After She Survived Extortion, the Cold CEO Claimed Her as His Own

As the attending physician, I made the mistake of attending the private recovery celebration dinner hosted by my patient's family. The moment his wife saw me, she grabbed my hands with overwhelming enthusiasm. "Dr. Miller! Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, my Arthur wouldn't have made it! You are our family's savior!" I offered a polite smile, about to say it was just my job. But her expression instantly shifted, her eyes growing sharp and piercing. "However, Dr. Miller, while we appreciate you saving his life, don't you think you got a little too intimate with him? Checking on him constantly, touching him, even personally feeding him?" "Arthur talks about you every single day at home now. He keeps saying how gentle and attentive you are. It really doesn't sit well with me." The surrounding relatives and friends fell dead silent. The atmosphere instantly turned incredibly awkward. Before I could even explain, she slammed a document onto the table. "This is the bill for the emotional distress you've caused our marriage, plus a 'rehab fee' because he’s addicted to your 'care.' Two hundred thousand dollars." "Either pay me two hundred thousand, or you can give me a new husband!" First Chapter "Mrs. Pendelton, what is that supposed to mean?" My smile froze on my face. "It means you saved his life, but he’s no longer my husband," Vanessa Pendelton said, crossing her arms. Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was crystal clear. "Every day at home, he either talks about how great Dr. Miller is, or complains about how clumsy I am." "I can't live like this anymore." I took a deep breath, trying my best to stay calm. "Mr. Pendelton’s daily care was almost entirely handled by the nursing staff and interns." "I only performed necessary medical examinations and assisted with his feeding when his dysphagia put him in critical danger." "Is there a misunderstanding?" "Misunderstanding?" She sneered, pointing at her husband, Arthur. "Arthur, tell her yourself. Do you or do you not talk about Dr. Miller every single day?" Arthur, looking pale and frail from his illness, shifted uncomfortably. He glanced at me, then quickly lowered his head. "I... I just think Dr. Miller is a good, highly responsible doctor." "See!" Vanessa slapped her thigh. "She has completely stolen his soul! You call that a misunderstanding?" The relatives around the table began whispering to one another. "Seriously, she's a doctor. Why did she have to get so close to a patient?" "Exactly. She should have kept her distance. Professional boundaries, hello?" "Look at her. With looks like that, she doesn't seem like the type to behave herself." I felt the blood rush to my head. "Mrs. Pendelton, please watch your mouth." "Why should I?" Her voice suddenly shrieked as she pointed a finger right at my nose. "A young, pretty doctor like you, putting your hands all over my husband under the guise of 'checking him.' What were you really planning?" "That was an emergency! He was choking on food. If I had been even a few seconds later, he would have suffocated!" I tried desperately to suppress my rising anger. "Emergency? Then what about feeding him? His hands aren't broken. Why would a chief attending physician personally feed him?" "He had severe dysphagia at the time! He required professional assessment and swallowing therapy!" "I don't care!" she shrieked, starting to make a scene. "It's because of you! You made him cold to me! You ruined our twenty-year marriage!" "Two hundred thousand dollars. Not a penny less! Otherwise, I will make a scene at your hospital and report you to the medical board!" I was shaking with rage. "This is extortion!" Arthur finally couldn't take it anymore. He tugged at her sleeve. "Vanessa, stop. Dr. Miller saved my life." *Slap!* A loud slap echoed through the room. Vanessa slapped Arthur hard across the face. "Saved your life? More like she's your new side chick!" "You ungrateful bastard! I slaved away taking care of you, and now you're taking her side?" Everyone in the banquet hall stared at us, treating us like a cheap soap opera. A wave of dizziness hit me. I had never been so insulted in my entire life. I grabbed my bag and turned to leave. "You think you can just walk away? Nobody leaves until I get my money!" Vanessa suddenly lunged forward, grabbing my arm with a iron grip. Her fingernails dug deep into my skin. "Let go!" "I won't! If you don't explain yourself and give me the money today, I will ruin your life!" She was incredibly strong, and I couldn't break free. Just then, a cold, deep voice cut through the noise from the doorway. "What is going on here?" I turned my head and saw the CEO of our medical center, Julian Vance. Behind him stood several chief department heads. Why were they here? Vanessa froze when she saw Julian, but she quickly recovered her loud, obnoxious attitude. "Are you the CEO? Perfect! One of your doctors seduced my husband and ruined my family!" "You need to give me an explanation!" Julian’s brow furrowed. His eyes fell on my arm, which was already turning red from her grip. "Let her go." Second ChapterIntimidated by Julian’s commanding presence, Vanessa instinctively let go of my arm. I took two steps back, rubbing my throbbing arm. Julian looked directly at Vanessa. "Mrs. Pendelton, this is a public venue. We can speak like civilized people." "Civilized?" Vanessa laughed as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world. "My marriage is ruined because of her. How do you expect me to be civilized?" "I'm telling you right now, if you don't pay me two hundred thousand dollars today, I will expose you guys on TikTok and Instagram! I'll tell everyone that Vance Medical Center employs home-wreckers with zero ethics!" Julian’s face completely darkened. "Mrs. Pendelton, you can say whatever you want, but you will face the consequences." "Extortion and malicious defamation can easily land you in federal prison." