Chapter 9

Alejandro felt comfortable extending this gesture because he had formed a great impression of Elena during their brief encounter on the mountain, recognizing her noble character.

Hearing his offer, Elena felt torn. Yet, knowing she was still tens of thousands of dollars short of the required deposit, she swallowed her pride and murmured, "To be honest... covering the medical bills has been quite overwhelming..."

"Say no more. I'll have my chauffeur bring a check over to you immediately," Alejandro stated decisively.

Even after hanging up, Elena felt as though she were dreaming. Shortly after, Alejandro's driver arrived at the hospital, handed her a signed check, and added, "Sir asked me to tell you to write in whatever amount you need."

Despite her desperate situation, Elena was fundamentally principled. She carefully wrote down only the exact sum required to settle the hospital account, not a penny more.

The driver was visibly taken aback when he looked at the figure she had entered.

In a world where most would take advantage of an open checkbook, she had shown remarkable restraint. When his employer had instructed him to hand over a blank check, the driver had secretly worried the young woman might prove greedy; now he realized his master's judgment of character had been spot on.

Once the driver departed, Elena held the check tightly in her palm, finally feeling a sense of reality set in. The crushing debt that had threatened to derail her father's care was solved, and a massive weight lifted off her shoulders.

After a moment's thought, she dialed Alejandro's number to express her gratitude. "Mr. Alejandro, I've received the check. Words cannot express how thankful I am. Rest assured, I will repay every cent. I'm currently a graduate student at New York University studying..."

"My dear girl, there's no need to recite your credentials," Alejandro interrupted with a warm chuckle. "If I were worried about you running off with the money, I wouldn't have dispatched my driver with a check in the first place."

Elena flushed slightly, realizing she had overthought the matter. It reminded her that genuine kindness still existed in the world.

Alejandro continued gently, "Just remember your promise: once your father recovers, you must come over for dinner. My wife is eager to see you again."

"I promise I won't forget. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," Elena replied earnestly.

After Alejandro bade her farewell and hung up, Elena immediately contacted the chief surgeon to finalize the surgery schedule.

The day of the operation brought intense anxiety. The procedure lasted most of the day, but to everyone's relief, the surgical team succeeded without any complications.

During his post-operative recovery, Elena and her mother took turns staying by his bedside. Her parents repeatedly reminded her that they ought to host a feast for the generous benefactor who had lent them the money as soon as possible.

Two weeks passed in a flash. Her father made remarkable progress, regaining enough strength to sit up and take short walks around the room.

Though his surgical incision required further healing time at home, the hospital cleared him for discharge. Seeing no reason to let medical bills accumulate further, Elena finalized the paperwork and escorted her parents home.

With the surgery behind them and her father recovering smoothly in their hometown, Elena wished to remain at home a little longer to care for him.

However, her parents firmly objected, insisting that she shouldn't miss any more classes or fall behind in her doctoral research. The moment her father settled back into his own bed, they practically pushed her out the door, urging her to return to campus immediately.

On her journey back to the university, Elena’s phone rang once more with an incoming call from Alejandro. "Elena, how did your father's procedure go? Was the operation successful? I held off on calling earlier, worried I might be interrupting your family during a hectic time."

Elena was touched by his unexpected call. Hearing his genuine concern for her father's health, she promptly replied, "The surgery was a complete success. He's already been discharged and is resting comfortably at home now. Thank you so much for checking in on him."

"That is wonderful news," Alejandro said with a warm laugh. "In that case, you must come over to our home for dinner this Friday. I'm holding you to your promise, so no turning me down this time."

"Not at all. It's an honor to be invited," Elena answered with a gentle laugh. "I'll be sure to arrive on time this Friday."

Delighted by her acceptance, Alejandro chuckled heartily. "Splendid. We'll see you Friday then. I'll arrange for my driver to pick you up."

With their plans set, they bade each other farewell and hung up.

Upon reaching campus, Elena immediately sought out her academic advisor to give an update on her absence. She then threw herself into catching up on two weeks of accumulated research tasks. With her doctoral dissertation deadline looming and her peers nearing completion, she had to double her efforts to make up for lost time.

Friday arrived in no time. Wanting to make a proper impression for her first visit to their home, she carefully selected her outfit the evening before to ensure she looked presentable.

At around five o'clock on Friday evening, Alejandro's driver pulled up to collect her.

Sitting inside the understated luxury vehicle, Elena watched the grand estates blur past her window, unable to hold back a quiet sigh. She had truly managed to save a member of the elite by pure chance.

Half an hour later, the car pulled up smoothly in front of Alejandro's estate. The chauffeur stepped out to open the door for her.

Following the butler onto the grounds, Elena felt a sudden flicker of anxiety.

She had expected Alejandro to be wealthy given the ease with which he provided the check, but the sheer scale of the estate took her breath away. This was unquestionably the residence of an old-money dynasty.

A winding private driveway led her past towering security fences draped in blooming roses.

The late afternoon sun cast a warm golden light across the manicured lawns, creating a picturesque scene of timeless elegance.