Page 47 of Ellie 1

But he knew more than that. I owned that place under a company… And that company owned other buildings. Apartments and condos.

Meaning Fitz knew I was super loaded. I saw the pieces fall into place and hated myself for not seeing it sooner.

“Well, how nice to know you wanted to screw the entire hospital and call me like shotgun for when you wanted to settle down because I’m wealthy and can give you a better life,” I seethed. Fitz confirmed it when he flinched, and I was so embarrassed everyone knew this now that I lashed out. “Except you were never marriage materialfor me, Tommy.”

“What?” he gasped.

I snorted. “I would never have married or mated you. Never. Not in a million years. You’re not remotely powerful or good enough to marryme, you fool.”

“What are you even saying right now?” he sputtered.

“What color are my eyes, Tommy?” I demanded, repeating the question when he tried to argue that he was fabulous.

“Brown!” he snapped. “I’m not that big of an asshole not to know what color your eyes are after we were sleeping together for years.”

And now he just announced that to everyone.

Fucking. Asshole.

“They’re not,” I purred. I nodded when he frowned and looked directly at my eyes. “You’re simply not powerful enough to see the real color of my eyes.” I gestured around to the cafeteria. “Yeah, they seem brown to most everyone here.” I glanced over at Alan. “Are my eyes brown, Dr. Carpenter?”

He sighed. “No, no, they are not, and no I won’t tell anyone what color they are after apparently my mouth put a wealth-seeking snake next to you. I’m sorry, Ellie. I must have been more tired than I realized one night and stressed out.”

I gave him a kind smile. “It happens. We live our work and—I’m not mad.” I snorted and focused back on Tommy. “Well, at you, Alan. I’m not mad at you.”

“Your eyes are brown,” Tommy muttered.

“They’re not, and I was never going to marry you, you fool. I’mmortifiedthat I ever did anything with you, but you wereeasyfor my needs and good in bed. We didn’t even talk because you’re a pompous jackass and I don’t like you.” I shrugged when he couldn’t hide his shock at all I was spilling the tea.

Oh no, the truth was much better than what he was trying to frame it as now.

“So enough with your games, gaslighting, and trying to manipulate my life or you’re out, Dr. Fitz,” I said firmly. “Thelittle we had is long over and I want no part of you. There’s nothing to report to HR and there won’t ever be besides maybe a harassment claim if you don’tleave me alone.”

“And I want him off my service if I can’t fire him,” Alan announced loudly. “I’m tired of this fool dragging down my department. See if general surgery will take him or transfer him out of my sight until he messes up so we can fire him.”

Joyce snorted. “That shouldn’t take long. He’s not even out of trouble from his last issues and he just started more. Pathetic.”

No, I was for ever going near him and I felt it. I felt all of the eyes. I felt humiliated and hated Tommy for doing this to me.

And for the first time in so long, I didn’t feel like the Ellie Reed I’d built for myself, but the one I’d run from so many years ago. I couldn’t even think of what to say or how to handle this mess.

So I left. I ignored my food and tray and just walked out of the cafeteria.

I understood that Alan was showing he had my back and wanted Tommy gone too but it was a huge logistical nightmare, and now there was extra drama. People would talk that the changes were because we’d had a relationship—everything I’d strived not to have happen.

And Tommy had selfishly torpedoed everything trying to keep me as his.

Formoney. Because he’d learned I was rich.

“Ellie, wait,” he said as he grabbed my wrist and stopped me.

I went to yank away, but his grip tightened, and I would have had to hurt him to do it. I didn’t want to mess with a surgeon’s hands. It was instinct almost after running a hospital for so many years.

But apparently, another doctor didn’t have the same qualms.

Clark was there grabbing his arm roughly until Tommy made a noise and let me go. “You don’t ever touch her again, git. You just intentionally exploded her life because she broke free from you and—”

“I didnot,” Tommy argued as he shoved at Clark and focused on me. “I did none of that, Ellie. I just wanted to have lunch and—”

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