The New Rules

Chapter 4

The morning was dark and cloudy because of the heavy rain from the night before. It was cold outside, but the mansion's kitchen was warm. Elena woke up early to start her work. She tied her apron tight and went to the stove. She wanted to cook a hot breakfast for Lucien to give him strength. She fried eggs, made toast, and brewed hot tea. On the counter, she noticed the medicine bottles. They were full. Lucien had not taken his pills.

"He never takes his medicine," Marco said, walking into the kitchen. He looked very tired as he cleaned the coffee machine. "He throws the pills away whenever I bring them to his room."

Elena took a deep breath. She grabbed a piece of paper and a blue pen. She wrote a strict daily schedule for him.

Eight AM: Eat breakfast. Nine AM: Take pills. Two PM: Do leg exercises.

She put the note next to the plate on a silver tray. She picked up the tray and walked to Lucien’s bedroom. She knocked once and walked inside.

The bedroom was completely dark because the thick curtains were shut tight. Lucien was sitting up in his large bed. He looked terrible. His hair was messy and his eyes were red from a lack of sleep.

"I did not tell you to come in," Lucien growled angrily.

Elena did not listen. She walked to the windows and pulled the heavy curtains open. Bright morning sunlight flooded the room.

Lucien covered his eyes with his arm. "Close them right now!" he shouted.

"No," Elena said firmly. She placed the tray on his lap. "It is eight o'clock. It is time to eat. Things are changing around here, Lucien."

Lucien looked at the note and frowned. He grabbed the paper, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it on the floor. "What is this trash?" he asked. "You do not tell me what to do. I am the master of this house."

"You used to rule the city," Elena said calmly. "But right now, you are just a sick man. If you want to get strong, follow the rules."

"Get out," Lucien hissed, gripping the blanket. "I will fire you before noon."

"You cannot fire me," Elena replied, looking him in the eye. "The agency contract is locked. Eat, or stay in this bed forever. Do you want your enemies to win because you are too stubborn?"

Lucien's jaw tightened. He knew she was right. Just then, his stomach growled loudly. He had not eaten a real meal in three days, and the food smelled too good to ignore. Elena saw he was hungry, but she did not laugh. She turned toward the door.

"Eat. I will be back at nine for your medicine," she said quietly.

She left the room and closed the door. Lucien stared at the plate for a long time, furious, but he finally picked up his fork and ate every bite

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***