5

Chapter 5

“Marry him?” Aria’s voice cracked, even as she tried to hold it steady.

Richard’s gaze didn’t waver. “Yes, Doctor Aria.”

She stared at him, shocked. Her mind raced. She wanted to laugh, but there was no humor in his tone. He was serious. Every word he said carried weight, purpose, and expectation.

“I know it’s hard,” Richard continued, his voice low, deliberate. “But think about this, Aria. My son needs someone like you. You as his doctor isn’t enough. Please. Even if it’s just for a year.”

Aria shook her head, her hands gripping the edge of the chair she was sitting on. “That’s hard, Mr. Richard. I can only help him as a psychiatrist. That’s all I can offer.”

“No, Aria,” he said firmly, leaning forward slightly. “That’s not enough. Understand it from my point of view. Being his doctor alone doesn’t change anything. Doesn’t keep him alive. Doesn’t make him better. You’re the only one I’ve seen who can.”

Aria felt her pulse quicken. “Sir… I’m literally in a serious relationship with someone. This… this would affect me.”

Richard didn’t flinch. “Please, Aria.” He folded his hands together, his eyes locked on hers. “I know this is asking a lot. But he needs more than treatment. He needs someone constant. Someone capable of standing firm when he… when he lashes out. You can do that.”

She swallowed hard, her throat tight. She wanted to argue, to tell him this wasn’t her job beyond the hospital walls, that she couldn’t be responsible for his life outside the clinic.

But Richard’s words held something beyond reason they carried urgency, a father’s desperation, a man who had already lost so much and didn’t want to lose his son too.

“I’d offer you anything you want,” Richard added, his voice softer now, persuasive. “Anything at all. Money, comfort, anything you need to agree. I’ll make sure it’s worth your while.”

Aria’s chest tightened. She shook her head slowly. “I… I can’t, sir. I’m sorry. I just… I can’t do that.”

Richard’s expression hardened for the first time. “No? That’s it?”

“I’m sorry. Please… I’m a psychiatrist. I help him professionally. That’s the limit.”

Richard’s fingers drummed lightly on the arm of the chair. “You still don’t understand. You as his doctor doesn’t mean anything. You as his constant, his anchor… that could change everything for him. You could make him see reason. You could ”

“I know what you think I could do,” Aria cut him off. Her voice was quiet but firm. “And I can’t. I’m not here to fix your son beyond what’s medically possible. Beyond what’s ethical. I won’t compromise myself, my life, or my career.”

Richard took a breath, leaning back in his chair. He closed his eyes briefly, as though gathering patience he knew would be tested. Then he opened them, and his gaze locked on hers with a quiet intensity.

“Two million dollars,” he said finally, breaking the silence.

Aria’s eyebrows shot up. She blinked at him, astonished. Money had never been her motivation, never something that could sway her decisions. But still… two million dollars. That was more than she had ever imagined having in her account at once. It was a life-changing sum.

She looked away, trying to collect herself. Her mind was racing ethics, morals, her own boundaries. She could imagine how society would look at her.

She could imagine the judgment, the scrutiny, the destruction of her personal life, the fallout for her career.

She shook her head slowly. “I’m sorry, Mr. Richard. This… this wouldn’t work.”

Richard’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t raise his voice. “You’re refusing? After everything?”

“Yes, sir,” she said softly but firmly. Her voice carried no doubt, though her body trembled slightly under the weight of the decision she’d just made.

He sighed, leaning back against the chair again, his hands clasped loosely in front of him. “I see.”

The hallway held stillness. Neither spoke, both waiting, aware of what had been said and what was left unsaid. The moment hung between them, sharp and charged, and neither moved first.

“You’re certain?” Richard asked finally.

Aria didn’t answer immediately. She looked past him, toward the glass wall separating the hallway from Damien’s room.

She pictured him lying there, vulnerable, asleep under sedation, unaware of the plan his father was proposing.

The thought of being married, even under contract, to the man who had thrown objects, yelled, and tried to scare her out of the room… it made her stomach turn.

She turned her eyes back to Richard. “I’m certain, sir. I can’t do it. I can’t marry him. I can’t compromise my morals or my life. I’m here to help him, yes, but I will not cannot step beyond that line.”

Richard’s expression softened slightly, though there was a flash of frustration behind his calm eyes.

“I understand your position,” he said finally. “But know this, Aria… you might be the only person who can handle him. And you refuse. That’s your choice. But it may not be one you get to keep for long.”

Aria swallowed hard. The words sounded like a warning. She nodded, unable to speak.

Richard stood, straightening his suit. “Think about it. I know it’s a lot. I know it’s impossible. But… consider what’s at stake. I’ll leave you to your work now.”

He walked toward the door, Two million dollars. A marriage she didn’t want. A man she didn’t trust. And a father who seemed desperate enough to make it happen anyway.

Aria’s hand pressed against the cool glass of the hospital window, as though grounding herself.

She had never faced anything like this before.

Nothing in medical school, no patient, no case, had prepared her for being asked to marry a violent, unstable billionaire.Aria straightened, collected her papers, and walked back toward Damien’s room