The General's Replacement Doctor Wife

Chapter Nineteen

Olivia woke up early, before the sun had risen above the horizon. Her husband was still sound asleep beside her. She quietly slipped out of bed so as not to wake him and tiptoed into the kitchen to start her day.

Clayton would wake up soon, and she wanted to surprise him with a nice breakfast before he had to leave for work. She moved around the kitchen with ease, humming to a song she played on her phone.

Moments later, she finished cooking and set everything out on the table. As if on cue, Clayton walked downstairs in his neat military uniform. His hair was still wet, and he ran his fingers through it to smooth down the messy strands.

“I made you breakfast,” she greeted him.

Clayton eyed the food before glancing at his watch. He then looked at her apologetically. “I'm in a hurry. I don't have time to eat.”

The words made her heart sink. The look in his eyes told her he was genuinely sorry. In fact, she felt it too. Yet it didn't stop her from hurting, thinking that he couldn't even spare a few minutes of his time to be with her.

“Make sure to eat at work,” she told him while trying to muster a smile to hide her disappointment.

Clayton swiftly crossed the distance between them. Using his thumb and forefinger, he gently tilted her face toward him.

“I’m sorry, Liv,” he mumbled under his breath, his eyes conveying an earnestness that made her heart ache a little less. “I really appreciate you making breakfast for me, and how I wish I could stay but I have to go now.”

He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss on her forehead. It was a gesture he never forgot each time he left for work. With one last lingering look at her face, he turned and headed for the door.

His footsteps faded in the distance. Only when she heard the familiar click of the closing door did she move.

She should have asked him to stay, Olivia thought, but reminded herself that his job was demanding, and time was always against him. She had to put up with that.

With a subtle sigh, she ate breakfast alone. The silence of the house closing in on her.

Olivia missed the days when he could join her on the breakfast table to enjoy the food she prepared especially for him.

She pushed aside the sadness and regained her focus. After finishing her plate, she washed the dishes then walked upstairs to prepare for work.

—

Arriving at the hospital, the first thing Olivia did was check on her patient, Bea Perez, who had just undergone a successful operation yesterday. Although her condition was stable, she still hadn't opened her eyes.

Olivia looked at the fragile girl on the bed, wondering when she would wake up. She had done her best saving the child, but it was up to her now to survive the ordeal.

She gently took Bea’s hand in hers, hoping that her warmth could somehow reach the girl, even in her unconscious state. “You can fight through this, princess. Don't make your twin wait any longer. You have to wake up so Lea won't be lonely anymore.”

Soon, she left the room to check on her other patients.

There was Mrs. Chen, an elderly woman who had devoted her life to running a local orphanage and caring for children who had no one else. But now that she had been fighting for her life, it seemed that everyone had forgotten her.

Olivia often thought about how lonely the old woman must have felt. The world had turned its back on her when she needed support the most.

Mrs. Chen was asleep when Olivia entered her room. She didn't want to disturb her rest, so after checking on her, she walked to the next room to check on one of her top-priority patients.