Flash Marriage To The Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 49: Chapter 49

Hallie's hand, holding the tongs, suddenly froze in midair.
That chilling baritone couldn't be Clarissa's.
Hallie looked up, only to find Nelson's tall figure standing right in front of her.
But more importantly, Regina was clinging to Nelson's arm, half-hidden behind him, her dewy, innocent eyes wide.
When Regina spotted Hallie, she gave a small, exaggerated wave. "What a coincidence, Dr. Levine."
Nelson's shadowed gaze seemed to pierce right through Hallie.
'Damn it. No matter what I say, he'll never believe me now,' Hallie thought. 'What the hell is Nelson doing bringing Regina to a budget barbecue joint?'
Spotting the girl clinging to the man's arm, the sharp-eyed waiter immediately darted over, instantly pegging them as a couple.
What really stood out was that this handsome man's attire and demeanor screamed wealth—he looked completely out of place in a modest restaurant like this.
With a bright, eager smile, the waiter beamed at them.
"Sir, would you and your girlfriend like to try our new deluxe couple's set? It's been really popular with couples lately," the waiter offered enthusiastically.
Regina blinked, tilting her head with childlike curiosity. "Really? Nelson, should we order this set?"
Nelson's expression remained impassive as he gave a barely perceptible nod.
The waiter gestured invitingly. "Right this way, please. We have exclusive VIP seating in the back—it's private and tranquil," the waiter said warmly.
Clarissa leaned in and couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "Wait, there's actually VIP seating in a place like this?"
This place was near Callopston University, mostly catering to students—definitely not high-end dining.
"Even if they don't have it, they'd bend over backwards to arrange one," Hallie remarked casually, flipping the meat on the grill with her fork.
Clarissa couldn't help but recall how Nelson had casually tossed out tens of thousands like it was pocket change, just to open the surveillance room door.
She shook her head in disbelief, thinking, 'This is exactly how the rich get special treatment while the rest of us scrape by.'
"Look, I really don't want to hurt your feelings, Hallie, but I just have to say this..." Clarissa's face was a tangle of emotions. "This has got to be the most shameless bastard and homewrecker I've ever seen.
"Have they no dignity at all? Just flaunting their affair right in front of the real wife like it's nothing."
Hallie casually remarked to Clarissa, "What's the big deal? Plenty of wealthy couples have open relationships. Honestly, I just like his looks and the fact that he's got some money.
"It's really just to keep up appearances for the family. We've got a mutually beneficial arrangement—six months from now, we'll get divorced, no hard feelings."
Clarissa thought to herself, 'I used to worry Hallie would get hurt, but looking at her now, she must've been so devastated that she's built a wall around her heart.'
Clarissa nodded emphatically. "Exactly. That's the spirit. So what if he's just some guy with a handsome face and a bit of money? You're the Levine heiress, Hallie. You don't need him or his pocket change."
While Hallie and Clarissa whispered quietly to each other, the waiter was gushing to Regina about the couple's set menu.
He listed only the most exquisite selections—lobster, abalone, and other high-end fare.
With his shrewd eyes, the waiter could tell that Nelson was no ordinary customer—clearly, money was no object for him.
Customers like him didn't come around often, so the staff were ready to pull out all the stops to land a fat bill.
Even though these off-menu items weren't normally stocked, they could easily send a server out to buy them fresh and whip them up on the spot.
At this moment, Regina suddenly said, "Nel, why don't we join Dr. Levine and the others? That way, they can try some of our food too."
Hallie and Clarissa both froze in surprise.
Regina gazed at the simple dishes on Hallie and Clarissa's table, as if she pitied their modest meal. Yet her eyes revealed nothing but apparent warmth and gentleness, not a trace of malice.
With that wide-eyed, clueless look, she seemed the very picture of kindness and generosity.
Clarissa's face twisted in disgust, like she'd just bitten into something rotten.
"Who the hell does she think she's pitying here?" Clarissa sneered.
Hallie coolly glanced at Regina.
There was a glint of smug provocation in Regina's eyes—she was clearly just trying to get under Hallie's skin.
"Dr. Levine, I heard you were away on that disaster relief mission? No wonder I haven't seen you around for over a week," Regina said with a smile as she settled into the seat across from Hallie.
Nelson hadn't intended to dine with Hallie, especially after her earlier bravado—whether genuine or not.
But since Regina had already taken a seat, he couldn't be bothered making her move.
He simply sat beside Regina, and as she scooted over, Nelson found himself sitting directly across from Hallie.
Regina felt a twinge of irritation, though her sweet, docile mask remained firmly in place.
"Oh my?" Regina suddenly exclaimed in feigned surprise, her brows furrowing as she fixed her gaze on Hallie's face.
She continued, "Dr. Levine, you must have had a rough time lately. Just look at you—you look so haggard, and is that acne on your left cheek?"
Every word dripped with feigned sympathy yet carried a razor-sharp edge of mockery.
Clarissa, though usually pretty blunt, had been around the block long enough to tell the difference between genuine concern and a backhanded insult.
She shot Regina a look and said, "Ms. Dyer, Hallie's lost a little weight, but 'haggard' is a bit much, don't you think? That barely-there redness—no one else noticed, but you sure did. Quite the observant one, aren't you?"
Regina's gaze darted about nervously, clearly flustered. She turned to Nel with pitiful eyes, her voice catching with a hint of a sob.
"Nel... Did I... say something wrong? I just wanted to show some concern for Dr. Levine."
Nelson glanced at his wristwatch, then turned his gaze to Regina's face.
"You didn't say anything wrong. If others don't appreciate it, there's no need to waste your kindness on those who don't matter to you," Nelson said.
His tone was as detached as ever, yet noticeably gentler.
Regina's psychiatric evaluation report showed a diagnosis of moderate depression.
To address this, Nelson consulted several psychiatrists about her condition.
In addition to making sure she took her medication on time, they advised constant companionship and shielding her from negative emotions to help keep her spirits up.
To that end, Nelson hired two caretakers to look after Regina and gave her a platinum credit card, so she could buy whatever she wanted.
As for keeping negativity at bay, Nelson believed that as long as he offered encouragement and talked her through things whenever she started feeling down or doubting herself, that would be enough.
Regina's not-so-subtle attempt to play the victim made Clarissa's blood boil.