My Surgeon Husband Rebuilt My Face To Match His First Love’s Chapter 04
The Cheap Copy
A message request comes in after midnight.
I stare at the name for a few seconds.
Violet Ames.
Then the first message appears.
“I’m Violet.”
The second one follows almost immediately.
“I saw you outside Graham’s office last night. So you know now, don’t you? You know why your face looks like mine.”
My fingers tighten around the phone.
Before I can type anything, another message comes in.
“Did you really think he couldn’t tell the real rose from the cheap copy? As long as I’m here, you will always be the lesser one.”
She waits just long enough for me to read it.
Then she withdraws the messages.
I sit in the dark, shaking so hard I can barely hold my phone.
It is not only because of Violet’s cruelty. It is Graham too. His lies. His soft voice. The way he made betrayal look like love for years.
I walk into the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror.
The face staring back at me is beautiful. Perfect, even.
And suddenly, it disgusts me.
My stomach turns. I bend over the toilet and throw up until there is nothing left, until my throat burns and my whole body feels hollow.
…
Graham comes home the next morning.
He looks exhausted, but the moment I get out of bed, breakfast is already waiting on the table.
Warm oatmeal. Toast. A glass of milk.
He has always been like this.
For years, he has been the perfect boyfriend. No matter how late he gets off work, he cooks for me. He takes care of every chore at home.
When he travels, he tells me where he is going, what he is doing, and when he will be back. Even when he is tired, he still makes time to video call me.
He remembers every important date and always has some small, thoughtful surprise ready for me, keeping a polite distance from other women.
What a perfect man.
So how did we end up here?
I sit down and quietly finish the oatmeal.
Graham watches me carefully. Maybe he thinks I am still upset because he did not come home on our wedding night. Maybe he thinks one breakfast can smooth over the cracks.
When I put down the spoon, I say, “I have something for you.”
His eyes soften. He smiles a little, probably thinking it is a wedding gift.
I go back to the bedroom and return with a folder.
“Sign these as soon as you can.”
I place it in front of him.
The smile freezes on his face when he sees the words on the first page.
Divorce papers.
“Elena?” His voice changes. “What is this?”
Then, as if he suddenly understands something, panic flashes through his eyes.
“Is this because I didn’t come home last night? I’m sorry. I know I was wrong, but there really was an emergency at the hospital. I couldn’t leave.”
He looks so sincere.
If I had not seen everything with my own eyes, I might have believed him.
But Graham has always been good at this.
His acting is almost as impressive as his surgical skills.
“I know,” I say.
He stops.
I look at him and speak before he can come up with another excuse.
“I know about you and Violet.”
His whole body goes stiff, “Elena, how did you…”
He trails off, clearly shocked that I found out.
I laugh softly.
“Graham, has anyone ever told you that you’re a terrible actor?”
His lips part, but no sound comes out.
“Yesterday, at the wedding, your eyes were on Violet the whole time. If I still couldn’t tell something was wrong, I would have to be an idiot.”
He swallows hard.
I try to hold back the sting in my eyes, but my voice still shakes when I ask, “What am I to you? A stand-in?”
His face turns pale.
“You were so sure I would never find out. After you made me look like this, did your friends know? Did your parents know? Have they all been watching me like I’m the joke?”
I look at him, and my chest aches so badly I can hardly breathe.
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to live with this face now. I escaped one nightmare just to wake up inside another one.”
Graham stands so fast his chair scrapes against the floor. He rushes over and pulls me into his arms.
“I’m sorry, Elena. I was wrong. But I love you. I really do. You can’t leave me. We were happy these past few years, weren’t we? We can keep being happy.”
I push against him, but his hands grip my shoulders.
For a man who always keeps himself controlled, he looks almost desperate now, like he is trying to hold on to something rare and precious.
I know exactly what I am worth to him.
“Stop lying to me,” I say. “Do you know how sick I feel looking at this face? If I had to live the rest of my life looking like her, I’d rather be disfigured again.”
Graham sways as if I have struck him.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I’m sorry, Elena. Back then, I truly wanted to help you, but when the surgery started, I don’t know what happened. I just…”
His voice breaks.
“Trust me. I don’t love Violet anymore. I swear I’ll never see her again.”
His hands tighten on my shoulders. His eyes are red and frantic.
“If you don’t like this face, I can change it. Anything you want. I can give you any face you want.”
The words hit me like a slap.
My ears ring.
Blood rushes through my body so fast that the room tilts around me.
Then everything goes black.