Chapter 4 He’s Not My Boyfriend
Whether it was a public or private hospital, weirdos came in all shapes and sizes—with or without money didn’t make a difference. In fact, the wealthier they were, the more reckless they seemed to become.
Ingrid was one of the first nurses hired by Peaceheart. Over the past six or seven years, she had witnessed her fair share of incidents—male patients harassing female staff and female patients chasing after male doctors.
However, the most common by far were nurses taking advantage of the situation to get close to patients. Some ended up in relationships, some in secret affairs, and one or two ended in marriage.
At first, Ingrid would be shocked, but she learned to keep her composure. After all, she had seen it all. When this particular patient spoke, she quickly recovered her professionalism.
“You have an injury on your leg, and it’s difficult to wear pants. I’ll get someone to help you.”
The man didn’t seem phased. His eyes stayed glued to her as he said, “You help me put them on.”
Ingrid responded calmly, “We have male colleagues on night shifts…”
The man interrupted and wore a half-smile on his face. “I like you. Is it that difficult?”
Ingrid suppressed her discomfort and kept a neutral expression. “Sorry, but there are hospital rules. I’ll call someone right now…”
The man quickly asked, “How much do you make in a month?”
Ingrid, unfazed, answered, “I have a boyfriend.”
“How much does he make?” The man didn’t blink.
Ingrid remained silent, and the man smirked. “Make an offer. I like you, and I won’t haggle.”
“Is there anything else I can help you with?” Ingrid asked coldly.
“I have several friends who found nurses here. You could ask them how much they charge. I’m not trying to rip you off.”
Ingrid maintained her professionalism and responded, “If you’re done, I’ll be heading out.”
As she turned to leave, the man’s voice echoed behind her, “There aren’t many opportunities in life to improve your quality of life. Don’t let your pride stop you. Pride doesn’t pay the bills.”
Without turning around, Ingrid left the room and shut the door behind her.
The next evening, the man rang the call bell. Ingrid sent a male colleague to respond. A few minutes later, her colleague came out. “He specifically requested you.”
Those words made every nurse at the station look at her. Being chased by a patient, especially one rich or influential, wasn’t exactly something that would ruin your day—it could even be flattering.
But it was always tricky if the feelings weren’t mutual. It was great when things clicked naturally, but if the patient was being rejected, it could easily turn into an incident.
Ingrid was running for the head nurse position, and anything that could stir up rumors would work against her.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Ingrid stood up and walked toward the patient’s room. As soon as she entered, the whispers began.
In the room, she greeted the man with a professional smile. “How can I assist you?”
The man lay back on the bed and cast a sideways glance at her. “Have you made up your mind yet?”
Ingrid didn’t bother pretending anymore. She responded politely, “I appreciate your interest, but I’ve never been the type to pursue wealth. I’m perfectly content with my life as it is.”
The man’s offer came quickly. “A 100 thousand for one night, 1.5 million dollars for a month. You can choose.”
Ingrid maintained her composure. “I’m afraid I can’t choose.”
The man smirked. “I don’t usually pressure someone else, but I like you. I’m offering you this as an incentive.”
Ingrid smiled back, keeping her voice steady. “I understand. You seem like someone who values rational decisions. I know being confirmed to a hospital bed must be frustrating and boring.
“If you need a change of environment, you can speak to Dr. Zimmerman. There are other places where you could recover.”
The man stared at Ingrid. “To be honest, I’m just bored and wanted someone to kill time with. But if you despise money that much, maybe I’ll try to win you over the old-fashioned way.”
Ingrid responded, “I have a boyfriend.”
The man scoffed. “Then have him come talk to me. I’m not backing down. I’ve got my eyes on you.”
Ingrid wasn’t about to stay in the room any longer. Every second spent there would add fuel to the rumors outside. She considered changing shifts to avoid seeing him, but the hospital wasn’t hers to run.
If she switched shifts, people would gossip about her acting too high and mighty—she could do whatever she wanted without even being a head nurse yet. If she stayed on her shift, they would say she was flirting with the patients.
Sure enough, by the next day, the entire orthopedic department knew about the incident. Ingrid privately reported to Lilliane, and the response was exactly what she expected. She was told to avoid unnecessary conflicts with patients during the head nurse election.
Ingrid gritted her teeth and endured the tension for a week until the man was discharged. As she walked out of the orthopedic department, ready to breathe a sigh of relief, she was stopped by a car blocking her way.
The bodyguard insisted she get into the car, but she refused. The man in the car scowled. “Get her in here.”
The bodyguard tried to force her into the car, but Ingrid was too proud to scream or make a scene. Her face immediately flushed with anger.
Just as things were about to escalate, a voice called out, “What’s going on?”
Ingrid turned and recognized Brandon standing not far away. Brandon had heard about Ingrid being pursued by a patient and immediately recognized the man in the car as one of the VIP patients.
Brandon approached Ingrid with a tense expression. “Come with me.”
The man lowered the car window and called out, “Are you her boyfriend?”
Brandon didn’t respond and was determined to leave with Ingrid. But the bodyguard blocked his way.
“If you’re her boyfriend, come and talk to me. If not, stay out of it. Don’t make trouble for yourself,” the man said.
Brandon turned around and shot back coldly, “Do you want me to report the police?”
The man scoffed. “I’m pursuing Ingrid, and that’s none of your business. Unless you’re pursuing her too, stay out of it. Otherwise, I’ll hurt you so badly that you end up hospitalized in orthopedics.”
Brandon pulled out his phone, ready to call for help, but the bodyguard was quicker. He grabbed the phone and handed it to the man.
Without a second thought, the man tossed the phone into a nearby fountain.
Brandon was furious, and his face turned red. “Y-You!”
“Please go ahead,” Ingrid said suddenly, her voice calm and unbothered. “I’ll retrieve your phone for you. If it’s broken, I’ll buy you a new one.”
Brandon frowned, feeling confused. Ingrid didn’t care about the phone. She just didn’t want to drag him into this mess. He wasn’t her boyfriend after all.
