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She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, arms folding over her chest like a weak shield. Her shoulders rose as if trying to protect herself from the weight of his suspicion.

“Why are you expecting me to remember this kind of thing?” she said, voice rising defensively. “I don’t even remember my own favorite color. Why would I remember yours?”

She tried to slide down from the edge of the table, but he blocked her path with his body. His hand shot out, palm landing on her hip to keep her in place. She pushed against him with both hands, but he didn’t budge.

His other arm curved around her back. Then his hand slid up—gripping the back of her neck, possessive, forcing her to meet his eyes.

“Fine,” he said, voice smooth as ice. “You don’t remember the little things? Then answer something important.”

He leaned in, their lips nearly touching. “When did we first sleep together after we got into a relationship?”

Emily’s whole body tensed. She sucked in a sharp breath and tried to turn her face away. “Are you serious? What kind of question is that? In the middle of the office?” Her voice cracked as she tried to sound disgusted, brushing off the question.

Lucas’s grip didn’t loosen. His fingers tightened slightly at the nape of her neck, enough to make her tense further.

“Answer the question,” he said. “Stop dodging.”

She looked away, her hands bracing against his chest. “That was years ago! You seriously expect me to remember that kind of detail?”

“Alright,” he said, eyes narrowed like a predator circling its prey. “Tell me when was the last time we had sex? How often do we have sex? What’s my favorite position? What’s yours? You remember those, don’t you?”

Her eyes flared with panic, her breath coming faster now. “Get off me!” she snapped, shoving him harder.

He still didn’t budge.

“You need to stop,” she said sharply, voice shaking with frustration. “I told you, there’s nothing wrong with me. I don’t need to explain myself to you!”

He didn’t move. He held her in place, eyes drilling into hers, his body a wall she couldn’t get around. “You’re lying to me.”

She hit his chest again. “I said get off me!”

Just then, Lucas’ phone rang sharply, cutting through the chaos.

Both of them turned their heads in unison. The screen on the phone lying nearby lit up: Amelia.

Emily smirked instantly. ‘He’ll never ignore that.’

Taking advantage of the moment, she shifted her weight to the side, swung her leg over, and jumped off the table before darting out of the room.

Lucas’s eyes flared in frustration, but he didn’t chase her. He turned back, picked up the phone without answering it, and stormed out of the office in silence.

He didn’t answer Amelia’s call.

Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed another number.

“Taylor,” he said the moment the line picked up, his voice clipped and icy. “I’m coming to the hospital. I want you there in thirty minutes.”

“Are you serious right now?” Taylor groaned. “It’s my day off.”

“You either meet me at the hospital or I’m bringing every confidential file you have to your damn hospital. Pick one.”

Taylor let out an aggravated sigh. “Alright, fine! Goddamn it, man. I’ll be there. But I’m not staying all day.”

***

Lucas entered the Axis hospital with long, urgent strides. His face was icy, but the fury brewing beneath the surface was visible in the tight set of his jaw, the way his fists stayed clenched at his sides. His footsteps echoed heavily across the polished floor, the look on his face enough to part the hallway like the Red Sea.

He headed straight to Taylor’s office.