Chapter Six

Summer

“That is a ridiculous request.” The response came so quickly that it was obvious he hadn't even considered it, his face hardened immediately. “And it is completely impossible.”

The irritation in his voice was no longer hidden. “I just told you that I am willing to provide any amount of money you need. I can purchase any house you want, anywhere in the world. I can buy you any car. I can cover every medical expense you have for the rest of your life.” His jaw tightened. “But I cannot live under the same roof as you.”

There it was, to him, I was beneath him. The idea of sharing the same space with someone like me offended him. What else should I expect from a Lancelot?

I folded my arms across my chest, before I could speak, Amelia let out an offended scoff. “What exactly do you mean by someone like her?” For once since meeting her, she actually made sense, Ethan turned toward her. “No, seriously. Explain it to me.”

Her voice dripped with sarcasm.“You feel so high and mighty, don't you? If ordinary people disgust you so much, maybe you should've built your own roads instead of driving on the same roads the rest of us use. Then maybe you wouldn't have hit someone like her.”

Ethan's expression darkened, he slowly looked between Amelia and me. His eyes lingered on me for a second before returning to Amelia, then he laughed. “I am not going to stand here and argue back and forth with you like a group of peasants.”

He adjusted the cuff of his suit. “I came here out of courtesy.” He looked at me. “I apologized for what happened, I expressed my condolences for your loss.” Then he spread his hands slightly. “The most I can offer is an open check, write whatever amount you want. Tell me what house you want or the car you want. If necessary, I will arrange the best therapists in the world. But you are not living under the same roof as me.” The arrogance in his voice was impossible to miss. “Do you have any idea who I am?”

He actually sounded offended, as if my request had somehow insulted him. “Do you know who my family is?” He shook his head and muttered under his breath. “Such a ridiculous request.”

The doctor turned to me. “Miss Elena, I think you should accept the king’s offer. He is offering you what no one else can ever offer. I know all of these things can’t bring back your child, but it’s a good place to start and with therapy, you will regain your memory back.”

I stared at him for a moment. “You work as his spokesman too?” I asked. The doctor immediately looked away.“Isn’t your job treating me? Why are you acting as his defender?”

The doctor remained silent, Amelia shifted closer to me. “Elena, I know you are not in the right state of mind right now, but this is a very good offer. I think we should accept it before he withdraws everything and we return to square one. This is a life-changing opportunity.”

I slowly turned to look at her. “There is no we.” The words came out colder than I intended, Amelia's face fell immediately. “I am refusing the offer.”

I looked directly at Ethan. “The only thing I want is to stay under the same roof with you.”

The room fell silent once again.

“Then you get nothing.” His response was immediate and cold. “I can see you are not in the right state of mind right now. I will give you time to think about it, but if you keep insisting, then you leave me no choice but to withdraw everything.”

My jaw tightened, without another word, he turned toward the door. He was about to leave.

If this had been before, I probably would have given up, I would have lowered my head and accepted whatever he offered. I would have convinced myself that something was better than nothing.

Because I had always been afraid to push back, afraid to challenge people like him but that was before. Right now, I had nothing left to lose, I had already lost my life once. And the body I was in gave me far more freedom than I had ever had before.

“Amelia.” She looked at me.

“Can you get me my phone?”

Confusion flashed across her face.“What for?”

I kept my eyes on Ethan's back. “I am going on live on I*******m and tell the whole world how the Lycan King hit me, made me lose my baby, my memory and my valuables, and now wants to dump me in the hospital with no one to take care of me.”

The room went completely silent, Ethan stopped in his tracks, his hand froze on the door handle. Slowly, he turned around, his jaw was clenched so tightly that I thought he might crack a tooth.

For several seconds, he simply stared at me, then he ran a hand down his face in frustration. The muscles in his jaw twitched. “Fine.”

The word came out through gritted teeth. “You can come stay with me.” His expression darkened. “Till you get better.”