Chapter 4: The Devil’s Kindness

SARIAN POV

I paced back and forth as I stood outside the ward. The door was locked because the doctor was still attending to her.

The door finally opened, and a nurse came out. "You can go in now," she informed me.

I walked in and stood beside the doctor.

"How is my mother's condition, doctor?" I clutched onto the hem of my dress as my heartbeat increased.

"Oh, Miss..." He trailed off.

Right. He doesn't know my name because Killian made them skip the preliminary registration.

"Miss Sarian," I replied.

He raised his eyebrows. "Is that your surname? It would be inappropriate to refer to you by your first name.”

I bit my lip. Of course I know that, but Mama prohibited me from telling people my surname.

"I apologize, Doctor. And I'm fine with you referring to me by my first name," I replied.

He was quiet for a moment, then nodded.

"Your mother is doing fine now. Thankfully, you brought her during the golden hour. We would have lost her if you had wasted time in bringing her," he announced.

I staggered but quickly regained my composure.

So if Killian hadn't helped and if I relied on Anastasia and her brother, my mother would have died?

The thought of losing my mother in death tied my stomach into knots.

"What really happened to her?" I asked. With my head tilted.

"Well, your mother has long contracted pneumonia, and her case has become severe.”

My hands flew to my mouth. Tears stung my eyes.

Pneumonia? She never mentioned it to me. No wonder she collapsed when she stayed out in the rain and cold.

"Wi... will she get better? Can it be cured?" I stuttered, with a shaky voice.

"With adequate care and continuous use of her medication, she would be fine," he reassured and smiled lightly.

I sighed and nodded. Care? I can do that. The drugs? I'll find a way.

"That would be all for now. I'll be back in..." he checked his wristwatch, "in four hours. She should be awake by then." He added.

I sat beside her and carefully held her hand in mine.

"And Miss Sarian, you should go to the front desk to register, and about your surname, I don't know how you want to go about that.”

With that, he left. I turned back to look at her.

"You scared me." I nudged her arm.

Thinking about it, Mama had refused to tell me why she forbade me from using my father's name.

I've never met him, and she never told me who he is. I thought she would tell me when I got older, but she never did.

I shook my head. It doesn't matter.

I went to register my mother as an inpatient.

"Here's the form." The nurse pushed a printed form towards me, and I collected it. I filled in the important information.

Instead of my surname, I wrote Mama's first and maiden name. That way, we would be safe.

"I'm done ma'am," I handed it back to her and waited for her to tell me the current bill.

I tapped my foot against the ground repeatedly. Beads of sweat trickled down my face.

The printer rumbled for a few seconds and then stopped. The nurse gave it to me.

With trembling hands, I collected it and swallowed hard. My eyes scanned the piece of paper that held more power than I did.

My jaw dropped. The hall spun, and I grabbed the nearby pillar before I could fall.

A hundred and fifty thousand euros.

Where was I supposed to get that from?

"Uhm... ma'am, are you sure there's no mistake?" I inquired.

"A mistake? Of course not. How would you like to make the payment? Cash is not acceptable. So, would it be a bank transfer or a check?"

"Uhm, can I make the payment later? I'm currently having issues with my bank network," I lied.

As the words rolled off my tongue, they weren't bitter. They were heavy.

The lie wasn't comforting. I felt myself drowning in an endless pit.

"Sure, no problem, but it mustn't exceed today," she demanded. I nodded and flashed her a fake smile.

My gaze shifted to the wall clock, and it was ten minutes past three.

I shouldn't blame Killian for helping us, but now this... I gripped the paper tightly, squeezing it.

I had no means of paying a dime. Unable to hold my tears any longer. They flowed freely down my face.

So I did the only thing my head screamed for me to do. Run.

I hid myself under the staircase and cried. The sounds were muffled because of my hands pressed against my mouth.

I stared at the figures. Although it was just numbers, my crumbling world shattered.

I folded the paper again and again until it tore.

After a while, I went back to Mama's ward. I closed the door and leaned against it.

"What do I do, Mama?"

Silence.

A bitter smile tugged on my lips.

"Don't worry, I'll sort it." I replied to myself.

I walked away from the door, and I heard it open almost immediately.

I turned around immediately and saw it was Killian. I looked away and wiped a tear that dropped.

"What happened?" Killian's voice boomed.

"Better. The doctor said she would wake up in less than three hours," I whispered.

"I was asking about you,"

“Huh?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets and strode toward me. I backed away, but he didn't stop.

"Speak!"

I clamped my mouth shut. My eyes fixed on the floor.

The room was silent. Yet, within me, it was chaotic.

"I hate repeating myself."

I knelt before him and looked up at him with teary eyes.