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable, terrifying authority. Vanessa’s confidence visibly wavered, but she kept a stubborn front. "I... I'm telling the truth! I have witnesses!" She pointed at the table of relatives. But those relatives immediately looked down, not daring to make eye contact with Julian. Julian ignored her and turned to me. "Dr. Miller, back to the hospital." "CEO Vance, I..." I wanted to explain. "We will talk in my office." I bit my lip and followed him out. Behind us, Vanessa screamed in frustration. "Trying to run? No way! Julian Vance, don't think you can do whatever you want just because you run this place!" "You're covering up for your subordinate! I'll sue you along with her!" ... Back at the hospital, the silence in Julian’s office was suffocating. He sat behind his massive desk, staring at me blankly, saying nothing. His stare made me incredibly anxious. "CEO Vance, today was a complete misunderstanding." "Vanessa... I think she might have some severe psychological issues." He finally spoke, his tone impossible to read. "Chloe, how long have you been at this hospital?" "Five years." "Five years. And how many patient disputes have you handled?" I lowered my head. "Dozens of various sizes." "Then tell me, did you handle today's situation well?" I had no words. "Arguing with a patient's family member in a public restaurant... you dragged the hospital's reputation through the mud." "I wasn't arguing! I was trying to explain!" I couldn't help but defend myself. "Explain?" He let out a cold laugh. "Did your explanation work? Did she listen?" "She's a lunatic, and you tried to reason with her?" "Then what was I supposed to do? Just let her slander and extort me?" My eyes welled up with tears of sheer frustration. "You should have called the police immediately, or contacted the hospital's security department." He stood up and walked over to me. "Instead of making yourself the main character of a public circus." "Chloe, you are the youngest chief attending physician in our department. You are on the fast track to being a partner." "I expect you to protect your reputation." My heart fluttered. What did he mean by that? Was he warning me, or was he... caring for me? Before I could wrap my head around it, there was a frantic knock on the door. Dr. Richard Davis from Medical Affairs poked his head in, his face pale. "CEO Vance, we have a major problem." "That woman, Vanessa Pendelton, brought a mob. They’ve completely blocked the main lobby!" Third ChapterBy the time Julian and I rushed down to the lobby, the place was in utter chaos. Vanessa was sitting on the floor in the center of the lobby, crying hysterically. Surrounding her were a dozen men and women holding up large white placards. Written in bold, red letters were the words: "Dr. Chloe Miller: Home-Wrecker in Scrubs! Return My Husband!" "Vance Medical Center Protects Sexual Predators!" Dozens of patients and visitors were pointing and whispering. The security guards were sweating profusely, not daring to lay a hand on them. "There she is! The home-wrecker is here!" The moment Vanessa saw me, she leaped off the floor and charged at me. "You bitch! I'll kill you!" Julian was fast. He grabbed my waist and pulled me behind him. Two security guards immediately rushed forward and tackled Vanessa to the ground. "Let me go! You corporate dogs! You're protecting her!" Vanessa thrashed wildly, screaming at me. "Chloe Miller, you shameless whore! You slept with my husband, and now you're hiding?" "You think having the CEO back you up makes you untouchable?" "Everyone, look! This is Vance Medical's star doctor! This is the kind of disgusting trash she does behind closed doors!" Her words felt like knives stabbing repeatedly into my chest. The murmurs from the crowd grew louder. "Is this real? She looks so professional, how could she..." "Well, there's no smoke without fire. She must have done something." "Doctors these days will do anything for money." I felt the blood drain from my face. I wanted nothing more than for the ground to swallow me whole. Julian’s face was thunderous. He barked at the security team: "What are you waiting for? Call the NYPD!" "Have every single one of these trespassers arrested for harassment and disturbing the peace!" Hearing that the police were called, Vanessa didn't back down. Instead, she became even more hysterical. "Call the police! Great! Let the cops decide who's right!" "Let's see if the law protects a CEO harboring his mistress, or a victim fighting for her marriage!" She pulled out her phone and began recording a Snapchat livestream, pointing it directly at Julian and me. "Look, everyone! This is Julian Vance, the high-and-mighty CEO of Vance Medical Center!" "To protect his little side chick's job, he's abusing his power to silence us regular citizens!" The words "little side chick" hit me like a sledgehammer. I looked up at Julian in absolute panic. This mess was dragging him down with me. "CEO Vance, I'm so sorry, I—" "Silence." He cut me off, his voice colder than ice. "Chloe, effective immediately, you are suspended pending