Mirabelle sneakily steps into the room, trying hard not to make a sound as she carefully drags the trolly of food into the room.
Just as she steps in, she meets the assistant's eyes that are glaring at her. She freezes in terror when she knows she's an hour late from lunch.
She sends the assistant an apologetic smile, only to get her to roll her eyes and turn to her laptop, continuing her work.
She sighs out in relief when she knows she's been spared the lecture from the usually angry assistant. Her eyes dart to the patient who is holding his tablet with earphones on each side of his ears. Clearly listening to something.
Luckily he might not know what time it is and won't be yelling at her as always.
Though he can't see, he knows her by her perfume and her high-pitched panicked voice.
She drags the trolley towards his bed, still remaining silent as she sets the food on the trolley, trying not to startle him since he can hardly tell she's here.
She made it her mission not to use her favourite perfume today just so he doesn't start yelling at her the moment she stands at his door.
He would always complain about how her perfume irritated his nose, how strong it was and how annoying it was.
She knew he just hated her.
But it's not like he liked anyone else.
As Mirabelle reaches over to the other side to place the fork and knife, the blind Billionaire, Derek Richmond suddenly grabs her wrist, startling her, causing her to drop the utensils.
The assistant glances her way in annoyance as the metal scatters the floor.
Derek reaches for his earphones and pulls them out as his hand slowly clenches her wrist even more, getting her to stare at him in terror.
Scared he might still be able to tell who she is.
He stays silent for a moment as she doesn't try to move, trying to tell who is in front of him when he can't really tell.
His thumb them caresses her skin, getting her to drop her gaze away from his bandaged eyes down to his hand on hers.
"Serena?" He asks with a nearly confused tone of voice as he trails is fingers down to hers and slowly interlaces their fingers. "... I kept wondering... When you'd come back. It's been a week."
Mirabelle gasps in shock and quickly glances towards the assistant who glances at them in confusion as well.
"Hope you've been okay. I got worried." He continues to say as he brings her hand to his lips, gently gliding her knuckles against his lips.
Mirabelle opens her mouth to say she isn't who he thinks she is but the assistant waves to her, grabbing her attention. She scribbles something on the paper and holds it out for her to read.
-- Pretend. Don't tell him--
The message reads, getting Mirabelle to widen her eyes at her in terror, knowing there is no way their voices could match.
She doesn't even know how Serena sounds.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Derek asks, getting Mirabelle to panic as she glances down at him. "Did something happen?"
"N-No..." Mirabelle says, barely hiding her natural voice. "I..."
"Why are you so nervous then?" He chuckles slightly as his shoulders ease down when he can now hear that familiar voice. Unaware he's been hearing Mirabelle this entire time, confusing it for his Serena.
"I... I don't know." She explains as she tries to take back her hand but he slightly resists as he now holds it to his cheek, fully immersed in the warmth of her hand. "Uh... You have to eat, it's way past lunch hour."
"So you took your time off your schedule to come feed me yourself?" He asks with a smile on his lips as she watches him finally let go of her hand. "Your hands uses to be extremely soft. You've been doing a lot of work these days... Serena."
"I guess so." She answers as she walks over to the other side and picks up the fork and knife from the ground. "I'm going out for a bit. I dropped the fork and knife. I need to get new ones."
"I'll be waiting." He says, getting her to nod her head, only to mentally slap herself when she remembers he can't see.
She glances at the assistant who nods her head and stands up as well, knowing she has to explain herself.
They step out of the room and Mirabelle closes the door behind her before turning to the assistant who is already making her way down the corridor.
She follows her until the assistant stops at the small lounge area, far enough away from the door where Derek could hear them with his sharp hearing abilities.
"I know you must be concerned and confused. But I have my reasons." The assistant says as she fixes her glasses to the bridge of her nose before glancing down at the short Mirabelle. "But Mr Richmond has always been in love with Serena who doesn't reciprocate the feeling. I often forced her to visit him since he was admitted in the hospital the last three months, but Serena suddenly blocked me from contacting her. Since it's been a while, when you don't wear your perfume he somehow thinks you are her."
Mirabelle raises her brows at her, wanting to object and say something.
That man hates Mirabelle. And she knows it.
"He's recovering from the surgery and I need him to keep thinking Serena is visiting him. The Serena as of now isn't interested in the blind Derek. She never has been since he got blind at the age of ten, the day after he met her."
Mirabelle folds her arms to her chest as the assistant continues to speak.
"They barely make physical contact, he wouldn't tell your body apart from hers. Which is an advantage. Just until he recovers, when he can't tell you apart from Serena, just pretend." She says and Mirabelle frowns for a moment.
"But what will I get out of it? Clearly he could have me killed when he finds out I'm not Serena. I need some compensation." Mirabelle says as she glances to the floor innocently. "Mr Richmond isn't very fond of the real me. As you know he despises my very existence."
"I know. But as compensation, I can pay you to play the role of his Serena. He ought to marry her after his eyes have healed. So don't worry about him mistaking you for her afterwards. She will come to him then." She assures Mirabelle who slowly nods her head and sighs out.
"But if things go south you have to make sure you take full responsibility." Mirabelle points out and the assistant nods her head in agreement before smiling and walking back to the room.
It doesn't take long for Mirabelle to walk back into the room with the new fork and knife. In an instant, Derek turns his head towards the door when he can tell it could be is sweet Serena coming to him.
"I brought a new fork and knife." She smiles out awkwardly, clearly not used to acting. "You need to eat something."
She places the utensils in front of him and directs his hands to the tray which he smiles to and begins to eat.
She sits on the beside him as she watches him eat, sometimes directing him to where the different food where.
"I can't tell,-." Derek starts as he finally finishes his meal and wipes his lips with the paper towel. "Your voice sounds a bit different... It's softer... More quiet."
Mirabelle clears her throat and glances at the assistant who isn't looking at them any more. She tries to widen her eyes at her to somehow grab her attention but is taken aback when Derek suddenly reaches his hand up to her shoulders before slowly moving them up to her cheek.
He caresses his thumb against her cheek for a moment before tracing his fingers along her jawline, stopping at her chin. He then gently moves his hands up to her lower lip, getting Mirabelle to nearly jump off but restraints herself from moving.
He feels his hand on her lower lip before tracing the shape of her lips.
"You also used to hate it when I did this." He chuckles out slightly as he lowers his thumb back down to her lips. "But I can almost see you more clearly now... Your face is soft, you've been eating well. Your lips are small but full... Sometimes I wonder how they'd fell against mine."
"Your assistant is in the room, Mr Ri- Derek." She chuckles uncomfortably as she takes his hand away from her face. "I'm a little too shy for that..."
She wasn't. She just simply didn't want to pretend to that extent. There is no way she could be getting enough money to lie to a billionaire through a kiss.
"Let's save it for later." She smiles and pats his thigh, getting him to sigh out and nod his head.
"Serena, there are many things I wish to do with you. But I want to be able to see you whilst I do these things..." He explains as he searching the bed for her hand which she reluctantly moves to him, so he can hold her. "To hold your hand and stare into your beautiful eyes. I can barely remember what color your eyes used to be, the color of your hair... It's been such a long time... Eighteen years and I had only just met you, but you took care of me that I fell in love... When I fix my eyes, I wish to take care of you instead..."
Mirabelle frowns as she hears him say all this to someone who didn't Serena.
Serena has never visited since a month ago.
But he recalls it being a week since he last met her.