Chapter 11
She awoke surrounded by the sharp scent of antiseptic.
Sunlight filtered through sheer curtains onto the bedsheet. Emma stared blankly at the ceiling, momentarily unable to distinguish reality from dreams.
Until a deep male voice came from beside her: “Awake?”
She turned sharply, meeting steady, calm eyes.
The man held a medical chart, which he closed upon seeing her awaken. His tone was measured: “You experienced internal bleeding and lost consciousness on the plane. I performed emergency treatment. How are you feeling
now?”
Emma instinctively touched her abdomen. The pain had subsided considerably, though a dull ache remained beneath her skin. She tried to speak, her voice hoarse: “…Thank you.”
The man nodded, handing her a glass of warm water: “I’m Shane Crawford, a doctor. This is my private clinic–completely secure.”
The glass felt warm, Emma’s fingertips unconsciously tracing its surface. She considered briefly before speaking softly: “Lina. My name is Lina.“.
After that, Emma took up residence at the clinic.
Shane checked on her daily, but beyond necessary medical inquiries, he never pried into her privacy.
Until one day during a bandage change, a nurse accidentally knocked over a tray. The metallic instruments crashed to the floor, causing Emma to flinch violently, instinctively curling into herself.
Shane’s hand froze mid–air. He observed how she reflexively protected her ribs, his gaze sweeping over the fading bruises on her wrists, suddenly speaking: “These injuries weren’t accidental.”
Emma’s breathing faltered.
Shane didn’t press further, simply readjusting her collar calmly: “If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. But if needed, lawyers and police here can help you.”
Emma clutched the blanket, shaking her head.
Shane said nothing more, turning to leave when Emma suddenly called out: “Thank you.”
He looked back to see a faint smile on her pale face. “But really, it’s not necessary.”
Days at the clinic passed with surreal tranquility. As Emma’s body gradually recovered, she occasionally ventured
20:27
Just a Stand In?! My Billionaire Hubby’s OTHER Wife…
7.8%
to the garden for thi
One afternoon, pressing the conference 1, the Yard Showering with someone.
“They raining on this price, we can’t ponably comrade?
“But market data clearly shows their valuation is inflated by at least 3
Tema paused, Impedively, the peaked open the door,
For a moment, all eyes turned toward her. Shane frowned liner
Emma pressed her lips together, pointing to the financial report on the projection screen. After a moment, the spike. “There’s an issue with the cash flow forecast on page three. They’ve comeraled part of their data. If calonated correctly, the actual premium should be adjusted upward by 15%,”
The room feti completely silom.
Shane studied her for several seconds, then pushed the documents toward her: “Contine
The next day, Shane placed a contract before her “The acquisition issue is resolved. If you’re interested, you could ján my company as a strategic consultant
Emma hesitated, then laughed. “Aren’t you afraid I’m a corporate spy?
Shane leaned against the desk, his tone level: “I checked your background–found nothing, of course. But my instincts tell me you’re trustworthy
