Chapter 130 Cecilia Takes Care of Stefan
Hospital.
Cecilia followed behind the group of black-suited bodyguards, watching as Stefan was surrounded by doctors and nurses who had been waiting at the entrance, and rushed directly into the emergency room.
"Ms. Martinez," Jacob politely stopped her outside, "Please wait here, or you can go to the lounge."
His tone was respectful, but his attitude was firm, giving her no chance to get closer.
Cecilia didn't insist.
She leaned against the cold wall, staring at the tightly closed emergency room door. The red light above it pierced her eyes painfully.
Only now did her brain begin to recover a trace of her own thoughts from that extreme chaos and tension.
She didn't know how much time had passed.
Hurried footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor.
Jacob, who had escorted Stefan in earlier, walked quickly up to her.
"Ms. Martinez, Mr. Hensley's condition has been initially stabilized. He's not in any life-threatening danger."
"The director will personally explain his specific injuries to you."
Half of Cecilia's anxious heart settled down.
Jacob led her to a private meeting room. Soon, an elderly man with graying hair and a calm demeanor walked in.
"Ms. Martinez, hello. I'm Dr. Blake Lane, the director of this hospital."
Cecilia stood up and nodded.
"We've conducted a comprehensive examination of Mr. Hensley's injuries." Blake opened the report in his hand, speaking professionally and concisely. "The blast shockwave caused multiple soft tissue contusions and mild internal organ concussion. His seventh and eighth ribs on the right side have hairline fractures. The wounds on his back look serious, covered with lacerations from explosion debris, but fortunately they didn't hit any vital areas—they're all superficial wounds."
"However," Blake's tone shifted, his expression becoming serious, "the impact and rib fractures will cause persistent severe pain, and combined with the internal organ concussion, Mr. Hensley must rest absolutely in the coming period. He cannot engage in any strenuous activities, and his emotions cannot fluctuate greatly either. We'll arrange the best private room and nursing team."
"Thank you, Dr. Lane." Cecilia thanked him politely.
When Cecilia pushed open the door to the top-floor VIP room, Stefan had already changed into clean blue-and-white striped hospital pajamas.
He was half-sitting on the raised hospital bed, with an IV drip attached to his arm, transparent liquid slowly entering his body drop by drop.
Cecilia walked to the chair beside the bed, pulled it out, and sat down.
"Dr. Lane said you need to rest."
"Okay." Stefan turned his head, his gaze falling on her face. "Dr. Lane told me too."
Cecilia met his eyes, silently organizing her words.
She had to clarify this relationship as soon as possible and pull it back onto a track she could control.
"Mr. Hensley, thank you for saving me." She spoke clearly in a businesslike tone. "All related medical expenses, recovery costs, and any subsequent compensation—I'll cover everything."
She was trying to use money to quantify this overwhelming debt of gratitude into a string of cold numbers.
This was her most familiar way of drawing boundaries.
"Ms. Martinez." Stefan looked at her, emotions unclear in those deep eyes.
"Do you think I need that money?"
Cecilia's heart sank sharply.
As expected.
He wouldn't let her off this easily.
He never made losing deals. He had saved her life with his own, and now it was time to collect his return.
"Then what does Mr. Hensley want?" She decided to lay it all out directly.
"A life-saving debt."
Stefan spoke slowly, looking straight at her.
"How do you plan to repay it?"
Cecilia met his gaze. The pressure from his eyes exceeded even the moment she had faced gunfire in that alley.
She remained silent for a full ten seconds, rapidly analyzing in her mind what he needed most that she could offer.
"I'll make you even more money."
Cecilia gave what she considered the most rational answer, one that best served his interests.
"I'll win the National Designer Competition. I'll make Amelia Design Studio a top industry brand, increasing its value a hundred-fold, a thousand-fold."
"I'll make Mr. Hensley's investment today yield immeasurable returns in the future."
However—
"I told you," Stefan interrupted her grand business blueprint flatly, "I don't need money."
He leaned back against the soft pillow, shifting to a more comfortable position, but his eyes remained locked on her.
"Try another one."
