Chapter Text
Zayne didn’t even realize he’d lived his whole life for Cindy until she got engaged, and he suddenly found himself questioning the reason for everything he’s done. Ever since that dream he had at twelve years of age, she was his whole life. He went to medical school to take care of her. He became a cardiac surgeon because he dreamt of her heart condition. He left his parents and moved back to Linkon City because of her.
He knew she didn’t quite see him the same way, but when she showed up to dinner with some guy he’d never seen before and a ring shining on her finger, he felt his world shatter. He couldn’t remember the rest of that dinner, just that he somehow got through it and when he went home, that marriage proposal letter he’d received just a week prior found its way out of the recycling bin.
Elaine was the daughter of Akso Hospital’s director. He didn’t know much about her other than she was one of the nurses on the nephrology floor and she’d come with a heavy, heavy dowry. Zayne, being the hospital’s most prominent doctor, would be an excellent son-in-law to have during the upcoming re-election for her father’s position.
*
A few days later, Zayne approached her after work. He confessed that he was in love with another, but he would still treat her well and be friendly should the marriage go through. He explained that he pulled her aside to ask if she was alright with marrying him and that if she wasn’t, he would tell the director he just wasn’t interested.
Elaine stated she was fine with it and that she did not expect someone who was arranged to marry her would love her. Since her older brother would inherit her family name, she had been prepared her whole life for an arranged marriage, so she did not mind a purely professional relationship with her husband.
Zayne was taken aback by her calm demeanor. He had half expected someone born with a silver spoon to have many demands and conditions and half expected a normal human being to be at least sad to be thrown into a loveless marriage. Still, he was glad this marriage was going to go through without much of a hitch. He decided that even if he cannot be beside Cindy, he would still be there to support her when her heart condition decides to rear its head, and the funds from Elaine’s dowry would be just what he needed to complete his research.
*
Elaine wasn’t anything like Zayne expected at all. He thought she would be as high-maintenance as the rich girls he saw in the media, but she turned out to be reasonable and caring. If anything, Zayne found her a bit too caring, almost annoyingly so. He knew he was being unfair in his assessment though, not when he’s constantly comparing her to Cindy. Whereas Cindy depended on Zayne and acted cutely foolish, Elaine seemed to want to be the one taking care of everything. The most annoying part about her though, was how she slowly chipped away at his pain of being married to someone other than his Cindy, one freshly brewed coffee with cream and sugar at a time.
*
He wasn’t sure when he started falling in love with Elaine, but if he’d look back, there was a particular moment. Elaine had been floated to his floor due to a staffing shortage (because of course; it’s healthcare lol). They shared a patient who could at most undertake one more procedure, and they had opposing views of his possible differential. As he was arguing his stance, Zayne could not help but be surprised at how his usually mild wife could be so passionate about something. He’d realized over the months they’d been together she’d been raised to be a “sit still, look pretty” kind of girl, but, although her tone was still level and calm, her direct and decisive language, not to mention the slight furrow of her brow and narrowing of her eyes, commanded attention and respect.
Their discussion ended in an impasse as the patient's condition turned for the worse. Zayne rushed off to surgery, and, as the head surgeon, began the procedure he believed to be right. However, a half hour in, the symptoms did not align with his hypothesis as much as he thought they would. As Zayne’s hands hovered over the cut that would be the point of no return, he thought about Elaine’s words and reasoning.
Nurses scurried around the floor whispering to each other that Zayne was “storming” down the hall. Zayne was known for his stoicism and cold, decisive personality, so having also had witnessed his and Elaine’s disagreement earlier, the nurses were rounding up to witness the drama they hoped would ensue.
Elaine was putting together something at the nurses’ station when she heard his rapid footsteps. She barely had time to look up and recognize Zayne before he engulfed her into a hug. A collective gasp came out of everyone on the floor, including her who had never been embraced by her husband before.
“You were right,” he panted. “You saved him.”
Elaine took a moment to grasp the situation. “Is he going to be alright?”
“Yes, yes. He’s going to make it. He’s going to be okay.”
Elaine gently put her arms around his back. Relief sank down on her shoulders as she patted him rhythmically. “I’m so glad.”
Now, Zayne would not say it was her intelligence or courage to stand up against a “doctor” that moved him, but her passion for the patient and genuine care. It was also the way she stood by him during a literally life defining moment, struggling with him and celebrating with him with the same love for their patient he has.
Slowly, Zayne began to appreciate how she understood his medical jargon and went down his nerdy rabbit holes with him. He began to choose shifts that aligned with hers and looked forward to the days he could drive home with her together. He slept better when he could feel a dip in the bed and he requested she address him by just “Zayne” rather than “Doctor” outside of work.