"You've done a lot for me, but... but about the bills, I have no way of footing the bills." I gulped.

"Please help me for the last time. I'll be your maid, anything you want me to be. But I promise to pay it back," I rambled.

"Stand!" Again another command.

I hesitated, but I did as he said. I don't want to annoy him.

"Focus on taking care of your mother. I'll handle the rest."

He'll handle it?

"Thank you, Mr Killian. What do you want me to do? I mean to return the favor."

"I'll tell you when I'm ready." He replied and left the room.

Of course, he wants something in return. My face became hot, and I fanned it with my hand.

I hope it will be something I can do. Not like I have a choice.

The door opened, and I looked up smiling, but it wiped off my face.

The darkened eyes and evil smirk sent shivers down my spine.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Why can't I be here?" Marcus growled.

Because you don't have the right to. I said in my head.

"Please leave," I pleaded, not wanting to cause a scene.

He obviously came for trouble.

“Just to save this woman that would die anyway, you actually told Killian you would do anything?” He groaned.

“It doesn't concern you,” I replied.

At the speed of light, I was slammed against the wall as he choked me.

“Does anything involve giving your body to him?” His eyes were bloodshot.

I whimpered as my feet were an inch above from the ground.

“Answer me, bitch!” He hissed, ignoring we were in the hospital. “Why would you want to freely give Killian what belongs to me?”

Silence.

I didn't say a word.

That annoyed him and his grip tightened.

"Just because Killian supports you doesn't mean he can save you from me. Your life is mine."

I coughed while struggling.

Someone knocked on the door but, too bad, it was locked. The knocking stopped for a moment before it burst open.

Marcus released me and faced the door.

I hugged my arms around myself, my throat burning where his fingers had been.

Killian's eyes lingered on my swollen neck. His jaw clenched. Yet, he stayed calm.

He turned to Marcus and slowly walked towards him.

“This ends today. Hurt her one more time and watch your life go up in flames.” His voice low, lethal.

“Get out.” He commanded.

Marcus clenched his fists and hesitated.

Killian finally faced him. That single glance was enough to compel Marcus to obey.

Marcus backed away. His hooded eyes locked with mine.

The door slammed shut.

The silence stretched between us, thick and uncomfortable.

Marcus was gone. The room still smelled of fear—and something darker.

Killian turned to me.

For a moment, I thought he would ask if I was okay.

He didn’t.

“You don’t belong to anyone,” he said quietly.

Then he added, colder now, “Especially not him.”

I swallowed hard.

“What do you want from me?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“You have a girlfriend,” I added, surprising myself.

Something unreadable flashed through his eyes but disappeared like it was never there.

“Anastasia,” I continued, my voice tighter now. “She’s my boss.”

A pause.

“And?” he asked.

The single word sent a chill down my spine.

“And yet you keep stepping in,” I said. “You defend me. You pay my mother’s bills. You threaten men for me.”

He walked closer. Not close enough to touch—but close enough that I felt his presence everywhere.

“You shouldn’t trust me,” he said.

My breath hitched.

“Not me. Not anyone,” he continued evenly. “Especially not men who make things easy.”

I swallowed. “Then why help me at all?”

"That's not your place to know. Besides, the devil you know, is always safer than the angel you don’t.” he said calmly.

“What does that mean?” I whispered.

A slow, dangerous smile tugged at his lips.

“It means,” he said, stepping back, “that not all kindness is free.”

The door opened behind him.

Before he left, he paused.

“And Sarian?” he added without turning around.

“If you’re going to survive in this world—” His voice dropped, dark and final. “Choose carefully who you belong to.”

The door shut.

I stood there long after he was gone, my pulse racing, my thoughts spiraling.

Killian was nothing like an angel.

But something far more dangerous. Something so deadly, yet charming.

His girlfriend was my boss.

I shouldn’t meddle in the space between them.

Yet, aside from Mama, Killian was the first person who had ever treated me with dignity—who had stepped in, and made me feel safe without making me look like a burden.

My mind screamed warnings at me. Consequences. Disaster.

But my heart refused to listen, that there could be regrets.

It only remembered the way his presence quieted the storm in me… the way his voice felt like a fortress.

I didn’t know if what I felt was attraction or gratitude. If my pulse raced because I wanted him, or because he had constantly shown me that I am worth protecting.

Killian might be kind, but kindness didn’t mean desire.

And kindness didn’t mean love.

I had no right to want another woman’s man. Mama raised me better than that.

Still, knowing what was right didn’t stop the unending desire that had clouded my senses.

Either way, I was trapped.

Anastasia was still my boss—and crossing her didn’t just mean losing my job.

It could cost me everything that I've worked so hard to achieve.

Yet, the idea of danger thrilled me.