Chapter 5 - The Fortress
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The terms were absurd, yet entirely undeniable. Victor would clear her student debt, pay her a salary that rivaled a chief surgeon's, and provide her with private security to commute to her nursing classes. In exchange, she would move into his estate and oversee his physical therapy and daily medical care.
Two days later, Aliyah found herself standing in the grand foyer of the Malenkov estate. It was a sprawling stone mansion nestled in the heavily wooded suburbs outside Boston. It felt less like a home and more like a fortress. Heavily armed guards patrolled the perimeter, and the interior was decorated in cold, sterile shades of gray and black.
"Your quarters are on the second floor, directly across from mine," Victor said, walking down the sweeping marble staircase. He was dressed in his usual immaculate charcoal suit, looking completely untouchable.
"I have a few conditions of my own," Aliyah stated, dropping her duffel bag onto the polished floor.
Victor stopped at the bottom of the stairs, an eyebrow raised in quiet amusement. "I am unaccustomed to receiving demands in my own home."
"Then it's a good day to learn," Aliyah countered, stepping closer. "First, when we are in a medical session, I am the boss. You do not argue with my treatment plans. Second, your men do not follow me into my bedroom or my classroom. I need privacy."
Victor’s jaw tightened, but he gave a single, curt nod. "Agreed."
"And third," she added softly, looking around the massive, echoing foyer. "You need to buy some plants. Or some art. This place looks like a very expensive mausoleum. It's bad for your mental health."
For a moment, Victor simply stared at her, utterly taken aback by her audacity. Then, a low, rich chuckle rumbled in his chest. It was a sound that seemed foreign to his throat, rusty from years of disuse.
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"I will have my assistant procure some greenery, Nurse Brooks," he murmured, his pale eyes glinting with something entirely new. "Shall we begin your first shift?"
Aliyah picked up her medical bag, her heart fluttering despite her brave facade. She was officially living with the devil, and her job was to heal his broken wings.
