The Ex-Wife He Can’t Have novel Chapter 72

Mallory realized the implication and looked at Jillian with deep concern.

"I'm fine," Jillian said, offering a reassuring smile.

Mallory sighed. "Men are such complicated creatures."

Not wanting to dwell on Killian and Sylvia, Jillian smoothly changed the subject, teasing, "Sounds like you've had your heart broken by a man too?"

Mallory fell uncharacteristically silent.

Jillian didn't press the issue.

Back at St. Jude's University, she had heard plenty of rumors about Mallory's love life—mostly negative. People claimed she was arrogant, treated romance like a game, and loved trampling on people's hearts.

Jillian's phone rang. She glanced at the screen and immediately declined the call.

Mallory caught a glimpse of the caller ID. It was Gibson Xavier.

"How do you know him?" Mallory asked.

Before Jillian could answer, her imagination ran wild.

"Damn it, is he pressuring you to back off for his sister?"

Not wanting her to misunderstand Gibson, Jillian quickly clarified, "No, he doesn't know anything about the situation between Sylvia and me."

"Then why is he..."

Jillian hesitated for a moment. "I have severe depression. He's my attending psychiatrist."

Mallory was stunned into silence.

She had always just thought of Jillian as quiet and introverted. She never imagined her friend was battling severe depression.

How agonizing must her daily life be to reach that point?

"Does Killian know?"

Jillian shook her head.

She had never explicitly told him, but she hadn't hidden it either.

Her diagnosis was sitting right in her drawer, and her medication was on her nightstand.

Yet, no one had ever noticed. No one had ever asked.

"Please keep this a secret. I don't want anyone else to know," Jillian said.

Mallory nodded. "You have my word. But why did you decline his call?"

"I want to change doctors," Jillian replied softly.

Gibson was an excellent doctor, but he was Sylvia's brother.

She wouldn't take her resentment for Sylvia out on him, but she couldn't keep seeing him either.

In her eyes, Gibson, Killian, and Sylvia were all on the same side.

Across town, Gibson stared at his rejected call, a deep frown settling on his features.

Jillian hadn't shown up for her therapy sessions in two weeks. He had explicitly warned her not to interrupt her treatment.

When she missed the first week, Gibson assumed she was just busy and didn't push. But she had skipped this week too.

[I'm sorry, Dr. Xavier. I'm planning to switch my attending psychiatrist. I won't be taking up any more of your time.]

Jillian's text finally came through.