Flash Marriage To The Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 72: Chapter 72

Hearing this, Peterson teased, "So you're worried about Regina's safety, but you're fine sending Hallie into the lion's den? She probably pissed Miles off by meeting Mr. Carroway like this."
Peterson Reed clicked his tongue. "Tsk, Miles is such a vicious and vindictive bastard. Who knows what he might do to her?"
Nelson looked down to find that, unbeknownst to him, Hallie had shifted positions and was now nestled cozily in his arms.
Seeing how much she seemed to rely on him, a surge of irritation washed over Nelson. He said coolly, "Isn't she just in it for the money? I can just pay her off."
Peterson grinned and teased, "She's your wife after all. That's pretty heartless of you."
Nelson pressed his thin lips together, a subtle, complicated flicker crossing his face. But he didn't take that "wife" comment to heart at all.
It was just a mutually beneficial contract marriage, only set to last six months. Even his childhood sweetheart had chosen to leave him, so what significance could a woman he'd only known for three months possibly hold?
At dawn, Hallie opened her eyes and found herself in a fresh set of clean pajamas. She jolted upright in bed, her mind full of questions. 'Wait, I fell asleep in the car last night. Did Nelson change my clothes?"
Just then, there was a knock at the door. The maid entered and invited Hallie downstairs for breakfast.
After hesitating for a moment, Hallie asked awkwardly, "Um, how did I get back last night?"
The maid beamed and said, "Mr. Blair carried you from the car all the way to your bedroom.
"He was so worried about waking you up that the moment he got out of the car, he ordered everyone to stay completely silent. Mr. Blair really treats you so well."
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as if she'd just stumbled onto a juicy romance rumor. Meeting the maid's gaze, Hallie suddenly felt her cheeks flush bright red.
Fidgeting with the hem of her pajamas, she felt awkward and conflicted. She thought, 'Should I even ask? What if Nelson was the one who changed my clothes too?
'Even if it's just a contract marriage, no one else knows that. What would the staff think of me?' A sudden shiver ran down her spine. 'Ugh. Just thinking about it gives me the chills.'
After the maid left, Hallie darted into the bathroom. When she looked up and caught sight of her reflection in the mirror, she froze.
The woman staring back at her had smooth, glowing skin and clear, beautiful eyes. After a full night's rest, her complexion looked radiant, and her cheeks looked naturally rosy.
But more than that, there was a playful sparkle in her eyes and a subtle lift at the corners of her brows, completely different from her usual cool, composed look.
Hallie frowned, turned on the faucet, and splashed her face with cool water, hoping it would help clear her mind.
About ten minutes later, Hallie walked into the dining room to find Nelson already seated at the table with a financial newspaper in one hand and a sandwich in the other.
Hearing her approach, he looked up naturally and gave her a slight nod as a greeting. In response, Hallie forced a small smile.
She thought about saying something, but sensing the chilly, distant atmosphere in the dining room, she decided it was better to stay quiet.
After Hallie sat down, a maid brought over a steaming, fragrant bowl of congee and set it in front of her.
Before she could even ask, Nelson said from across the table, "You overslept. I figured you wouldn't have time to make breakfast yourself, so I had the chef prepare something for you."
Hallie wondered in surprise, 'He asked them to cook this for me?'
While Hallie was still processing this, Nelson set down his newspaper and said coolly, "If you don't want this, just ask the chef to make you something else."
Hallie narrowed her eyes at him, thinking, 'Something's not right.'
His expression was as indifferent as ever, and his tone sounded the same as usual. But she couldn't shake off a strange feeling that there was actually a trace of concern in his voice.
That was definitely new, so Hallie couldn't help but ask, "Wait, you're not running a fever or something, are you?"
Nelson frowned. "What are you implying?"
Though Hallie wore a seemingly caring smile, Nelson could sense the sarcasm hidden beneath her words. She forced an exaggeratedly sweet smile. "Oh, it's nothing. I'm just concerned about your health."
Nelson scoffed inwardly, 'Concerned about my health? As if.'
Nelson shot her a cold, skeptical look. As his eyes swept past Hallie's guilty expression, he pressed his lips into a straight line. Hallie seemed to sense his disbelief too. She quickly lowered her head, quietly eating her congee with a small spoon, and carefully avoiding his mocking gaze.
At the hospital, as usual, Hallie hurried into her department and checked the surgery schedule. She had a minor operation set for the afternoon.
She nodded to herself. She had already reviewed this patient's case thoroughly and was fully prepared for the surgery. Then, she turned on her computer to review a medical journal article.
At this time, Clarissa knocked on her door and slipped inside her office with a huge, playful grin plastered on her face.
"The exchange program slot is basically yours," Clarissa whispered excitedly as she leaned in, covering her mouth. "I just came from Dr. Arnold's office, and I happened to overhear him finalizing the list. I heard him choosing you."
"Dr. Arnold personally picked me?" Hallie was genuinely surprised. "I could see Dr. Roth recommending me, but Dr. Arnold? He's never really liked me. Why would he choose me?"
Clarissa patted her on the shoulder and reassured her, "That was back when you wouldn't prescribe pricey meds, so the hospital couldn't really make any money off your patients.
"But this time, you donated 150 thousand dollars and instantly put the hospital in the spotlight. You're basically the hospital's poster child now. Dr. Arnold is just treating you better in recognition of your contribution, as he should."
Hallie listened quietly, but deep down, she didn't really believe a word of it. She happened to have an approval form she needed to deliver to Declan, so she picked up the document and headed out.
Halfway there, she suddenly overheard someone mentioning her name. "I heard Dr. Arnold personally chose Hallie for that exchange program spot."
"Isn't she just basically using her connections? That's so unfair to everyone else."
"Exactly! She's what, in her twenties? She's only been at the hospital for three years. So many senior doctors didn't get it, but somehow she did? There's no way she got that without pulling some strings, or maybe even trading favors in other ways."
Those bitter, jealous words drifted straight into Hallie's ears, leaving her feeling uneasy.
Hallie had always known the hospital was no utopia, but she had worked hard and stayed professional. She never imagined a single exchange slot would stir up so much resentment.
When she arrived at Declan's office, she paused at the door and knocked.
"Come in." Hearing his voice, Hallie pushed the door open and stepped inside. In the office, Declan sat leisurely in his chair, sipping a cup of coffee. When he saw her, he smiled warmly and waved her over. "Hallie, perfect timing. Fill out this application form."
The paper he slid across the desk toward her was exactly the exchange program application form. But Hallie glanced down at the application form, then looked up calmly. "I can't sign this."
"What do you mean by that?" Declan's face darkened as he slammed his cup down forcefully onto the desk, splashing droplets of coffee everywhere.
"Because this doesn't follow proper procedure," Hallie replied steadily, meeting his gaze without flinching. "The correct process is for everyone to submit applications, and then the most qualified candidate is chosen for the final spot."
It wasn't that she was trying to act noble. She simply refused to accept something that wasn't fair or by the book. If it wasn't earned properly, she didn't want it.
"Hallie, why must you be so rigid?" Declan let out a long sigh, sounding almost like an elder lecturing a stubborn child.
"There are so many people in this hospital, all fighting tooth and nail for this opportunity. If you throw yourself into that scramble, there's no guarantee you'll come out on top.
"The hospital is making an exceptional promotion in recognition of your contributions."