Sign the Papers Mr. Langford novel Chapter 287

It was past eleven when Julian returned to the hospital that night.

The rain had stopped, but the pavement outside was still slick, reflecting the streetlights like shattered white thread in the puddles. He parked in the underground garage but didn't immediately get out.

The file folder Daisy had used earlier sat on the passenger seat.

On the very top page was her handwritten note:

*Never default a patient's silence to consent.*

Julian stared at it for a long time.

He used to make that exact mistake constantly.

When Daisy was in too much pain to speak, he assumed she didn't want him to worry. When doctors asked for her opinion and she looked at him first, he assumed she was relying on him.

It wasn't until later he realized that some silences had nothing to do with being cooperative. It was just the feeling of not knowing if speaking up would even matter.

His phone buzzed.

It was a message from Wren.

'I added Daisy's sentence to the new version. Thank you.'

Julian lowered his eyes to the screen.

There was so much he wanted to say.

He wanted to tell her she had worked hard today, wanted to tell her not to push herself to the breaking point, wanted to ask if the Langfords were making things difficult for her again.

In the end, he only replied:

'She'll be thrilled.'

After hitting send, he closed his hand around the phone.

Some concern couldn't be dressed up as project business if it went too far.

She was already being pulled in too many directions by too many identities. Mrs. Langford, mother, daughter-in-law, project lead, Vivian Vance's daughter.

He couldn't pile the weight of 'the woman he had feelings for' on top of all that.

When he stepped into the on-call room, the head nurse was organizing charts. She paused when she saw him.

"Dr. York, aren't you off today?"

"I came back to grab some files."

The head nurse shot him a look. "You doctors treat your days off like suggestions."

Julian took the folder. "Is there an issue with it?"

Simon hesitated. "Not with the project itself. It's just... there's a lot of gossip going around. People are talking about Ms. Whitaker from Stellaris and the Langford situation..."

He trailed off.

Julian looked up at him.

Simon immediately shut his mouth. "I'm not trying to gossip. I'm just worried the hospital will get dragged into it."

"That's exactly why we review the files." Julian set the folder down. "If the project doesn't meet compliance, we treat it as non-compliant. If it does, we don't subject it to extra scrutiny just because of her marriage."

Simon nodded. "Understood."

After he left, the office fell quiet again.

Julian leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

He knew Simon didn't mean any harm.

But this was exactly what Wren had to face now.

No matter what professional task she undertook, someone would always look at her marriage first. As if a woman's personal struggles naturally stripped away her right to sit at a conference table.