CHAPTER 3-THE DEAL
1461 Words
The smell of antiseptic hit Tiana the moment the hospital doors slid open.
She hated hospitals.
Not because of the needles.
Not because of the sickness.
Because hospitals always brought bad news.
Her heart pounded as she rushed through the crowded corridor.
"Nurse, excuse me—Mr. Daniel Finn Where is he?"
The nurse glanced at a chart.
"Ward Three."
Tiana didn't wait for further directions.
She was already running.
By the time she reached the ward, she was breathless.
Her mother sat beside a hospital bed.
The moment she saw Tiana, tears filled her eyes.
Tiana's stomach dropped.
"Mom?"
"He's awake."
Relief crashed through her so suddenly her knees almost gave out.
She looked toward the bed.
Daniel managed a weak smile.
"Took you long enough."
Tiana laughed despite herself.
Then immediately hugged him.
"You scared me."
"Sorry."
"You better be."
His smile widened.
For a moment everything felt normal.
Then she noticed the concern in her mother's eyes.
The relief vanished.
"What did the doctor say?"
Silence.
That was answer enough.
---
An hour later, Tiana sat outside the doctor's office.
The medical report rested in her lap.
The numbers made her feel sick.
Tests.
Medication.
Observation.
More tests.
More expenses.
The hospital wasn't demanding immediate payment.
But the bills would come.
And when they came, they would come hard.
Tiana closed her eyes.
She already worked overtime.
Already skipped meals sometimes.
Already carried more responsibility than most people her age.
What else could she possibly do?
Her phone vibrated.
Bruce.
She stared at the screen.
Decline.
Immediately.
A second later, it rang again.
Decline.
Another call.
Tiana groaned.
This man clearly didn't understand rejection.
The phone rang a fourth time.
With an annoyed sigh, she answered.
"What?"
Bruce sounded relieved.
"So you're alive."
Tiana blinked.
"What?"
"You disappeared."
"My brother is in the hospital."
His voice softened.
"How is he?"
The question caught her off guard.
She had expected persistence.
Not concern.
"He'll be okay."
"That's good."
For a moment neither spoke.
The silence felt surprisingly comfortable which annoyed her because Bruce West was the last person she wanted feeling comfortable around her.
"Listen," he said finally.
"I already said no."
"I know."
"So why are you calling?"
"Because I need five minutes."
"No."
"Three minutes."
"No."
"One minute."
Tiana rubbed her forehead.
"You are impossible."
"So I've been told."
The corner of her mouth twitched. She hated that she found him amusing.
"One minute," she said.
Bruce sounded victorious.
"Excellent."
"Don't get excited."
Too late.
He already sounded excited.
---
Thirty minutes later, Bruce stood outside the hospital. Tiana nearly walked past him. He wasn't dressed like the intimidating photographer from the studio.No expensive jacket. No polished appearance. Just jeans and a simple black shirt. Normal, Human,dangerously attractive. Tiana immediately hated the thought. Bruce stood when he saw her.
"You came."
"You said one minute."
"It's been thirty."
"I got lost."
She rolled her eyes.
"Liar."
A grin appeared on his face.The grin made him look younger.Less guarded.For some reason, that was even worse.Bruce gestured toward a nearby bench.
"Sit?"
Against her better judgment, she sat. A few feet separated them. Neither moved closer. Neither moved away.
The evening breeze drifted through the hospital grounds.People walked past occasionally. The city buzzed around them. For the first time, Bruce wasn't talking about photography.
Instead he asked,
"How old is your brother?"
"Eighteen."
"Close?"
Tiana laughed softly.
"Unfortunately."
Bruce looked confused.
She smiled.
"He steals my food."
"That's terrible."
"He steals my money too."
Bruce gasped dramatically.
"A criminal."
"A dangerous one."
The laugh that escaped him was genuine.Warm, unexpected.
Tiana found herself smiling back.The realization made her quickly look away. Dangerous,very dangerous.
Bruce leaned back.
"You love him."
The statement wasn't a question.
Tiana nodded.
"More than anything."
Something changed in Bruce's expression.Something thoughtful, almost sad. Before she could study it further, he spoke.
"Let me help."
Her eyes narrowed immediately.
"There it is."
"There what is?"
"The real reason you're here."
Bruce sighed.
"Tiana—"
"No."
His jaw tightened.
"You haven't even heard me."
"I don't need to."
"Tiana."
"No."
The firmness in her voice surprised even herself.She had spent years refusing help.Years proving she could survive on her own.Accepting favors felt dangerous.People always expected something in return. Always.Bruce studied her quietly. Then he reached into his bag. A contract appeared.Tiana stared.
