All names, places, and events in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real persons or events is purely coincidental.
And there it was—the painfully familiar fork in the road.
The last time Dana stood here was three years ago, though her mood back then couldn’t have been more different. She’d been bursting with excitement, brimming with anticipation for something good. It felt like the future held nothing but happiness and success, both in her career and personal life. Yet the heavens had opened up, rain pouring down like a broken gutter, soaking her to the skin. She should’ve taken it as a bad omen.
Sadly, her first return to this place after finishing university brought none of the joy she’d hoped for. With one small exception, hardly worth mentioning, everything had gone the exact opposite of her expectations. “Bad luck” was far too mild a way to describe the mess Dana had found herself in—a mess that forced her to flee from Dovhuntsi.
Could this time be different? Doubtful, of course, but Dana had no other choice left.
She adjusted her travel bag on top of her wheeled suitcase, grateful she hadn’t opted for high-heeled sandals for the journey. They would’ve surely gotten stuck in the softened asphalt. At least it was summer—no need to lug around heavy winter clothes.
“That’s right. Look for the silver lining.”
Dana let out a wry chuckle. Finding the positive was all she had left. If it weren’t for desperate circumstances, she’d never have come back to this place.
The main highway stretched out straight ahead. A bus, the one she’d taken to reach this junction, had just rumbled past. Unfortunately, there was no direct route to the small town nestled on the nearby hill.
Dana glanced at the road branching off to the right, leading to her destination. Somewhere among the scattered houses of varying sizes, now hidden in lush greenery, stood the two-story building of the local hospital. That’s where she’d be working soon. For the second time.
Her first attempt had been three years ago. Back then, Dana had crashed and burned—not just professionally, but personally too. She’d only recently started to recover from the unexpected humiliation that had blindsided her. But life, once again, left her no other option.
Dana adjusted her wide-brimmed hat and smoothed out her linen sundress. She tilted her head back, gazing into the deep blue sky. Swallows darted through the air in sharp, unpredictable arcs. She’d better hurry if she didn’t want to trek to Dovhuntsi in the midday heat. The next local bus wasn’t due for another hour—if it even showed up. Her only hope was that someone might offer her a ride along the way.
A car of her own would’ve come in handy right about now, but she didn’t have the money for one. And what savings could an orphan, fresh out of her medical internship, possibly have? She was lucky enough, thanks to her circumstances and, of course, her hard work, to have gotten a medical education at all. She hadn’t even needed to stay in a dorm—she’d lived with her Aunt Nadia, her mother’s sister. Another aunt, Vera, was already waiting for her in town.
“See? Things aren’t so bad.”
Dana took another look around. Seeing nothing but a tractor heading her way, she grabbed her belongings and started dragging her suitcase along the asphalt. It seemed the road had gotten even worse in her absence—pothole after pothole. But there was no other path forward.
She flinched as a car zoomed past her, almost silently. Her surprise doubled when it slowed down, and the passenger door swung open. Dana stopped, hesitant to accept the unspoken invitation. She didn’t know who was behind the wheel. Besides, something like this had happened before. That time, an incredibly handsome young man had stepped out of the car to introduce himself.
But now… Could it be him—Nick? Or could it?
Completely thrown off, Dana sat down on her suitcase. Her legs felt unsteady. The memories were too vivid. How was she supposed to live here again?
At that moment, the driver’s door opened, and golden strands of hair glinted in the sunlight. Dana’s breath caught in her throat—the hair, the broad shoulders, they reminded her so much of that old, reckless infatuation.
But when the man turned to face her, she realized she was mistaken. He bore a striking resemblance to Nick, but it wasn’t him. The lines of his face were sharper. A shadow of stubble added a brooding edge. His lean frame no longer carried the boyish charm of youth. This was a grown man—Hnat. Nick’s older brother, and the very person who had driven her away from this place. Forced her to run.
What did he want now? To remind her she didn’t belong here?
Dana didn’t move as he approached—stern, unyielding. She’d once feared him even more than she hated him. It seemed those feelings hadn’t faded.
Look at that—her knees were trembling, like she was a schoolgirl called to the principal’s office. And she was still sitting down.
Hnat Horay stopped right in front of her, narrowing his eyes as he took in Dana and her luggage. Then he barked, “Get in the car. Or do you need a written invitation?”
He wanted to give her a ride?
“I… I’d rather walk,” Dana stammered, mentally cursing herself for the uncharacteristic high pitch in her voice. It even sounded a bit shaky.
“On a Sunday, you’ll be waiting for a ride until nightfall. And walking, especially with those bags, will take you at least an hour, if not more. Get in, I said.”
“What if I get in, and you just drive me back to the fork? I’ve already walked nearly a mile on my own, and I can manage the rest.”
Hnat shoved his hands into the pockets of his nearly black jeans, and Dana couldn’t help but glance at his strong legs in leather loafers.
Where was he coming from, heading into town so early on a weekend morning? From a woman’s place? She didn’t think he’d been married before. But three years was a long time.
Stupid thoughts. Probably just exhaustion. If it weren’t Hnat standing in front of her, she’d likely have agreed to get in the car. But with him…
“Why didn’t Vera’s husband come to pick you up? Doesn’t he have a car?”
That’s small-town life for you. Everyone knows everything about everyone.
“I didn’t tell them exactly when I’d arrive. Why bother people? I’m not a child anymore.”
Hnat gave her another look, one that made her feel feverish even in the heat. Nick’s brother probably still hated her too. So why had he stopped?
“I can see you’re not a child. Stop being stubborn. Time’s not on our side. Or are you scared of me? Good. You should be.”
Oddly enough, hearing her fear voiced by her adversary sparked the opposite reaction in Dana. She straightened up, crossing her arms over her chest, and shot back with defiance in her tone, “I’m not scared. Why would I be? I’ve never done anything wrong to you. Or should I start now?”
Hnat didn’t take the bait. He grumbled, as if speaking to an annoying teenager, “They’re waiting for me at the hospital. Hand over your bag.”
To him, she probably was too young. Especially back then. How old was he now? Thirty-four?
“Dictator,” Dana muttered under her breath, as quietly as she could.
Hnat smirked, picked up her travel bag with one hand and her suitcase with the other, carrying them to the car as if they were mere shopping bags. He tossed them into the trunk and slid behind the wheel.
Dana had no choice but to follow the man who had once been her tormentor, accuser, and judge all rolled into one.
She settled into the cool interior of the car and let out a sigh of relief.
“Don’t get too comfortable,” came a voice from beside her. “I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”
“What, are you going to plant a bug in my bag? No, wait—probably my stethoscope,” Dana retorted boldly. Yet at the same time, she felt an overwhelming urge to step back out into the heat. The threat in his voice made the air inside the car feel even colder.
“I’ve warned you.”