Chapter 161

Ethan had prepared everything in advance. A private dining room. Soft lighting. Fresh flowers placed just right, nothing extravagant, but thoughtful enough to show care. After confirming the arrangements twice, he left the restaurant early and headed straight to the hospital. Sloane was still in her office when he arrived. She was bent over her desk, typing steadily, the faint glow of the monitor reflecting in her tired eyes. There was only one section left in the surgical report, yet her shoulders carried the weight of an entire day. She said without looking up, fingers still moving. “Aren’t you supposed to be drowning in work?” She had been in surgery almost nonstop. Even machines deserved a break, werewolf less so. Ethan smiled and set a bottle down beside her keyboard. “Honey grapefruit tea. Drink it first.” She paused, surprised, then took a sip. Warm. Slightly sweet. The tight knot in her chest loosened almost instantly. “That’s unfair,” she muttered. “You manage a company and st