The Slave of Pleasure
Chapter 54

Rachel

I didn't know what to say. My mind was in turmoil, torn between the fear of revealing too much and the need to understand what was happening. The nurse looked at me with a calm smile, but her gaze seemed to read every bit of my discomfort.

"We're friends now, Rachel. You can tell me anything," she said with an annoying confidence. Her assistant, standing next to her, nodded excitedly, as if agreeing with every word.

I felt a wave of frustration rise up through my body. "We're not friends, and I don't trust you," I replied, trying to keep my tone firm, even though inside I was shaking.

The nurse didn't flinch. Instead, she answered with a simple, almost casual sentence: "Selective amnesia."

My eyes widened, and I couldn't hide my surprise. It was as if she had hit the target without even aiming properly. How did she know? And why such a sudden change? Minutes ago, she had been teasing me, and now it seemed like I was in front of a highly competent professional.

"So that's it..." The nurse murmured, almost to herself. "Don't worry. Just have Dr. Afolse take care of him, and let Vincenzo rest for two or three days... He'll wake up as if nothing had happened."

I was speechless. What she said made my heart race. How could she know that with such certainty? It was as if the entire tone of the situation had changed in seconds. The nurse, who had been malicious and provocative before, now seemed calm and professional. I was stunned.

She noticed my shock, and for the first time, her smile seemed genuine. "Of course, this is just a suspicion. But if that's the case, Vincenzo may be suffering from a rare condition, and that... well, that can be reversed with the right care." I was still trying to process what she had said. Was she telling the truth? Or was this just an attempt to manipulate me once again?

"Dr. Afolse is one of the best. He knows how to handle cases like Vincenzo's," she continued, as she paced the room, adjusting things here and there, as if she hadn't just dropped a bombshell.

I still didn't know what to think. Part of me wanted to believe her, wanted this to be the answer to all our problems. But another part of me, the part that still felt the memory of what she had done minutes ago, kept me on edge, suspicious. "How do you know all this?" I asked, trying to hide the nervousness in my voice.

"I treat many patients with similar cases," she replied. "But you don't have to believe me now. Just wait and see how Vincenzo reacts."

I stayed silent, trying to decide if I should trust her. Everything seemed so uncertain, and at the same time, I couldn't deny that somehow she seemed to know more than I thought.

The nurse smiled mischievously, her eyes scanning me up and down as she spoke, as if she knew more than she was willing to say. "Dr. Afolse has already gone to the mansion and has already medicated Vincenzo. He is sleeping, resting. And you came here to buy him something new to cheer him up when he returns... how helpful," she said, her tone full of irony.

I was incredulous at that statement. How did she know that? I smiled, but with a hint of sarcasm. "In addition to being a nurse, a rapist and a crazy person, are you also a telepath now?" I asked, trying to remain calm while my insides were boiling with questions and suspicion.

She laughed, but it wasn't a friendly laugh. It was mocking, almost as if she was enjoying my discomfort. "You are quite predictable, friend," she said, emphasizing the word "friend" in a way that irritated me deeply.

Before I could retort, she continued, completely ignoring my attempt to maintain some control over the conversation. "Even with Vincenzo on medication and resting, it's important that someone goes there and checks to see if he's recovering properly." I watched her for a few seconds, trying to understand her motivations. Was this a game for her? Or maybe she was genuinely worried about Vincenzo? Either way, what she said made sense. I needed to make sure he was okay, that the treatment was working. "Thank you for the information. I'll call Dr. Afolse to take care of it," I said, trying to get out of the conversation as quickly as possible. But, of course, she wouldn't let me get away that easily. "Dr. Afolse is a very busy man," she replied, almost as if she expected this answer. "But there's someone else just as competent as him who can check it out for you." She took a step forward, closing the distance between us even further. Instinctively, I took a step back, of course, cautious. "Who would that person be?" I asked, my guard still up, fearing what she would say next. With a slow, almost theatrical movement, the nurse pointed to the side. Confused, I followed her I gestured and saw her pointing to the mirror on the wall.

"Her," she said simply, with a satisfied smile.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror, expecting to see someone behind me, but there was no one. Just me. It took me a second to understand what she meant, and when it hit me, I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief. "Seriously? You're talking about yourself?... You're the most clueless person I've ever met," I said, still stunned by her audacity.

She nodded with a smile. "Of course! Who better to make sure Vincenzo is being taken care of than someone who already knows what he needs? Trust me, Rachel. I'm more useful than you think."

My mind was a mess. Part of me wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible, but another part... I didn't know exactly what to do. The way she spoke, as if she knew exactly how to manipulate every detail of the situation, left me in doubt. But I knew one thing: I couldn't trust her blindly.