Page 187 of Her Wicked Plan

“Such a shame.” The patient tsks. “We could show him a good time up here.”

“Tessa, that is enough!” The nurse snaps. “Go find something else to do besides scare...” She pauses and then looks at me. “What was your name again?”

“Dr. Madden from Ward B,” I introduce myself.

“Ah, yes. Dr. Madden.” She grins. “I’ve heard about you.”

“From?”

Behind her, Scarlet emerges from a bedroom, eyes down on the chart in her hands.

The nurse turns her head to see what caught my attention, then spins back around to me. “The source herself.”

Great. Scarlet has been gossiping about me to her coworkers. I wonder what lies she cooked up.

Scarlet enters the station, setting the chart down before her eyes find mine. “Dr. Madden? What are you doing up here?”

There is a slight worry in her tone. I hold up the folder that still has yet to leave my hand. “I thought we could talk more about my new patient.”

“Right.” Her head dips. “Would you like to meet her?”

“At some point, yes.” I round the counter to where she has taken position. “But I have some questions to ask you before I do.”

Her jaw tightens. “Okay. We can talk in my office.”

I gesture for her to lead the way. Here, I thought that her office was in the same place as mine, seeing as she was always in that hall. Thinking about that now, it’s kind of dumb. Why would her office be down by mine when her patients are here?

She walks ahead of me, her steps quick as she types in a code, letting us into their hallway of offices. We are silent, the sound of our footsteps bouncing off the walls. The bottom of her heels hitting the floor overpowers my shoes.

Scarlet opens a door, walking into the room allowing me to come in last. She heads over to her desk as I shut the door behind me.

The office is almost like mine but different. It’s in the way she decorated it. It makes the space feel more like her. I help myself to the window where her view doesn’t comprise the lake like mine, but she has a view of the forest.

“So, what questions do you have?” she asks cautiously, as if she is afraid to be in the same room as me.

“The first question I have”—I turn around and stand opposite her, the desk between us—“is why you lied about Dr. Bennett suggesting I be Olivia’s doctor.”

Her eyes drop to the desk, where I let the folder fall. It lands with a soft smack, but it is enough for Scarlet to flinch. “I… I’m not sure. I just assumed it coming from me, you wouldn’t want to take her, and she is a good patient. She deserves to have someone like you as her doctor.”

I roll my lips together, nodding with ease. “Such a sweet talker you are.”

She raises her eyes to meet mine. “Leo...”

I hold up my hand to stop her from continuing. “My next question: Seeing as it wasn’t Henry’s idea, he didn’t tell you to bring me this folder. You just did it on your own?”

She squints slightly. “Yes. I mean, seeing as it was my idea for you to be her doctor, of course, I brought it to you because I wanted to.”

My hands find the smooth surface of her desk. Palms flush against the cool wood. “What have you been telling your fellow nurses about me?”

“W-what?” she stutters.

“The one I was talking to gave me this look like she was putting pieces of a puzzle together. A puzzle that you provided information with.” I stare at her. “Said she’s heard about me. From you.”

“When you and I first met, there was that spark.” She sighs. “I told her about you, how I liked you, and how attractive you were.”

A breathy laugh escapes me. I knew that was coming. “Did you tell her how you hit on my friend when I rejected you? Or how you kissed me after he ghosted you?”

Her head ticks to the side as she huffs. “No.”