chapter┊ ✦. :: five
♡ ﹙past﹚  ❋ ˚ ݂ ꛒ

Carlisle didn't want to pry into Lydia's personal life, but he couldn't help but read her file once it was in his hands. All her information laid out before his eyes, and although he knew it was wrong, he couldn't stop himself from reading it at least four times, even though he had memorized it the first time.

Lydia Alexandra Knox. Her birthday is on February 16. Her blood type is AB+. She doesn't suffer from any diseases or allergies. Her parents moved to Florida a few years ago after living most of their lives in Forks. She has a younger sister named Lilian, who is a journalist.

Lydia studied for a while in London before returning and starting her medical studies at Harvard. In recent years, she lived in Minnesota, where she worked at a prestigious hospital, Mayo Clinic, having been the top of her class. She was the one who suddenly resigned and sought employment in the community hospital of a forgotten town, leaving fame and recognition behind. The reason? Just under a year ago, she called off her engagement to a fairly well-known doctor. No one knew the reason, but it was at the same time that Lydia disappeared.

Lydia had been engaged? Carlisle never expected that, and suddenly he felt bad for snooping into matters that were none of his business. He was supposed to be the most sensible one and should have backed off the moment he felt curious.

The blonde sank into his chair as he ran his hand over his chin, something was bothering him, and for a moment, he hesitated to pick up the phone, but in the end, he did.

"Hello? Yes, it's me. I need a big favor," there was a moment of silence, "I'm investigating someone. Anything you can find about Jonah Rigby. It's urgent."

He hung up the phone and looked back at the file on his desk. What he was doing was terribly wrong, but he couldn't undo it now. He had ordered Lydia to be investigated, but he no longer felt good about invading her privacy.

On the second night of the night shift, Carlisle arrived much earlier than Lydia and sensed her scent as soon as he set foot in the hospital. This time he had no excuse to approach her, and he hated that. Perhaps the next night, he would stop by to buy a coffee and wouldn't arrive so early, just to be able to give it to her on time. Or he would take one of those books he had promised her, although technically he hadn't promised them, he just suggested it.

He frowned when Lydia's scent got closer, and he was pleasantly surprised when he heard her knock on the door of his office. He scattered some papers carelessly on the desk and settled into his seat, pretending to write something.

"Come in."

The door opened, and Lydia didn't seem as tired this time. She entered, closing the door behind her, but her stay didn't last long. She handed Carlisle a sealed envelope.

"At the reception, I ran into a courier, and he said it was for you. He mentioned it was the medical file you requested this morning."

Carlisle nearly cursed. If Lydia found out whose documents those were, the little relationship they had formed would be broken forever.

"Thank you," he spoke kindly, taking the envelope.

Lydia nodded and crossed her arms.

"Now you're also a private investigator?"

"Not really, just a case I was curious about."

She nodded, not very convinced.

"Whose file is it?" she sighed, almost interrupting her own question, "you know what? I don't really want to know. I'll go see the patients for tonight."

With nothing more to add, Lydia turned around and left the office. Could Carlisle have more luck? He waited for the girl to be far enough away to open the envelope.

He carefully read the documents, and an immense anger began to run through his body. Apparently, Jonah, a famous neurosurgeon, got engaged to Lydia after three years of dating. However, the reason for their breakup: the man cheated on her with her younger sister. Additionally, Lydia had filed a restraining order against him as he had begun to harass her, dissatisfied with the broken engagement. The man still worked at that famous hospital and got engaged to Lilian, Lydia's younger sister.

Now he perfectly understood why Lydia had gone to that little lost town. He felt a little sorry for her; she really had the potential to be one of the best doctors in the country or even in the world, but that jerk had ruined her completely.

She shouldn't know that he had investigated her, or she would hate him even more.

He was really confused, with a great moral dilemma that was beginning to torment him. He was crossing that line he had drawn with everyone outside his family. Involving a human was terribly wrong. Lydia still had a lot to live, but Carlisle wished so much to be by her side.

He had never felt anything like this. Why should he let her go? Well, because he was the most sensible one in the family. He was the one with the most experience, and he knew perfectly well that none of this would end well for either of them.

The funny thing is that Edward was in the same situation. His dear nephew had also fallen in love with a human, but unlike him, Edward had decided to give in to his feelings. Carlisle would have done the same if Lydia wasn't so stubborn that she only saw him as someone she had to overcome.

He decided that those documents had to be destroyed; Lydia could find them at any time and start asking too many questions. So that was the first thing he did, take the documents to the shredder and then burn the remains. It might be considered exaggerated, but he didn't want to take any chances.

It was almost two in the morning when the man decided it was a good time to leave his office and take a walk. Even he was getting bored of doing absolutely nothing.

He followed Lydia's scent, which led him once again to the doctors' lounge, and upon entering, he decided to make some coffee to pass the time.

"I don't hate you, you know?" he heard Lydia's voice, but he didn't turn to look at her, "maybe I was too prejudiced when I first met you, and I admit I was wrong. And there's a reason I don't like you..." she chuckled, Carlisle then looked at her curiously but continued his work, "I don't like being number two, you understand? I've always been the best at everything I do, I always surpassed even my teachers, and it's something I really enjoy. I don't think I'm a genius or anything like that because there's no one in the world who knows everything, and I know there will always be someone better than me, but I can't accept it. Stupidly, I thought it would be the same in this town, but suddenly you appear, and you're the perfect Dr. Cullen that everyone loves and who does absolutely everything right. And I don't like it."

