Jeff?

Aydan's eyebrows knitted together at once.

He understood all too well the influence Jeff carried, but the problem was that he didn't want this situation known to anyone—anyone at all—other than the woman standing in front of him.

The Dixon family's sprawling business world was tangled with hidden alliances and quiet rivalries, and as the designated successor, every step he took was watched, dissected, and judged.

This secret—one that struck directly at his pride as a man—could be seized by adversaries and used to destabilize his standing within Dixon Group if even the faintest hint escaped.

Under no circumstances could it reach the ears of the Dixon family's private medical staff.

Those physicians answered to the entire family, and there was no way to know where their loyalties truly lay. Confidentiality simply didn't exist with them.

That was precisely why Hugh had arranged for Aydan to see his trusted confidant in the first place.

And yet, his most humiliating and deeply personal truth had already been uncovered by this woman named Ximena.

Involving Jeff now would only multiply the danger.

More importantly, the full evaluation—from the initial checks to the final verdict—had been carried out by her alone.

To start over with another doctor who knew nothing, and endure that degrading ordeal once more?

The mere idea sent Aydan's anger surging dangerously close to eruption.

"These are for you." Ximena gathered several pages, along with the medical file and lab reports, slipped them into a manila folder, and passed it to him. "Mr. Dixon, everything is here. You can bring these to Dr. Barnes tomorrow."

After that, she glanced at her watch, rose from her seat, and shrugged out of her white coat.

"I'm done for the day." She lifted her bag, clearly intending to head out.

Aydan didn't reach for the folder on the table. Instead, he raised his eyes and locked them onto her. "You're not leaving."

Ximena halted, turning back with clear confusion in her expression. "Mr. Dixon, my shift is over."

"I said you're not leaving." Aydan stood, his tall frame radiating an oppressive force as he moved toward her.

The consultation room door slammed behind him, and he even turned the lock.

The already narrow room instantly filled with strain and hostility.

Ximena frowned. She had dealt with her fair share of difficult patients, but none who radiated such overwhelming dominance paired with such erratic conduct.

Folding her arms, she looked at him, impatience edging into her tone. "Mr. Dixon, what exactly are you doing? Unlawfully holding a doctor—do you realize what that implies?"

Aydan simply let out a cold laugh. He stopped directly in front of her, staring down with undisguised superiority. "You diagnosed me."

"And?" Ximena held his gaze steadily, without flinching.

Aydan lowered his voice, slow and resolute, as though delivering a final decree. "And you should also be the one who sees it through. You will handle my treatment."

Ximena scoffed at the sheer absurdity of it.

In all her years practicing medicine, she had never encountered a demand so domineering and unreasonable.

"Mr. Dixon, let me be clear—this is a hospital, not your corporation, and I do not work for you." She continued flatly, "My responsibility was to diagnose and file the report, and that task is finished. Your continued care will be overseen by Dr. Barnes, a specialist fully qualified for this case, which is the best possible arrangement. Now please step aside. I'm leaving."

"I said you're responsible," Aydan repeated stubbornly, completely disregarding her explanation.

He refused to let others dictate his outcome, and even more so, he refused to expose his weakness to yet another person.

Annoying as this woman was, at least the secret remained confined to her alone—for now.

"Dr. Hayes." Aydan's voice turned icy, threaded with quiet threat. "You might want to rethink this. Dixon Group happens to be the largest shareholder of Apex Medical Center. Assigning you to oversee my care, or ensuring you're unemployed by tomorrow—either option takes one phone call from me."

An unmistakable threat.

For most young doctors dependent on their position, those words would have inspired panic.

But Ximena merely regarded him in silence for a moment, and then calmly set her bag back on the desk and leaned against it once more.

Crossing her arms, she looked up at the man who believed power bent everything to his will.

"Aydan Dixon." She spoke his full name evenly. "First, using influence to bully others is childish. Second, I'm not only a physician—I'm also a specially appointed visiting professor here. If I were to leave, the loss wouldn't be mine—it would be the hospital's."

She paused, her eyes briefly tracing the rigidly handsome lines of his face.

Then she added without embellishment, "And at this moment, you're the one who needs me, not the reverse. If you want assistance, you should learn how to ask properly."

