Flash Marriage To The Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Nelson said nothing. His face was cold, unreadable, offering no hint of emotion. Hank stood frozen in place, nerves fraying with every second of silence. He had no idea what he'd done wrong.
At first glance, he almost thought Nelson had shown up for the woman.
But then he refused that thought. Everyone in this city knew Nelson had no interest in women. Besides, the tabloids had just reported that his first love was back in the country. There were even photos of them together.
Hank was still lost in thought when he saw Nelson suddenly step forward and walk toward the woman.
He stopped in front of her and then reached out a hand. "Get up."
There was no kindness in his tone. It was sharp and commanding, like he was addressing an enemy rather than someone he was helping. The air around him was heavy with dominance.
Hallie blinked, startled by the gesture. Then, she reached out and took his hand. With almost no effort, Nelson pulled her to her feet.
A flash of pain crossed Hallie's face as her injuries protested. She winced, but the strong grip on her arm kept her upright.
Nelson didn't look at her, nor did he offer support beyond what was absolutely necessary. His touch was impersonal, as if he were doing it out of obligation and resented every second.
Hallie stayed silent. She could feel that Nelson was still angry about what happened at the hospital.
She knew Nelson didn't come to rescue her out of concern. It was only because of their nominal marriage. But still, whatever the reason, Hallie was grateful that he came to save her.
"Thank you," Hallie muttered, her voice almost lost in the chaos.
But the words seemed to annoy Nelson more than anything. He frowned and gave her a hard, sideways glance. "I'm busy. Don't make trouble for me."
"You don't have to involve yourself in my mess," Hallie replied, holding back her irritation.
Nelson's scowl deepened, jaw tight with frustration. He thought, 'What's with her attitude?'
He retorted, "You think I want to get involved? If it weren't for my grandfather—"
"I know," Hallie cut him off, finishing his sentence for him. "If your grandfather didn't force you to marry me, you wouldn't be stuck with a walking disaster like me."
It was basically what Nelson meant, but hearing it from her mouth made it feel different. Something about it sat wrong with him.
"I'm just reminding you not to get the wrong idea," he said curtly. "I helped you, and this stops here. I can't stand clingy women."
Just moments ago, Hallie had felt genuinely grateful to him. Now, she started wondering if he'd only saved her just to have a chance to humiliate her.
She yanked her arm from his grip, her eyes flashing with defiance. "Relax. Even if you were the very last man in the world, I wouldn't cling to you."
Nelson's hand hung in the air for a second, empty. His gaze darkened as it shifted toward her. "All the guards outside have been handled, but if my Grandpa asks questions later, don't say I have anything to do with it."
Just as the tension between them hit its peak, a cheerful voice cut through the heavy atmosphere. "Hello, there."
Hallie turned toward the sound. She saw a man walk in with a wide smile, followed by over a dozen bodyguards.
He was a little shorter than Nelson, but his energy filled the room instantly. The moment he spotted Hallie, his eyes lit up.
He strode over confidently and extended a hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Levine. I'm Peterson."
"Me too," Hallie replied politely, her tone cool. Her gaze held a faint frost, clearly not looking to make conversation.
But Peterson didn't seem the least bit bothered. Without missing a beat, he pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to her.
Hallie hesitated for a beat and took it—more out of courtesy than interest.
Peterson barely got the words out before Nelson casually grabbed him by the back of the collar and snapped, "Hey, what are you doing?"
Like lifting a kitten by the scruff, Nelson hauled Peterson a few feet away from Hallie and dropped him there without ceremony.
"Get the business done," Nelson said in a cold voice.
Peterson muttered silently to himself, 'Right. Not into her, huh? I talk to her for two seconds, and you're ready to throw hands?'
He didn't dare say it aloud, of course. Instead, his attention turned to the bald man who was still trembling like a leaf.
Peterson's smile remained on his lips, but there wasn't the slightest warmth in his eyes. He asked Hank, "You know what happens when someone crosses the Blair family, don't you?"
Hank's knees gave out like jelly. He didn't expect Nelson to be here because of that woman. And now that he had, he knew there would be no way out of this. Anyone who dared to lay hands on Nelson Blair's woman wouldn't see daylight again.
With a loud thump, Hank fell to his knees, looking nothing like the smug bastard from just moments ago.
He begged, "Mr. Blair, I swear I didn't know she was your woman. If I had, I would never have dared to do anything to her."
Hallie watched the man practically sobbing at Nelson's feet, stunned. She wondered, 'Just how terrifying is Nelson? He hasn't even touched the guy, and he's already peeing himself?'
Up until now, her impression of Nelson was arrogant, ruthless with words, and always needing the last say. She thought he wasn't the most charming man—but nothing she'd call frightening.
But now, she finally got to see how ruthless Nelson really was.
Nelson stared down at Hank, his eyes sharp and cold. He casually said, "Which hand touched her? Cut it off yourself."
The words slithered through the air like a venomous snake, sending a chill down every spine in the room.
He didn't sound like he was bluffing.
Peterson didn't even blink. He casually reached to his waistband and pulled out a gleaming knife, dropping it in front of Hank with a heavy clank. He crouched beside Hank, smiling, "Need a hand?"
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Mr. Blair. You're a generous man. Please have mercy," Hank begged.
Hank's entire body trembled. A wet patch began spreading beneath him, a puddle forming on the cold floor. He had really wet himself.
But Nelson didn't seem to change his mind. There wasn't the slightest trace of mercy in his expression.
Desperate, Hank turned his bloodshot eyes to Hallie, grasping at the last thread of hope. "Ms. Levine, please. I didn't know who you were, I swear. Please, tell Mr. Blair to spare me."
But Hallie wasn't a saint. Forgiveness didn't come easily to someone who had suffered so much.
Still, she hesitated. Cutting off his hand could easily lead to death from blood loss. And that wasn't justice—it was cruelty.
She turned her gaze to Nelson. "Send him to the police. And this whole auction ring needs to be exposed. If we don't bring it into the light, more women will suffer the same way I did."
Nelson glanced at her, a faint smirk tugging on his lips, his eyes shining with mocking amusement. "You think that'll help?"
Hallie held his gaze and replied, "Whether it helps or not, it's the right thing to do. People deserve to know. And you..."
She took a small step closer, refusing to back down, her tone sharper. "As far as I know, you have business projects in this district too. What, are you worried something might come to light?"
Nelson's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Are you trying to provoke me?"
Her chin tilted upward. "If you have nothing to hide, why would you feel provoked?"
The two of them locked eyes, tension crackling like a lit fuse between them. For a few charged seconds, it felt like the entire room was caught in the icy current that flowed between them.