Chapter 1

1

"Professor Thorne, I've made up my mind. I am going to go abroad to pursue my medical fellowship."

On the other end of the line, Professor Thorne sounded thrilled. "I'm so glad you figured it out. It would be a damn shame to stop now with your level of talent." He promised to arrange everything for my transfer to Montreal within a month and told me to start preparing.

I let out a soft breath. "Okay, thank you, Professor."

"By the way, is your brother really okay with you moving all the way to Canada by yourself? He treats you like his absolute treasure, so I was worried he'd put his foot down."

My fingers tightened around my phone. "He…"

Outside the consultation room, a young nurse suddenly knocked on the door. "Dr. Brielle, the department head said a VIP patient just arrived. He needs you out there immediately."

I nodded. But when I turned my head, I spotted a familiar face in the hallway outside.

She was wearing a loose maternity dress that showed off a slight bump. Her face was free of makeup, yet she radiated absolute bliss.

Not far away, a tall, handsome man walked toward her with a gentle smile. He handed her a cup of warm water with the utmost care.

I couldn't hear what he said, but the girl playfully swatted his chest before clinging to his arm and whining cutely. The man just chuckled, petting her hair affectionately as he let her lean against him.

Not getting a response, the young nurse prompted me again. "Dr. Brielle?"

"Yeah, I heard you. I'll be right there."

On the phone, Professor Thorne spoke up. "Go handle your patients. I'll call you once the university over there is sorted."

"Got it."

"And remember to sit down and talk properly with your brother. He watched you grow up, so it's totally understandable if he's worried about you moving abroad alone."

I raised my head once more, staring at the couple cuddling outside the glass window.

"He'll agree."

The old Callahan might have worried. He might have even dropped all his CEO duties to fly to Montreal with me.

But now? He was probably praying I'd move as far away as possible so I wouldn't ruin his new life.

I hung up the phone and walked to the department head's office.

Dr. Evans smiled brightly at me. "Brielle, this patient specifically requested you to handle everything regarding her prenatal care. Let me introduce you to―"

"Oh, there's no need for introductions! We've known Dr. Brielle forever."

Callahan and Gemma pushed the door open and walked in.

Gemma immediately bounced over and threw her arms around me. "Brielle, I'm so sorry I kept this a secret from you! Your brother insisted we couldn't tell anyone until I was past the first trimester. You know I always listen to him!"

Callahan was holding a bunch of stuff for her. A pink Stanley cup, a pink cardigan, and a pink designer handbag.

Gemma loved pink. Everything she owned had to be pink.

But pink was the color I hated the most.

Callahan gently pulled Gemma back. "Be careful. You're going to be a mother soon, you can't keep jumping around like a kid."

Gemma stuck her tongue out at him playfully. Then she clung to my arm again, whining like a spoiled brat. "Brielle, your brother is such a nag! He still treats me like a child, telling me I can't do this and I can't do that. I'm so bored!"

Callahan sighed helplessly. "What kind of pregnant woman begs to go on a roller coaster?"

"Hmph, well, you wouldn't let me eat ice cream either!" Gemma continued to complain. "Brielle, don't you find him incredibly annoying? How did you survive living with him for twenty-something years?"

For over twenty years, I had been the center of Callahan's universe.

My parents died in a tragic accident when I was a toddler, and I was taken in by the Kensington family.

Callahan was five years older than me. When I was just a little girl, he was already a handsome teenager.

He spoiled me rotten. Sometimes even Mr. and Mrs. Kensington would scold him, saying, "If you keep spoiling her like this, she'll never find a boyfriend."

They were right. If I used Callahan as the standard for a boyfriend, I would definitely die alone.

No man in the world could ever match the way he cared for me.

With me, Callahan had almost zero boundaries, except for one rule. He never allowed me to call him "brother."

Even though all our teachers and classmates knew we were adoptive siblings, he strictly forbade it.

I used to be so confused and asked him why.

Callahan would just chuckle, tap my nose affectionately, and say, "Silly girl."

Later, as I grew older and experienced my first crush, I slowly began to understand what he meant.

At first, I was shocked, but that shock quickly melted into a secret, sweet joy.

But just when I finally gathered the courage to confess my feelings, Callahan took another girl's hand.

Gemma was my best friend.

During high school, she used to come over to the Kensington estate all the time to do homework with me.

But Gemma's grades were average, so she eventually pivoted to an art program and focused on painting.

That was how she got close to Callahan.

I only found out about them because Gemma had been complaining about a figure sketching assignment. She said she couldn't find the right model.

Until one day, I saw the canvas she had been working on.

She had painted Callahan. Naked.

It was only from the waist up, but after living with him for over two decades, I knew his body too well.

Callahan was a deeply private man. He would never agree to such an absurd, intimate request unless it was for the girl he loved.

I forced myself to look at him, my voice trembling slightly. "Um... congratulations. You two are going to be parents."

Callahan's response was cold and distant. "Thank you, Dr. Brielle."

"There's no need to thank me."

"Gemma's pregnancy is a bit unstable. We'll be troubling you a lot over the next few months, so please take good care of her."

Dr. Evans beamed at us. "Wow, so Mr. Kensington is actually your brother! That's fantastic. You'll be personally caring for your future sister-in-law and your unborn nephew. I know you'll give them the best care possible."

"Dr. Evans, if there's nothing else, I'll head back. I have a few patient charts to update, and people are waiting."

I practically fled the office.

As soon as I got back to my own desk, the very first thing I did was set an alarm on my phone.

One month.

In exactly one month, I would be leaving this city for good.

From then on, I would never intrude on Callahan and Gemma's perfect little life again.