He sat staring at her, possibly contemplating the deal. And as confident as she was in herself, she feared he might not agree to it. After all, why would he need the help of a helpless and miserable woman who couldn't even speak up for herself? She wouldn't be surprised if he rejected the offer but she was far too desperate to give up now. She wouldn't stop trying to convince him.
"And if you are unable to find me one?" He asked, causing her eyes to widen in excitement. It seemed he was interested in the deal after all.
"I will gladly be your second wife and give birth to your first child," she responded, though none of it came from the heart. Inwardly, she reminded herself that she would find that investor, no matter what. She was confident she could, and so, there was nothing to worry about. She had never failed at anything she set her mind to. No matter how long it took, she always achieved her goals.
After a few seconds of silence, he said, "Fine. You have two months to find me a better investor, no more, no less."
A quick smile lit up her face. But upon meeting his blank expression, she cleared her throat and composed herself, picking up the tablet to continue reading through her duties.
"Do you drive?" He suddenly asked, catching Patricia off guard.
With a puzzled look, she responded hesitantly, "Yes."
Was he planning to make her drive him too?
"Kay will get you a car. We will leave for the hospital in separate vehicles, we can't be seen together. My family might be aware of our relationship, but I won't be introducing you to the public as my wife," he clarified, and her confusion eased. That made sense. She, too, preferred not being seen with him in public. It would be a hassle if the paparazzi started invading her privacy. She had once worked for an actress and knew just how suffocating that could be.
Wait, hospital? Hadn't she already been fired for missing three days of work?
"I am not fired?" She asked, shocked.
"Only I get to fire you," he replied, then stood up to leave the dining room.
"Just because you are my wife doesn't mean you have the right to come in late. I won't intervene in your affairs at the hospital, regardless of whatever mistreatment you face. Don't expect me to ever help," he added before walking out.
Scoffing, she muttered under her breath, "As if I need your help!" And made a face at his retreating figure. She would be just fine on her own. If she could survive ten years living with her stepmother and the old woman, nothing could shake her now. Clicking her tongue, she smiled at the fact that she wasn't fired and couldn't wait to get back to work.
She hadn't gotten the chance to meet the other doctors that day because of everything that had happened, but now that things were finally looking up, she could allow herself a little breathing room, maybe even some fun.
Just two months, she told herself, and life will go back to normal.
Speaking of investors, she already knew exactly who would be perfect for the job. Thankfully, Zara wasn't the only friend she made in college, she had another close friend who came to mind. When it came to tech, he was an expert and there was almost nothing he couldn't uncover. She didn't have his number at the moment because she had no need for his talents until now, and besides, she hated owing people but she could easily get his contact from Zara.
This time, she was ready to be selfish, just like Zara always advised. She was nearing thirty, and time waited for no one. Even if love didn't work out, she was determined to build the biggest children's hospital in the entire city. It had always been another dream of hers, though she set it aside when she believed she had found a lifelong partner.
But now that everything had changed, it was time to abandon love and pursue something more meaningful.
She picked up the tablet and returned to her room, preparing herself for work the next day.
The following morning
Patricia woke up early and got ready for work. As she stepped out of her room, she found Maria standing in the living room as if she had been waiting for her. Patricia smiled, relieved to see her because she wouldn't have to find Kay herself. That would have been somewhat burdensome.
"Miss Patricia, good morning. What should I prepare for your breakfast?" Maria asked.
"There's no need. I can't afford to be late. I will eat when I return. But I need you to help me find Kay now," Patricia replied, waving her hand dismissively.
"If this is about your car, it's already outside waiting for you. Kay had to leave urgently and couldn't wait," Maria explained.
Patricia muttered a surprised, "Oh." So much for waking up early, what could be so urgent at 7 a.m.?
"Thank you, Maria. I will see you later." Without wasting another minute, Patricia bid her farewell and left the house.
She drove out of the estate and arrived at the hospital shortly after. A smile stretched across her face as she stood outside, taking a proper look at the building this time. The last time had been too overwhelming for her to truly admire the place, her dream hospital.
As she made her way to her office, she ran into another new doctor who approached her.
"You are one of the new doctors, right?" A young, handsome man, about her age, asked with a bright smile that immediately put her on edge. There was something too familiar in his tone, and she didn't quite know how to respond. She was used to being the odd one out, so it felt strange having someone approach her so confidently.
"Yes, and you are?" She asked, cautious.
"Possibly your soon-to-be boyfriend… if you are not married, that is. Sorry, I meant your fellow doctor. I am also new here. We started the same day, but I was busy setting up and didn't get the chance to say hi," he replied with a grin.
That made things even more awkward. If there was one thing Patricia couldn't stand, it was men who flirted with women they barely knew. This was their first meeting, and he was already making inappropriate jokes.