Caliste paced the hospital halls, her hands running through her short red hair. It felt like the walls were closing in her and that hospital smell only makes it even more difficult to feel anything but fear.

Kyle had been wheeled into the E.R and all she could do was stand outside the ward, hoping that one nurse, just one, would send some sort of reassurance her way. Even if it was just a nod but she got nothing. None of them spare her a glance, almost like they had something else to worry about, their personal struggles for example.

She exhaled, her hands trembled slightly. She bites on her nails, pulling it hard and causing it to bleed.

Kyle was fine this morning. Not fine entirely as they just had a funeral a few hours ago. But he looked well but now, he's in there, fighting for his life..

Caliste fought back tears, he had to be okay. He's the only one she had left..

“Ms Caliste?”

She turned slowly, her heart racing wildly. She had no idea what to expect.

“Is he okay?”

The nurse nods. “He's stable. The doctor would like to talk to you.”

She nodded, following the nurse into the E.R. She was led to Kyle's bed, and her face winced at the sight before her.

Tubes and wires were passed all over his body and he had an oxygen mask over his face. The monitor beeping gently in the background as she took one heavy step after the other.

“Why is he…” she stammered.

“He’s out of danger for now but I'm afraid I can't guarantee that would be the case by tommorow..”

Caliste's gaze met the doctors. “What do you mean?”

“I'm sure you're aware he has respiratory issues? It was subtle at first but I supposed it was triggered from continuous exposure to a suffocating substance.”

Her eyes flickered over to Kyle, what exposure? Has her brother been some place she had no clue about?

“He needs surgery. We've been able to stabilise him for the next ten hours. He might have an episode after that and we need to make sure he's out of danger before then..”

“Then do it! What are you waiting for?”

The doctor sighed. "The procedure costs a hundred thousand dollars."

Caliste froze, that was a lot. Where the hell is she supposed to find that sort of money?

“Please contact your insurance company so we can get it started.” The doctor said, ready to turn on his heels.

She swallowed.

"I…we don't have insurance. " she muttered, making the doctor stop in his tracks.

"Do you intend to pay for the surgery yourself?"

She shook her head. That was way more than her paycheck for a whole year. Not even her paycheck for the next three years could pay for this surgery.

“Do you have family members that can step in?”

“No.” She replied.

The doctor sighed, shaking his head. “You'll have to find a solution soon. We don't have enough time..”

The doctor disappeared down the hallway, leaving her standing in there with no hope.

She stumbled back, sitting on the empty bed next to Kyle's. Where is she supposed to get that money within such a short period? Her eyes flickered to Kyle and held his hands with a small smile.

“I'll figure it out. I promise.” She whispered. She walked out of the E.R, having no clue what to do or where to start from.

She didn't have that kind of money and she was already drowning in debts with crazy interest.

She was alone.

There was no one she could call, no one she could ask. And for one fleeting second, her mind drifted to Jasper. Her ex fiancée.

He was the youngest son of a multimillionaire. He could write a check without blinking if she asked.

The thought left a bad taste in her mouth, there's no way in hell. She could almost see him smirking at her. If she went back to him, asking him for money, he'd think things were cool between them now or maybe the money was a way of apologising for what he's done.

He had a way of buying her things instead of apologising and this would be no different.

No.

Kyle wouldn't appreciate it either. He wasn't the biggest fan of Jasper's but he was glad that his elder sister was happy. If he finds out about this, he'd throw a fit. Hell, she couldn't imagine begging that son of a gun either.

Caliste groaned, biting her bleeding finger. What is she going to do now?

“Vane Enterprise, owned by billionaire Darius Vane, announced his intention to acquire another fraction of his competitor's subsidiary..” a reporter’s voice echoed from the t.v.

Caliste's eyes flickered to the screen in the nurses station and there she saw him, a face she'd never forget even in a hurry.

Darius Vane.

Early thirties, sharp jawline, dark hair forming a side bang over his forehead and piercing green eyes that seemed to read her mind and his signature cigar in hand. He didn't spare the reporters a glance, he looked like he'd rather be anywhere but there.

He was the most eligible bachelor in the whole of Kenthill. And…he was Jasper's stepbrother.

And man does he hate Jasper.

Her eyes studied him on the screen, a memory flooding in on the night she. met Darius. She had heard a lot about him from Jasper, not very great things and she'd learned about him from the tabloids too.

It was almost a year ago at the Vane Enterprise annual gala. She had dressed accordingly, knowing the caliber of people that would grace the event. It was a boring event and she had to smile through it all while Jasper flaunted her like some trophy.

She was beautiful and she knew it. Maybe that was the only thing Jasper saw in her, knowing she was a looker.

She had stepped out of the gala, trying to catch some breath of fresh air at the rooftop when she stumbled on the train of her dress, almost swinging overboard. She thought she was going to die but a pair of strong arms caught her just in time and pulled her out of danger.

His green eyes had stared down at her, a look of annoyance on his face. “If you're tired of life, that's a terrible way to go.” He said.

She tried to pull away from him but his grip around her waist only tightened. Her gaze flickered to his face, a frown followed.

“Let go.”

“No thank you?” He asked.

“Thank you. Now, let go.”

He ignores her, his eyes narrowing on her face. “You're Jasper's fiancée.”

“Yeah! So you better let me go now. You shouldn't touch an engaged woman like this.”

He shakes his head. “You have terrible taste in men.”

She frowned. "Excuse me?"

“You heard me. You seem like a smart woman but Jasper? I'm disappointed.”

“What? Why would you make such conclusions?”

“One look at you and I know you deserve better. A proper man. Not some spoiled brat.”

“Let go!” She shoves him off and he releases her, a smirk dancing on his lips.

Caliste glared at him, dusting off her clothes like he had stained them. She knew who he was and tonight would be the first time they spoke or really stared at each other.

“How can you say that about your brother?”

His eyes darkened. “Stepbrother. And I can say that because he thinks with his dick.”

A year later, his words rang true. She exhaled, how could she have missed his warning? He clearly knew something back then but she had brushed it off as the words of a drunk man. Nothing more.

Her eyes flickered to the man on the screen once more. Darius was richer than Jasper.

More powerful. More ruthless. And he hated his stepbrother.

The weirdest thought crossed her mind at that moment. She shook her head, no. But what choice did she have? It was between begging the man who had betrayed her or a man who was right all along.

She'd rather go where her ego wouldn't receive that much of a bruise.

She needed money and power.

Darius had both.