THE BILLIONAIRE’S PERFECT MATE

She was in a confused state and didn’t know what to do. Eventually, she decided to seek assistance and rushed the lifeless body to a nearby hospital. Upon arriving at the hospital, he was rushed to the emergency ward where the doctor began to examine him.

There was a continual, urgent hum in the emergency department, a cacophony of sounds mixing together in a frenzy of activity. The room is harshly and clinically lit by fluorescent lights, which give every nook and cranny an uncompromising glare. With experienced precision, nurses in multicolored scrubs raced quickly between beds, their faces fixed in determined attitudes as they checked vital signs, adjusted IVs, and comforted patients.

The intense chats between doctors and nurses were punctuated by the continuous beeping of cardiac monitors. The sporadic alarm blare, indicating a critically ill patient, brought an abrupt acceleration of the already hectic pace. As they were pushed quickly around the linoleum floors, medical carts filled with supplies clattered and their contents jangled with every bump.

Patients lay on stretchers and in areas with curtains drawn; some were writhing in agony, while others were motionless, their expressions belying weariness or nervousness. Family members gathered around, their faces furrowed with fear and worry, whispering to one another or raising frantic inquiries. There was a strong fragrance of antiseptic in the air, slightly mixed with perspiration and nervousness.

White-coated doctors made their way from patient to patient in deliberate, rapid steps. Their authoritative, composed voices guided the care process by giving directives and conferring with other professionals. The sound of paramedics arriving with a new patient, their stretcher wheels squeaking as they sped through the automatic doors, or the occasional cry for help broke the hum of activity. Ellie was so immersed in the things happening in her surrounding that she almost forgot the reason she was there.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

“What happened to him before he blacked out?” the doctor, still checking him to determine the issue, asked Ellie, who was lost in her own world of thought and seemed to have been brought back to life by the doctor’s voice.

“He… He had an attack. He had an asthma attack,” Ellie managed to say with a shaky voice.

“What then happened?” the doctor asked, facing Ellie.

“I administered an inhaler on him, and he was getting better until he started finding it difficult to breathe again before he blacked out,” Ellie answered, getting scared.

“Who are you to him? Are you his sister?” the doctor suspiciously asked, narrowing his eyes at Ellie.

“No, I am not,” Ellie responded.

“Then you must be his girlfriend?” he asked, making Ellie feel uncomfortable.

“No, I am not,” Ellie responded, but the doctor seemed not to believe her.

“OK. What’s his name then?” he asked.

“I have no idea. I do not know him. I just helped him out,” Ellie responded, frustrated by the doctor’s questions, which she deemed unprofessional.

“You can wait at the reception while we attend to him,” the doctor finally said, dismissing Ellie when he noticed she was getting uncomfortable.

“Place him on a nebulizer and also administer ipratropium bromide. Let’s watch him for some hours and see if he wakes up,” the doctor said to the nurse after observing him for a while. The doctor headed out, with the nurse writing down the prescription given by the doctor.

Ellie, who was waiting at the reception and pacing up and down, made her way toward the doctor upon seeing him coming her way.

“How is he, doctor? Is everything okay with him?” Ellie asked, with the doctor shocked at how worried she was about a stranger.

“Why are you not saying anything? Is he dead? Have I killed him? What have I done? I shouldn’t have administered the inhaler myself. I should have brought him straight to the hospital,” she lamented, with tears streaming down her cheeks and guilt etched on her face. She thought the guy had died because the doctor didn’t respond when she asked how he was faring. This sight made the doctor burst into laughter as he found her cute and childish.

“You are one funny girl, I must say, and you seem to care about everyone at large. For you to be worried about someone you barely know shows that you have a good heart. It is all thanks to you that he is alive. If not for the first aid treatment you administered, he would have given up the ghost. Anyways, he is going to be fine. He has been placed on drugs, and hopefully, he will wake up soon. You can find a way to get in touch with his family once he wakes up. In the meantime, notify your parents about your whereabouts, so they don’t get worried. You wouldn’t like seeing flyers of you claiming that you are missing, would you?” the doctor said, laughing. This also made Ellie smile.

“Thank you for your help, doctor. I really appreciate it,” Ellie said, bowing her head as a way of showing her gratitude toward the doctor.

“You are welcome. Get some rest,” the doctor said, patting Ellie’s head, which made her giggle.

As soon as the doctor disappeared from her sight, she took her phone and dialed her grandma’s number. She knew her grandma would be worried already as it was high time for her to be home.

“Hello, Granny,” Ellie said when her grandma picked up the call.

“Hello, Ellie. Where are you? You got me worried. Where are you right now?” she asked, with concern in her voice.

“I am sorry I didn’t get in touch with you on time. I am actually at the hospital,” Ellie responded.

“Hospital? What are you doing there? Did you get hurt? You know what? Send me the address, and I will be on my way now,” her granny said, with anxiety in her voice.

“Calm down, Granny. I am fine. I actually brought a sick person in,” Ellie explained.

“A sick person? Is it someone I know?” Granny asked, now less worried.

“Not someone you know. I just met him on my way home, lying lifeless on the floor and seeking help. I had to rush him to the hospital to save his life,” Ellie further explained.

“That’s good of you. Have you gotten in touch with his relatives?” Granny asked.

“No, I haven’t. He hasn’t woken up yet. Once he does, I will make him get in touch with his relatives, after which I will be heading home,” Ellie said.

“Okay. Make sure you do not stay too long. Or do you want me to come pick you up?” Granny asked, showing her concern.

“You don’t have to, Granny. I will be just fine,” Ellie said, smiling, realizing how much her granny cared about her.

“Okay, then. I will be expecting you. Stay safe,” Granny said, hanging up.

The guy, whose name was still unknown, had been assigned a bed. Ellie stayed by his bed that night, expecting him to wake up as soon as possible so she could head home, but he never did. Ellie took her time to observe his features and realized how handsome he looked even while sleeping. While waiting for him to wake up, Ellie didn’t know when she fell asleep as she was tired and exhausted.

The granny, on the other hand, was worried as it was past midnight and Ellie was still nowhere to be seen. She called Ellie’s phone several times, but Ellie, who had dozed off, didn’t pick up, making her granny more worried. She didn’t know the hospital Ellie was at, so she couldn’t go in search of her. She waited at the bus station, hoping Ellie was on her way home already, but she never saw her. She headed back home, scared and worried. That night, she couldn’t sleep, as she was scared of losing the only family she had left.