chapter 3

Esita’s POV

I ran into the hospital ward, papers in hand and locked everyone out, then I sank to the floor. I didn’t even know when I started crying.

How could he do something like this? To me? I should be the one angry with him, he f*cking cheated.

Before long, I was half drowned in a pool of my own salty tears.

A little while later – I couldn’t tell because I didn’t exactly keep track of time when I was bawling my eyes out, I heard a firm knock on the ward door.

“It’s Lucian,” a deep voice groaned from outside the door. “open this door now, I need to speak with you.”

“What the fuck do you want to talk about anyway? How you won’t forgive me for crashing into your daughter? I’m going through a lot right now, and the last thing I need is for you or anyone else to come here and shower me with f*cking pity.”

“Just open the door, Miss Esita. I’m not here to talk about my daughter. I heard what happened, and we should speak about it.”

Begrudgingly, I muttered “fine,” then got up and unlocked the ward doors. He walked in, assessed me and the very moist hospital floor, then had a seat on the bed I was in a few hours ago.

“I am going to pay off your bills, Miss Esita”

I looked up in confusion. “No, you are not.”

“Listen. Don’t make this harder than it already it, alright? You’re in a fix, and my daughter is about to get discharged.

I can help you out of this situation, and I want to help you out of the situation, so why don’t you just keep quiet and let me f*cking help you, eyy?”

“No. I do not want your help, I do not need it, and I most certainly will not be keeping mute and letting you do whatever you want. I’m not like the female werewolves in the Blue Moon pack, Mr. Lucian.

I’m not particularly fond of being told what to do, especially by a stranger who I met the previous day.”

“I know you don’t want to be pitied, alright? You said so yourself. But for once, let someone do something for you, because I can tell this is completely new territory. I want to help. So let me help.

Layla says you’re a nice person, so I wouldn’t want you to be stuck in a hospital over something I could fix.”

I sighed. Maybe he was right, and I was scared to let anyone do anything for me.

“Alright. Thank you so much, Lucian. I’ll make it up to you, I’ll make sure of that.”

He turned and left the room without a word.

I stared on as he walked off – a tall handsome hunk taking responsibility for me. Been a while since I felt that.

A hour and a half later, Layla was done with her pre-discharge checkup and she was free to go too. I stood with Lucian as she came out from the ward, eager to say my final goodbye, but as we hugged I could sense she wanted something very different.

“Uhm, Dad, could Esita come with us?”

“Huh? What are you even saying?” His face had a look of disbelief.

“At least until I get better, Dad. You said she just got handed divorce papers, yes? She can’t go back to staying with her husband, he clearly doesn’t want her around anymore.

Heck, he’s the reason she’s here in the first place.”

“But you don’t know her–”

“I don’t have to know her, Dad. She’s a good person, I can sense it in her eyes.

While you were gone, she wheeled to my ward to personally apologize to me for the accident.

Even though she had no reason to and was still recovering, she found a way to come. Only a good person would do that Dad.”

He sighed in defeat.

“But only till you get better, alright? As soon as you’re good enough, I want her out of my house. Is that clear?”

“Good enough, Dad.” She turned to me and hugged me again. “Welcome to the family, Esita.”

While we were in the car and heading to Lucian and Layla’s place, I kept thanking him. If only he knew what he had just done for me, maybe he would finally say something back to my endless stream of gratitude.

He kept mute the whole time and stared out the window instead.

When we got to his place, I took a minute to take in the environment. It was a beautiful mansion, and the compound was filled with greenery and trees. There was a garden, a pool, and what looked like a swing set on the other side of the large compound.

I turned to Layla. “This is a really nice house, I’m not surprised at all.”

“Well yeah, My dad doesn’t show it, but he likes to enjoy himself. And his idea of enjoyment is a house where he can do whatever he wants.”

I stared at him taking some luggage inside. Hold on, that looks like my luggage. I should go get that.

I hurried towards where he was standing.

“Let me get that, it’s my luggage. Just tell me where to put them and I will.”

“You don’t know this house because it isn’t f*cking yours. It’s just some luggage, let me do it.”

“No, no, I can carry my own luggage Lucian. If you know anything about me by now, it should be that I am pretty much obstinate. I don’t want you carrying my luggage for me.”

“Alright then, have at it.” He gestured towards the luggage, standing back so I could take it.

My hands touched his as I collected a bag from him, and I was instantly hit by a bolt of electricity that was so strong it made me drop the bag.

He looked at me with disbelief and ran indoors, leaving me to my luggage.