The Forbidden Throb (Emma and Daniel) novel Chapter 79

The Forbidden Throb

Chapter 79

Emma’s POV:

The young doctor froze mid–stride, his mouth falling open slightly as he stared at me.

His arms were full of patient files, which he clutched against his white coat.

For a few seconds, we just stared at each other–both of us clearly shocked. He apparently, startled to find someone in Dr. Prescott’s office. I was frozen by the sudden intrusion, my heart still hammering from the unexpected burst through the door.

Then his face changed.

His eyes widened with what looked like sudden comprehension, and he actually took a step back.

“You must be Dr. Prescott’s sister!” he exclaimed, his voice carrying that particular enthusiasm of someone who thinks they’ve just solved a mystery. “Oh my God, I’ve heard he has a younger sister–finally getting to meet you!”

He stopped, seeming to realize he was staring, and thrust out his hand. “I’m Quinn Chen, second–year cardiology

resident. It’s so nice to finally meet you!”

I felt my brain short–circuit.

Sister?

I opened my mouth to correct him, but Quinn was already barreling forward, giving me absolutely no space to

interrupt.

He continued, his words tumbling out in an excited rush. “You must be what, seventeen? Eighteen? Are you at

Phillips Academy? That’s where all the top prep school kids go around here.”

My cheeks burned. I was twenty–two years old. Twenty–two. And this resident thought I was a high schooler?

“I’m not,” I started, but Quinn had already turned toward Daniel’s desk, rifling through the files he’d brought.

*Your brother is literally a legend around here,” he said, not looking up. I mean, the youngest chief of cardiac

surgery Mass General has ever had, Harvard professor, and those surgical outcomes–they’re basically miraculous.”

He laughed, a nervous sound, “I’m hoping to get a fellowship recommendation from him eventually, once I prove myself worthy.”

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Chapter 79

“Actually,” I tried again, my voice a bit stronger this time. “I’m not—”

“Found it!” Quinn pulled out a manila folder triumphantly, then finally looked at me again.

8

His expression softened. “You know, it must be nice having such an accomplished older brother. I bet he’s super

protective of you.”

The words died in my throat. How had this snowballed so completely out of control?

“I need to ” Quinn glanced at his watch and swore under his breath. “Sorry, I have to get back to rounds. But it was great meeting you! Maybe we’ll see each other around more often now that.”

He gave me a friendly wave and hurried toward the door, files clutched against his chest.

“Wait,” I called after him, finally finding my voice. “You don’t understand, I’m not—

But he was already gone, the door swinging shut behind him with a soft click.

I sat frozen in Daniel’s chair, staring at the closed door.

My reflection in the window showed a girl with flushed cheeks and wide eyes.

Sister. He thought I was Daniel’s sister.

After I’d just spent ten minutes at the nurses‘ station establishing that I was Daniel’s wife, one of his own residents had decided–based purely on how young I supposedly looked–that I must be his teenage sister instead.

I stood up and moved to the small mirror hanging beside Daniel’s bookshelves, studying my reflection with a

critical eye. Cream sweater, jeans, hair pulled back in a simple ponytail. My face was bare except for a touch of lip

balm, and my sneakers–comfortable, practical–suddenly looked painfully juvenile.

Did I really look that young? That… immature?

Maybe I needed to reconsider my entire style.

The thought was both frustrating and oddly amusing.

Through the partially open door, I could hear Quinn’s voice in the hallway, slightly muffled but still audible.

“— you’ll never believe who I just met—”

Oh no, Oh no.

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Chapter 79

I stood up quickly, moving toward the door.

“Dr. Prescott has a sister!” Quinn’s voice carried down the corridor, filled with enthusiasm. “I just saw her in his office. She’s probably sixteen or

r seventeen, tops.”

1 pressed myself against the doorframe, peering through the gap. Quinn was standing with two nurses and another

resident.

One of the nurses gasped. ‘What? But Jenny just told us that a girl came by claiming to be his wife, and that they’d just gotten married!”

“Wife?” Quinn scoffed, shaking his head, “No way. This girl is definitely his sister. She’s way too young to be anyone’s wife, especially Dr. Prescott’s. Jenny must have misheard, or the girl was joking around.”

I wanted to disappear into the floor. Or maybe burst into the hallway and set the record straight. But my feet seemed rooted to the spot, and my voice had completely abandoned me.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, making me jump. I pulled it out with shaking hands.

Daniel: Conference just ended. Heading back to the office right now.

Quinn continued his enthusiastic explanation, his hands gesturing animatedly as he spoke to Melissa and the

other resident.

“I’m telling you, she’s definitely his sister,” Quinn insisted, his voice carrying that absolute certainty of someone

who thinks they’ve figured everything out.

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