investigation." "Until this matter is fully cleared up, you are not to step foot inside this hospital." I felt like I had been struck by lightning. I stared at him in utter disbelief. Suspended? He was actually suspending me? Vanessa let out a triumphant, ugly laugh. "Did you hear that? Even your sugar daddy thinks you're disgusting and threw you out!" "Chloe Miller, you are finished!" Fourth ChapterI don't even remember how I left the hospital. My mind was a complete blank. Julian’s cold stare and Vanessa’s smug face kept flashing before my eyes. I returned to my empty apartment and collapsed onto the couch. My phone was ringing off the hook with calls from colleagues. I didn't want to answer any of them. Within hours, the internet exploded. Vanessa’s livestream was clipped and reposted across every social media platform. The headlines were sensational: *“EXCLUSIVE: Star Doctor's Secret Affair Exposed! CEO of Vance Medical Center Named as Cover-Up!”* *“A Ruined Family's Cry for Help: Who Will Protect Us from These Monsters in Lab Coats?”* In the video, I stood helplessly next to Julian as he coldly announced my suspension. The comment section was a toxic wasteland of hate directed at me. *“This Chloe girl looks like a total green tea bitch. No surprise here.”* *“Doxx her! Find out where she lives!”* *“She doesn't deserve to practice medicine. Revoke her license!”* *“That CEO isn't innocent either. They're definitely sleeping together.”* It felt like my entire life had been destroyed in a single day. I had only saved a patient's life. I had only done my duty as a physician. Why was this my reward? As I curled up on my couch in agony, the doorbell rang. I dragged myself up and looked through the peephole. It was Arthur Pendelton. He was alone, looking pale and even more exhausted than when he was in the hospital. What was he doing here? After a moment of hesitation, I opened the door. "Dr. Miller..." The moment he spoke, his voice cracked, and his eyes turned red. "I'm so sorry." He bowed deeply to me. "It's all my fault. I ruined your life." I stared at him, my emotions a tangled mess. "Why are you here? Where is your wife?" "We got into a massive fight, and I ran out." He looked up, his face filled with immense guilt. "Dr. Miller... Vanessa is insane! Don't believe a word she says!" "Everything she said is a lie!" "I know," I said wearily. "Just go home. I don't want anything to do with your family ever again." I started to close the door. "Wait!" He desperately blocked the door with his hand. "Dr. Miller, please hear me out!" "Vanessa isn't doing this because she's jealous. She's doing it for money!" I froze. "What do you mean?" "She... she owes hundreds of thousands of dollars to underground gambling sites!" Arthur’s voice was trembling. "She knew you were young, successful, and a chief physician, so she assumed you had money. She targeted you for extortion!" "The affair, the accusations... she made it all up!" I stared at him, speechless. It was a setup. A carefully planned scam from the very beginning. I was just the "lucky" target they chose. "Then why didn't you say anything earlier?" I demanded, my voice cracking. "Why did you just stand there at the restaurant and the hospital and watch her destroy my reputation?" Arthur’s face flushed red with shame. He looked down. "I... I was terrified of her." "She threatened that if I spoke the truth, she would go to my corporate office and ruin my career. I'm so close to retirement, Chloe. I couldn't lose my pension..." A wave of intense disgust washed over me. This was the man I had fought so hard to save. "Get out." I pointed toward the hallway, my voice freezing cold. "I never want to see your face again." "Dr. Miller, please, I beg you! Help me just one more time!" Suddenly, he fell to his knees, begging. "Vanessa has lost her mind. She's using this scandal to threaten me. She wants me to sell our house to pay off her gambling debts!" "I can't lose that house! It's my only home!" He grabbed my legs, crying hysterically. "Dr. Miller, you're a good person. You're smart. You must have a way!" "Can you... can you just lend me two hundred thousand dollars to clear her debts first?" "I swear I'll pay you back! I'll work for you, I'll do whatever you want!" I stared at the pathetic man kneeling at my feet. How could he possibly have the nerve to ask me for this? It was absurd! I kicked him away. "Get the hell out!" Just then, the front door was violently kicked open. Vanessa burst in, followed by several burly, menacing men. She saw Arthur kneeling on the floor, and a twisted, evil grin spread across her face. "Perfect! Arthur! You ungrateful piece of shit!" "I've been looking everywhere for you, and you're hiding at your mistress's apartment!" She rushed over, kicking and slapping Arthur. Then, she whipped out her phone and started taking rapid photos of me and the kneeling Arthur. "Caught red-handed! Let's see how you deny it now!" "Chloe Miller, didn't you say you two were innocent?" "Then why is he on his knees in your apartment in the middle of the night?!" "You ruined my marriage, and now you're hiding my husband? Not a chance!" One of the men behind her brandished a baseball bat, taking a step toward me. "Dr. Miller, our boss says you have two choices." "Either you pay up." "Or we make sure you never practice medicine in this state again." I was cornered against the wall, with nowhere to run. Fear, cold and suffocating, completely washed over me. Just as the man raised the baseball bat, the door swung open once again. Fifth Chapter