Chapter 12
1033 Words
Lana's POV
There were exactly three ways this evening could end.
First, I lied and betrayed my profession.
Second, I told the truth and got fired.
Third, I fainted dramatically and postponed everyone's problems until tomorrow.
Personally, option three sounded incredibly attractive.
Tristan had already walked into the room, patting Kylian's shoulder and keeping up their dramatic uncle-nephew banter while my head made crazy calculations.
"So, Lana, how are you enjoying your stay here and your job as Kylian's private nurse?"
I jerked slightly, glancing from Tristan to Kylian, who still had that devilish smirk playing on the corner of his lips.
"One word," I muttered. "Shocking."
"Oh wow." Tristan let out a soft, hoarse laugh. "That's to be expected, but hopefully you can handle shocking, right?"
Wasn't it funny how they all expected me to handle Kylian's craziness?
Why wasn't anyone yelling at this overgrown adult? Why was it my job to deal with his grumpiness?
Then again... I was getting paid shocking money for shocking problems.
"Yes, it's not as bad as I imagined," I replied with a painful grin. "I can definitely handle the shock. I was just about to round up with his leg examination. I'll leave you two to talk."
I quickly grabbed my medical tools.
"Lana, not so fast." Tristan smiled gently, and for some reason, that smile made my stomach tighten. "I'd love to hear your thoughts about my nephew's legs. Is he getting better? Will he be okay? I need to know."
The weight of those words landed in the room like a tornado.
There was no escaping now.
Either I lied.
Or I told the truth.
Neither sounded like a good idea.
I took a deep breath and straightened confidently.
"His test results... right. Well, Mr. Tristan, I've examined his legs quite closely, and I've concluded that there's no definite result yet."
Kylian looked stunned.
He probably thought I was about to blurt out complete nonsense.
Technically... I was.
Just in a much smarter way.
"What do you mean, Lana?" Tristan asked.
"There's no exact proof yet whether your nephew is getting better or not, since I've only just begun examining him. I'd like to monitor his condition for a few more weeks before determining whether there's improvement or if there are still complications."
I watched the corner of Tristan's lips twitch thoughtfully.
My heart pounded.
Then, slowly, it stretched into a smile.
"Right. You definitely can't determine something like that after just one examination." He nodded approvingly. "You'll need more time, and that's exactly why you're here."
I smiled back.
Kylian's devilish grin, however, had completely disappeared.
He didn't look pleased.
Not one bit.
I rolled my shoulders back confidently as Tristan continued sympathizing with him over the condition of his legs.
I had my suspicions.
I just wasn't completely sure yet.
There was definitely something odd about Kylian's legs...
And I was going to find out.
---
After Uncle Tristan left, gently shutting the door behind him, I could practically feel Kylian's glare burning into my back.
"What the hell did you do?" he demanded before I could even turn around.
Taking a deep breath, I faced him and casually strolled around the room.
"The smartest thing I could think of... since I wasn't about to hurt your legs just to prove my report."
He scoffed.
"The decision was simple. Make him believe my legs weren't recovering and that I wouldn't be walking anytime soon. Why did you have to give him hope?"
"Hope?" I smiled. "I didn't give anyone hope. I simply asked for more time to observe your condition. It would've been suspicious if I concluded after one examination that your legs were beyond recovery."
Kylian shook his head in frustration.
"And how long is that supposed to take? You can't stall him forever. A few weeks, maybe. After that, he'll realize you're playing games."
I sighed.
"Like I said, I can't make a medical conclusion after a single examination. If you want your uncle to believe my reports, then I need to do this properly."
I folded my arms.
"So... I'm no longer on probation."
"I get to decide that," he grumbled. "Figure something out quickly, or you're out."
I simply smiled.
"I'll take my leave now. Our next major check-up is scheduled for next week, same day, same time. But as agreed, I'll still be checking on you every day."
He stared at me as though wondering whether I had listened to anything he'd just said.
Truthfully...
I hadn't.
I had my own plan.
And I intended to stick to it, whether he liked it or not.
I walked out of his room with my shoulders held high.
I was going to win this.
*****
Finally being back in my room, away from the chaos of Kylian's world and this enormous mansion, felt unbelievably soothing.
I slipped out of my nurse's uniform, sank into the bathtub, ordered a glass of wine, and let the warm water wash away every ounce of stress Kylian had dumped on me today.
I scoffed to myself.
That grumpy man actually thought I'd fall for his scheme or panic under pressure.
Not happening.
I wasn't going through with any plan of his until I understood his real intentions.
My own plan was much safer.
And much smarter.
After my bath, I changed into a silky nightdress and headed toward my bed.
Nothing beat a warm, oversized bed after surviving a day with Mr. Grumpy.
I needed every bit of sleep I could get because tomorrow meant facing Kylian all over again.
I picked up my face mask and carefully spread it across my face.
Just as I was about to lie down...
My bedside alarm began blinking repeatedly.
What?
Had Kylian accidentally pressed it?
It was well past my working hours.
Why would he need me this late?
Or...
Was there an emergency?
I sprinted out of my room and hurried upstairs.
Without waiting for permission, I pushed open his bedroom door—
Only to find Kylian sitting upright on his bed...
Calmly pressing the alarm button over and over again...
With that same devilish smirk resting on the corner of his lips.
- Writer
