again. Something about his scent was making me dizzy and I knew it wasn't from the painkillers running through my blood. To keep my hands occupied from fidgeting, I reached the laces of my gown and made a knot poorly, fixing the collar so I could cover the skin of my shoulders and collar bones.

"No one," I said, my voice firm, hoping it was the last time I'd lie.

Because I was so close to letting everything out and I didn't want to confront the consequences of my actions.

No one would believe me, though. My aunt had a reputation as the chief. I didn't know her relationship with her peers, but the fact that she has been in charge for years spoke volumes and made me realize everyone respected her.

I couldn't stomach a scandal because I wasn't being careful.

Harry closed his eyes and breathed deeply, the muscle in his jaw ticking.

I had spent most of my life lying to everyone and hiding my scars, making up stories and making the excuse that I was clumsy. It had always worked. Everyone stopped asking questions immediately and some even laughed at my clumsiness.

Why couldn't he let it go? We didn't even know each other well enough to care about each other.

A knock on the door startled me, breaking the silence between us, but Harry remained still, his hands not going anywhere. I could see out of the corner of my eyes his knuckles going white, tendons and muscles of his large hands going tight.

He had amazing hands. And I bet they were gentle and precise whenever he used a scalpel. Or whenever he...

Don't go there.

"Who is it?" He asked, his eyes still closed.

"It's me," Dr. Armstrong's voice came out muffled. "I'm sending her home."

"What?" At the sound of my voice, Harry's eyes snapped open. "I can't! I– I have surgeries with Dr. Von Bergen, I–"

"I got her authorization," the door was still closed, but I could hear Priscilla's sympathy clearly. "You need to rest, Maddy. At least for two or three days."

My throat started to close. "I'm fine, I swear!" I looked at Harry, pleading with my gaze. "I– I can stand on my feet, look!"

Ignoring the warning that Harry's glare was giving me, I stood up from the stretcher with a jump and suddenly my head felt light, my limbs too weak to support my weight. My feet stumble upon one another and if it wasn't for Harry's strong arms catching my waist with a firm grip, I would've gone flat on my face against the floor.