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"Med school. Haven't really kept in touch since graduation." He paused briefly. "Didn't expect to run into him here today."
"Sorry you had to see all that," I said, feeling awkward.
"As you probably noticed, he's involved with someone else. We're... working through a divorce."
His eyes drifted toward my bandaged arm.
He hesitated before speaking.
"Your condition... it's rare. I've only seen a handful of cases."
He looked thoughtful, almost distant.
"The year we graduated, my family went hiking upin the Rockies. We got caught in a mudslide."
My breath caught.
"There was a girl... unconscious, no pain sensation. In bad shape. Coughing up blood." His voice was low, deliberate.
"I suspected pneumothorax—collapsed lung. Didn't dare move her. Just stabilized her as best I could."
He met my eyes.
"We got her to the hospital. Your husband... Adrian... was there. He recognized her as a local. Said he'd stay, make sure she was taken care of until her family arrived. I... agreed."
His expression was complicated.
"Back in med school... Adrian had this... idea. Pushing to use insensate patients in live trials. Our advisor shut it down hard. I thought he'd dropped it.."
He glanced meaningfully at my bandaged arm.
"Looks like I was wrong."
I stood frozen, my whole body trembling.
He married me to conduct his experiments.
Find a wife who doesn’t feel pain sensation. Problem solved.
My whole marriage was a lie.
The elevator dinged open.
Adrian was standing there, breathing heavily.
He grabbed for my hand.
"Emma, listen! Chloe really was sick! That's all! We haven't crossed any lines—"
His words died as my palm cracked hard with his cheek.
Smack!
