No Nurse Lasted a Week with the Ruthless Mafia Boss — Until the Poor Nurse Broke the Rules
Chapter 3
Mia lasted three days.
That was longer than the previous nurse.
Her name was Elena.
She had resigned after Adrian screamed at her for entering his office.
Before Elena, there had been five others.
One lasted two days.
Another lasted four.
The longest had lasted six.
Nobody made it to a full week.
Mia understood why.
Adrian was impossible.
He refused medication if he didn’t know where it came from.
He questioned every dosage.
He dismissed doctors who contradicted him.
He hated being touched.
He hated being monitored.
And he had a particular habit of appearing behind Mia without making a sound.
The first time it happened, she nearly dropped a thermometer.
“You need to stop doing that.”
Adrian looked amused.
“Doing what?”
“Walking like a ghost.”
“I own the house.”
“That doesn’t mean you need to haunt it.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“You’re not afraid of me.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You should be.”
Mia looked at him.
“I am.”
That surprised him.
She continued checking his blood pressure.
“But I’m still going to tell you when you’re wrong.”
He stared at her.
“Everyone tells me when I’m wrong.”
“No.”
Mia tightened the cuff.
“Everyone tells you what they think you want to hear.”
Adrian said nothing.
The reading appeared.
Mia frowned.
“Your blood pressure is too high.”
“It’s always high.”
“That’s not an excuse.”
“I have a stressful life.”
“So do I.”
“You?”
Mia removed the cuff.
“Yes.”
“What could possibly be more stressful than my life?”
Mia gave him a tired look.
“Rent.”
Adrian almost smiled.
Almost.
That evening, Mia found him sitting alone in the library.
He was reading a file.
She noticed his hands.
There was dried blood beneath one fingernail.
“You’re injured.”
Adrian closed the file.
“I’m fine.”
“Let me see.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I said no.”
Mia sighed.
“You really don’t like nurses.”
“I don’t like people asking questions.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s most of my job.”
He looked at her.
“Do you ever know when to stop?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“When people are actually okay.”
“And I’m not?”
“No.”
Mia reached for his hand.
Adrian pulled away.
She stopped.
Neither spoke.
Then Adrian slowly extended his hand.
“Five minutes.”
Mia cleaned the cut.
It was deeper than he admitted.
“How did you get this?”
“Broken glass.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“You should have told me.”
“I survived.”
“That isn’t the standard.”
“What is?”
“Not getting infected.”
He watched her work.
For the first time, Mia noticed how tired he looked.
Not physically.
Something deeper.
A man who had forgotten what it meant to sleep without checking the door.
She finished bandaging his finger.
“There.”
Adrian looked at it.
“Thank you.”
Mia stood.
“You’re welcome.”
She turned to leave.
“Mia.”
She stopped.
“Yes?”
“Why did you take this job?”
She hesitated.
“Money.”
“That honest?”
“I need to help my family.”
“How much?”
Mia frowned.
“That’s none of your business.”
Adrian nodded.
“Fair.”
She left.
But for the first time, Adrian watched the door long after she was gone.
