The undercover billionaire

Chapter two

By the time Arthur got to the hospital, it was crowded and noisy. Patients waited in lines and nurses moved quickly, avoiding eye contact.

Arthur pushed through the crowd, heading straight to the counter.

“I’m here for Madam Aiyun,” he said breathlessly.

The nurse looked him up and down, unimpressed by his looks. “She’s been transferred to the community ward. Fourth floor, Room 3A.”

“Thank you!” Arthur said and left.

The community ward was nothing like the private one. The space was untidy, with poor lighting and the air was stuffy.

He found his mom on the far end, lying in a narrow bed with only a thin sheet covering her frail body. Her face was pale, her lips were dry and her breathing was shallow.

“Mom…!” Arthur rushed to her side, kneeling. “I’m here, I’m here now.”

Madam Aiyun slowly opened her eyes. “Arthur… Price…” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“I’m sorry,” Arthur whispered, choking back tears. “I have the money. I swear. Just hold on.”

“Still… calling me Mom,” she smiled faintly. “Even when the world turns its back on you… You’re still kind.”

“Enough of this, Mom. Hold on, I'll be right back,” Arthur said, rushing to his feet.

He couldn't sit back and watch his mother die like this.

Sweat and water clung to his wet shirt, as he hurried to the counter.

The nurse’s face at the reception was cold. Her eyes judged as she wondered why a man like him was even let into the hospital.

This was a private clinic, one of the best in the country, and only the rich or celebrities frequented the place.

It was no wonder that she looked at him that way, but Arthur didn't care.

All he wanted was to save his dying mother, who had been diagnosed with leukemia, and since this was the best place for treating her, he was going to do it.

“Patient's name?” The nurse asked, her stance forced as she typed away at her keyboard.

She wanted nothing more than to leave.

“Aiyun Price.” He stated, pulling out the wrinkled check from his pocket when a cold voice broke through the air.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Arthur Price!”

Arthur turned to see a man in his mid-twenties, dressed in a flashy jacket, standing at the entrance. 

His hair was neatly combed, and hanging hooked by his arm was an equally dressed woman with blonde hair and bright red lipstick. She was gorgeous and looked like a model ready for a shoot, but what drew Arthur's attention was the man.

Ben Carson, was standing with a smirk, his blue eyes gleaming as he looked Arthur up and down. He was an old school classmate whom he hadn’t spoken to in years.

Back in school Arthur was a nobody. A nerd, if you would call it, while Ben, due to his father's wealth, was a popular kid who took the liberty of bullying the weak.

He was also a pervert who changed women like he changed his clothes.

“What do you want?” Arthur gritted as he glared at him. 

Due to his earlier remark, heads had already turned their way.

“That is no way to greet an old friend, Arthur. Besides, I heard you were married to Racheal Harris, the CEO’s granddaughter. What happened? Did the wealthy family toss you out?” Ben taunted, smirking. “I saw you on the livestream. Man, that was pathetic.”

“Honey, is this the man you were talking about?” The woman beside Ben batted her lashes, smiling sweetly at him.

“Yes, don't you see how pathetic he is?” Ben implied, smugly wrapping his arms around her. “I wonder what he did to make a person like Rachel get married to him in the first place.”

The lady let out a fake laugh, covering her lips with her small palm. “Maybe he pretended to be rich. Didn't you hear what they said in the stream?”

At that, they both burst into laughter, along with the nurse behind him.

Arthur clenched his fists. 

He forgot that his wife had always set up a live stream. Does this mean everyone had watched him when he was being divorced?

He took in a deep breath, coldly meeting their gazes. “What I do is none of your business. If you'd excuse me, I have important things to do.” He turned to face the receptionist, but clearly that was a mistake.

“Who are you to turn your back on Ben Carson?” A shriek came from the lady. “Do you have any idea who he is or how many people are dying to speak to him? Yet you turn your back on him? Do you know what net worth is? A lowlife like you can only dream of acquiring that!”

“Shameless.”

“You should be grateful he is even talking to you, humph!” 

Voices cut in, either from patients or nurses.

They weren't dumb. Just hearing the name Carson it clicked.

This was a millionaire in their midst, so they wanted to get on his good side.

Arthur clenched his fists silently, watching the smug look of satisfaction on Ben's face as he made to pacify his plastic Bimbo.