Cecilia fell silent. She realized her thinking couldn't keep up with Stefan's anymore.
If it wasn't for money, wasn't to use her to strike at Rufus for business satisfaction, then what was Stefan doing all this for?
Cecilia couldn't figure it out, so she simply stopped trying.
"I can't think of anything right now." She answered honestly.
"That's fine." Stefan's response surprised her again. "I'm not in a hurry. You can take your time thinking."
He looked at her tense profile, his bloodless lips curving into an extremely faint arc.
Then he leisurely added the second half of his sentence.
"Also, before you figure out how to repay me, I need a caregiver."
Cecilia's head snapped up.
"The hospital has the best nursing team." She immediately objected.
"I'm not used to strangers being close to me." He blocked her path with one sentence. "Especially when I'm this vulnerable."
He even openly used the word "vulnerable."
"What about your assistant?" Cecilia didn't want to give up easily.
"He has to handle company matters and investigate who was behind that incident—though it was probably just two gangs fighting and we got caught in the crossfire." Stefan's reasoning was flawless. "He's busier than I am."
Cecilia took a deep breath, suppressing the irritation rising in her chest.
"Fine."
For the next few days, Cecilia was forced into a 24-hour "exclusive caregiver" career.
Stefan's level of being "easy to serve" exceeded her imagination.
On the first day, the hospital delivered a nutritious meal.
Stefan only glanced at it before having the nurse take it away.
"I don't eat carrots."
"The fish smells fishy."
"The soup is too oily."
Cecilia listened expressionlessly, then picked up her phone and, right in front of him, ordered plain rice porridge and simple side dishes from a street-side shop.
Half an hour later, the delivery arrived.
Cecilia served the porridge and placed it in front of him.
"Mr. Hensley, please eat."
Stefan looked at the plain, simple bowl of porridge, then at her. Finally, without saying anything, he picked up the spoon and ate it all, bite by bite.
On the second day, handling business.
Stefan's assistant Garth delivered a pile of urgent documents.
Because his chest hurt, Stefan was too lazy to lift his hands, so he directed Cecilia.
"Third document on the left, blue folder. Read it to me."
Cecilia had no choice but to pick up the document and read him the dry financial statements and project proposals word by word.
"Projected third-quarter profit growth is 7.2 percent, with main risks being..."
"Stop." He suddenly spoke.
Cecilia stopped and looked at him.
"Do you think his assessment of this project's risk points is correct?" Stefan asked.
Cecilia paused.
She quickly reviewed what she'd just read in her mind, and combining it with her own understanding, pointed out a logical flaw in the report.
"No. He only considered market risks but ignored the chain reaction that policy adjustments might bring. If next month's new energy subsidy policy changes, their cost advantage will disappear instantly, and this growth rate will be a joke."
After listening, a flash of approval appeared in Stefan's eyes.
"Not bad."
He gave an instruction to the air: "Have the project department redo this report. Follow Ms. Martinez's thinking for the revisions."
Cecilia fell silent.
Stefan was conducting employee training even while being cared for!
That afternoon, the sunlight was just right.
Cecilia peeled an apple, carefully cut it into uniform small pieces, stuck toothpicks in them, arranged them on a small plate, and handed it to him.
She had already become extremely skilled at this routine.
Stefan didn't immediately reach for it. He just leaned against the headboard, his gaze falling on her nimble fingers.
"What's wrong? Not to your taste?" Cecilia asked, her tone without much fluctuation.
"No." Stefan spoke slowly. "I just suddenly realized that getting injured once in a while isn't so bad."
His face carried a trace of an ambiguous smile, looking like he was in a good mood.
Cecilia had already gotten used to his occasional teasing remarks and quietly waited for him to continue.
"Tell me," Stefan finally picked up a piece of apple and put it in his mouth, chewing carefully, "if Rufus found out that you're taking care of me so attentively right now, wouldn't the expression on his face be quite spectacular?"
"Would he be so angry he'd drop dead on the spot?"
Cecilia's motion of peeling a pear for herself froze in mid-air.
Rufus.
That name was a pain in her heart that couldn't be removed. Just being mentioned made her recall those stale, blood-stained memories.