The Billionaire's Secretary

CHAPTER EIGHT

BEE’S POV

I didn’t know what to do with myself.

Mr. Page had been in a coma for three days straight. His life seemed to be hanging in the balance. I could hear Dr. Wright’s words reecho from our earlier conversation.

“He has a 50/50 chance to live. We can only hope and pray that he makes it out alive.”

“Doctor, is there anything I can do to help him get better?”

“I’m sorry Miss Bee, there’s nothing we can do except…” He took a pause, looking me straight in the eye without blinking.

“Except what?” the rhythm of my heart grew harder, thankfully he didn’t hear it.

He went on. “Except love, attention and care.”

Relief washed over me. If that was it, then I was ready to give it all out. Even if the person in need was my arrogant boss, annoying Mr. Page.

A smile broke out on my pale face.

“Is that all, Doc?”

He hesitated for a second. Was there something else?

I waited for it.

He flashed me a bright smile. “That will be all. For now.”

“Fine. Have a great day, doctor. I think I have some caring to do.”

He smiled at me. “Good luck, Miss Bee.”

* * *

I didn’t know the full meaning of ‘care’ until it was time to clean Mr. Page up.

He was as still as ice. A streak of tears fell from my eyes on his bare skin when I looked at how lifeless his face seemed.

“Please get well, please.” The tears came crashing even harder as the thought of being jobless again struck me. What would happen to me if he died?

Yes, life would go on but …what was the ‘but’? I didn’t have an answer to that. I wiped my eyes and continued mopping up his hairy chest. I ran my hand through it. It gave a feathery feel. I wondered if any woman had ever laid on it on a cold rainy night.

I was treading in unchartered waters. I knew it was wrong, but he was in a coma, right? What if it was the only chance I had before this mass body slipped into oblivion?

God forbid.

I didn’t want that.

I caught myself right in time before my folly got me into more trouble.

After cleaning him up, I sat by his bedside and read to him my favorite author’s debut novel “Broken” by Penn Joanna on sss.

Despite the uncertainty that hung in the room, I caught myself reading it out loud and laughing too.

Funny characters. Brother Lanre is a clown who falls in love with witty Lois, who makes their first encounter an unpleasantly memorable one.

How on earth did Brother Lanre manage to fall for such a Psycho girl as Lois?

Sometimes the matter of love confuses even the wise. How do you explain a prince falling in love with a maid when there are a thousand and one princesses trooping in just to get a chitchat with that prince? Yet he ignores them and goes for a low-life.

Imagine Mr. Page as the prince and I as the low-life. I giggled at the thought.

It happens only in the movies Bee. Wake up girl.

I continued reading. Dr. Wright had advised me not to let any negativity into the room as a coma patient can sense it. Reading aloud to one in a coma can help them to recover more rapidly from the deep slumber they have fallen into.

I wanted my daily life routine back. I missed struggling a meal with Gina and wished to go back to how things were before Mr. Page's illness shattered it all.

I finished reading Broken and began reading ‘the Rebel Doctor’s Bride’ by Sarah Morgan. How could one man upturn the serenity of an entire island just by stepping foot on it?

I found myself through Flora, the female lead character. She was so timid and shy at first. But became quite daring at the end. She broke out of her shell just to prove her love for Conner, the bad boy turned doctor.

I wondered if I could ever pull the stunt she pulled just to show her feelings.

What was the guarantee that a man wouldn’t take me for granted if I professed love to him first?

I had a couple of relationships, all of which never required me shooting the first shot. It feels a bit awkward or don’t you think so?

A man will accord you more respect when he does the chasing, and you give him some hard time catching you. At least, so mum had often drummed into my tiny ears.

I glanced at Mr. Page’s face. My eyes traced down to his left chest where his heart laid underneath. Did he have a heart yearning for love inside there? Nay! It was most unlikely. He looked self-sufficient. Not love-love starved. He needed no loving.

But everyone deserves a bit of loving, right? Yet he seemed like an exception to me.

Like an enchanted damsel, I found myself taking his face into my palm. Peering intently into his face.

“Oh Page….” I whispered. “Sorry, Mr. Page. Please wake up. Please. Yes, I had every reason to hate you on the very first day you walked past me, but I find myself hopelessly drawn to you. You’ve been unkind to me, but I forgive you. I’d rather have you alive, all bossy, arrogant and sweetly handsome, than cold dead. Forgotten.” Clear liquid ran down my cheeks as I spoke.

“You look and act mean but yesterday-” I smiled at the picture playing in front of my face.

“Yesterday, you showed me another part of you. You, Mr. Page are kind. Beneath this hard exterior lies a warm heart, hungry for love.

The moment your fingers brushed my lips, my heart fluttered.” I giggled softly. I knew it was silly to say all I was saying but it was too late to stop now.

“You deserve to live. I want you to live. Please live for. Me. I think I am falling for you. I don’t know why, but I love you Mr. Page.

Don’t die, please, live.”

My tiny body shook with heavy sobs.

I don’t know how long I laid on his chest sobbing.

I know Dr. Wright would be mad if he caught me expressing sorrow close to him but I couldn’t help it.

I was still crying when I felt a gentle hand touch the small of my back.

“Bee, I’m here now.” A weak husky voice said.

My eyes flew open at that familiar voice. Right before my eyes was a miracle.

“Mr. Page!” I shrieked in disbelief. He smiled weakly at me. I wanted to jump down from his chest but his firm hands gripped me in place.

“Don’t leave me Bee. Stay.”

I was still in shock at what just happened.

The words caught in my throat.

His face was inches away from mine.

I kept staring at him like I was seeing a ghost.

He just kept staring at my lips.

What now?

Was he going to kiss me?

Shit! Did he hear everything I was saying?

Panic seized my throat. I jumped instantly.

“I’m sorry I can’t…..” I didn’t complete the sentence when the door fell open and a woman walked in.

Thank God. She was my saving grace, though I had already started nursing the thought of how his lips would taste before the interruption.

Who was this lady? I didn’t know her.

I assume Mr. Page did. I could see shock splashed across his face when he eyes fell on her.

His words confirmed it.

Mum! What are you doing here?”