I Dumped a Scumbag and Married A Boxer Star-Chapter 16: I Need You

Chapter 16: I Need You

There were a lot of thoughts flowing through her mind right now...

Sitting on the edge of the bed, her mind was clouded with a darker and stronger storm.

She didn't understand why Raphael was so adamant about keeping her.

Why did he want her? What was his reason?

Raphael, sensing her energy, took a step forward, closing the space between them.

He lifted her chin up with two fingers, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"You don't understand, do you?" he murmured in a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine.

"From the moment you said yes to me, you became mine."

His thumb brushed over her jawline, his hold was firm but gentle. "And I don't let go of what's mine."

Ines swallowed hard.

This close, she could see everything—his sharp jawline, the faint stubble, the way his eyes darkened with every blink.

She hated that she noticed how handsome he was, how devastatingly perfect he looked in the low lighting of the room.

Her heart betrayed her, beating a little too fast.

Before she could process what was happening, Raphael's phone beeped in his pocket. He pulled back, exhaling dramatically before answering the call.

"What is it?" His voice dropped, sounding serious and commanding.

Ines took a deep breath, finally able to think clearly again.

She watched as he turned away, pacing as he listened to the caller on the other end.

His muscles tensed, his free hand curling into a fist at his side. Whatever he was hearing, it wasn't good.

After a moment, he shot her a glance.

"Go take a shower and get some sleep. We'll talk later." Without waiting for her response, he walked out of the room, still on the phone.

Ines let out a frustrated sigh.

The energy between them had been too charged, and now she was left alone with her thoughts.

Well, at least she got a chance to charge her phone.

She huffed and decided to take his advice—anything to clear her head.

She made her way to the bathroom and stepped inside, the cool tiles grounding her.

She turned on the shower, steam filling the air, but as she moved to step in, her foot slipped.

A quick gasp escaped her lips as she lost her balance, her body crashed against the hard floor.

A sharp, searing pain shot through her arm.

She clenched her teeth, blinking away the dizziness that followed.

Something was wrong.

Her wrist throbbed, and when she tried to move it, a painful agony traveled through her bones.

Gritting her teeth, she pulled herself up with her good arm and stumbled toward her phone.

With trembling fingers, she dialed emergency services.

—

At the hospital, the lights were too bright, the air too sterile.

Ines sat on the stiff examination bed, cradling her injured arm as a nurse wrapped it in a cast.

"You'll need to be careful with this," the nurse said kindly. "A fracture like this will take time to heal."

Ines nodded, distracted, but her heart sank when the nurse handed her a clipboard.

"You need to settle the bill before we can proceed with further treatment."

Ines frowned. "Bill?"

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The nurse gave her a patient smile. "Yes, the consultation, X-rays, and treatment all come with a cost. Do you have insurance?"

Her stomach. Of course, she didn't. Her father had cut her off.

Hesitantly, she flipped through the papers, her eyes widening at the outrageous sum.

"How... how is this possible?" she whispered. "How can people afford this?"

The nurse sighed. "Many can't. Some take out loans, others avoid hospitals altogether."

Ines swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she gripped the clipboard.

This was her father's company.

This was what he had built—an empire that decided who lived and who suffered.

How many people had been turned away because they couldn't pay? How many had been forced to choose between food and medical care?

Her brain couldn't stop running as she thought about the countless people who must have stood at this very counter, faced with an impossible choice.

She had never cared before.

She had been privileged enough never to worry about money, about hospital bills, about survival.

Now, she understood. Now, she saw the cracks in the foundation her father had built.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she shakily reached for her phone, her pride crumbling.

She had no money, no access to her accounts. She had no choice.

She dialed the one number she never thought she'd have to call.

The phone rang once. Twice.

Then a familiar voice answered.

"Ines?" Raphael's voice was full of concern. "Where the hell are you?"

She closed her eyes, whispering and hushing into her phone.

"I need you."