This is obviously the problem here. When you say to a gentile "it's dark in here", you're not actually telling them that you want them to turn on the light for you, when they do so it's their choice entirely. If you said "Anyone who turns on the lights will be paid", that would actually be prohibited. I think the following article is pretty good (https://www.halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Summary_of_Amir...).
This is obviously the problem here. When you say to a gentile "it's dark in here", you're not actually telling them that you want them to turn on the light for you, when they do so it's their choice entirely. If you said "Anyone who turns on the lights will be paid", that would actually be prohibited. I think the following article is pretty good (https://www.halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Summary_of_Amir...).