That morning, June found Dave slumped against the wall, his eyes shutting tiredly after a night spent at her door.
She stared at him calmly, wondering why he was still there. After all the calls she had ignored last night, she had assumed he had gone back to his apartment. But clearly, she was wrong.
Her friends had urged her to open the door and talk to him, but she hadn't been able to bring herself to do it. If it had been an ordinary patient with no past connection to him, she might have let it slide, but it wasn't. It was his ex. And no matter how she tried to reason with herself, the thought of it unsettled her.
The night had been just as much of a nightmare for her as well. In the middle of her birthday party, she had received a photo of him with his ex, accompanied by a message she couldn't quite decipher. The image itself had been enough to sting, but what hurt more was that he hadn't called to tell her where he was. Worse, he had missed the party he had planned for her.
It felt as though he had chosen his ex over her.
"June, I'm sorry." His voice was hoarse as he gripped her wrist to stop her from leaving.
"Why are you apologizing? Did you do something wrong?" she asked, jerking her hand free.
She wasn't devastated, just frustrated. She wasn't even exactly angry, but she needed to be informed. She trusted him enough to push aside the image she had received, to believe in the love he had always shown her. But even so, she was a woman, and drama was inevitable.
She needed to teach him a lesson, to make sure he never met with his ex, even if she was his patient, without her approval.
"I'm…" He pinched the bridge of his nose and ran a few fingers over his eyes, as though searching for the right words. His lips pressed together, hesitation keeping them sealed.
Missing her birthday was one thing. But not even calling to wish her? That was another.
It had crossed his mind, of course, but he had dismissed the thought, wanting to wish her in person instead. That plan, however, had crumbled to pieces.
"Uh…uhh." She cleared her throat, drawing his gaze back to her.
She reached out, brushing her fingers along his jawline. His face was weary, the weight of the night clinging to him. She traced the smooth curve of his ear before trailing up to his forehead, where fine lines had formed from stress. Dark circles framed his eyes, evidence of his sleepless night.
She exhaled a deep sigh before whispering, "You're really silly, you know that?"
Without another word, she guided him into his apartment.
"You're not mad that I missed your birthday party?" he asked, surprised by the care she was showing him.
"Seriously? You're not?" His concern faded as she tilted her head up, pressing her lips against his in a slow, deliberate kiss.
Her mouth moved from his upper lip to his lower one, her tongue darting out briefly before she pulled away, leaving a faint mark at the corner of his mouth.
Moments later, with him seated for a bath, the scent of white aloe vera filled the air. Her fingers worked through his hair, lathering the shampoo into a soft foam.
As her hands massaged his scalp, he suddenly wondered if she had a hidden agenda behind that gentle smile. Women, after all, were unpredictable.
Maybe she planned to drown him under the excuse of washing his hair.
His head instinctively jerked up, earning a raised brow from her. He quickly smiled to cover up his paranoia.
She smirked. Amused. She had him right where she wanted.
Why get mad and ruin her own mood when she could make him punish himself instead?
"I'm not liking that smile," he muttered, his unease growing.
"Why not? What's wrong with my smile?" she teased, chuckling softly.
"I thought you loved my smile."
"I do, in normal situations. But this…" He sighed, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"I'm not angry," she assured him as she rinsed the shampoo from his hair.
"True, I was angry last night, the person I wanted to hear from first didn't call, nor did he show up to the party he organized. But I'm not anymore."
She grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it around his damp head.
"Happy birthday," he murmured, pulling her into his lap and locking his arms around her waist, making it nearly impossible for her to dry his hair.
"Dave, be still," she scolded, trying to wriggle free.
Instead of listening, he rested his head against her stomach, his eyes closing as he inhaled her scent.
"You look beautiful," he murmured. "Take the day off."
….
Jane's Big Break
"Jane, in my office. Now!"
Linda's sharp tone sent a jolt through Jane's body, a dull ache forming in her lower stomach. With reluctance weighing on her legs, she rose from her seat, scrubbing through her blurry thoughts, trying to recall what she might have done this time. Lately, trouble seemed magnetized to her, clinging no matter how hard she tried to avoid it.
