Chapter 5 Blocking Him

"Miss Morgan?" The nurse's voice broke through the fog in Brynn's mind and pulled her back to the present.

Blinking hard, Brynn steadied her hand enough to sign her name.

A few moments later, the staff moved her toward the operating room.

Once the anesthesia began spreading through her veins, a heavy darkness washed over her like a tide.

Somewhere inside that blur, she thought she heard someone calling out to her.

The voice pushed through the haze, wrapped in the sharp smell of antiseptic and the faint metallic scent of blood.

In that drifting state, she caught a glimpse of a seventeen-year-old Richard held down by villagers, his fierce gaze cutting through the crowd to find hers.

Another image surfaced. The early days of B&R Law Firm. She had once run straight into Richard's arms, wearing a smile that felt warm and full of hope.

Then the scene changed again. Rena appeared in a white wedding gown, leaning into Richard's embrace, while she herself stood quietly nearby, her smile long gone.

When awareness finally settled back into her, the only sound Brynn recognized was the steady beeping of the monitor beside her.

Pale moonlight slipped through the blinds and spread a cold glow across the hospital room.

She kept her eyes on the wavering line that reflected her vital signs.

As the last traces of anesthesia faded, the incision began to pulse with sharp and steady pain.

Her hand groped beneath the pillow until she found her phone. The screen showed 3:17 a.m.

The agony intensified, and she pressed the pain-relief pump again and again, though nothing seemed to work. Her body instinctively folded in on itself.

Warm tears traced down her cheeks while her thoughts scattered in every direction.

She finally learned that when the pain was at its peak, tears were purely physiological.

By the time dawn pushed through the dimness and climbed over the windowsill, Brynn's ringing phone dragged her out of a shallow sleep.

The incision had throbbed through the whole night, and she had barely drifted off just before sunrise.

Richard's name glowed on the screen.

A strange distance settled in her chest as Brynn stared at it.

Once she answered, Richard's cold tone split through the quiet. "Brynn. I tore up your resignation letter. You're expected at the firm by nine. We have a case that needs you."

"I..." Brynn opened her mouth, hoping to tell him she was in the hospital.

Before she could say another word, Rena's teasing voice drifted through the line. "Richard. Where did you put my hot chocolate?"

That single sentence struck Brynn like a bucket of ice thrown over her head. A sour sting climbed up her throat. She bit down on her lip and ended the call at once.

A faint, humorless laugh escaped her as she bowed her head. With a single motion, she swiped across the screen and blocked the familiar number without a hint of reluctance.

Every move she made carried a clear finality. Not even a shadow of longing remained.

......

Five days after Brynn's surgery, the attending physician arrived to remove her stitches. He studied the CT scan with a deep frown. "You had severe appendicitis and complications. You really pushed yourself too far. If this had been delayed even half a day more, the outcome would've been dangerous."

Propped up against the headboard, Brynn still looked drained of color. She offered him a faint smile. "I understand. It won't happen again."

When her discharge day finally arrived, the rain that had soaked the city through the night had just stopped. Clouds still blanketed the sky, yet the air felt clean and cool, filled with the earthy scent of newly damp soil. Along the road, the trees and shrubs shimmered with fresh droplets, their leaves bright and glistening.

After finishing the discharge paperwork, Brynn lingered beneath the hospital awning and drew in a long breath of crisp morning air. It felt like she was clearing out every trace of disinfectant that clung to her lungs. Only then did she lift her hand to call for a taxi.

When the cab drifted past the B&R Law Firm, her eyes moved toward the building for a brief moment before she shifted her gaze back to the steady flow of traffic. Her expression remained unreadable.

......

Inside the law firm, Richard stood before the tall picture window that overlooked the restless streets, watching cars weave through the morning rush.

Jerold Griffiths, his long-time friend, tried Brynn's number again. But he couldn't get through.

"She's still not picking up," Jerold muttered with a sigh as he lowered the phone.

A deep furrow formed between Richard's brows, and his expression turned cold.

Jerold pressed his lips together, concern edging into his voice. As the firm's third partner, Brynn's silence unsettled him as well.

"Richard. What happened this time?" he asked with a puzzled frown. "Brynn's really upset, isn't she? It's already been a week. You two have argued plenty before. She's always bounced back eventually. Why is it different now?"

Richard remained silent, his reflection a cold silhouette against the glass.

"Do you think she might be ill?" Jerold asked quietly.

Ill? The word made Richard's brows tighten slightly. From what he remembered, Brynn had always been lively and full of energy. He had never once seen her bedridden. Moreover, since she had no one else in town besides him, she would have told him immediately if something were wrong.

"I talked to her on the phone. She didn't sound sick," Richard replied in a low, steady tone.

At least, she hadn't said anything about it.

For years, even the tiniest nick on her finger sent her running to him so he could blow on it, as if that alone could cure her. If she were truly unwell, she wouldn't keep it from him.

Yet she blocked his number. That alone told him how deeply she resented him now.

Jerold let out a breath once he heard that. "If she's fine, then why hasn't she even asked for a day off? It's been hectic at the office..."

Then he shifted the topic with a pointed look. "Richard, you really crossed the line this time. Anyone would be upset if their partner left them alone at their own wedding celebration."

When Richard still refused to speak, Jerold rolled his eyes dramatically. "Never mind. Brynn will come around in a few days anyway..."

Richard's mouth pressed into a hard line before he finally spoke. "The firm doesn't keep people who refuse to work. Tell HR that if Brynn doesn't show up tomorrow, she's dismissed."

In his mind, this was the one consequence Brynn would never risk. The firm had always been the place where she clung closest to him. He felt certain she wouldn't choose to walk away from it.

Jerold gave a small grin and nodded. "Alright. I'll let everyone know. Once Brynn hears it, she'll probably show up first thing tomorrow."

From the moment Jerold met them, he had seen Brynn trailing after Richard at every turn.

For Brynn, Richard was everything she cared about.

For Richard, though, the dynamic was far different. He saw her as a shadow he couldn't quite shake off, something unnecessary lingering behind him.

Brynn had always been the one unable to step away. If Richard had held even a fraction of true affection for her, he never would have abandoned her during the wedding to rush to another woman.

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Richard signaled that Jerold could go.

Jerold offered no further comment and walked out of the office.

Richard's eyes drifted to his silent phone. On any ordinary day, Brynn would have sent him a text even if she didn't call.

Now the screen still showed their last conversation from the wedding.

She had sent him a bright little emoji and a message that read, "I'm the happiest person in the world. I will always love you."

He never responded to it.

As usual, Brynn had filled his inbox with dozens of messages, while his replies rarely went beyond short phrases. A brief "Hmm." A flat "Got it."

Yet this time, days slipped by with no new messages from her at all. That had never happened before.

The realization irritated him enough that he tossed the phone aside.

For once, he decided he wouldn't let her soften him so easily.

......

Back at the hotel, Brynn quietly began sorting through her belongings.

During her days in the hospital, she had already reached out to a real estate agent and listed her apartment for sale. She set the price far lower than its value because she needed it gone quickly.

Earlier that morning, she signed the transfer papers. The apartment no longer belonged to her.

Just then, her phone buzzed against her leg.

When she checked the screen, she saw the HR head's name flashing.

She pressed her lips together and spent a long moment deciding whether to answer. Eventually, she picked up.

"Hello, Brynn. When are you planning to return to work? Mr. Yates said if you don't come back soon..." The person on the other end hesitated before finishing. "You'll be fired..."