CHAPTER 006

****Lana’s POV****

The Rhys mansion looked even bigger in the daylight and as soon as I stepped in with my small bag dragging behind me I felt like I had walked into another world.

Ms. Paltz stood by the entrance already waiting for me, her chubby face calm and smug as always, like she had been expecting me for hours.

“Welcome Miss Lana” she said turning on her heels immediately “Follow me”

I followed her through the wide halls again, my eyes roaming everywhere trying not to look too impressed.

“Mr Tristan is not always in the mansion” she said as we walked “Your main responsibility is Mr Kylian his nephew”

I nodded listening carefully but honestly, I couldn't pay great attention, this place was just too breathtaking each time I saw it.

“He is crippled but recovering well” she continued “Your focus is to assist him and monitor his routine”

We stopped in front of a door and she opened it.

“This is your room”

I gasped softly, walking in.

The room was huge, bigger than my entire apartment and the wardrobe combined.

The wardrobe was insane. Insane!

Dresses of all kinds colors fabrics shoes neatly lined bags sparkling under light. Nursing uniform on hangers with daily labels like I was here for a fashion parade.

They looked incredibly short too, my style.

“Is this really mine? All this? Am I sharing with any other staff, this can't be just for me right?”

Ms Paltz didn't answer.

“You can ring the bell by your bed to order food at any time” She said “You also have a designated driver you can call if you wish to go out”

My mouth opened slightly.

“You can order anything you want, just don't empty the stores.”

That earned a chuckle from me, she didn't smile, only turned away looking serious again.

Ms Paltz was truly hilarious, she made the whole place lively but wouldn't even smile herself.

“Now, Mr Kylian’s schedule”

Here we go.

“He hates when someone does not knock first.”

I nodded.

“He eats by twelve.”

Nodded again.

“He works on his system and studies in his study all day so you only check on him in the morning and at night ,twice a day always.”

Okay.

“He does not like people who talk too much.”

I chuckled lightly, “That is a lot of rules for one man.”

She stopped walking and turned to me slowly

Her stare could kill if it were a weapon or something.

My smile died immediately.

“He dislikes noise, unnecessary questions, sudden movements, rearranging his space, touching his wheelchair without permission and repeating himself” She continued like I never spoke.

Oh wow.

“I might need a long list for this.” I said lightly, “I kind of have a bad memory.”

She stared at me not even blinking m

I cleared my throat.

“Understood.”

She nodded once and left me there.

Well, that was one feisty woman.

After unpacking I headed straight to the bathroom, the shower washing off the nerves, the excitement and the fear.

I slipped into my nurse uniform after feeling oddly official.

This was real. Seriously real.

Since it was still morning I figured I should check in on Mr Kylian

I stepped out walking down the hall till I found his door.

Breathe in and out then knock lightly.

I got no response so I knocked again.

Still nothing.

“Hello Mr Kylian” I called quietly.

I sighed leaning forward knocking one last time when the door suddenly opened.

And I fell.

Straight forward.

Right onto him!

My lips smashed into his lips as we both tumbled down his wheelchair hitting the floor in a mess of limbs and shock.

My eyes flew open.

So did he.

I froze completely my lips still on his

Oh my God.

This was how I greeted my patient. Just one day and I was already getting myself fired.

For one endless second neither of us moved, the world narrowed to the press of mouths, the rapid thud of my pulse in my ears and the faint hitch in his breathing. His lips were firm, unexpectedly soft and I registered with horrifying clarity that he had not pulled away yet.

Panic finally snapped through mem

I jerked back so fast my head almost cracked against the floorboards scrambling backward on my palms until my spine hit the doorframe. “I’m so sorry” the words tumbled out high and breathless “I didn’t—I knocked—I swear I knocked—the door just—”

He stayed where he had fallen half-propped against the overturned wheelchair one hand braced on the rug the other gripping the armrest that had come loose in the crash. Dark hair fell across his forehead, shadowing eyes that were stormy gray and currently fixed on me with an intensity that made my legs wobble. His jaw was tight mouth still faintly red from the collision and for a heartbeat I thought he might yell.

He didn’t.

Instead he exhaled through his nose and then reached down with steady hands and righted the chair with a practiced push that made the metal click back into place. He transferred himself back into the seat in one smooth motion, muscles flexing under the thin black T-shirt, no wasted effort, no hesitation like he had done it a thousand times before.

Only then did he look at me again.

“Knocking implies waiting for an answer,” he growled. “Not barging in. Didn't Ms Paltz fill you in?”

“I wasn’t barging” I protested scooting to my feet cheeks burning “I called your name three times I thought maybe you were asleep or—”

“Or you decided rules don’t apply to new staff”

I winced. “I’m sorry I really am. I just wanted to introduce myself properly before lunch. Ms Paltz said—”

“I know what Ms Paltz said” he cut in smoothly wheeling the chair back a few inches to give himself space “You’re Lana”

“Yes”

“The nurse”

“Yes”

He taught me another long beat. “You always greet patients by kissing them?”

My mouth dropped open “That was an accident”

“Convenient accident”

“It wasn’t on purpose” I said, voice rising despite my best effort to stay calm. “I leaned in to knock the door swung open. I lost my balance, we fell. That’s it”

He raised one dark brow the corner of his mouth twitching in something that might have been amusement or irritation I couldn’t tell “You expect me to believe you tripped directly onto my mouth”

“Yes. Because that’s exactly what happened”

“You’re either the clumsiest person I’ve ever met or the worst liar”

“I’m neither” I crossed my arms trying to reclaim some dignity “I’m just… new. And apparently unlucky”

He let out a short quiet laugh more breath than sound, then wheeled himself closer, stopping just short of my feet “New and unlucky” he repeated testing the words “That combination usually ends badly around here.”

I swallowed. “I’m not here to cause trouble, I’m here to help”

His gaze dropped briefly to my uniform then back to my face “We’ll see”

He turned the chair in a tight arc heading back toward the desk that dominated the far side of the room. Papers, notebooks, three monitors glowing with lines of code and data streams. He paused at the threshold between bedroom and study space glancing over his shoulder. “Next time wait for permission before you enter, that's if there is a next time.”

I nodded quickly. “I promise.”

He didn’t respond, just rolled forward and used one hand to pull the door almost closed leaving it open a crack the same way Ms Paltz had left mine.

I stood there heart still racing, skin tingling where our mouths had touched wondering how one clumsy fall had managed to make everything feel ten times more complicated.

I pressed my fingertips to my lips for half a second then dropped my hand fast like I’d been caught doing something wrong.

Get it together Lana.

This is your job, not a meet-cute. Not a disaster.

Just a job.

I turned and walked back to my room trying to ignore the way my pulse refused to slow down and the small traitorous part of me that kept replaying the exact second our mouths had met wondering why on earth he hadn’t pushed me away faster.

By the time I reached my door I was already mentally rewriting the entire morning.

Tomorrow I will knock louder.

I would wait longer.

And under no circumstances would I ever lean forward again. Never.