Across the room, Liam caught her gaze, his lips curling into a mischievous smirk as he stuck out his tongue. He looked battered, his left eye darkened with bruises.
Jane knew exactly why.
This morning, two of his girls had coincidentally shown up at the station at the same time. Their rivalry had escalated into a screaming match, which then turned into a full-blown brawl. Poor Liam, in his desperate attempt to break it up, had only ended up taking the hits meant for each other.
And Jane? She had been there, phone in hand, capturing every second of his humiliation. The clip of him getting pummeled had spread like wildfire, reaching every group chat in the company.
"Your turn," Liam called after her, his voice dripping with devious amusement as she made her way to Linda's office.
Jane straightened her shoulders, forcing confidence into her steps. Whatever this was about, she'd talk her way out of it.
Inside Linda's Office
"Close the door," Linda ordered in that same hard tone.
Jane obeyed, moving to the chair across from her boss, fingers interlocked as she braced herself for the scolding.
"What is it? Did I do something wrong?" she asked, feigning innocence. "Linda, you know I've been a good girl. If anything's wrong, it must be Liam's doing."
She flashed a bright, saccharine smile, the kind she always used when selling out Liam, who had long since earned his place on her blacklist.
Linda simply studied her, her expression unreadable as she slid a document across the desk. "Take a look."
Jane hesitated, then skimmed through the pages. Her breath caught.
"Whose is this?" she asked, her eyes wide, barely daring to hope.
"It's yours," Linda confirmed. "You've been promoted. You'll be hosting your own show."
For a moment, Jane couldn't process the words. Inside, her inner self was already dancing, throwing its arms in the air in celebration—but one look at Linda's unamused face had her reeling it in.
"As I was saying," Linda continued, rubbing her temples, "you can thank June for this. She's been persistently pushing for you to get your own show, and she even had your ideas stacked on my desk for days."
Jane's lips parted slightly.
June had remembered.
Two years ago, she had casually told June about her dream, an idea for a show she wanted to create. She had assumed it was long forgotten, just another fleeting conversation. But June had held onto it. She had fought for it.
Linda sighed. "Starting tomorrow, you'll host Can You Fit in Their Shoes?"
Jane sat up straighter.
The show was based on her original idea—putting people in the shoes of those they judged or bullied, making them experience the reality of the roles they dismissed as 'easy.' It was meant to narrate the other side of the story, to give people a new perspective.
"Don't make me regret my decision," Linda added in a tone that was both a warning and her version of best wishes.
Jane barely heard her.
She was too stunned, too overwhelmed.
And above all, grateful.
As she left the office, contract in hand, her face was still frozen in a daze.
The moment she stepped out, Liam was waiting, his foot tapping impatiently, an eager grin plastered on his face.
His eyes scanned her expression before he smirked. "Finally got fired?"
"You wish!" Jane burst out laughing, sticking her tongue out at him before breaking into a playful monkey dance.
Liam huffed dramatically, drawing the attention of nearby employees.
"And guess what?" Jane continued, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I'm the new star host. You better start calling me ma."
His exaggerated sigh was music to her ears.
Today, Jane had won.
And it was all thanks to June.
….
"How are you feeling today?"
Bella barely registered Dave's voice. Her eyes locked onto June's presence instead, her entire focus shifting. She exhaled sharply, forcing down the urge to dig her nails into her skin, to scratch away the frustration boiling inside her.
When she had left her house that morning, playing the role of a distressed woman in need of psychiatric care, she hadn't anticipated running into her.
"Bella, are you okay?" Dave's voice pulled her back, his fingers gently pressing against her wrist to check her pulse.
Her gaze, however, remained fixed on June, who sat across the room, her presence impossible to ignore.
June was composed, yet there was something unnerving in the way she sat, one leg crossed over the other, arms loosely folded against her chest, like a queen surveying her kingdom. Like a woman staking her claim.
"My apologies for the unannounced visit," Bella finally spoke, her voice smooth but carrying a pointed sharpness beneath the polite words. "I was just worried about my health, I hope you don't mind"
"Of course not" June responded with a weak smile.
