Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
MIREYA
He watched me closely and waited for me to speak, his shoulders braced, jaw set—like a man preparing for the worst.
"The surgery today was complex. Mitral valve prolapse with severe regurgitation, multiple coronary grafts." I took a breath to find the right words. "We ran into complications when she started hemorrhaging from the posterior aortic wall. Her pressure dropped critically fast."
His jaw tightened as he listened. “What did you do?”
“I changed the angle of the tools and suggested a different way to see the area.” I looked him right in the eye. “Dr. Bree actually listened to me. The adjustment worked perfectly and we were able to control the bleeding and complete the repair. We were able to save her.”
Something shifted in his face—his eyes softened, the tension in his jaw releasing. “Of course, you did.”
"She told me my surgical instinct was exceptional. That I have excellent clinical judgment." I stepped closer. "Everyone in that OR saw it, Riven. There's no question anymore that I earned my place on that team."
“I’ve never doubted your skill.” His voice dropped low. “Not for one single moment.”
I believed him. I always knew he had faith in me, even when I struggled to believe in myself.
“I know,” I said, taking a deep breath. “But I really needed to prove it to myself. Now, I finally feel like I have.”
Riven nodded slowly. Something in his expression told me he understood—that he'd always understood I needed to stand on my own merit, to know my success came from my own competence.
"I've been thinking about your new position," I said. "About you becoming the CEO and stepping away from surgery."
He looked guarded for a moment. "Mireya—"
"Let me finish." I moved closer until I could see the tired lines around his eyes, the weight he'd been carrying. "You claimed the inheritance you'd run from for nine months. You faced your father's legacy and changed your entire career."
"It was the right decision," he said carefully. "I took the CEO position so it wouldn’t be an issue for the hospital anymore.”"
“It was the only way to protect you—and us,” he finished.
He didn't argue because we both knew it was true.
“I need to know why,” I asked. “Why would you give up being a surgeon? That work is such a huge part of your life.”
"It was what I did," he corrected. "It's not who I am."
"Then who are you?"
Riven looked at me with raw honesty, and when he spoke, his voice carried vulnerability I rarely heard.
“I'm just a man who fell in love with you,” he said. “I'm not your boss or someone trying to fix your life. I'm just a person who fell for the woman who broke down all the walls I built over the last three years.”
My breath caught. My pulse tripped over itself.
“I’ve been so scared,” he continued. “I was terrified of losing you. I thought caring about someone would only lead to more pain.” He took another step toward me. “But watching you face all that gossip alone was worse than my fear. I couldn't keep my distance anymore.”
“You were never a coward, Riven,” I said.
“I stayed quiet for way too long.” His voice came out rough. "I'm done running. I want to be with you and build something real. I want us to face the future as equals."
His words settled warm and certain in my chest.
“What do you want, Mireya?” he asked. “Forget about what’s safe or appropriate for a second. What do you truly want?”
He was being open with me, showing me a side of himself without any conditions or emotional walls. No walls. No conditions. Just him, standing in front of me with everything laid bare.
I didn't have to think twice about my answer. “I want to be with you.”
His gray eyes darkened.
“I’ve spent my entire life trying to be the strong one,” I admitted. “I always held everything together by myself and never let anyone help me.” I moved until there was no space left between us. “You showed me that needing someone isn't a weakness. It’s about trust.”
“Mireya—”
“I trust you,” I told him. “And I love you. I want to build a life where we don't have to be perfect all the time. I want us to deal with our problems together instead of alone.”
Riven cupped my face, brushing his thumb across my cheek. "Are you sure?"
I answered by leaning in and kissing him.
He pulled me close immediately, arms wrapping around me. This time there was no fear or doubt—just a clear choice we were making together.
When we finally pulled apart, we were both smiling. My cheeks ached from it.
“You know that people are still going to gossip about us,” he noted.
"Let them."
"We still work at the same hospital."
“Well, you're the CEO now and I'm a nurse.” I traced the line of his jaw with my finger. “We’ll find a way to make it work.”
“Do you really think it’s that simple?”
"I think the hard part was admitting how we felt." I stepped back slightly, giving us breathing room. "But I'm not moving back into your house yet."
His eyebrows rose. "No?"
"Not yet." I watched his reaction carefully. "We rushed into that because of circumstances. We didn't really choose it. I want to do this the right way this time."
“So, you want to date me,” he said, a hint of amusement warming his voice.
“I want us to date like normal people do,” I confirmed. “I want to go to dinner and movies and argue about what to watch. I want to get to know you outside of this hospital.”
“And what happens if you start to miss me too much?”
“Then I’ll show up at your front door and stay the night.” I gave him a small smile. “But I want to try living apart for a while so we can build a strong foundation.”
Riven nodded slowly, considering. "Okay."
"You agree?"
"You're right that we should take our time." He pulled me close again. "But I'm going to complain constantly about missing you."
"I wouldn't expect anything less."
He looked at me and I could tell he had another question on his mind. “What happens when I have a really bad day? What if my new job is too much or I can't stop thinking about the past?”
“Then you call me,” I said simply. “And I’ll be there. Just because we don't live together doesn't mean I'm not by your side.”
"And your bad days? When people gossip or a surgery goes wrong?"
"Then I call you." I leaned my forehead against his. "We're choosing each other, Riven. That doesn't change based on where we sleep."
