Paris Malady (#1 in The Billionaire Series)

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

All the while as she waited to arrive, her feet kept on thumping at the floor of the cab. If it wasn’t that then it was drumming her fingers on the window which annoyed the cab driver and made her feel guilty. She was sighing a lot, more than ready to curse at some drivers for wasting her time stopping at red lights and dropping off slow moving passengers.

She begged herself to relax every time a bubble of curses nearly erupted from her.

When she arrived, she still had to wait for clearance at the hospital gates. The guards there eyed her with distrust and eminent doubt as she told them she knew the Blanc family.

“I assure you, sir, I am not a fraud,” she repeated even as they dialled the hospital reception number. He eyed her warily with the receiver between his armoured shoulder and cheek.

“And I remind you, mademoiselle, it is procedure to confirm,” he said in a gruff voice. Lisa kept silent and refused to sigh. Continued persistence as to her legitimacy would only portray her as a culprit of fraud, and she didn’t want that.

The only reason she was nervous about calling in was because she wondered if the family would want her here. Liam had assured her but she was wary about it. What if Agatha had only been nice because she didn’t want to ruin Adel’s wedding? What if Jenny had been the one to send the text message and simply forgotten to add her name? What if she was simply overreacting and there was nothing to worry about?

Whether Lisa truly wanted the answers or not, she could no longer decide and the guard smiled comely at her, turning the attendance book towards her.

“We apologise for any inconveniences, mademoiselle,” he said, handing Lisa a black ball point pen. “You know how reporters can get. One minute we are certain there no one in room, the next, photograph is spreading wide and far. We want to show great respect for a remarkable man. I hope you understand.”

The pen was suddenly fascinating to Lisa, the stainless steel warm from his hand and the pen itself heavy. Funny how details were more interesting when you were trying to prolong things. Lisa nodded, smiling gratefully.

 Lisa was surprised when she was written as family, not by her choice, but apparently someone had told them she might come. She simply took the neck tag without reading it and made to walk out, towards the glass doors, unsure how to proceed from there. Suddenly a burly arm was put in front of her.

Surprised was evident on her expression as she glanced up. Had someone called to revoke her pass? Was she to be carried out as an unwanted trespasser?

But it wasn’t so. Marcel was before her; Daniel’s body guard and chauffer.

Lisa exclaimed a gasp, surprised she had wanted to see the family. “Oh, Marcel, it’s only you,” she said.

Marcel smiled politely, nodding his head once. “Forgive me for startling you, mademoiselle, but I only mean to protect you.”

Marcel insisted she stay inside until he came to get her. Though curious as to why, she quickly understood his reasoning as she stepped out of the guard house. Paparazzi cameras and questions getting thrown left right and centre as to who she was. Marcel used most of his body to shield her from their views, and she did her best not to be a nuisance, but she was certain by morning some parts of a carried away acquaintance of the Blanc’s would be pasted on newspapers. But the questions about her and Daniel were still being fired at her, and she couldn’t help but frown about it.

A man was fighting for his life and all they cared about was the newest gossip on the hit? It was uncouthly behaviour.

Marcel left her at the elevators, informing her that he still had a task to complete. The elevator doors dinged, and she prepared herself for it all. The sterile smell was the same everywhere, the smell of latex gloves and bleached equipment stuck in the hair like a second gas. And the hum…