The Hidden Billionaire

CHAPTER 1: HUMILIATION

“Doctor! Please save my daughter!”

Thomas Brown rushed into the hospital with Emma in his arms. Blood soaked through his shirt and dripped onto the shiny floor. Emma’s face was covered in blood, and her tiny body trembled against his chest.

The sight immediately drew attention. Nurses hurried over with a stretcher.

“What happened?” one of them asked.

“She got hurt,” Thomas replied breathlessly. “Please help her first.”

The nurses carefully moved Emma onto the stretcher and rushed toward the emergency room. Thomas followed closely behind until they reached the doors.

“Dad…”

Emma slowly opened her eyes.

Thomas forced a smile despite the fear squeezing his chest. “It’s okay. Daddy’s here.”

The emergency room doors closed with a bang, leaving him standing outside with blood still staining his hands.

A familiar memory flashed through his mind.

Years ago, a doctor had once bowed respectfully and addressed him as "Young Master" after he got injured during a horseback riding accident.

Back then, a single phone call could bring the best specialists in the country to his bedside.

Now he couldn't even guarantee treatment for his own daughter.

Before he could gather his thoughts, the sharp sound of heels echoed through the hallway.

Slap!

A burning pain shot across his face.

“Thomas Brown!”

Ava stood in front of him, her eyes red from panic and anger.

“If anything happens to my daughter, I won’t forgive you!”

Thomas lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Ava laughed bitterly. “Our daughter is inside covered in blood, and all you can say is sorry?”

Thomas remained silent. No excuse could change what had happened.

Just then, the emergency room doors opened and a doctor stepped out.

“Who are the parents?”

Ava rushed forward. “How is my daughter?”

“The injury has been treated for now,” the doctor replied, “but the cut on her face is deep. She’ll need further treatment and observation. If not handled properly, it could leave a permanent scar.”

Thomas felt his stomach drop.

Emma was only nine years old.

A few minutes later, she was wheeled out of the emergency room. Half of her face was covered in white bandages. The sight made Thomas’s chest tighten.

“Mom…” Emma called softly.

Ava immediately grabbed her hand. “Does it hurt?”

Emma shook her head even though tears had gathered in her eyes.

“Mom, don’t blame Dad.”

Thomas froze.

“It wasn’t Dad’s fault,” she whispered.

Her words only made him feel worse.

Because he knew exactly why this had happened.

The students who bullied Emma were from his class. Rich, spoiled children whose parents could buy their way out of anything. He had disciplined them a few days ago, and now his daughter was paying the price.

“Sir.”

A nurse approached with a clipboard.

“Your daughter needs to be admitted. Please take care of the payment first.”

“How much?” Thomas asked.

“Twenty-five thousand dollars.”

Thomas almost thought he heard wrong.

“What?”

The nurse repeated herself without emotion.

“Twenty-five thousand.”

Thomas quickly pulled out his bank card.

“I’ll pay.”

The nurse ran the card through the machine, frowned, then pushed it back.

“There’s no money in this account.”

Thomas stared at her.

“That can’t be right. I just got my bonus yesterday.”

“Well, there isn’t any money now.”

People nearby had already started looking in his direction.

Ignoring the stares, Thomas took out his phone and dialed a number.

The call connected after several rings.

“Hello?”

Laughter and loud voices could be heard in the background.

“Mr. Bright, it’s Thomas.”

“Oh, Thomas!” Bright Wood sounded slightly drunk. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to ask about my bonus. I haven’t received it.”

“Oh, that?” Bright laughed. “We used it yesterday.”

Thomas frowned. “Used it?”

“You received an award, didn’t you? Everyone celebrated for you. We used the money to treat the staff.”

Thomas tightened his grip on the phone.

“Without even telling me?”

“What’s the big deal?” Bright replied impatiently. “The eight thousand wasn’t enough anyway. I added four thousand myself.”

Thomas’s face darkened.

“My daughter is in the hospital right now. I need that money.”

“Thomas,” Bright interrupted coldly, “stop making a fuss over a little money.”

The line went dead.

Thomas stood there staring at the screen.

For a long moment, he said nothing.

When he turned around, Ava was standing behind him. She had clearly heard everything.

The disappointment on her face cut deeper than the slap.

“Our daughter is in the hospital,” she said quietly, “and you can’t even pay the medical bills.”

Thomas opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Ava rubbed her temples tiredly.

“The rent, groceries, Emma’s expenses… Do you know how much pressure I’ve been carrying?”

Her voice wasn’t loud anymore.

That somehow made it hurt more.

“As a teacher in an elite school, you can’t even protect your own daughter.”

Thomas lowered his head.

He wanted to argue.

He wanted to tell her how hard he worked.

How unfair everything was.

But in the end, he couldn’t say a single word.

Because Emma was lying in that hospital bed.

And he had failed her.

Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the hallway.