The examination confirmed what he’d suspected. I had developed a severe gastric ulcer. The surrounding tissue was badly inflamed, and the ulcer had progressed to the point where continued stress, delayed treatment, or ongoing strain could cause internal bleeding and possible hospitalization.

He turned the monitor toward me and spoke with calm determination. “You need to take this very seriously, Jocelyn.”

“I do.”

“I don’t think you realize how exhausted your body has become. You need medication, meals that won’t aggravate your stomach, and real recovery. Not one quiet afternoon — consistent rest.”

He updated my prescription and wrote out a detailed treatment plan. “No late-night work. Avoid unnecessary physical stress. And you must reduce the stress that’s contributing to this condition.”

I almost smiled at the irony. Reduce the stress. As if it were something I could unplug. As if it weren’t living in my house, wearing expensive loafers, expecting me to finance a shopping spree worth tens of thousands of dollars.