Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Jon was the first to speak. “Are the paps actually telling the truth, then?” he said, frowning at Hugh’s hand on Eric’s shoulder. “Liam and I thought it was bullshit and rushed here to help you formulate a plan to clear your name.”
Eric shrugged, unable to look him in the eye. He’d always liked Jon the most out of his alpha relatives—he was very brotherly and protective but he wasn’t over-the-top bossy and bullish like Anthony or guarded and aloof like Devlin could be with anyone who wasn’t Jules.
“Depends on what they’re saying,” he said with a weak smile. “This is Hugh Randall, my—my doctor.”
Jules snickered. “Is that what they call it now?”
“Julian, it’s not time for jokes,” Devlin said, eyeing Hugh coldly. “Since Eric is your patient, consider your career over.”
Eric felt Hugh tense up behind him. “Is that a threat?” he said, his voice nearly flat.
“No,” Devlin said. “I’m just stating a fact. You’ve been caught having an illicit affair with your patient—with your married omega patient. No one will trust you with their omegas anymore. It’s not the sort of thing an AO doctor’s professional reputation can recover from. Unless you claim that it wasn’t Eric with you in the restroom but another omega.”
Eric frowned. “But we’ve been papped. There are photos and videos of us leaving the restaurant together.”
“Yes,” Jon said. “That’s obviously not ideal, but there’s no concrete evidence that the omega in the stall was you. As long as he claims that he was meeting you there to discuss your treatment and the omega in the restroom was someone else, the situation is salvageable. Anthony is at the restaurant right now, wiping any video evidence and making sure that NDA-tech is applied to everyone.”
Eric breathed out. So it might not be as much of a disaster as he’d feared.
“There’s one thing, though,” Devlin said, shooting Hugh a hard look. “Your doctor obviously can’t be your doctor anymore. You’ll find another doctor, and it’d be better if you never see this man again in order not to remind people of this… unfortunate misunderstanding.”
Eric opened his mouth but closed it without saying anything, swallowing his instinctive no.
Hugh’s hand on his shoulder flexed. Eric could feel the tension in him without even looking at him.
Before either of them could say anything, the sound of an approaching helicopter made it impossible.
It was Greg’s.
His stomach in knots, Eric watched the helicopter land.
Greg emerged out of it, looking hurried. “Oh, you’re all here, good,” he said instead of a greeting. “Now we can figure out how to deal with this mess. His Highness and I did outline a rough plan, but it obviously needs fine-tuning.” He patted Eric’s arm absently. “Stop looking so crushed, dear. Shit happens. I don’t blame you for doing what I told you to do, though a less public venue certainly would have been smarter.”
Eric didn’t saying anything. Couldn’t. The worst part was, he didn’t feel crushed because of this situation; it was the solution—never seeing Hugh again—that made him feel like the ground had been swept from under his feet.
“I’ve found a widowed omega willing to come forward and admit that it was him with Dr. Randall.” Greg looked at at Hugh. “He’s waiting for you in Hotel Tsukiro so you two can get acquainted and get your story straight.”
“Who?” Jules said. “Is he trustworthy?”
“Yes,” Liam cut in. “If the fraud is discovered, it’ll only make things worse.”
“He’s trustworthy,” Greg said. “I can vouch for him, though the compensation for his public humiliation won’t be cheap—”
“Enough,” Hugh said, his voice quiet but steely.
Everyone shut up.
Hugh took Eric’s shoulders and turned him to him. “Are you okay?” he said, his blue-green eyes peering into his. “You smell upset.”
“Of course he’s upset,” Devlin said sharply. “Your irresponsibility caused another public humiliation for him after he barely recovered from the previous one.”
Hugh didn’t even glance at him, looking only at Eric. “Do you want me to do what they’re suggesting?” he said in a low voice, though there was no chance that the others couldn’t hear him.
Eric felt his lips twist into something bitter. “Is there any other choice? My reputation can’t withstand another salacious scandal. Your professional reputation is at stake, too.”
“That wasn’t what I asked,” Hugh said, looking him in the eyes. “Do you want me to go? And stay away from you?”
Eric swallowed. He knew he should say yes. He knew it was the right choice. The smart choice. He would let his family down by choosing anything else. He wasn’t even sure he had any other options. Hugh had hardly professed his undying love for him.
Eric swallowed again, but it failed to remove the painful lump that seemed to be stuck in it. “Do as they say,” he whispered, his eyes burning. “Go. Live a good life. I’m happy that you’re free.” Unlike me.