Chapter 4 - The Rainstorm Encounter & Whispers
The television on the boardroom wall snapped to life.
A news ticker scrolled across the bottom of the screen in violent yellow text:
*SCANDAL AT METROPOLITAN GENERAL: BILLIONAIRE ALEXANDER WARD ACCUSED OF NEPOTISM AND HOSTILE TAKEOVER.*
The camera showed Julian Thorne standing outside the emergency department entrance, surrounded by a forest of microphones and flashing cameras.
"This is not philanthropy!" Thorne was proclaiming, his voice amplified through the television speakers. "Ward Global has hijacked a community medical center to install Dr. Olivia Vance—a junior fellow with zero administrative background—as the sole gatekeeper of fifty million dollars. We must ask ourselves: what is the nature of their relationship? Is public healthcare being leveraged as a billionaire’s romantic playground?"
Olivia staggered back as if she had been slapped. The color drained from her face.
"Oh god," she whispered, her hands flying to her mouth. "They're going to destroy me."
The media was ruthless. In modern New York, an accusation of nepotism and an inappropriate liaison with a trustee was a death sentence for a surgical career. The residency review board would suspend her pending an ethics investigation. Her fellowship would be revoked. Everything she had bled for was crumbling on live television.
"Turn it off," Alexander commanded, his voice cold enough to freeze blood.
The screen went black.
Alexander turned to his lawyer. "Sue Thorne Crest for defamation. File it by midnight. Mobilize our public relations team and pull every advertiser from Thorne’s media affiliates."
"Right away, Mr. Ward." The lawyer hurried out, the heavy doors sealing behind him.
Olivia spun around, panic flaring into full-blown fury. "Suing him won't fix this! Don't you get it? In my world, perception is reality! The board won't care if it’s a lie. They will remove me from the schedule tomorrow to protect the hospital’s reputation!"
She grabbed her canvas bag from the table. Tears of rage and humiliation burned behind her eyes.
"I have to get back there."
"Olivia, wait," Alexander said, moving toward her.
"Don't touch me!" she cried, pulling back. "This is what happens when you treat real life like your personal playground, Alexander. You thought you were buying an endowment? You bought a scandal. And I'm the one who’s going to drown in it."
She ran out of the boardroom, her sneakers squeaking against the marble floor.
Alexander stood frozen for two seconds, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned bone-white. Then, with a low curse, he tore off after her.
***
By the time Olivia burst through the revolving doors of the Ward Tower lobby, the autumn sky had unleashed a torrential downpour.
Thunder cracked across the Manhattan skyscrapers, shaking the pavement. Rain fell in blinding sheets, flooding the gutters and washing away the yellow taxi cabs. She stepped onto the sidewalk, desperately raising her hand for a cab, but every single one sped past, spraying murky puddle water over her scrubs.
Her phone began buzzing violently in her pocket.
*Call from: Chief Bradley.*
*Call from: Dr. Morris (Medical Board).*
*Call from: Unknown Reporter.*
She silenced the phone, choking back a sob. She was soaked through within thirty seconds. The cold October rain plastered her hair to her face, chilling her to the bone. She felt completely, utterly helpless.
Suddenly, the roar of a high-performance engine cut through the storm.
A sleek black Mercedes Maybach surged toward the curb, brakes hissing smoothly as it came to an absolute halt right in front of her.
The rear door clicked open.
Alexander stepped out into the pouring rain. He didn't have an umbrella. He didn't care about his bespoke suit, which was instantly ruined by the downpour. He walked directly toward her, water running down the hard angles of his face, his eyes ablaze with something ancient and ferocious.
"Get in the car, Olivia," he said.
"Leave me alone!" she shouted against the wind. "Haven't you done enough?"
Alexander didn't argue. He closed the distance between them, grabbed her by the waist with both hands, and lifted her off the flooded curb as effortlessly as if she weighed nothing.
"Alexander! Put me down!" she screamed, thrashing against him.
He ignored her, shielding her body with his own as he carried her into the dry, leather-scented warmth of the Maybach. He set her gently onto the seat, slid in beside her, and slammed the door shut against the howling tempest.
"Lock the doors, Marcus," Alexander ordered, breathing heavily. "Drive."
The car glided into traffic.
Olivia was shivering violently, dripping water onto the floorboards. She curled her knees to her chest, her teeth chattering, her hands trembling uncontrollably.
Alexander stripped off his soaked suit jacket and tossed it to the floor. He grabbed a cashmere blanket from the hidden compartment beneath the seat, unfolded it, and wrapped it firmly around her shoulders.
"I told you," she whispered through chattering teeth, refusing to look at him, "I don't want your help."
"I don't give a damn what you want right now," Alexander said, his voice husky and rough. "You're freezing."
He sat beside her, pulled her trembling body into his chest, and wrapped his arms around the blanket, locking her in his embrace.
Olivia tried to push him away, but her limbs had no strength left. The heat radiating from his broad chest was overwhelming. His chin rested lightly against the top of her wet hair, his steady heartbeat thudding against her cheek.
"Why are you doing this?" she sobbed, finally breaking, her forehead pressing into the crook of his neck. "Why me? There are a thousand women in this city who would kill for your attention. I am just a tired doctor."
Alexander held her tighter, his hand gently stroking the curve of her spine through the thick wool.
"Because the thousand women in this city only see the money, Olivia," he murmured against her skin. "You saw a man who looked lonely, and you thanked him for not being awful."
He tilted her wet face up to his. His slate eyes were dark with an intensity that terrified her.
"Thorne thinks he can break you to get to me," Alexander whispered, his thumb wiping a teardrop from her cheek. "He has no idea what he has started. I will burn his entire empire to ash before I let him touch a single hair on your head."
May you like
Before she could process his words, his mouth came down on hers.
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