Chapter 37: Confrontation in the Hospital Hallway!
Olivia Grant had initially estimated that it would take Luca Hale at least a few business days to mobilize and transfer nearly five million dollars in liquid capital.
To her utter disbelief, the moment she ended the call, the finance department sent an urgent notification confirming that the entire amount had already arrived in the company’s accounts.
The transfer had been completed almost instantly.
Even Olivia, who dealt with high-net-worth clients on a daily basis, was stunned.
That kind of liquidity wasn’t normal.
It meant Luca Hale could casually move millions of dollars with the same ease most people used to pay a utility bill.
[Ding!]
[Host has successfully spent $4.65 million on Naomi Monroe.]
[Strategic spending threshold achieved.]
[Supreme Critical Reward activated.]
[Congratulations! Host has received ownership of an entire premium school-district residential building.]
Luca raised an eyebrow.
An entire building?
Not a penthouse. Not a handful of apartments.
A whole building.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
Growing up, he’d occasionally see local landlords wandering around with oversized keyrings hanging from their belts, collecting rent checks before spending the rest of the afternoon playing cards or drinking coffee.
Back then, he’d envied that kind of freedom.
Now he had surpassed it.
Between the commercial district he already owned, the office tower generating steady revenue, and now an entire school-district apartment building, his passive income was becoming absurd.
At this rate, even if he never worked another day in his life, the rent alone would keep pouring in endlessly.
Later that evening, Luca was still enjoying a quiet breakfast in the villa when his phone suddenly lit up.
Incoming video call.
Naomi Monroe.
A faint smile appeared on his face as he accepted.
The screen instantly filled with Naomi’s beautiful face.
She was sitting on the edge of her bed, her hair still slightly damp from a shower. Without the heavy makeup she wore during broadcasts, her features appeared softer and more natural. Dressed in a simple silk robe, she looked even more stunning than she did under professional lighting.
"Luca..." Naomi said softly.
Her eyes curved into a warm smile.
"Am I interrupting some incredibly important billionaire business meeting?"
Luca leaned back comfortably.
"For you? Never."
The answer immediately made Naomi laugh.
"How are things on your end?" Luca asked. "I imagine your phone is exploding after last night."
"Exploding is putting it mildly."
She let out a helpless sigh.
"My regional manager has called fourteen times already. They want to renegotiate my contract immediately."
"And?"
"My inbox is packed with sponsorship offers. Luxury brands, fashion companies, even a few car manufacturers."
She paused.
"I haven’t replied to any of them."
Luca raised an eyebrow.
"The newly crowned queen of Twist Streaming is ignoring companies that want to throw money at her?"
Naomi’s smile gradually faded into something far more serious.
Her gaze remained fixed on him through the screen.
"Because none of this would’ve happened without you."
The room grew quiet.
"If you hadn’t stepped into my life..." she continued softly, "I’d still be worrying about rent and trying to rebuild my life after losing my airline job."
Her eyes lowered briefly.
"You bought me a Porsche. You protected me when things got ugly. You helped me reach a place I never thought I’d reach."
She looked back up.
"I wanted the first conversation after everything ended to be with you."
For a moment, Luca simply watched her.
There was no calculation in her voice.
No manipulation.
Just sincerity.
A feeling of satisfaction settled comfortably in his chest.
"Naomi."
His tone softened.
"You earned that audience yourself."
She opened her mouth to object, but Luca cut her off.
"My money opened doors. Your talent is what kept people watching."
Naomi blinked.
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
"As for those contracts, route everything through Olivia Grant. She’ll make sure nobody tries to take advantage of you."
Naomi nodded obediently.
"Okay."
"And don’t rush into sponsorship deals. Pick the brands you actually like. Let my legal team review the paperwork before you sign anything."
"Understood, Boss."
The playful title made Luca chuckle.
A brief silence followed before Naomi suddenly looked away.
Then she spoke again, much quieter this time.
"By the way..."
"Hm?"
"You gave me that Porsche 911..."
"Yes?"
"I still haven’t really driven it."
Luca smirked.
"And?"
Naomi bit her lip.
"I was hoping you’d be there when I do."
The meaning behind her words was impossible to miss.
Luca’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"I have some paperwork to finish at Kanda Hospital tomorrow morning."
His voice carried a hint of amusement.
"The second I’m done, I’ll come find you."
A bright smile instantly appeared on Naomi’s face.
"I’ll be waiting."
