Chapter 12

The only reason I was here was out of pity. He must think it's pitiful to have to take care of an employee like me. Now I understood his presence here. I had to stop causing so many problems for Mr. Keylef and my boss. Although, the feeling of good-quality sheets and the elegance of the room was incredible... he said he was only doing it because I was his employee, but wasn’t it too strange that my boss was so kind? Who was Mr. Cesar really? A selfish and malicious man as his brother described him...

"Miss Belle."

"Yes, ma’am!" I responded firmly, snapping out of my thoughts.

"I saw the X-rays of your arm, and it doesn’t look good. Why didn’t you come immediately? I still don’t understand how you didn’t faint from the pain of a broken bone," she said, smiling slightly embarrassed, scratching my head.

"Yes, I think that would have been the logical thing to do."

"Yes, but logic doesn’t seem to be your thing. And neither is intelligence, but that’s a topic for another day," she said so nonchalantly that it made me want to punch her, then I remembered she was my boss.

"Anyway, it's not good to endure pain. The best thing will be to rest for about four or five weeks," horrified, I thought of my Grandpa and the huge debt I had with Mr. Keylef. I couldn’t rest; I had to work. And to think that if that guy hadn’t come with his stupid horse, I wouldn’t be here. I glanced at him sideways, grumbling silently.

♥

I looked at the X-rays and couldn’t believe it. It was much worse than I initially imagined. Hematomas, her leg could have been broken too... what was she thinking when she decided to stay silent? She could have demanded money for the doctor. I would have even accepted blackmail. I looked at her irritated and saw how small and thin she was. I didn’t understand why she made me so angry.

"Stay in the hospital until we see your improvement."

"E-excuse me, do I have to stay in the hospital? Could I rest at home?" she said in a low voice.

"Is there a problem with you staying here? If you want, we can bring something from your home," the older woman said kindly.

"Well, the truth is that I…"

"OF COURSE, THERE IS NO PROBLEM! You will stay here until that arm is healed," I said, giving her a cold look that finally made her silent.

Belle's Perspective

How much would a night in this hospital cost? Four weeks would be a fortune, it was too much even for Mr. Cesar. I couldn’t accept this; I didn’t want to keep owing people. Feeling a strange void of impatience in my stomach, I tried to get up.

"Where the hell do you want to go in your condition? Are you so impatient to return to that hovel you call home?" This was the last straw I would tolerate.

"There are dirtier things in this world, so I don’t think sweeping and cleaning my little cabin can make you say such things," I exclaimed angrily.

"Do you think I have time for your nonsense?" he said, approaching me, causing me to fall back onto the bed. I looked up at him with absolute rage.

"W-what?"

"With all the work I have, and still, I take the trouble to give you good health insurance, and you keep insisting on denying my favor in such an unpleasant way," I swallowed hard and nervously said.

"W-what are you talking about? I never wanted you to...," I stammered nervously, which seemed to trigger the anger he had been holding back with every look he gave me, revealing the real reasons for his irritation.

"You're making me look like a tyrant boss who wouldn’t even provide medical care to his workers, and on top of that, you want me to take you out of here, half-maimed, to a place that looks more like death than a home!" he shouted, giving me incredible terror.

"I... never thought that of you."

"If not, then shut up and stop wasting my time," I kept silent, but then a question came to my mind.

"It’s fine that you want to do this, but I can’t pay you back, nor do I want to owe you anything!" I stated firmly, even though my legs were shaking.

"Damn it!" he exclaimed, running his hand through his hair. "You just want to keep bothering me!"

"Enough!" Keylef said, entering the room with a tray of food. "You’re still as delicate as ever, brother. Could you stop yelling at someone who’s recovering?"

"How can I not yell at her when all she does is drive me crazy? She's so... she's so... unbearable! Unconscious! I don’t even know what to say to her anymore..."

"Well, you too... are! Are... A very in..." I bit my tongue, seeing that he was just provoking me to respond poorly so he could fire me with pleasure.

"Even if her presence bothers you, she has a point and you should respect it."

"Are you her lawyer?"

"I'm just saying that you're scaring her," he insisted, placing the tray next to me.

"Is it that I'm asking her to kill someone for it to cost so much?"

"I'm just saying, she could be more comfortable in a less expensive room," he sighed loudly, breathing deeply. I looked at Mr. Keylef seeking a bit of help to calm this man's temper, but I only found his candid smile.

♥

Very well, if she definitely wanted to recover in that filthy cabin, so be it. After all, it was a perfect match. What did it matter if it was a luxurious room or not, I would have to pay anyway. I didn't understand her need to make me look like a tyrant. It was enough to say thank you while enjoying the luxuries I provided. Why was she so uncomfortable, as if she didn’t belong? What woman did that? I couldn’t believe it... I didn’t want to believe it. I was sure I would get the truth out of her, whatever it cost to reveal her true personality. In the end, people always wanted the same thing.

"Joffre!" I called, and in a second, he was by my side.

"Yes, sir."

"I want you to make sure she doesn’t escape from here until she recovers. I won’t let myself be seen as heartless because of her stupid moral convictions or ethical nonsense," I looked at her and she seemed to beg me with that stupid face that irritated me so much, but I just ignored her, leaving the room with a bang.

"Don’t worry, Belle... I'll come these days to keep you company."

"Co-co-company...? Yours? You don’t have to go to so much trouble, Mr. Keylef. I don’t want to bother you," I said, waving my hands quickly.

"Don’t be silly. If not me, then who...?" he said, stroking my head. A smile formed on my mouth, excited. At least something good would come out of all this, but then why did I feel so bad? Didn’t I act properly? He seemed too angry for his own good.