The Edge of Yesterday

She came home to escape a scandal—only to confront the grief she never dared face. Two years after her husband's tragic death, Clara Hayes returns to Martha’s Vineyard, where the sea is restless, and the past is louder than ever.

Once a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, Clara’s world implodes when a high-profile malpractice case forces her into an unwanted sabbatical. Seeking solitude, she retreats to the weathered beach house she and her late husband once dreamed of restoring.

But the island isn’t quiet. It whispers of unfinished love, family wounds, and truths long buried. Reconnecting with her estranged sister, Evie, and Jack’s former best friend, Daniel—who harbors secrets of his own—Clara is forced to choose between clinging to who she was and discovering who she might become.

Set against the salt-swept charm of Martha’s Vineyard, The Edge of Yesterday is a deeply moving story about love after loss, the courage to start over, and the healing that only home can bring.

Chapter 1
Clara

“Dr. Hayes,” the HR manager, Tatum, said softly, her tone a mix of feigned sympathy and clinical detachment. “I’m sure you understand that we have no choice but to put you on administrative leave while this medical malpractice lawsuit is handled.”
Clara sat stiffly in the chair opposite Tatum, her hands clenched tightly in her lap. The sterile office felt unbearably small, the walls closing in as the woman across from her spoke. Clara heard the words, but they didn’t register.
Her mind was elsewhere as she stared at the carpet. She was back in that surgery room, laser-focused on the task at hand as she did everything she could to stop the bleeding and save Oliver’s life.

“Dr. Hayes, I’m so sorry,” Tatum repeated.
She stepped forward and put her hand on Clara’s arm.
Clara stared blankly at her, trying to process what was happening. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing louder than the words being spoken.
“This isn’t a decision we wanted to make, but given the circumstances, the hospital—”
“Circumstances?” Clara interrupted.
Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. It was like she was watching someone else’s life unfold before her, like she was sinking into quicksand, and no one was there to save her.
The HR manager’s lips pressed into a thin line. She tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear as she let out a long sigh. “Are you not aware of the suit?”
Clara shook her head. And Tatum’s eyes widened.
“How could you not be?” she murmured. She shook her head. “Dr. Hayes, Oliver Grant’s family is suing the hospital for his wrongful death. They’re claiming that you were negligent and committed malpractice, which caused him to die on the table. He was a seemingly healthy thirty-two-year-old man…”
“Seemingly healthy?” she responded. She couldn’t be hearing her right, could she? “He had a congenital heart defect. He wasn’t seemingly healthy; it’s why we were doing the surgery in the first place.”
“Regardless, they have contacted lawyers, and the hospital has been served papers. It is policy that we put the doctor in question on temporary medical leave.”
“That’s never been the policy before,” Clara stated numbly.
“The Grant family’s legal team has been very public. The press coverage… It’s becoming a high-profile case.”
Clara blinked. “Malpractice,” she repeated, the word tasting foreign and bitter in her mouth. The press coverage? She had been locked in the hospital, either doing surgery or working on endless reports. Why was she just hearing this now?
“We have no doubt in your abilities as a surgeon,” the woman continued, her voice dripping with practiced reassurance. “It’s procedure, and the hospital has to take these allegations seriously. We need to conduct an internal review. Until then, you’ll be placed on administrative leave.”
Clara’s body felt frozen, as if the air conditioning had seeped into her bones. Administrative leave. The words circled her mind like a vulture. She opened her mouth to protest, but no sound came out.
This is all procedure; they’re just telling me that I could be put on administrative leave. They would never actually do it.
What was she supposed to do if she wasn’t working? She didn’t know who she was without her job. It didn’t matter, though; she’d never have to find out. They wouldn’t put the country’s top cardiothoracic surgeon on administrative leave.
The HR manager’s voice droned on.
“This isn’t an indication of wrongdoing on your part. The hospital stands behind you, Dr. Hayes, but… we must consider our reputation. You understand that, don’t you?”
Clara nodded automatically, even though she didn’t understand at all. Reputation. The word felt hollow, meaningless.
“Do you have someplace to go?” the HR manager asked suddenly, her eyes searching Clara’s face. “Somewhere away from the city, perhaps? It might be best to distance yourself while this plays out.”
Clara frowned, the question cutting through the fog in her brain. “What?”
“Someplace quiet,” the woman said gently. “A vacation, maybe? Just until things settle down.”

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