Page 91 of Dr. Damaged Protector

Thirty minutes passed, and she had not gotten to my office. I sat there patiently waiting until she opened the door.

I rose my feet. “Olivia, I have wanted to apologize…”

“Dr. Hill,” she interrupted. And as she addressed me, it sounded like chalk grating against a blackboard.

“I only came back because I'm in need of money, so I'm willing to work extra if you would be kind enough to increase my salary,” she said.

“I was thinking that you do work a lot,” I said. My ego was bruised by the interruption. “But why do you want the sudden increase?”

“It’s personal,” she replied.

I felt like a door had been slammed against my face with full force.

“You don't have to shut me out. Tell me what it is. I may be able to help you,” I urged.

“Will you help me by increasing my pay?” She ignored my offer.

“Only if you tell me why,” I replied. She wasn't the only stubborn one in this office.

“Even if it's none of your concern?” she asked.

“Especially if it's none of my concern,” I replied. “As long as it's you, it matters to me.”

She managed to keep a straight face until she couldn't anymore. She bit her lower lips to suppress the urge to cry. Something was definitely wrong. I ran over and held her by the shoulders. She fell to her knees, and I fell with her. She was shaking, on the verge of tears; she finally let it all out.

It was my first time seeing her cry uncontrollably. I had listened to other people cry, so when she did, it seemed like I was the one going through the pain she was enduring. I let her cry for a few more minutes until she calmed down.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I went back to Chicago and found out that my aunt…”

Her aunt?Did she get worse?

“My aunt has been developing pulmonary hypertension,” she told me, “and she has been keeping it to herself all this time.”

She was genuinely angry with her aunt that much I could tell.

“It got worse?” I asked.

“Not yet. But I had a doctor check; they said the chances of that happening now are high,” she said. “I need around thirty to fifty grand to be able to do anything for her. I thought, if I worked harder, I…”

“You don't have to work harder,” I said to her. “Your salary will be increased. I'm not doing it because you asked me to…but because you really have a hold on the hospital. Everyone missed you.”

“Thank you,” she muttered.

“And that's not all. I'll be flying in your aunt from Chicago,” I promised. “You don't have to worry about paying a single thing. I'll take care of it.”

“You can't do that,” she said.

“I can and I will. You just have to trust me, please,” I pleaded with her.

“I didn't come here to make you help me out for free,” she said. “I'll make sure you get your money back. Or even better, I work and raise the money; then you can treat her after.”

“If you insist on doing that, I don't mind. However, your aunt does not have a lot of time,” I said to her.

“The doctor said she had a lot of time,” she defended. “I'm banking on it.”

“Well, as a doctor I'm trying to tell you that these things can just worsen overnight,” I explained, “I know you do not want to be a charity case I'm not showing you that this isn't it. I genuinely want to help your aunt.”

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