Ring On My Finger, Crown On My Head

The evening shift at Meridian Hospital was winding down when Khloe Todd walked back into her office, fresh out of surgery.

She'd barely set down her chart when her phone buzzed-a text from Vernon Harrison.

"Swamped tonight-can't make dinner. Don't wait up; get some rest."

That day marked the third anniversary of their relationship.

She'd planned to go home, cook dinner, and wait for him so the two of them could celebrate their anniversary together.

She'd also prepared a surprise: a project he'd chased for six months with no luck-and she'd just secured it for him.

Still, he was occupied.

For three years, running the Harrison Group had kept him perpetually busy. She was used to his frequent absence by now.

Because of that, she hadn't even told him that she had been temporarily assigned to Meridian Hospital.

Just as Khloe was about to clock out, an emergency room nurse hurried into her office.

"Dr. Todd! We just got an emergency-ruptured corpus luteum with internal bleeding. She's deteriorating fast!" the nurse said breathlessly.

Khloe's face immediately grew solemn as she instinctively got to her feet.

Walking briskly beside the nurse, she asked, "Any idea what caused it? Trauma or spontaneous?"

The nurse hesitated, clearly awkward. "Uh... apparently from... really rough sex."

Khloe didn't ask anything further. She simply quickened her pace.

As an OB-GYN, situations like this were nothing new to her. She had treated plenty of young couples whose enthusiasm had exceeded their caution. It wasn't an uncommon emergency.

The instant she entered the emergency treatment area, an angry male voice rang out above the commotion.

"Where the hell is the doctor? She's barely conscious from the pain! Is someone going to treat her or not?"

Khloe stopped in her tracks. A sharp ache clenched her heart.

Her eyes swept past the rushing medical staff and surrounding equipment before settling on the tall, broad-shouldered man standing stiffly beside the stretcher.

It was Vernon, the boyfriend who had claimed he would be working late and had no time to celebrate their anniversary.

Yet here he was, panicked-his eyes glued to the woman writhing on the stretcher, barely conscious from the agony.

The room seemed to spin around Khloe as the noise of the emergency department faded into a piercing buzz in her ears.

"Doctor's here!" the nurse said, oblivious.

Vernon immediately turned toward the entrance. His eyes landed on the woman standing there in surgical scrubs with a mask covering her face.

Seeing that she hadn't moved, his face darkened with anger. "What're you waiting for? Save her! If she dies, I'll hold this whole hospital responsible!"

Khloe looked at him in silence. The man whose expression had always been gentle and affectionate whenever he was with her now wore nothing but panic and fury, all for the sake of another woman.

She stood motionless, her nails digging painfully into her palms.

She didn't remove her mask or confront him. Instead, she turned to the team, her voice flat. "Type and cross-OR One, now."

Vernon scowled. That voice... it sounded familiar. For a brief moment, it reminded him of Khloe. But that couldn't be right. Khloe worked at Evergreen Health Center-she had no business being here.

The thought disappeared as quickly as it had surfaced. In the next instant, every bit of his attention returned to Ruby Bailey, who lay on the stretcher, groaning softly through the pain.

The red operating light above the theater door remained illuminated.

Under the OR lights, Khloe took a breath and gripped the scalpel.

An hour passed before the operation was successfully completed.

Khloe walked alongside the medical team as they pushed the stretcher out of the operating room.

The doors had barely opened when she saw Vernon leap from the bench, rush to Ruby's side, and press a kiss to her cheek.

"Ruby... you're okay now," he whispered softly. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Khloe shot Vernon a cold look, then turned and walked away.

Once she was back in her office, she reached into her bag and took out the contract. One page after another, she ripped it into tiny pieces and watched them drift into the trash.

After changing out of her scrubs, she called a cab and made her way to the home she and Vernon had once planned to share as husband and wife.

Just before eleven, the front door clicked open with a soft keypad beep.

Vernon stepped in, flicked on the hall light-and found Khloe on the couch.

