The Billionaire's Runaway Nurse

10

Mia's POV

The moment I awoke, my mind fluttered in a haze of pain and drowsiness. My eyes felt thick and foreign, the blinding light hovering overhead an almost physical weight pressing against my eyelids. With a few blinks, the room around me came into focus. It was clean, serene almost—a strange contrast to the damp, grey shadows of the basement. Everything was swathed in sleek, black elegance, from the curtains to the furniture, yet it was an emptiness that held no warmth. It reminded me of a lavish house without laughter, a space too somber to feel real. The bed beneath me was plush, with sheets that felt like clouds; nothing like the stiff, plain bedding I’d grown accustomed to back home. It was foreign luxury, the kind that made my skin prickle with unease.

"Oh, Mia, you’re awake!" Mrs. Green's soft voice pulled me back to the present. She stood in the doorway, her eyes brimming with tears, yet her smile was a beam of sunlight. I could see relief brimming within her, like she’d been holding it back until now.

"Mrs. Green?" I murmured, dazed. "What’s going on?"

She hurried over to my bedside, a tissue pressed against her cheek to catch a tear that had managed to slip free. "You gave us all a fright, my dear," she murmured, placing a gentle hand over mine. “That was a close call. But don’t you worry. You’re safe now.”

Safe. The word felt foreign, too. I tried to sit up, propping myself onto my elbows, but she immediately reached out, guiding me back against the pillows with her steady hands.

“Easy, easy.” Her smile was calm yet unwavering. “You don’t want to strain yourself, Mia. Just rest.”

As I settled back, I realized my chest felt heavy, as if each breath had to drag itself out. I rubbed my nose, trying to suppress the itchiness that danced there. "Where… where am I?” I finally asked, squinting at her.

A little frown puckered between her brows, and she brushed my hair back from my forehead. “You had an allergic reaction, dear. To all the dust, I think. We found you just in time. You were struggling to breathe. If we hadn’t…” She trailed off, her lips trembling with the weight of what she wasn’t saying.

My chest grew tighter with guilt. “I… I didn’t mean to worry you.” I squeezed her hand, and her face softened into a kind smile. Mrs. Green always knew how to put me at ease, even when I felt my world beginning to spiral. She cared in a way that was unconditional, as if she had taken it upon herself to fill the void I tried so hard to ignore.

Mrs. Green frowned, her gaze turning slightly reproachful. “But Mia, why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you say that the dust was so dangerous for you?”

Her question cut through me, a slice of shame mingling with the lingering ache in my chest. I lowered my gaze, fumbling for a reply. “I… I thought it wouldn’t matter,” I managed, the words heavy with all the things I couldn’t say. I hadn’t trusted her, afraid that if I revealed my vulnerabilities, Bryan might see them, too, and exploit them. But now, seeing the hurt in her eyes, I wished I had confided in her, wished I hadn’t let fear keep me silent.

Her eyes softened as she leaned closer, cupping my cheek with a tenderness that broke something inside me. “Sweet girl,” she murmured, “it’s okay. It’s okay now.”

A sob rose in my throat, and I bit my lip, struggling to hold back tears. She hugged me, and for a moment, I could almost imagine my mother’s arms wrapped around me again, her presence a shield against the world’s cruelty. Mrs. Green was so much like her: steady, gentle, and always willing to listen.

She pulled back, studying my face with the look of someone who has known a thousand hurts yet still believes in healing. “Why don’t you rest a bit, hmm? I’ll bring you something to eat, and then you can take your medicine.”

As she walked away, I lay there, remembering the days when my mother would stay by my side during every fever, every ache. She would wipe my brow, bring me soup, hum lullabies under her breath. She had been the thread stitching my family together, and when she died, everything unraveled. I remember watching my father—once so strong and confident—turn into a stranger obsessed with money and status, leaving Liam and me as little more than afterthoughts.

