Entangled with the Cold Billionaire CEO

Chapter 4: Physical Touch (1)

By the time Fiona woke up in the evening, the bustling activity in the hospital had reduced to the soft footsteps of patients strolling under the watchful eyes of their nurses.

It was already time to clock out, but she still had to check on her VIP patient. With a frustrated sigh, she got up, tidied her office, packed her belongings into her bag, and stepped out.

She made her way to the VIP floor, her mind heavy with thoughts of how to approach him without looking guilty.

What happened earlier today wasn't entirely her fault, but she was partly responsible. She had let personal matters cloud her judgment, and she couldn't even guarantee it wouldn't happen again.

The VIP floor was eerily quiet, tightly packed with black-clad security men standing at every corner. She was clearly walking into an interrogation.

She walked up to the two men guarding the suite entrance, offering a polite, professional nod. “I'm the attending doctor on duty. I need to check his vitals before I clock out.”

They didn't budge. Instead, one went inside to report her presence while the other stood guard, his intense gaze fixed on her.

Fiona's lip curved into a faint, bitter smile as she clasped her hands behind her back. Interesting. They certainly hadn't waited for permission when they rushed him into her emergency room earlier.

Stepping back, she leaned against the wall to wait out their "clearance," maintaining steady eye contact with the guard. After minutes of standing, shifting her weight, and resisting the urge to pace, the door finally clicked open. She was granted access.

The sharp, sterile scent of antiseptic hit her nostrils the moment she stepped inside. Her gaze was instantly drawn to the patient. Even lying defenseless on the hospital bed, his intimidating aura hadn't faltered.

She walked up to the bedside. His eyes were closed, leaving her unsure whether he was genuinely asleep or just faking it.

She lowered her head slightly, studying his face for a few seconds. It was rare to see the elusive conglomerate heir this up close, devoid of the usual media circus. Realizing she was lingering too long, a flush of heat crept up her neck. She quickly straightened up, looking away to place her bag on the bedside table and retrieve her stethoscope and clipboard.

"I'm just going to check your heart readings now," she murmured aloud—more to calm her own nerves than for his benefit.

Expecting no reply, she moved her stethoscope toward his chest.

However, the thick telemetry monitoring wires and the high collar of the hospital gown blocked the exact sweet spot she needed.

Pressing her lips into a thin line, she watched his calm face for a split second before reaching out to gently slide the fabric of his gown aside.

Before her fingers could touch him, a hand like iron clamped around her wrist, halting her mid-air.

“And what do you think you're doing?” His voice was a low, freezing baritone that sent chills straight down her spine.

“I—I...” Fiona’s words caught in her throat. Her brain momentarily went blank.

His deep black eyes locked onto hers, completely alert, his expression entirely unreadable as he waited for her defense.

She felt a wave of hot embarrassment. How could she explain herself without sounding guilty? Would he even believe she was just trying to reposition her stethoscope?

Seeing her flushed, frozen face, he seemed to lose interest and released her wrist.

Fiona instantly took two quick steps back, her fingers tightly gripping her clipboard. His sudden awakening had completely shattered her composure, and it took everything she had to stop her hands from shaking.

“I was trying to check your heart rhythm,” Fiona muttered, forcing her voice back into its professional register.

He didn't reply. The cold skepticism in his eyes made it obvious he didn't care for her explanation.

“I need water,” he commanded flatly.

Fiona grabbed the bottled water from the bedside table, pouring a small amount into a glass. She held it out to him, but he didn't reach for it. Instead, his gaze dropped pointedly to his angled body, then up to her, a flicker of pure dissatisfaction crossing his face.

Fiona snapped back to reality. She clumsily walked around to the side of the bed, locating the controls to raise his backrest. She really was completely out of it today.

Once he was upright, she stepped back, standing perfectly still like a maid serving a royal prince, waiting patiently for the billionaire to finish his water.

Fiona quickly took the glass away once he was done sipping, retrieving her clipboard with cautious movements.

“Are you feeling discomfort in any specific area?” she asked after a moment of careful consideration.

“Yes,” he hummed, his gaze locking onto hers. “My heart—”

Fiona choked on her own breath, her heart skipping a beat. A deep crimson flush crept up her cheeks as she looked away, suddenly at a total loss for words. Did he mean something else, or was he testing her?

“I mean, my heartbeat feels irregular,” he continued under his breath, a subtle mock intensity in his tone. “And my back is aching. How am I supposed to sleep on my side like this?”

Fiona's face burned even hotter. She swore internally to never step foot into this room again. Placing her clipboard aside, she leaned closer to him, her voice lowering instinctively to maintain control.

“I need to listen to it now,” she said clearly, firmly pressing the cold stethoscope to his chest.

Conducting the examination felt entirely suffocating. Her neck grew stiff under his unblinking, intense gaze. A fine bead of sweat formed on her forehead before she finally straightened up, catching her breath.

“Forgive the inconvenience. I will have the night nursing staff monitor your vitals, and the VIP medical team will run a thorough diagnostic panel first thing in the morning,” she said while hurriedly gathering her things. The thought of spending another minute in his presence sent a literal chill down her spine.

“Okay. See you tomorrow,” his deep baritone murmured.

The words lingered in the quiet room, leaving Fiona momentarily mesmerized before she practically fled the suite.