Flash Marriage To The Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 52: Chapter 52

Hallie said, "I'll take care of the rest. Go get some rest."
Jessica replied, "Yes, ma'am."
She rose with a smile and left the room, closing the door.
Hallie glanced around the room, carefully putting away her own things while making sure not to disturb any of Nelson's belongings.
At 11:30 PM, Nelson returned to the villa.
He opened the door to find the bathroom light on, with the faint sound of running water coming from inside.
Nelson raised his hand, pulled off his tie, shrugged off his suit jacket, and tossed it casually onto the coat hanger.
As Nelson's gaze swept the room, his movements stilled briefly.
The room had been tidied up, now holding items that clearly weren't his.
In the corner stood several towering stacks of medical books. A pale blue desk lamp now adorned the cabinet, while a Klein blue comforter was neatly folded on the bed.
On the windowsill sat a palm-sized clump of plant in a chunky ceramic pot shaped like a watering can, its finger-length blades lush and vibrant.
He opened the wardrobe to find everything sharply divided—her clothes on one side, his on the other.
With a click, the bathroom door opened.
Nelson instinctively turned his head.
Hallie emerged from the bathroom in a white bathrobe, damp strands of hair clinging to her forehead, her lips flushed a deep, vivid red.
Warm steam spilled from the bathroom into the air, carrying faint traces of gardenia-scented body wash.
For the entire time Hallie had been staying in his room, Nelson had never noticed anything different or felt anything out of the ordinary.
He had always regarded Hallie as nothing more than a temporary guest staying in his home.
Now, Hallie's personal belongings had appeared out of thin air, and the room was filled with a scent that belonged to her alone.
Only now did Nelson gradually become aware of a certain fact that he was really going to live with this woman long-term.
Nelson couldn't shake the growing sense that his personal space was being taken over.
It wasn't that Nelson disliked it—he just felt a growing unease as his familiar living space was changed.
Hallie looked up to see Nelson standing in front of the open wardrobe, turned slightly toward her, his expression unreadable.
"I didn't touch any of your things. I just moved all your clothes into the closet on the right side. I have to live here for six months. I can't just leave my clothes out in the open," Hallie said, her tone tinged with helplessness.
'If it weren't for his grandfather's spies in the villa, I wouldn't even want to live with Nelson, let alone argue with him over such trivial matters in the middle of the night,' Hallie thought.
Hallie braced herself for another of Nelson's sharp remarks.
However, Nelson simply stared at her for a few seconds before looking away. Without a word, he proceeded to unbutton and remove his dress shirt, ignoring her completely.
In an instant, his bronzed skin came into view, revealing a perfectly defined eight-pack—his muscles were sculpted just right, striking the perfect balance without looking exaggerated.
Nelson acted as if Hallie didn't even exist. He grabbed his bathrobe, kept his eyes straight ahead, and brushed right past her without so much as a glance.
It wasn't until she heard the bathroom door close behind Nelson that Hallie finally let out the breath she'd been holding.
Hallie thought, 'As a doctor, I've seen plenty of male and female bodies in the hospital—whether during checkups or surgeries. It's all for health, just part of the job. Nothing to be nervous about.
'Honestly, Nelson's body isn't that different from anyone else's—just a bit more toned. So what? Why am I getting so worked up about this?'
Hallie suspected this was just the lingering effect of that night in Kerriston—when she'd fallen asleep in Nelson's arms.
Last night Hallie slept on the floor, but tonight she claimed the bed as her rightful place.
By the time Nelson emerged from the bathroom, Hallie was already fast asleep in bed.
The soft moonlight spilled through the window, bathing Hallie's delicate features. Her gently closed eyes looked serene and beautiful, her complexion noticeably better than when Nelson had seen her in the disaster zone.
Nelson crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes as he gazed at Hallie's face. For some reason, he found himself inexplicably recalling how she'd been eating earlier that day.
Nelson thought, 'She may be stubborn and a bit dim-witted, but when it comes to food, she sure doesn't hold back.'
Nelson settled into the makeshift bedding on the floor.
Turned out, the floor was even harder than Nelson had imagined—no wonder Hallie had made that face when she heard she'd have to sleep on it.
Hallie made the most of her three-day break to recharge.
By the time she returned to work, Hallie was almost back to her usual energetic self—refreshed and ready for the day.
Maintaining peak physical and mental fitness was crucial preparation for the demanding surgeries ahead.
Hallie entered the hospital and went straight to her office. She had barely put down her bag when a nurse came in to inform her that Raymond was holding a surgical conference to discuss a patient's treatment plan.
Hallie hurriedly grabbed her pen and notepad. Once everyone had gathered, Raymond wasted no time and began presenting the patient's case.
It was a thirteen-year-old girl born with congenital heart disease. She'd managed to live a relatively normal life with medication, but after a sudden traumatic shock, her heart couldn't take it anymore, and she went into acute heart failure.
Hallie had never seen Raymond in such a flustered state before. "Emergency surgery?" she wondered.
'But emergency surgeries don't usually require meetings,' Hallie thought. 'To save the patient's life, we skip the formalities and go straight to our most seasoned surgeons.'
Raymond's next words cleared up Hallie's confusion.
He explained, "The girl is lying just outside on a hospital bed. Her only family is her father, but he still hasn't managed to cover the surgery costs. We've already started an online crowdfunding campaign, but I'm afraid time..."
Raymond trailed off, but everyone in the room understood the implication.
The doctors exchanged uneasy glances, most visibly reluctant to commit.
After a long, uncomfortable silence, a male doctor in his thirties was the first to speak up, "Mr. Roth, honestly, I've got two kids in school, and my mom's hospitalized with a full-time caregiver."
Another person said, "I'm still paying off my mortgage. My paycheck barely covers the monthly payments. I can hardly make ends meet."
"At most I can donate 100 dollars," one of the doctors said.
Another said, "I can chip in about 300 dollars. That's really all I can afford."
Out of the forty-odd people in the room, only about two-thirds were actually willing to donate.
But heart valve surgery alone costs more than 150 thousand dollars—not to mention the essential postoperative medications.
Every family had its own struggles, and they could only contribute what they could afford.
In her three years at the hospital, Hallie had encountered this kind of situation twice.
The patient was at death's door but couldn't afford the surgery. Out of moral obligation, the hospital held a meeting to organize donations.
First, the hospital asks higher-ranking staff members to take the lead by making the first donation, setting an example for the junior doctors and nurses.
But both previous fundraising efforts had failed.
The required amount was simply too large—the donations were just a drop in the bucket.
This time would be no exception—just like the last two.