Flash Marriage To The Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 74: Chapter 74

In that instant, the previously noisy cafeteria fell completely silent that one could hear a pin drop.
After what felt like forever, someone finally blurted out in disbelief, "Hallie, are you actually giving up your spot?"
The cafeteria immediately erupted into a buzz of shocked whispers. But all eyes stayed locked on Hallie, every single face filled with utter disbelief.
It was a once-in-five-year exchange opportunity, and almost everyone who went in previous years returned with a promotion. Some moved up half a level, others even jumped two or three ranks. It was a massive boost to both career and salary, so everyone fought tooth and nail for it.
Clarissa tugged urgently at Hallie's sleeve, whispering, "Hallie, don't be stupid. Even if you give it up, no one's going to thank you. They'll just say you couldn't handle the pressure and threw away the golden ticket."
"I'm not going," Hallie said, then calmly set her tray down on the table before she swept her gaze across the cafeteria once more.
"This is a rare opportunity, and I hope you all go for it. There's no such thing as perfect fairness in this world, but there will always be people willing to play by the rules."
As she walked to the door with her tray, the entire cafeteria remained dead silent. Her words had completely stunned everyone.
Once outside, Hallie didn't slow down for a second. She marched straight to the elevator and shot up to Declan's office, intercepting him just as he was about to leave.
"Hallie, you saw the announcement, right?" Declan put on a warm, fatherly smile and patted her shoulder, looking every bit the kindly mentor. "You're just too modest, always refusing the promotions you've earned.
"Actually, Hallie, you paid for that young patient's surgery out of your own pocket, so you set a great example for everyone here and gave the hospital fantastic publicity.
"You earned this exchange opportunity on your own merits," Declan said, smiling as though he'd just handed her a priceless gift.
Declan thought that by changing his approach and giving Hallie enough acknowledgement, she would gratefully accept the offer.
But to his surprise, Hallie simply watched him finish speaking, then shook her head and said calmly, "Dr. Arnold, I'm withdrawing from the program."
"What?" Completely caught off guard, Declan froze, then stared at Hallie intently, as if trying to find some crack in her resolve.
His expression turned grave as he said sternly, "Hallie, this is the final decision of the hospital's management team. The notice has been issued, so it's set in stone."
Declan thought this would finally compel Hallie to accept the offer.
However, Hallie just shook her head slightly, her voice steady as she replied, "Dr. Arnold, this is my choice too. I'm withdrawing from the programme, and I've set my mind to it."
"You!" Declan's finger trembled as he jabbed it toward Hallie, his face flushing a deep red.
Staring at the young doctor who refused to yield, he finally lost all pretense of composure.
Pointing furiously at her face, he roared, "Who the hell do you think you are? I gave you this opportunity, so you better take it! If you try to play games in this hospital, I'll make you regret ever stepping foot in here!"
Gone was Declan's usual refined, easygoing facade. Right now, he looked more like a street thug than a hospital director.
Hallie watched his furious outburst thoughtfully, her hands tucked calmly into the pockets of her white coat.
After taking a deliberate step back, she said calmly, "I've made up my mind, Dr. Arnold. As long as I refuse to go, no one can force me, right?
"If you don't want this opportunity to go to waste, I suggest the hospital restart the application and review process."
With that, Hallie turned on her heel and strode into the elevator without so much as glancing at Declan's expression.
As the elevator doors slid shut and it began to descend, Declan's furious shouts were abruptly cut off behind her.
Back in her department, Hallie had barely reached the doorway before Clarissa rushed over and grabbed her arm, pulling her aside.
"Hallie, this is a once-in-five-year exchange opportunity. You've been dreaming about it since your first day here. All those years of working overtime, publishing papers, wasn't all that to stand out and finally get chosen? How can you just throw it away like that?" Clarissa asked in disbelief.
Clarissa was still reeling from how Hallie had given up her spot in the cafeteria without a moment's hesitation. It had completely stunned her.
Hallie glanced around the deserted hallway, making sure no one was nearby. After a brief pause, she lowered her voice and patiently explained to Clarissa, "There's something fishy about this spot. I can't accept it."
"What?" Clarissa gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth.
After glancing around nervously, she leaned in and whispered, "Is this not an exchange program after all? Are they sending you on some remote assignment instead?"
That was way too far-fetched. Hallie mused inwardly, 'It's just a hospital exchange program, not some black-market organ harvesting scheme.'
Hallie lowered her voice and said, "Dr. Arnold's behavior is off."
She told Clarissa about both of her meetings with Declan that day and all his strange reactions.
After hearing it all, Clarissa's expression turned skeptical. "I mean, I can understand that Dr. Arnold wants to reward you for your hard work. But the way he was practically forcing this slot on you? That doesn't sound like him at all."
Hallie nodded thoughtfully. "Exactly. I don't know why he was suddenly so desperate to push me out. It almost felt like..."
She paused as a faint, wry smile tugged at her lips. "Like he's scared I'll dig up some of his secrets."
At that moment, a realization dawned on Hallie. She remembered the day she'd asked Declan about the procurement prices for medical equipment, and he had seemed unusually reluctant to show her the list.
Connecting the dots, Clarissa let out a regretful sigh. "If it weren't for Dr. Arnold's weird behavior, you could've had that exchange spot. It's such a shame."
"Even without Dr. Arnold acting so strangely, I still wouldn't have gone," Hallie said with a wry smile, pointing upward.
"Don't forget that I have responsibilities hanging over my head. I'm now leading the Berry Bay project, and the bidding process still isn't fully wrapped up. There's a mountain of follow-up work waiting for me."
"And things at Levine Group are complicated too. If I went for the exchange, it would take at least a year. I just have to make some tough choices."
Clarissa saw the exhaustion in Hallie's eyes and pulled her into a gentle hug. "You're working yourself way too hard," she said, her voice filled with concern.
Clarissa knew Hallie's true calling lay in medicine, and she'd always aspired to be an exceptional doctor. But lately, all these matters had bogged Hallie down. Though she took them on, they brought her no joy.
Hallie managed a small, helpless smile, silently hoping everything would be resolved soon.
'Both the Berry Bay project and Levine Group affect so many people. I can't be selfish and just chase my own happiness without thinking of them all,' she thought.
That afternoon, the minor surgery went smoothly. As her shift wrapped up, Hallie slipped out of her white coat, put on her jacket, and headed to the parking lot to get her car.
Hallie turned the key several times. Each time, the engine sputtered and let out a low, stubborn growl, but it just wouldn't start.
After a few more tries, she finally accepted the harsh reality that her cheap car, which was barely worth ten thousand dollars, had officially given up on her.
She walked to the bus stop near the hospital. She'd barely been waiting three minutes when a car suddenly pulled up to the curb. The window slid down, revealing Nelson's sharp, handsome face.
"Get in," Nelson said coolly.
Hallie had been staring down at her phone when the voice made her look up blankly. The moment she saw Nelson's face, surprise flickered across her expression.
She distinctly remembered that Nelson's route was nowhere near hers, and his schedule didn't match hers at all. And yet... he just happened to show up right at the end of her shift?
Hallie's skeptical, guarded expression clearly made Nelson uncomfortable. He rapped on the car window again and commanded, "Get in now."