Mom, you would’ve stopped him if you were here. You wouldn’t have let him turn us into pawns. I closed my eyes, the familiar ache of missing her swelling up, filling the spaces that felt empty and frayed.

Some time later, Mrs. Green returned with a tray, balancing a small bowl of soup and a glass of water. She set it down on the nightstand, offering me a pair of tablets. I swallowed them reluctantly, letting the bitterness linger in my throat.

“Now, Mia, please get some rest. I’ll be back to check on you in a little while,” she said with a soft smile.

“Wait, Mrs. Green?” I asked, just as she was turning to leave. She paused, looking at me with that steady gaze. “Is Bryan home?” I ventured, unsure of the answer I hoped for.

She hesitated, then gave a slight shake of her head. “Do you need to speak to him?”

“No… actually, could I borrow your phone? Just for a quick call?” My heart beat faster as I spoke, my fingers twisting in the bedsheets.

She looked at me with concern but eventually gave a resigned sigh, handing over the phone. “Just one call,” she said, her voice soft. “I’ll wait outside for you.”

With her phone in hand, I quickly dialed Liam’s number, hoping he would pick up. My stomach twisted with nerves, and the line rang just once before I heard his voice.

“Hello? Who is this?” he asked, sounding alert.

“Liam…” I whispered, my voice trembling.

“Mia?” His voice cracked, as if he had been holding back a flood of worry that had suddenly surged forward. “Mia! Oh my god, Mia! Are you okay? Where are you?”

The relief in his voice brought a fresh wave of tears to my eyes. “I’m fine, Liam. I promise. I was just a little sick. That’s all.”

“Sick? What happened? Did someone—did he do something to you?” His tone darkened with anger.

“No, no,” I quickly assured him. “I… I had an allergy attack, that’s all. I promise. I’m better now.” The lie burned, but I forced a smile into my voice to try to ease his worry.

Liam paused, his breathing ragged. “Mia, why didn’t you call me sooner? I thought something had happened. I was going crazy.”

“I know,” I whispered, guilt tightening around my heart. “I’m sorry, Liam. I just… I didn’t want to worry you.”

There was silence for a moment, and then he spoke again, his voice thick. “Promise me you’ll be careful, Mia. Please. And if anything happens, anything at all, call me. Don’t keep me in the dark.”

“I promise, Liam.” My voice wavered, and I could picture him clenching his jaw, trying to hold himself together.

“Listen, Mia, I’ve been thinking—maybe I should come and get you. We can figure something out together.”

“No,” I said, the word coming out sharper than I intended. “It’s too risky. We’ll get through this, Liam. I just need you to keep focusing on your studies. That’s what we both need. One day, we’ll both be free of this, I promise.”

He let out a long, shaky breath. “Okay. For you, I’ll do it.”

A soft, sad smile formed on my lips as I let his words sink in. My brave little brother, who still believed he could somehow shield me from the world’s harshness. “Thank you, Liam. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

The goodbye lingered between us, heavy with all the things we couldn’t say, but eventually, I hung up, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

Mrs. Green knocked softly on the door, poking her head in with a cautious smile. "All done?" she asked, her eyes soft.

I handed back her phone, managing a grateful smile. "Thank you. Really, I owe you so much."

She waved away my thanks with a small smile. “Your brother, he doesn’t know you’re here, does he?” she asked gently.

“No,” I replied, lowering my gaze. “He doesn’t know, and I’d like to keep it that way. My father… well, he wouldn’t approve.”

There was a look of sadness in her eyes as she watched me, as if she wanted to say something but thought better of it. Instead, she placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to tell me anything you’re not ready to, Mia. Just remember, I’m here if you need someone.”

After she left, I stared out the window, the gray clouds reflecting the heaviness in my heart. Each tear that slipped down my cheek carried a silent prayer that, someday, Liam and I would finally be free—free to laugh, to live, to be more than pawns in someone else’s game. For now, I would bide my time, pretend obedience, and wait. My love for Liam would keep me strong.