Chapter 10
1267 Words
Lana's POV
Kylian still had his hand covering my lips as we practically stared into each other's souls.
Then, all of a sudden, he smiled devilishly before letting his hand drop.
I watched my own breath get caught. I could barely breathe and was practically sitting on this man's lap!
"What was that for?" I snapped, springing up in frustration.
"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Is this what you do? Make your nurses uncomfortable by flirting with them? That's so low of you."
I pressed on, completely frustrated with his tactics.
"Flirting?" He frowned. "Why would I flirt with you—or any nurse in particular, Lana?"
"You grabbed me, pulled me onto your lap, and then what was it you said? I need you? Why would you make a statement like that, Mr. Kylian?"
He burst into laughter.
The harder he laughed, the more foolish I felt.
He grabbed me, pulled me to himself, told me he needed me... and now he had the guts to laugh?
I scoffed, folding my arms across my chest.
"Sorry, my bad." He wiped the corner of his eye. "It's just the way you said it that's hilarious. I do desperately need you..."
He paused dramatically.
"...your help."
Squinting my eyes, I tried to read his expression this time. I wasn't about to fall for his silly pranks twice in a row. Whatever he said or did didn't bother me, but making me look like a fool?
I wouldn't take that.
"Funny," I finally muttered. "Need my help? What help could I possibly give you, Mr. Kylian?"
"Well..." He leaned back. "If you'd calm down and listen instead of yelling, maybe I'd tell you. Sit."
He motioned toward the chair beside his bed.
I stared at him for a brief second before he pointed at it again, urging me to sit.
Grudgingly, I did.
"I need your help, Lana," he said. "And you'd better cooperate."
"Well, that's for me to decide!" I blurted.
"Not if it costs you your job."
I paused before sitting up straighter.
"What do you need my help for?"
Leaning closer, he brought his face dangerously close to mine.
"I need you to examine my legs..." he said quietly.
"...and make sure something is wrong."
At first, I wasn't sure I'd heard him correctly.
"Come again?"
"You heard me, Lana." He stressed every word. "I need you to examine my legs and make sure something is wrong with them. Simple."
"But... something is definitely wrong with them... right?"
He immediately looked away.
"It's really simple. When you examine my legs, you write in your report that something is definitely wrong. No slip-ups. No saying I'm getting better or that I should be walking in a few months. No."
He looked back at me.
"I need you to write that my legs are still in bad condition and that it'll take much longer before I can walk."
The entire time he spoke, I just stared at him with my mouth hanging open.
Did he seriously need me to lie for him?
Could it be he was getting better and simply wanted to remain bedridden?
But... what sort of person would willingly choose that?
"Do you agree or not?" he asked, squinting his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Kylian, but it's against my profession to lie."
He rolled his eyes before pointing toward the door.
"Then there's the exit."
I quickly stood.
"But... I... this isn't fair. If you just want to stay bedridden, why don't you tell your uncle? I'm sure he'd understand. I just want to do my job."
"It's that or you leave, Lana."
He shrugged.
"There's no two ways about it."
I sighed, staring down at my hands while thinking about the crazy clauses in the contract.
If I didn't do as Kylian said, he'd never cooperate.
That would mean I'd have to quit and return every dime Uncle Tristan had given me.
But if I did cooperate, I'd be going against my ethics as a nurse, and that could cost me everything too.
"You have until this evening to think about it," he continued. "My uncle will be back then, and you'll have to submit your report."
He smiled.
"Don't mess this up, Lana."
"I'm counting on you."
That devilish smirk had me rethinking everything.
He looked like someone who wouldn't let me leave this mansion in one piece if I ruined his plans.
Reluctantly, I walked out of his room with my heart in my hands.
As I walked down the hallway, I passed Finn.
Our arms brushed, and he immediately grabbed mine, pulling me back.
"You don't look too confident this time, Pumpkin. What happened?" he asked. "Did he give you an impossible task? Or ask you to deliver ten different cups of coffee in ten minutes?"
"What?" I blinked. "That's insane. Why would anyone make such a despicable request?"
"Well..." He shrugged. "Sounds a lot like Kylian to me. He's really good at making terrible requests."
I didn't know whether that was supposed to make me feel better or worse.
I forced a painful smile.
"Well... sorry for him, because he just crossed paths with the most insane nurse ever."
Finn chuckled.
"And I'm pretty good at fulfilling terrible requests."
He nodded approvingly.
"Whatever the case may be, Lana, I hope you survive it."
He folded one hand over his chest dramatically.
"I'm rooting for you."
I smiled before walking away.
But only a few steps down the hallway...
Something suddenly clicked.
Kylian had called me.
For the very first time since I started working here, he had actually used the alarm to summon me himself.
He'd spent days trying to chase me away...
...yet today, he had called me.
Surely he hadn't done that with the previous nurses.
Otherwise, at least one of them would've stayed.
One of them would've agreed to his ridiculous demands and still been working here.
That meant...
He thought I was a good fit for this job.
Even if he wanted me to lie...
It also meant he wanted me to stay.
I could still work here!
All I had to do was write his report.
I just needed to make absolutely sure something was wrong with those legs!
I spun around excitedly and practically sprinted back toward Kylian's room.
I knocked energetically.
The door opened almost immediately.
Finn stood there wearing an incredibly gorgeous smirk.
"I agree to your terms!" I announced, my eyes sparkling.
Kylian, now wearing a black T-shirt, looked at me in confusion.
"Uhm... okay?"
"I'll do it!" I beamed. "I just have to make sure something is wrong, right?"
I stared directly at his legs.
"I'll definitely make sure something is wrong with those legs of yours."
Kylian slowly exchanged glances with Finn.
"Why do you sound like you're planning to drop a bomb on my legs when I'm not looking?"
"What is she talking about?" Finn asked, genuinely confused. "What about your legs?"
"This means I'm not fired, right?" I asked excitedly, clasping my hands together.
"Well..." Kylian sighed.
"If you do the job right..."
He pointed toward the door.
"You're on probation."
I didn't know when I leaped into the air, throwing a fist upward.
"YES!"
I practically screamed.
"Thank you! Thank you! I promise I won't disappoint you!"
With that, I danced happily out of the room.
As I skipped down the hallway, I could still hear Finn asking Kylian what I meant by saying I'd make sure his legs were bad.
Kylian ignored the question completely before muttering,
"My uncle definitely hired a lunatic.”
- Writer
