The Doctor Who Has No Ambition (Soulless Book 9) - Victoria Quinn Page 0,84
don’t worry about the cost.”
Angelica stilled at Dex’s announcement, looking at him like she’d never really seen him before. “What?”
“I don’t understand,” Marc whispered. “You would…do that?”
Dex nodded. “Absolutely. No one should be denied the care they need because they can’t afford it.”
Angelica turned to look at her husband and grabbed his hand on her thigh.
He squeezed it before he looked at her.
Dex dropped his gaze, as if to give them privacy.
I sat there…on the verge of tears.
Dex continued to look at the ground. “Don’t stress about the money. Focus on getting through this.” He lifted his chin and looked at them again.
Angelica stared at him, her wet eyes heavy with tears. “You came out of retirement for us…and now you’re not even going to charge us? I just…I just don’t understand how that makes sense.”
“I don’t either,” Marc said.
Dex shrugged. “It’ll work out. I have a lot of sponsors that donate to my organization so I can provide care to those who can’t afford it. And most of my other clients are well-off, so they pay my full rate. It evens out.”
He’d just restarted his business from the ground up, and while he had his parents for financial support at the moment, the money wasn’t important to him at all. Just getting Marc the care he needed was the only thing on Dex’s mind.
Angelica and Marc looked at each other again, still in disbelief.
“Well…thank you.” Angelica looked at Dex with watery eyes. “I don’t know what else to say.”
Marc nodded.
Dex massaged his fingertips as he absorbed their words. “I’m going to do my very best to take care of you, but you should know that just because I’m labeled as the best doesn’t guarantee success. Sometimes, there are things that occur beyond medicine…things I can’t control.” He lifted his gaze and looked at them again. “The reason I left medicine in the first place is because I lost a patient who meant a lot to me. It was a routine procedure, and his family asked me to do it because I’m the best. But I lost him on the table, and I still don’t know why. It still haunts me, still keeps me up at night. I’m a transparent person, so I want you to know the truth, and after a year-long hiatus, I’m not the same doctor I used to be. I’m not as confident. This procedure is a great weight on my shoulders because it’ll make or break me.”
Angelica gave a slight nod. “Your father mentioned that when I came to him. But I have complete faith in you, Dex. Even if your confidence is compromised, if your skills are rusty after taking a year off, your heart is the same as it’s always been. You care about my husband deeply, care about your patients, and that’s something no one else has. That assuages my fears, because for better or worse, I’ll know that you did everything you possibly could to bring my husband back to me.”
I walked them to the elevator at the end of the lobby. “I’ll be in touch to schedule the surgery, along with instructions for what needs to be done to prepare for the procedure. If you have any questions, feel free to email. I’m attached at the hip to my phone, so I can get you any information that you need at any time.”
“Thank you.” Angelica gave me a weak smile, her eyes still wet after the long discussion. “I just can’t believe this is all real, that Dr. Hamilton is going to be taking care of my husband. I felt like a crazy person cornering his father like that, but I was desperate.”
I gave a nod in understanding. “When it comes to the people we love, there’s no line we’re afraid to cross.”
“I’m so glad his father talked him into returning to medicine. I know everything about him because of all the research I did, and even if he can’t save my husband, there are so many other people who need him.” She released a heavy sigh as her tears welled up more. “I’ve seen so many doctors, you don’t even know, and none of them give a damn. None of them listen. None of them are anywhere near Dex Hamilton.”
Marc gently gripped her arm and directed her to the elevator doors after they opened. “I’m sure his assistant knows how brilliant he is, honey.” They got into the elevator together and then disappeared.