For a brief moment, neither of them said anything.
Then Naomi’s voice softened into a near whisper.
"Don’t make me wait too long."
The call ended shortly afterward.
Luca stared at the dark screen for a second before shaking his head with a smile.
That woman really was becoming more dangerous every day.
The next morning, the moment he stepped out of bed, another call arrived.
This time from Francis Excel, the villa’s property manager.
"Good morning, Mr. Hale. A courier package has arrived at the estate. We’ve already delivered it to your front door."
"Got it. I’ll take a look."
After ending the call, Luca opened the massive front doors of the villa.
Outside, Francis sat in a small electric property vehicle loaded with parcels.
The largest package among them was a huge sealed cardboard box addressed directly to him.
"Good morning, Mr. Hale."
Francis smiled warmly.
As always, she couldn’t help admiring him.
Young.
Wealthy.
Handsome.
The kind of man that naturally attracted attention wherever he went.
Unfortunately, Luca simply returned a polite smile, signed the delivery confirmation, and carried the box inside without sparing her a second glance.
Watching the villa doors close again, Francis unconsciously touched her cheek.
’Am I really that unattractive?’
Inside, Luca cut open the package.
Dozens of crimson property ownership certificates were neatly stacked inside.
Every document represented a unit within the newly acquired apartment building.
The sight was strangely satisfying.
His landlord era had officially begun.
After loading the certificates into the back of his Mercedes G-Class, Luca set off toward San Fierro Kanda Hospital.
He still needed to finalize several management documents with Director William Harrington before handing the apartment building over to a professional rental management company.
The G-Wagon rolled smoothly into the executive parking area.
Luca pulled out his phone and called Harrington.
"Director Harrington, where’s your office? I’ve just arrived."
William Harrington was halfway through a cup of coffee when the call came through.
He immediately stood up.
"Mr. Hale, you’ve already arrived? Please wait there. I’ll come down personally."
"No need," Luca replied. "Just tell me the room number."
The old director felt another wave of respect.
The more he interacted with Luca, the more impressed he became.
Despite controlling enormous wealth, the young man had none of the arrogance usually associated with powerful investors.
Even so, when Luca stepped off the elevator a few minutes later, he still found Director Harrington waiting outside the administrative offices.
The distinguished physician stood tall in a spotless white coat, looking decades younger than his actual age.
"Director Harrington?"
The older man turned.
His eyes widened.
"You... you’re Mr. Hale?"
Luca laughed and extended his hand.
"Last time I checked."
The shock on Harrington’s face was impossible to hide.
He knew the hospital’s controlling shareholder was young.
He just hadn’t expected this young.
As the two men walked through the administrative wing together, countless doctors, nurses, and staff members looked on curiously.
Everyone knew William Harrington.
Nobody knew Luca.
Yet the hospital director was clearly treating the young man as an equal.
That alone was enough to make people remember his face.
Inside the executive office, the meeting lasted more than an hour.
Luca had no interest in micromanaging hospital operations.
Instead, he focused on long-term strategy, medical research funding, and future expansion plans.
The discussion eased many of Harrington’s concerns.
Most importantly, Luca immediately approved continued funding for the hospital’s pediatric assistance program and even doubled its annual budget.
That decision alone earned the old doctor’s deepest respect.
When the meeting finally concluded, Luca left the office and headed down the corridor toward the executive restroom.
As he rounded a corner, a furious voice suddenly echoed through the hallway.
A striking woman in her mid-thirties stormed out of the procurement department, her face flushed with anger.
"Sebastian Caldwell!"
She pointed back toward the office.
"You’ve been taking kickbacks from suppliers for months! Aren’t you worried someone will report you?"
A loud laugh answered her.
"Report me?"
A heavyset man stepped into the hallway, adjusting his tie.
His greasy face wore a smug smile as his eyes wandered over the woman’s figure.
"Go ahead and try."
He chuckled.
"Ask around. See if anyone here has the guts."
The woman clenched her fists.
Sebastian continued casually.
"Miss Brooks, I’ve already told you. Getting my signature on your contract isn’t difficult."
He took a slow step closer.
"Tonight, you and I can find a nice restaurant downtown and discuss the details over a few drinks."
His smile widened.
"Or..."
"Maybe your boss, Miss Vivienne, can come negotiate personally."
A disturbing glint flashed across Sebastian’s eyes as though he’d just remembered something particularly amusing.
