Lana's POV
Lana sat beside Lily's side, her fingers gently smoothing down a stray lock of hair on the little girl's forehead. Max sat in a chair nearby, his eyes red-rimmed from crying, his small hands clasped on Lana's as though she was his lifeline.
What had gone wrong? She'd gone over every detail, made sure every decoration was safe. And yet, Lily fell, and now she lay in the hospital bed.
Mabel and Liam had accompanied her to the hospital, providing silent support. Liam leaned against the wall. Mabel sat crossed-armed, her frown deep as her nails tapped on the armrest of the chair as if she were restless.
I'm so sorry, Max," Lana whispered, as she looked at the little boy, still attached to his sister's bedside since their arrival. "Lily will be okay. The doctors do everything they can."
Max nodded imperceptibly, his voice barely audible. "Do you think Dad knows?
Lana's heart skipped a beat. Nikolai. She hadn't told him yet, stuck between her job and her conscience. Just then, her phone vibrated in her pocket, and her hand automatically went there. Part of her was hoping it wasn't Nikolai-so she could delay this moment a little longer. But as soon as she saw the face of the screen, her heartbeat quickened. It was just a text notification-an empty reminder that a choice had to be made: to tell Nikolai the truth or not to tell him at all.
"You should tell him," Liam said softly, watching her carefully. "You don't want him finding out some other way. He'll respect you for being honest."
Lana bit her lip, anxiety gnawing at her. "But what if he blames me? What if. what if I lose my job?" She hesitated, her eyes falling on Max, who was resting his head against Lily's bed now. "I can't let Max and Lily lose someone else right now.
Liam stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Lana, you can't carry this on your own. It wasn't your fault. And if you tell him, at least he'll understand you were here with Lily, doing everything you could.
Mabel listened with bulging eyes, her mouth closed until finally, she shook her head. "I don't know, Lana," she said decisively. "Nikolai might be inflexible, and one does not know exactly how he would react to this one. Tell him now, and he may just send you packing without a word. Think about it-do you want to take that risk?
Her mind was racing with both sides of the argument. The words of Liam had touched a chord deep in her body, but the warning from Mabel wasn't something she could take lightly. Nikolai was strict and disciplined, and she had no idea how he would take the news. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to.
Maybe." Lana started off with uncertainty. "Maybe I'll wait. Just until I know Lily's condition for sure. I can tell him then if. if it's really necessary."
Liam sighed, "Lana, if you keep this from him, it's only gonna get harder later. I'm just saying, he'll want to know. She's his daughter.
Lana looked away, her heart heavy from indecision. "I know," she whispered. "But I need more time. I just cannot afford to lose this job."
If the timing wasn't worse, her phone rang then, and this time, there was no evading it. Nikolai's name flashed on the screen, and Lana felt her blood run cold. Her mind scrambled for words, for an excuse, for anything to say to him that wouldn't sound like negligence.
"Answer it," Mabel urged, her expression tense.
Lana took a deep breath and swiped to answer the call. "Hello?
"Lana," Nikolai's voice was as cool and calm as ever, but there was an edge beneath. "What happened to Lily?"
The question ran a shiver down her spine, and her eyes darted to Mabel and Liam, who were listening intently. Mabel shook her head slightly, signaling her not to say too much. But Liam gestured with his hands, silently urging her to be honest.
"Lana?" Nikolai repeated, this time an edge coating his tone. "Are you there?"
"Yes, I… I'm here," Lana stuttered, catching the sight of Lily's small form on the bed. "Um, everything is fine, Nikolai. Max and Lily are just… resting."
There was a silence at the other end, and she held her breath as the hope that he'd believe her fought with the guilt clawing at her insides.
"Are you sure?" Nikolai's voice was friendly but oozed with conjecture. "I received a call from one of the parents; they said they saw an ambulance leave the house."
Lana's heart was racing, with her mind going a mile a minute. Mabel shook her head even more furiously, mouthing, "Deny it." Liam on the other hand was mouthing "Tell him!" at her from across.
Uh… yes, it was just a small incident," Lana managed to get out, and the words seemed to slip out like a betrayal. "Lily was a bit shaken up, but she's fine now. I made sure everything's under control."
She held her breath while waiting for Nikolai's response. After what felt like an eternity, he exhaled.
"Alright. But if anything happens, I want you to let me know immediately," he said with a string of an underlying threat in his voice. "Do you understand, Lana?"
"Yes," she whispered back barely audibly. "I understand."
The call was done, and Lana lowered her phone, feeling an immense weight press on her chest. She had lied, and the bitter taste of it lingered in her mouth. She looked up at Liam and Mabel, a mix of guilt and relief on her face.
Mabel gave her a small smile. "See? You didn't have to tell him. It's not like he can come back and do something about it right now."
Liam, however shook his head, his eyes clouded with disappointment. "Lana, you're going to regret this. What if something changes with Lily's condition? What if Nikolai finds out you lied?
Lana cast her eyes downwards, and her mind was hit by the weight of her decision. She had made her decision, but the relief lasted for just a moment, overshadowed by gnawing guilt that would not let her rest.
Just at that moment, the doctor entered the room solemnly. Lana immediately rose to her feet, her heart pounding as she awaited his news.
"We have some updates on Lily's condition," he told the group. "Stable, but she requires careful monitoring over the next few days."
Lana exhaled a sigh of relief; the anxiety still lingered. At least Lily was all right… for the time being.
Max exhaled in relief, his hand tight around Lana's. "She's going to be okay, right, Auntie Lana?"
"Yes, Max. She will be fine," she assured though her head was still reeling from her conversation with Nikolai.