Aydan was stunned into silence.

A professor?

He stared at her remarkably young features, unable for a heartbeat to reconcile them with that title.

Also, her comment about manners struck him like a sharp slap.

He had never pleaded with anyone.

And yet, he had no rebuttal.

She was right.

He was the one who was unwell, and he was the one who required a physician capable of absolute discretion—and competence.

At present, this woman was his sole option, and unmistakably, his best one.

Aydan's breathing came hard and uneven, his logic and ego clashing violently inside his head.

At last, he shut his eyes, and when they opened again, the fury had been dragged down by sheer force of will.

"Your terms." He forced the words out between clenched teeth. "What do you want in exchange for treating me and keeping this buried for good?"

The impatience on Ximena's face vanished, replaced by sudden brightness.

She looked at him as though he were no longer merely a patient, but something far more profitable.

She moved back to her chair at once, folding her hands atop the desk, slipping neatly into the posture of a negotiator. "First, my time is extraordinarily precious. Private sessions will eat into my research hours, so my charges won't be modest."

Aydan's expression didn't change. "Say the number."

"Second, because of who you are, safeguarding your privacy puts added pressure and risk on me, which calls for further compensation."

Aydan's mouth twisted into a cold, derisive smile. "Spare me the buildup."

"The thing is…" Ximena leaned in slightly, her gaze gleaming. "My research team is currently underfunded—we're short by roughly… eighty million."

For a moment, Aydan questioned whether his ears had betrayed him.

He had dealt with blackmailers and outrageous demands before, but never one delivered with such polish and solemnity.

"Eighty million? Dr. Hayes, you've got some audacity asking for that much."

"Mr. Dixon, you're mistaken." Ximena met his probing stare calmly. "That figure covers my research funding, every future private treatment you'll need, and my lifelong commitment to confidentiality. A single, all-inclusive arrangement, no follow-up charges down the line. From a business standpoint, you should recognize how favorable that is."

She looked up at him, and then continued, "Naturally, you're free to decline and visit Dr. Barnes tomorrow or consult someone else. But remember, the wider a secret spreads, the harder it is to contain. Your name—and Dixon Group's share value—are certainly worth more than eighty million."

Aydan stared at her, his eyes burning.

She had struck exactly where it hurt the most.

After a prolonged silence, he finally said a single word, "Agreed."

"But…" He stepped closer, his commanding presence closing in on her again, "if I discover even the smallest leak from you—"

"Mr. Dixon, you may doubt my personality, but not my professional integrity." Ximena cut him off, already pulling out her phone and opening her notes app. "To protect both sides, I'll prepare a medical service contract and research donation agreement right away. Please give me your email address and your lawyer's contact details, and I'll forward the draft."

Watching her switch entirely into business mode made irritation coil in Aydan's chest.

In the end, he recited an email address and phone number, his face dark.

"Perfect." Ximena wrote them down swiftly, and then lifted her head with a practiced smile. "Now, Mr. Dixon, you may open the door. I need to get home."

Her clear eagerness to leave tightened his chest all over again.

Without a word, he turned and pulled the door open.

Outside, Colby was pacing restlessly. The moment the door swung wide, he hurried over. "Mr. Dixon, you—"

He stopped short as his employer, scowling, brushed past him like a sudden storm, heading straight for the elevator without sparing a glance.

Colby stood rooted in place, peeking into the room.

The strikingly beautiful doctor was calmly packing up her belongings, a faint trace of satisfaction on her face.

Colby was utterly baffled.

What in the world had happened in that room during the last hour?

Ximena slung her bag over her shoulder and softly hummed to herself as she stepped out of the hospital, her whole body lighter than it had felt in ages.

Eighty million!

The funding nightmare that had plagued her and her mentor for more than half a year had finally been settled, and in the most unbelievable way possible.

Even though Aydan was notorious for his permanent scowl and volatile temper, he had become her benefactor, and at that moment she honestly thought he might as well have descended from heaven.

While she was mulling over how to break the great news to her mentor, her phone buzzed in her hand.

The instant she saw the caller ID, the smile on Ximena's lips stiffened and vanished.