He crossed over and leaned down for a hug. "Babe, sitting in the dark? Were you waiting up for me?"

Khloe went rigid. A wave of disgust hit her stomach.

Just hours ago, those arms had held another woman-that same body had been pressed against someone else. Yet here he was, acting like nothing was wrong.

Without hesitation, she pushed him away.

Caught off guard, he stumbled back. His face darkened. "What's gotten into you?"

Khloe remained silent. Instead, she rose from the couch and headed directly upstairs.

Vernon frowned and went after her. By the time he reached the bedroom entrance, she emerged, suitcase in tow.

Once he saw the luggage, he figured she was throwing a fit over the missed anniversary.

He held back his annoyance and spoke in a gentle voice. "Fine, I messed up. But work was insane today-you know I'm doing all this for us. Once things calm down, I'll take you somewhere, just the two of us. Okay?"

Khloe watched his pathetic act and couldn't bear to waste another breath on him.

She took out her phone and opened the file she had downloaded from Meridian Hospital's system. Then, she thrust the screen in front of him.

The patient's details and diagnosis appeared clearly on the screen. Ruby Bailey, twenty-two years old, with an acute corpus luteum rupture.

As soon as Vernon read it, his eyes opened wide.

He jerked his head up and glared at Khloe in furious disbelief. He had never imagined that her connections could reach far enough to access records from another hospital.

"You've been spying on me?" he shot back, frowning.

Guilt didn't cross his mind-only rage that she'd pried into his business.

Khloe took her phone away and watched him struggle to speak through his anger. At that moment, she found his behavior completely pathetic.

She saw no reason to tell him that she had served as the lead surgeon for Ruby's operation.

Vernon took her silence as proof that his suspicion was right.

Within seconds, his anger took control and pushed aside all reason.

His face twisted into a bitter smirk. "Well, well, Khloe. Didn't think you had it in you. But so what? You burned every bridge with your family to be with me. You've got no one-nowhere to go. Walk out that door, where exactly do you think you're gonna end up?"

Khloe met his gaze without any emotion. In that moment, the love she had given him for three years felt worthless and ridiculous.

Strong relief suddenly rushed through her. Thank goodness she had discovered the truth before she became even more trapped in their relationship.

Then, she slapped him across the face, hard.

"Vernon Harrison, everything about you makes me sick," she said calmly.

She offered no further explanation as she pulled her suitcase around him and made her way toward the door.

Vernon pressed a hand against his burning cheek and shouted after her, "Walk out that door, and don't come crawling back to me!"

Khloe never turned around. Instead, she continued walking until the darkness swallowed her from sight.

Under a streetlamp, she stopped and took out her phone again-then blocked his number and all his socials.

After drawing a calm breath, she called a number she had avoided for three whole years.

It rang once-then a familiar voice came through.

Her eyes stung. "I was wrong. Can I come home?"

The next morning at ten, the airport was bustling with travelers.

Pulling her suitcase behind her, Khloe stepped out of the arrivals terminal.

As soon as she switched on her phone, a message from her eldest brother, Ashton Todd, popped onto the screen. "Emergency at the office-can't pick you up myself. Sent someone instead."

Khloe simply replied, "Okay," before wheeling her suitcase to the pickup area to wait.

Not far from where she stood, a tall man with long, confident strides made his way toward the arrivals exit. It was Caiden Barton.

His expression was grim, and the icy aura surrounding him naturally kept everyone at a distance.

Had his father not threatened him so forcefully, he would never have spent his morning picking up a stranger and taking her straight to city hall to register their marriage.

His lips were pressed into a thin line, and impatience was written all over his face.

He took out his phone and opened the photo his father had sent him.

It had clearly been taken from a distance. It was a petite woman, bathed in warm sunlight, her eyes crinkling into crescents as she smiled, looking innocent and gentle.

He pocketed the phone and let his eyes drift across the crowd.

It didn't take long before his eyes settled on a slender woman dressed in a black trench coat. Her hair was loosely pinned up, and despite wearing no makeup at all, her beauty was impossible to overlook.

