The hospital room had grown strangely quiet.
Too quiet.
Nina could feel Lucas Grant's gaze resting on her like the weight of a spotlight. He wasn't speaking. He was studying her… slowly, carefully. The kind of quiet scrutiny that made it feel like every thought in her head had suddenly become visible, as if he could peel back the layers of her mind with nothing more than a look.
Nina shifted uncomfortably against the hospital pillows, her fingers twisting the thin blanket.
Why is he staring like that?
The silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating. She resisted the urge to fidget further, knowing it would only betray her growing unease. His gaze wasn't exactly hostile… there was no anger in those sharp eyes.
But it wasn't friendly either. It was analytical, measured. Like a chess player studying the board before making a decisive move, calculating every possible outcome.
Lucas leaned slightly back in his chair, his long fingers resting loosely on the armrest, the picture of controlled composure.
Even seated, he radiated an effortless authority that filled the room.
Nina found herself holding her breath without meaning to. The man didn't need to raise his voice or make grand gestures. His mere presence commanded attention, demanded respect.
After several long seconds that felt like minutes, he finally spoke.
"Tell me what you want."
Nina blinked, the unexpected question catching her off guard."…Sorry?"
The words felt completely out of context, disconnected from everything that had happened. Lucas's expression didn't change. Not a flicker of impatience, not a hint of clarification. Just that same steady, unreadable gaze.
"Your request."
Nina stared at him, her confusion deepening."…My what?"
Before Lucas could elaborate, Axel suddenly clapped his hands together like he'd been waiting for this moment, practically bouncing in his seat with barely contained energy.
"Oh! Right!"
He grinned widely at Nina, his enthusiasm a stark contrast to his brother's cool demeanor. "My brother means your reward."
Nina's brain stalled again, struggling to process the shift in conversation. "Reward?"
"You saved Ethan," Axel said matter-of-factly, as if this should have been obvious from the start. "Which means Lucas wants to repay you."
He leaned forward conspiratorially, lowering his voice like he was sharing a valuable secret."Trust me, this is a very profitable situation for you. My brother doesn't offer favors lightly. When Lucas Grant owes someone, he pays his debts, and he pays them well."
Nina's eyes widened slightly.
Her brain kicked into overdrive, analyzing the situation from every angle.
Careful.
She had heard enough horror stories about wealthy families to know one crucial thing: the richer someone was, the more suspicious they tended to be. They didn't accumulate fortunes by trusting people at face value.
Especially powerful men like Lucas Grant.
If she acted too eager, they might assume she had orchestrated the whole incident. If she asked for something outrageous, they would brand her a schemer, perhaps even a threat. The Grant family probably had lawyers who could make her life miserable.
If she refused entirely, though... Well, Lucas didn't strike her as a man who enjoyed having his gestures rejected. His entire demeanor screamed control, and people like that rarely appreciated being told "no."
Nina drew a slow, steadying breath, weighing her options. Then she shook her head gently, hoping she appeared more confident than she felt.
"You really don't need to repay me."
Axel blinked, his expression shifting to pure confusion."...What?"
Nina gestured toward the sleeping Ethan, his small chest rising and falling peacefully beneath the hospital blanket. "It's true that I helped him," she said, keeping her voice calm and measured. "But he helped me too."
Lucas's gaze sharpened, his attention now fully focused on her. She could feel the weight of his scrutiny, as if he were dissecting every word.
Nina pressed on, maintaining her composure. "If Ethan hadn't climbed out that window and found help, I'd still be locked in that storage room. Who knows how long before someone would have found me?"
She offered a light shrug, as if the matter were simple. "So if you really think about it... we kind of saved each other. We're even."
Axel stared at her as though she had just torn up a winning lottery ticket and tossed it into the wind."...You're serious?"
"Completely," Nina nodded, her expression earnest.
She even managed a small, reassuring smile, the kind meant to convey sincerity and put others at ease.
Inside her head, however, alarm bells were ringing at full volume.
Abort mission. Abort mission. Do NOT get involved with billionaire drama. Nothing good ever comes from owing favors to people like this.
Axel rubbed the back of his neck, clearly at a loss. His usual charm seemed to falter in the face of her unexpected response."Well... that's very noble of you..."
He glanced sideways at Lucas, as if seeking guidance. Lucas's expression had not improved. In fact, it had darkened considerably, his jaw tightening almost imperceptibly. The temperature in the room seemed to plummet by several degrees, and the air grew thick with unspoken tension.
Nina immediately sensed something had shifted.
Why does he look more annoyed now?
Had she miscalculated? Did she say something offensive? Perhaps wealthy people had different rules about these things, unspoken protocols she'd unknowingly violated.
Her pulse quickened as she tried to read Lucas's inscrutable face, searching for any clue about what she'd done wrong.
Lucas leaned forward slightly, his posture shifting with deliberate intent."You're refusing compensation."
It wasn't a question. It was an observation, delivered with the precision of a man accustomed to analyzing every transaction.
Nina hesitated, suddenly uncertain of her footing."…Yes?"
Silence descended… heavy, uncomfortable, stretching between them like a taut wire. Then Axel suddenly burst out laughing, the sound shattering the tension. "Okay, wow. Lucas, your face right now looks like someone just returned your birthday gift," he said, shaking his head in apparent disbelief.
Lucas ignored him entirely, his focus never wavering from Nina.
Axel turned back to her, his expression more sympathetic now. "My brother has a thing about debts. He hates owing people," he explained, his tone almost apologetic.
"Hates it," he repeated with theatrical emphasis, gesturing for effect.
"Like… physically allergic to the concept."
"So please, just ask for something," Axel continued, spreading his hands in a gesture of encouragement. "Anything at all."
Nina hesitated, her mind racing through possibilities."…Anything?"
"Anything," Axel confirmed.
She glanced at Lucas. His expression remained unreadable, carved from stone. But his gaze was unwavering, fixed on her with an intensity that made her skin prickle. Waiting. Demanding an answer.
Oh boy.
Nina's brain kicked into overdrive, frantically calculating her next move.
Okay, think. What do wealthy people value?
Simple solutions. Direct transactions.Money.
Money solved everything in their world.
And if she asked for money, they'd assume she was straightforward and honest… refreshingly uncomplicated.
Yes. Perfect logic.
Besides, her bank account currently contained approximately the same amount as a moderately successful lemonade stand after a rainy week. Her acting career was hanging by a thread so thin it might snap at any moment. Her rent was due in less than two weeks. Her fridge contained half a bottle of ketchup, some wilted lettuce, and a yogurt whose expiration date she'd stopped checking out of self-preservation.
So yes.
Money would be extremely helpful. Necessary, even.
Nina cleared her throat carefully, steeling herself.
"Well… if you really insist…"
She forced herself to say it, the words feeling strange on her tongue. "…You could give me money."