She drew in a steadying breath, mentally preparing for a confrontation she knew would be unpleasant, and then accepted the call. "Hello, Grandma…"

"Ximena!" The voice on the other end crackled with sharp energy and fury. "Do you have any idea what time it is? How can a young woman like you be out so late every single night?! Come home immediately!"

Before Ximena could get a single word in, the line went dead.

She stared at the black screen and let out a weary sigh.

Tonight, it seemed, was destined to be another exhausting showdown.

Thirty minutes later, the taxi pulled up in front of the Hayes Mansion, nestled in Osebury's well-known old-town enclave for the wealthy.

Ximena passed through the iron gates, crossed the manicured lawn, and walked straight toward the brilliantly illuminated main house.

The moment she stepped inside, an oppressive tension settled over her.

Directly opposite the entrance, an elderly woman sat upright in a chair, her presence imposing.

Her snow-white hair was arranged with flawless precision; she was Laura Hayes, the unquestioned ruler of the Hayes household.

"Grandma, I'm home." Ximena walked over with a gentle, ingratiating smile.

Laura didn't bother to raise her eyes, only letting out a low snort as she struck the floor with her cane.

"Stand properly."

The smile on Ximena's face faltered, yet she straightened and remained where she was.

"Do you have even a shred of respect left for me as your grandmother? Do you still remember the decorum expected of a member of the Hayes family?" Laura asked, her tone even but heavy with authority.

"Grandma, I was filling in for a coworker today, so I—"

"I'm not interested in your excuses!" Laura cut in coldly. "Answer me this instead—do you even know how old you are now?"

"I'm twenty-five."

"Twenty-five! You're no longer a child, yet you spend your days dodging respectable pursuits and keeping company with men. Have you ever spared a thought for the Hayes family's reputation?" Laura's irritation mounted with every word. "Our family has run businesses for generations, and I already indulged your father when he insisted on becoming a doctor. But you? You didn't just follow his path, you went further, choosing to specialize in… andrology! Are you determined to turn us into a public joke?"

Laura launched into it yet again.

Ximena lowered her head, silently rolling her eyes.

She had listened to this exact lecture countless times ever since she declared her major in med school.

She was just about to say something soothing and steer things away as she always did, when, unexpectedly, her parents—who had been sitting quietly on the sofa nearby—spoke up.

"Ximena, your grandmother is only thinking of what's best for you." It was her mother, Eva Hayes, who spoke.

She gazed at her daughter with evident concern. "You really are getting older; it's time you started thinking about dating."

Ximena stared at her mother, stunned.

These were the same parents who had once stood against the entire family to pursue medicine and marry for love.

Their example had been the very reason Ximena chose this path for herself.

Normally, whenever her grandmother exploded, they would back her up in one way or another.

So what had changed today?

She shifted her gaze to her father, Zachary Hayes, silently pleading.

Zachary met her eyes for a brief moment before looking away, clearing his throat as he agreed, "Your mother has a point. Starting a family should come before building a career."

Ximena's heart plummeted straight to the depths.

Something about her parents' behavior felt wrong, and she knew Laura must have cornered them again—cornered them badly enough that they were willing to offer up their own daughter to protect themselves.

"I've already asked an old acquaintance to help arrange a suitable match for you," Laura declared, clearly pleased now that Zachary and Eva were backing her. "The man's background and character are impeccable. He's a few years older than you and a little quiet, but steadiness is a virtue in a man. You will go on a date this week! If you dare try any tricks again, I'll cut off your medical career entirely!"

Taking away her right to practice medicine?

That threat struck exactly where it hurt most.

Ximena lifted her head, meeting her grandmother's unwavering gaze and her parents' averted eyes, fully aware that there was no way out this time.

In the end, she chose to give in.

"Fine. I'll go."

Laura blinked, clearly surprised by how easily Ximena agreed.

"But let me say this first," Ximena went on. "I'll meet him, but whether anything comes of it is up to fate. You can't force him to fall for me, can you?"

Laura flicked her hand impatiently. "Very well. Remember your words; I'll have the butler send you the details."

"Understood!" Ximena turned and hurried back to her room.