He studied her for a brief moment before walking over.

"You're from Esterland?" he asked in a calm, detached voice after stopping in front of her.

Khloe looked up in surprise, clearly puzzled by the unexpected question.

Assuming Ashton had sent him, she quietly nodded.

Receiving the confirmation he wanted, Caiden asked nothing else.

"Follow me," he said simply before turning around and walking away.

Khloe immediately picked up her suitcase and hurried after him.

Once inside the car, Caiden leaned back and shut his eyes-clearly not in the mood to chat.

Khloe also remained silent. She turned toward the window and quietly watched the scenery outside.

She'd just walked away from a three-year mistake. Exhausted in every way, all she wanted now was to go back to the home she hadn't seen in years.

From the driver's seat, the driver quietly studied the rearview mirror. Those two looked nothing like a couple about to get married.

Khloe slowly blinked and shifted her attention back to the view outside. The moment she recognized the building in front of them, she stiffened.

It was the Sokmont City Hall.

She turned toward Caiden, completely bewildered. "Why did you bring me here?"

By then, Caiden had already stepped out of the car. He looked back at her with a slight frown. "Didn't your family explain anything? Given how things are with them right now, marrying me is your best bet."

Khloe's thoughts instantly went blank. What exactly was he talking about?

Then Ashton's earlier message suddenly resurfaced in her mind. A horrible thought struck her-was her family in trouble? Had things gotten so bad that Ashton had to marry her off to save them?

With trembling fingers, she quickly called Ashton's number. It went straight to voicemail.

She dialed again. Then again. Every attempt ended exactly the same way.

Her heart slowly sank.

Three years earlier, she had abandoned her family without looking back. She had severed every tie for Vernon's sake. If her family was truly facing a disaster now, how could she possibly turn her back on them again? Marriage was nothing more than a piece of paper. Who the groom was didn't matter. If this could save her family, she'd take it-no matter the cost.

She slowly lowered her phone, drew a deep breath, and stepped out of the car. "Let's do it."

Caiden briefly looked at her. Something about her response felt unusual, but he had no interest in asking questions.

One after another, they walked into the city hall.

The entire registration was completed in less than an hour.

When they emerged from the building, Caiden pulled out a key and handed it to Khloe. "Villa 8, Crystal Villas. Move in whenever. I've got things to do-catch you later."

With that, he slipped into his car and drove off.

Khloe watched the car disappear into the distance, her lips parting slightly in disbelief. Was that really the extent of his enthusiasm for getting married?

Then again, perhaps that was exactly how it should be. Their marriage was nothing more than an agreement, so there was no reason to act like a devoted couple.

Pushing the thought aside, she tucked the key into her bag, walked over to the roadside, and hailed a passing taxi.

About thirty minutes later, the taxi came to a stop outside the familiar wrought-iron gates.

After paying the driver, Khloe stepped out of the car.

Her eyes stung as she took in the house.

Three years ago, she'd walked down this driveway vowing never to come back-convinced love was all she needed, convinced Vernon was the one.

How stupid that seemed now.

Just then, the front gates slowly opened. An elderly man with graying hair hurried toward her, accompanied by two household staff.

"Khloe! You're finally home!" Edwin Hayes, the family's longtime butler, stopped in front of her with tear-filled eyes. "You've become so thin..."

Seeing the man who had cared for her since she was little, Khloe felt warmth spread through her heart. She gently took hold of his arm and smiled. "I'm home."

"Coming back is all that matters." Edwin discreetly wiped the moisture from the corner of his eye, his voice thick with emotion. "Come inside."

Khloe nodded with a gentle smile and walked into the estate beside him.

"Where are my brothers?" she asked as casually as she could.

Edwin replied, "Ashton is tied up with company matters. But he instructed everyone last night to prepare for your return today, so the entire household has been busy since early this morning. As for Bryson, he's still overseas. He most likely hasn't heard that you've come home yet."