"Right, I heard it was your birthday yesterday. I'm really sorry to have caused any misunderstanding, Dave being with me instead of you"
The emphasis on those last words wasn't lost on June.
"Oh please darling, there's nothing of such. After all you're my fiancé patient" June retaliated.
It was a statement. A warning.
June knew.
She knew what Bella wanted, what she was trying to do. And she was here to make it clear, she wouldn't allow it.
The room felt suffocating, the air thick with unspoken challenges.
Sensing the tension, Dave hesitated, glancing between the two women. He was a psychiatrist, trained to read body language, and this, this was a warzone.
June's posture, though relaxed, was strategic. Her legs crossed to present calm control, but her hands rested in a way that screamed defensive territory.
Bella, on the other hand, was gripping the bed sheets so tightly her knuckles were turning white, her nails digging in like she was physically restraining herself from lashing out.
Dave had enough experience to know when to step away from a potential explosion.
"Excuse me," he muttered, deciding it was best to give them space. If he stayed any longer, he'd either have to mediate or witness something he'd rather not.
As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, Bella let her mask drop. Her lips curled into a slow, taunting smirk as she turned to face June.
"Why are you really here?" she asked, tilting her head in mock curiosity. "Are you that scared I'll steal him right from under you?"
June didn't flinch. If Bella had been hoping for a reaction, she was going to be sorely disappointed.
"You only build defenses against real threats," June said smoothly, a smile tugging at her lips. "And you, Bella? You're not one. You're just a ghost from the past, desperately trying to haunt a man who has already moved on."
Bella's smirk faltered for just a second, her fingers curling into the sheets as if squeezing the truth from them.
June took pleasure in the moment.
That's right. Squirm.
"What more proof do you need?" June continued, her voice light, teasing. "He has forgotten you."
Bella's eyes darkened, but she didn't back down. Instead, she let out a small laugh, shaking her head.
"That's what you think," she said, her voice dropping to something almost sinister. "But if he's really forgotten me, then tell me, why did he come running the second I called? Why did he choose to help me, despite knowing exactly what it would cost him?"
Her words were laced with triumph, her chin lifting ever so slightly as she delivered them.
June's expression remained unreadable, but inside, she felt the burn.
It was true.
Dave had left her birthday party, the party he had planned, to come to Bella's aid. He hadn't even called, hadn't even sent a text. He had simply gone.
It stung.
But June wasn't about to give Bella the satisfaction of seeing her falter.
"You misunderstand him," June said coolly. "You take his kindness and pity and twist it into something it's not. If you think that means he loves you, then you're only fooling yourself."
Bella's eyes narrowed.
June leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper, her words slow and deliberate.
"And let me make one thing very clear, Bella, get rid of whatever fantasies you're clinging to, because if you dare cross the line, you will regret it. You won't like the side of me that comes after what's mine."
For the first time, Bella looked shaken.
June smirked.
She could picture it, grabbing Bella by that annoyingly perfect hair and dragging her face through the dirt outside. That would be the proper place for someone like her.
Unfortunately, they were in a hospital, and she had to behave.
For now.
"I'm his first love," Bella countered, her voice laced with desperate arrogance. "There's nothing you can do to change that. He will always have me in his heart. If I hadn't left him, you wouldn't even be in the picture."
June paused at the door, turning her head just enough to meet Bella's gaze over her shoulder.
"Then I guess I owe you a drink," she mused, her smile dripping with mock gratitude. "A huge thank-you for walking away when you did. Your mistakes cleared the path for me."
Bella's lips parted, but before she could speak, June added the final blow.
"You might have been his first love, Bella," she said softly, "but I'm his last."
Bella stiffened.
June turned back to the door, gripping the handle, ready to leave this pointless conversation behind.
But Bella wasn't finished.
"We still don't know who will have the last laugh, June," she called out, her voice a venomous whisper. "It's just a ring, not legal vows. I did it once. I can do it again. No one knows Dave like I do."
June froze.
Slowly, she turned, her gaze meeting Bella's once more.
This time, she let Bella see the fire in her eyes.
"If you think that," she said quietly, "then try me."
And with that, she walked out, leaving Bella alone with the bitter taste of defeat.