“Calm down, Julia, like I said, he is a nobody, how do you expect him to know who I am?” Ben asked, patting the back of Julia's hand.

Julia glared at Arthur with fire.

She was an upcoming model in the fashion industry, one that Carson's family was into. 

She had been looking for the right moment to break into the industry and Carson was her only chance. Coming to this clinic was because Ben had forced her to do a butt lift surgery.

If she wanted, she would never be with a person like Ben, but to get what she wanted, she had to please him.

“Why are you still standing?!” Julia's fair face turned red. “Kneel and beg for turning your back on him.” 

Arthur glanced coldly at the woman, his gaze enough to freeze her in place. “Who are you to tell me what to do?”

Julia froze, her heart thumping loudly as she paled.

Shock.

Never in her life had she been stared at like that, but before she could say more, Ben blew over.

“How dare you talk to my girlfriend like that?!” Ben fumed with a red face, spittle flying out. “Security, I want you to cut out his tongue and gouge out those nasty eyes of his!” 

In an instant, three men sprang out from behind them, sending everyone backing away.

Julia wore a satisfied expression, her chin jutted out in pride as she caught the subtle glances filled with envy thrown her way.

‘Hah! That would teach this lowlife for speaking that way to me!’

Arthur stood, his eyes burning with rage, as he watched the three men move towards him.

He couldn't fight, but he was sure he could stand his ground.

“Enough!” A sweet voice cut across the room just as the men approached.

Everyone turned in the direction of the voice.

A young female doctor walked in, holding a clipboard. She was tall, slender, and beautiful. Her auburn hair was up in a messy bun, a pair of glasses hanging neatly on her nose.

“Mr. Ben,” she said coldly, “this is a hospital, not a bar. If you have nothing better to do, leave.”

Ben narrowed his eyes at the woman who dared to interfere. “Who do you think you are?”

“Someone you cannot afford to mess with.” She stated coolly. “Now, take your men and leave, or I would be forced to take measures, and I can assure you, even your father can't save you.”

Ben's face turned red at the insult, and Julia beside him wasn't left out.

‘Who was this b*tch to talk like this?’ 

She wanted to shout, but Ben's hold on her was heavy.

This wasn't an ordinary clinic, and neither were the doctors.

With one last look at Arthur, Ben spat out forcefully. “Let's go.”

His guards left, but not without them throwing Arthur a spiteful glare.

Seeing the drama die out, the rest of the people dispersed, and even the nurses pretended to be busy.

The doctor turned to Arthur.

“You must be her madam Aiyun’s son?”

“Yes, I am,” Arthur said, gratefully staring at the woman. “I was trying to foot the bills. I have half of the money with me.” 

She gave a tired sigh. “We don’t have much time left. The delay in medication has made her condition unstable, and she can fail at any time. She has less than twenty hours to live, pay the money and we’ll begin with the treatment.”

Arthur clenched his fists, bowing deeply. “Thank you, Doctor…?”

“Dr. Christina,” she said, then turned leaving him standing in the hall alone.

After depositing the check, he walked out of the hospital.

Outside, he took out his phone dialing Rachel's number.

She had promised to double the money, but only now had he realized he had been played.

The phone rang for a while, but when it was finally picked up, the voice that answered wasn’t Rachel’s, it was her mother’s.

“You still have the nerve to call?” she scolded.

“I want the complete payment.” Arthur cut to the chase. Since they didn't want anything to do with him, he won't give them any courtesy. “Rachel promised to double it.”

“She never promised you anything,” Linda snapped. “You think you’re the victim here? Our daughter had to suffer for three years while being mocked by the public! Now you want to take our money?”

Arthur gripped his phone hard. “It’s for my mother’s treatment and that money was mine. I worked my butt off for that money.”

Mrs. Linda mocked, "Then be a man, Arthur. Go sort your life out. We don’t owe you anything.”

Click.

The line went dead.

Arthur stared at the screen for a while. Then he looked up.

A thought crossed his mind. Racheal was supposed to inherit the company after their divorce.

If they didn't want to give him, then he'd go to them.

But just as he was about to leave, a notification suddenly popped up on his phone.

Buzz!

"$100,000,000 has been deposited into your account."