“I really like the sound of that,” he whispered. “Choosing each other.”
“I like it too,” I agreed.
We stood there for a moment in each other's arms, surrounded by hospital supplies. I thought about the first time we were in this room when I was so tired I could barely stand. I used to be so focused on doing everything alone because I thought needing help was a failure.
He showed me that I was wrong. He didn't do it with big speeches, but by just being there when I needed him the most. He saw me when I was struggling and stayed by my side when I was scared to let anyone in.
“What are you thinking about right now?” Riven asked.
“I'm just thinking about how much has changed since that first day,” I said.
“You mean that day you collapsed and I had to carry you to the ER?”
"I didn’t collapse. I was resting."
"You were unconscious on the floor, Mireya."
“It was a very comfortable floor.”
He laughed and leaned his forehead against mine. "You were so stubborn. Determined to be fine even when you clearly weren't."
“I told you I was fine,” I joked.
“You were running on nothing but pure stubbornness and caffeine.”
“Is there any other way to get things done?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “You can do it with someone walking beside you.”
Something in my chest cracked open. We'd both learned the same lesson—the hard way.
“We should probably get out of here before someone needs supplies,” I suggested.
“You’re probably right about that.”
He reached for the door handle but then stopped for a second. “Mireya?”
“Yes, Riven?”
“I love you. I really needed you to hear those words.” His voice was very low. “I wanted to say it without any complications. I love you.”
The words were simple and direct, which was exactly like him. Hearing them meant everything to me.
“I love you, too,” I said. “Even when you're being difficult.”
“Especially then,” he teased.
We walked out of the closet together. We weren't trying to hide, but we weren't trying to make a scene either. We were just two people who found each other and decided to stay together.
Riven took my hand as we walked down the hallway. I didn't pull away.
We walked past all kinds of people in the hospital. Some people stared and others whispered, but I didn't care. I saw the recognition in their eyes as they looked at the new CEO and the nurse.
A few nurses at the station looked up as we went by. One of them, Jessica, gave me a real smile. It wasn't the fake kind I had been seeing lately.
"Great work today, Mireya," she called.
“Thank you,” I said, surprised by how easy the interaction felt.
Riven squeezed my hand. "See? Not everyone's against you."
"I know that now." Today's surgery had proven something words never could. "But even if they were, it wouldn't change how I feel."
"No?"
"No." I looked at him. "I know who I am and what I can do. That's enough for me."
We reached the elevator and saw Dr. Bree walking out of a meeting room nearby. She saw us holding hands and a knowing look crossed her face.
“Dr. Cross,” she said, nodding to Riven. Then she looked at me. “Excellent work in the OR today, Mireya. I meant what I said about your sharp instincts.”
“Thank you, Dr. Bree,” I replied.
"I'm scheduling next month's cases. I want you on my team for a complex valve repair." She looked between us. "Assuming there are no conflicts of interest."
Riven spoke up before I could say a word. “There are no conflicts. Mireya’s schedule is based on her skills and what the department needs. That’s the only thing that matters.”
Dr. Bree looked satisfied. "Good. I'll send details later." She walked away, and my shoulders dropped—tension I hadn't realized I'd been holding finally releasing.
The elevator arrived and we stepped inside. As the doors closed, Riven pulled me close.
"Thank you," I said against his chest.
"For what?"
“For being brave enough to love me.”
His arms tightened. “Thank you for being brave enough to let me in.”
The elevator moved down, taking us away from the surgical floor. I didn't know exactly what the future would look like for us. I knew there would be challenges with dating while working at the same hospital, navigating professional boundaries, dealing with ongoing gossip.
But I knew we would face those things together. That was the only thing that mattered to me.
When we reached the ground floor, we walked out into the bright lobby. There were people everywhere, all busy with their own lives and problems. Riven kept a firm grip on my hand as we walked toward the exit.
"So," he said casually. "Tell me about the surgery. The part where you saved the day."
“I didn't save the day. I just suggested an adjustment.”
“An adjustment that saved a woman's life.”
“Dr. Bree was the one doing the hard work,” I argued.
“But you saw the problem when she couldn't.” He looked at me. “That’s a big deal, Mireya.”
I thought about the patient and that split-second choice I made. I had proven to myself that I belonged in that room. My skills were real and undeniable.
“Yes,” I agreed. “It isn't nothing.”
We stepped out of the hospital into the cool evening air. The city glowed against the fading sky, and something in my chest felt lighter than it had in months.
"Still on for seven?" Riven asked.
"Seven sharp."
"Your place?"
"Yes. But you're bringing food."
"Thai?"
“Definitely,” I confirmed. “And make sure to get those spring rolls I like.”
“The ones you promise to share but then eat all by yourself?”
"Exactly those," I laughed.
He gave me a genuine smile and pulled me in for one more kiss. This one felt like a promise of all the nights ahead. When we finally stopped, I was a little out of breath.
“I’ll see you tonight,” he said.
“See you tonight,” I agreed.
He walked to his car and I went to mine. As soon as I got inside, my phone buzzed with a message from him.
Riven
I love you.
It was simple and true. I typed back a message telling him to stop texting and drive safely.
Riven
You're bossy.
Mireya
And you love it.
Riven
I really do.
I smiled and started my car, driving toward my apartment knowing that tonight, and every night after, I was choosing him just as he was choosing me.
That was enough.
And that was everything.