Chapter 15

News of Philip's dismissal spread through the hospital like wildfire, shocking the staff.

"Serves him right! That creep's been harassing nurses for ages," one exclaimed.

"What amazing news! It's about time someone stood up to the Hacketts. Dr. Lloyd's got guts!" another chimed in.

Many were relieved Andrew had emerged unscathed, while others, who'd hoped for his downfall, were baffled. They wondered how Bernard had lost this battle; it seemed illogical. After all, Andrew no longer had Christina's support, and in their eyes, he was insignificant.

Some of the more imaginative male doctors exchanged knowing glances, speculating whether Andrew had charmed Francesca. If so, they'd never forgive him for securing such a prize.

Nyla's colleagues, meanwhile, couldn't resist teasing her.

"Dr. Lloyd played the hero for you, Nyla. Shouldn't you show your appreciation?"

"That's right, Nyla! You're the belle of our hospital, and I think the only one who could sweep you off your feet is Dr. Lloyd. You should go for it!"

Nyla's cheeks flushed. She bit her lip, summoned her courage, and walked toward Andrew's office.

Andrew was alone. Seeing the blushing nurse, he smiled. "Don't worry. You heard the news—Philip's been fired."

Nyla fiddled with her shirt hem. "Dr. Lloyd, I wanted to properly thank you and also… tell you something I've kept to myself for a long time." Andrew smiled encouragingly. "Go ahead, Nyla. You can speak freely with me." With twinkling eyes, Nyla whispered, "Dr. Lloyd, I—I want to be yours."

Immediately regretting her boldness, Nyla covered her face and turned to flee. Fearful of appearing too forward, she bumped into the desk, crying out in pain and falling into Andrew's arms.

Before Andrew could react, a cold chuckle from the doorway stilled them both. Francesca stood there, her face a mixture of shock and anger.

"Andrew, you're despicable," she spat.

Confused, Andrew asked, "What did I do?"

Francesca sneered. "What did you do? In broad daylight, in your office, you're having a nurse perform indecent acts. You're nothing but a sleaze, and I'm going to make sure Lauren knows exactly what kind of man you are."

Francesca stormed off, leaving Andrew bewildered. Looking down, he saw Nyla's uncomfortable proximity to his lap.

"Um…" Even his quick wit failed him.

Before he could respond, the office door burst open, and curious colleagues flooded in.

"Whoa, Dr. Lloyd, you're a real player! And with Dr. Aicker watching? That's next level!"

"Nyla, we told you to confess, not put on a show!"

Amid the laughter, Andrew sighed, knowing this misunderstanding would be impossible to explain.

Meanwhile, Christina and Shawn arrived at Wealthroller Investments, owned by Marvin, to submit their proposal for the orphanage property.

Shawn boasted confidently, "Christie, don't worry. With Stevens Corporation's reputation and the Fields family's backing, Marvin's bound to choose us for the development project."

Christina remained cautious. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Marvin is cunning, so we need to tread carefully."

A Wealthroller employee approached them.

Shawn grinned. "See, Christie? Good news already."

His smile faded. "I'm sorry, Ms. Stevens. Your company's proposal doesn't meet our requirements."

A sinking feeling gripped Christina. "Did Mr. Yates personally review it?"

The employee replied, "Mr. Yates himself called it 'garbage,' and that's why it was rejected."

Christina stood frozen. Her meticulously crafted proposal, which she considered flawless, had been dismissed as garbage.

Shawn was enraged. "I don't believe it. We need to speak with Mr. Yates directly."

The employee scoffed. "Meet Mr. Yates? Do you really think you're important enough?"

The employee left, leaving Shawn fuming and unable to retort. As a member of the Fields family, he realized his insignificance compared to Marvin, Jayrodale's richest man. He'd intended to impress Christina but had instead made a fool of himself.

Christina sighed, disappointment etched on her face. "Wealthroller Investments is too big for us to take on right now. Let's go. We'll have to give up on that property."

Unwilling to concede defeat, Shawn bragged, "Hold on, Christie. I'm not useless like Andrew. I promised to help you get that land, and I will. I'll have my dad call Marvin right now."

Christina looked skeptical. "Can your dad really influence him?"

Shawn puffed out his chest. "Marvin might be a big shot in Jayrodale, but he still respects the Fields family."

He dialed his father's number.

"Hey, Dad. I need you to call Marvin, you know, Jayrodale's richest guy, and ask him for a favor," Shawn said confidently.

Tony Fields, Shawn's father, was incredulous. "What did you just say? Repeat that."

Shawn repeated his request.

"Are you out of your damn mind? You want me to ask the richest man in town for a favor? We're not even among the top ten families of Jayrodale! Besides, I don't have his number, you idiot!"

Tony hung up, furious. Shawn remained with the phone pressed to his ear, realizing he had made a complete fool of himself.