"Seriously?"
"Just look."
"No."
"Tiana."
"No."
He sighed heavily.
"Can you stop saying no for ten seconds?"
"Probably not."
That earned another laugh. Then his expression turned serious.
"I'll pay you."
The words hung between them. Tiana looked away.
Money.That was exactly the problem.Because money mattered especially now.
"One photoshoot."
Bruce continued carefully.
"One day."
Silence.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"And you'll pay me?"
"Enough to help your family."
Tiana's chest tightened.
For a second, she imagined the hospital bills disappearing. Daniel receiving treatment without worry.
Her mother sleeping peacefully for once. The temptation hit hard.
Much harder than she wanted to admit.Bruce seemed to notice.
"You don't have to decide now."
That surprised her.
"You'll stop pressuring me?"
"No."
She laughed.
At least he was honest. Their eyes met.The moment stretched.Neither looked away immediately.Something unfamiliar passed between them.
A quiet awareness.The kind neither wanted to acknowledge.Tiana broke eye contact first.Her pulse had become annoyingly noticeable.
"You flirt with all your models?"
Bruce looked genuinely confused.
"What?"
"You keep staring."
A rare blush appeared on his face.
Actual embarrassment. The sight was strangely adorable. Bruce cleared his throat.
"I wasn't staring."
"You were."
"I was observing."
"That's photographer language for staring."
He groaned.
Tiana smiled triumphantly.
The smile lingered longer than intended.
So did his gaze.
For a second, the world seemed quieter, smaller. Just the two of them sitting beneath the fading evening sky.Then reality returned. As it always did.Her phone buzzed.
Another hospital notification.Another reminder of responsibilities.Tiana stood.
"I should go."
Bruce rose too.
"Think about the offer."
She nodded.
"I will."
That was the most encouraging answer he'd received all day. As she turned away, his voice stopped her.
"Tiana."
She looked back.
For a moment he seemed unsure what to say.
"Your brother is lucky to have you."
The simple statement struck harder than it should have because nobody ever said things like that.Nobody noticed.Nobody acknowledged the sacrifices.Yet somehow Bruce had. Tiana swallowed.Then quickly turned away before he could see how much the words affected her.
---
Later that night, Daniel sat upright in bed eating hospital food.
Or attempting to.The expression on his face suggested the food had personally offended him. Tiana laughed.
"Drama king."
"This rice is a crime."
"Eat."
"No."
"Eat."
Daniel narrowed his eyes.
Then suddenly asked,
"So who was the guy?"
Tiana froze.
"What guy?"
"The handsome guy outside."
Her eyes widened.
"You saw him?"
"I'm sick, not blind."
Tiana threw a napkin at him.
Daniel grinned.
"You like him."
"I absolutely do not."
"You smiled."
"I smile at everybody."
"You don't."
That was unfortunately true.
Daniel laughed.
Then his expression softened.
"Take the job."
Tiana looked at him.
"What?"
"The modeling thing."
Her heart skipped.
"How do you know about that?"
"You were talking loud enough for half the hospital to hear."
Tiana groaned.
Wonderful.
Daniel smiled.
"Take the opportunity."
"It's complicated."
"No."
His voice became serious.
"It's scary."
She fell silent. That was because he was right.Scary was a better word.
The money, Bruce, the unknown future, all of it.Daniel reached over and squeezed her hand.
"For once, choose something for yourself."
Tiana stared at him, then at the floor.
Then at the contract resting inside her bag.
For once.
The words stayed with her long after Daniel fell asleep.
---
Near midnight, Bruce sat alone in his apartment.His phone remained on the table.He checked it anyway.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Maya's voice echoed in his head.
You're waiting for her call.
Ridiculous.
He wasn't waiting.
He was—
His phone rang.
Bruce grabbed it immediately.
Tiana.
A smile appeared before he could stop it.He answered.
"Hello?"
A pause.
Then:
"I'll do it."
Relief flooded through him.
"Really?"
"One photoshoot."
"One photoshoot."
"No tricks."
"No tricks."
"No pressure."
Bruce hesitated.
"I'll try."
Tiana laughed.
The sound warmed something inside him.Then she said goodbye and ended the call.Bruce stared at the screen.For the first time in weeks, hope felt real.But hope didn't last long.Another message appeared.
Unknown number.
His stomach tightened.He already knew who it was.The woman from his past.The message contained a single photograph.Bruce opened it.
The blood drained from his face.It was an old picture.One he had hoped never to see again. Attached beneath it were six words.
"Tell Tiana the truth yourself."
Or I will.
Bruce sat frozen.
Because if Tiana discovered what the photograph meant she would never trust him again.
- Writer