The girl used a annoyed tone, but she didn't seem upset at all; in fact, she seemed amused by her confession. Carlisle brought the now filled cup of coffee to his lips but didn't take a sip.

"It really bothers me that you're better than me at everything, and you don't even have to try," she continued

. But this time she made some dramatic movements with her hands, "I have some theories."

The blonde smiled a little, leaving the cup next to the microwave. He crossed his arms and looked curiously at the girl who was sitting.

"So, Miss Knox, what are your theories?" he asked interested.

"I'm eighty percent sure you're some kind of mafia boss or serial killer. No one is that perfect, and I'm sure you must have some... wrong thing."

Carlisle almost burst out laughing but restrained himself and frowned as he looked towards the door. Lydia also turned, and a girl suddenly appeared.

"Alice," the man called out before Lydia reacted.

That short girl with hair that spread all over the place had a big smile on her face. But she wasn't looking at Carlisle; in fact, she was looking very excitedly at Lydia.

"You must be Dr. Knox, everyone in town talks a lot about you," she approached her while extending her hand.

Lydia felt dazed for a moment but stood up and shook the girl's hand. She noticed it was very cold, but she figured it was because of the cold weather outside.

"Pleasure, Alice?"

"Yes, Alice Cullen. Carlisle is my uncle. He forgot something at home, so I came to bring it to him."

"Oh, I see. Then I'll leave you alone."

Lydia smiled awkwardly before leaving and taking a walk around the hospital. Then Carlisle looked curiously at Alice.

"I didn't forget anything at home."

"I know," she left the small bag she was carrying on the table, "it's just that I wanted to meet her. You never talk about her, and it was starting to frustrate me."

The man smiled slightly.

"Alice," he used his warning tone.

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just that I couldn't help it," she sat on one of the chairs, "she's very pretty."

"She is. But you know I couldn't involve her in our world; she's human and has a life ahead of her. It's something I couldn't take away from her."

"But she's your mate. You also deserve to be happy, Carlisle."

"Today I found out that her ex-fiancé cheated on her with her younger sister," he suddenly confessed, "do you think for a second she's interested in pursuing a romantic relationship after that?"

"But you're not him," she replied obviously.

"Alice..."

The girl stood up and took the man's hands.

"Carlisle, I really believe you both are good for each other. In the past few weeks, you've seemed much happier and strangely radiant. And I'm not the only one who's noticed it; everyone sees it and sees how eager you seem to come to work every day. You know we'll all support you always; thanks to you, we found a family, and we all want you to be happy. But don't be afraid to try. She'll understand; she has a very open mind, but give her space."

Carlisle nodded. Alice's words made him feel better.

"I don't promise anything, okay? But I'll let things happen."

"I'm okay with that."

"By the way, do you know anything about Bella?"

"Just that Edward is still obsessed with her and follows her everywhere. I found out he goes to see her while she sleeps; it's very weird."

He nodded again with a little amusement combined with bewilderment.

"Go back home."

"Okay. You go talk to her."

The blonde smiled just a little; both left the room and walked through the empty hospital corridors. The smell of blood was almost nonexistent at that hour, and only because of that, Alice had been able to enter that place. He took her to the entrance door, where he said goodbye and watched her drive away in her car.

When Carlisle returned to look for Lydia, he found her quickly in the waiting room, which except for her, was completely empty. There was also no trace of the nurses. Maybe they had gone to get something to eat.

Carlisle took a seat in the same armchair as Lydia but left plenty of space between them to avoid making her feel uncomfortable. She was semi-lying down, staring at the ceiling.

"I was engaged less than a year ago," she suddenly spoke, but he didn't look at her, "but the idiot cheated on me with my younger sister... just a week before the wedding. Can you believe it? A week before... well, I found out a week before, but they didn't want to tell me for how long they had been dating. My own sister, my blood. I felt like my whole world had gone down the drain; I began to hate everyone, and I couldn't concentrate on work with him around.
So I quit, and I thought a fresh start would do me good. Forks was the perfect place. No one knew me well enough, and all I want is a normal and quiet life. Just that."

A normal and quiet life? It was definitely something Carlisle couldn't offer her even in his wildest dreams.

"I'm sorry about your fiancé," he spoke quietly.

They both looked at each other at the same time; Carlisle noticed the tears that had accumulated in the girl's eyes.

"It's okay. I'm still in the stage of hating him to death, but... what my sister did hurts. She was everything to me, and she betrayed me in that way. Besides... they're getting married in two months, and they had the damn audacity to send me an invitation. Now I'm just waiting for you not to have a sadder story than mine, or I'll feel too bad."

If she only knew. There was a short moment of silence.

"Would you like a hug?"

Lydia stared at the man intently; there were even more tears pooling in her eyes.

"I actually would," she murmured.

Carlisle moved a bit closer to Lydia from his place. She settled into the man's sturdy chest and let him wrap his arms around her. Then she started crying silently. The man didn't like seeing her cry at all, but he felt immensely happy to have her in his arms.

But suddenly, Lydia jumped up, looking very agitated, and looked almost horrified at the man.

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