Chapter 5

Ashley

My eyes fluttered open to a white surface above me followed by a sharp pain penetrating through my head. I tried to sit up but my body felt heavy and weak. I let out a little hiss and my mother's worried face immediately surfaces. "Lay down a bit," she said.

"What happened to me? Why am I in bed?" I asked trying to sit up once again but was stopped by a man in a white coat who I instantly recognized as a Doctor.

"Miss Ashley, you need to rest a bit" Came his voice. My eyes traveled to Neil standing behind him, pressing on his phone. All of a sudden, earlier events flashed through my mind.

"I'm fine," I said in a stoic voice reaching for the drip.

"What are you doing Ashley. Can't you see your body is weak" Mom ushered holding my arm. My body might be weak but my mind and heart are not.

"I want to go home. Doctor discards the drip" I said emotionless staring ahead.

"Stop being stubborn Ashley"

"Mom!"

"I won't repeat myself" she declared nudging me back to bed. The doctor did his required checkup and left. For a split second, I saw the corner of Neil's lips twitch up. He even dares to make his presence before me.

Now that he heard our family's little problem he'd be more prideful than before. Mom lightly squeezed my thigh before making her way out.

"I will be right back. Your Dad was worried" I didn't resist to roll my eyes at her remark hearing her utter my Dad.

What does he want from me now after saying all the hurtful words? I can't neglect the statement out of my head. All this while, that was how he views me as. He blames me for Nikky's death. I tried to blink away the tears that threaten to make themselves out. I cannot be weak and that in front of the Neil guy standing a few miles away from me. He must like standing. Suit him well.

"Hey" I began in a hushed voice. He didn't raise his head rather adjust his standing position. It was as if I was talking to a statue.

"Didn't you hear me?" I exclaimed getting irritated. I hate ignorance.

"Are-" The words trailed off on my tongue seeing his almost raging eyes on me. In a matter of seconds, he was standing in front of me, hovering above my frame. I passed him a glare. "Excuse me, can you move away. I don't like being disturbed"

He plopped his phone inside his pocket still in the same position he was in. This time around, his arms were crossed and yet another smirk made itself visible on his face. "Who was the one calling me few minutes ago. If you need help just say it. Acting prideful won't do you any good and mind you, address me by my name. Neil"

My mouth was left open as I access him from his face down. Did he just call me prideful?

"Did you just call me prideful?" I uttered the same word rummaging in my head.

"If you are not prideful then what are you? Arrogant? Narcissistic? Or-" The sudden bolt from me made him halt his statement.

"Enough!" I roared to the extent that the pain that once subsided started again. I think I need to put him in his place. He's getting on my nerves.

"Just because I'm being easy on you doesn't mean you have the right to say whatever nonsense out of your mouth. You are assigned to work for me so do your job" I seethe boring my angry eyes onto his. His laughter erupts through the room. He took his seat on the bed closer enough to make my already beating heart escalate more. What the hell is wrong with the man?

"I'm warning you, young man. Stay within your limits" I uttered again in my most professional voice.

"Too bad. I'm already in my limit but I have a feeling very soon I will be out of that limit" he muttered and it went straight to my ear.

I snapped my eyes shut and opened them again. "What exactly do you want from me? I offered you money, you declined. Then what?" His next statement made me think maybe, just maybe, the drip is draining my hearing organs.

"I want you to apologize to your father" The grimace on my face was dimmed visible. I stared into his blueish eyes for any form of joke but found none. Besides, we are not in that position for him to offer a joke.

"And what right do you have to tell me that? Last time I checked, it is my family matters which unfortunately you had to get involved but I don't think you have the right to tell me what to do and not to do" I tried my possible best to stay calm and not to smack the man in front of me. The most annoying part is, he doesn't seem a bit affected by my words.

"Well, I might not have the right but that is the right thing to do" He equally stares back. Before I could process what was happening, I find myself shoving him on his hard chest.

"Get out" I calmly stated with my eyes closed.

"Get out!" This time around, I gathered all my strength and pushed him and the next thing I learned is something falling. Opening my eyes slowly, I set them on him who was resting on the floor with a taken aback expression on his face. I didn't care a bit. He crossed his limit and this is just a small part of what I can do to him.

"It seems you have to go back to training before thinking of protecting me considering how my small fist could get you down" I sarcastically said sipping water from the glass cup set beside me. I gulped it all down and my rising heart starting falling back in place.

"Are you still going to stay there and keep staring at me, Mr. Neil?" He opened his mouth to talk but the opening of the door beat him to it.

"What is happening here? Why are you seating on the floor Neil?" Mom asked making her way towards him, helping him up.

"Actually, I was showing Miss Ashley my skills," he said smiling.

What?

So he's trying to cover up the truth of being embarrassed. Too bad I won't let that happen.

"I pushed him" I interjected, plucking my hair from my face. Mom glanced at me back to him. Something flashed in his eyes. Anger. Exactly what I wanted to see on his face. Mom's eyes dart to him back to him.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I don't like him. Is that enough answer?" I replied with a question. A sharp breath made it way out of her lips.

"Neil can you give us a moment?" she began again after throwing me a countless glare. Neil's lips curved up into a smile. I can see through the fake smile.

"Sure, Mam. I will be right behind the door" And with that, he left not before passing me one look. I didn't miss his clenched fist. Suit him. He thought he would mess with me? Then he should be well prepared for a blast in his life. I'm going to make him quit the job himself without suffering myself.

"Ashley" Came my mother's voice, which snapped me out of my trance. Frown visible on her face. "Ashley" she called again. This time around, her voice came out soft and slow.

"What exactly is wrong with you?" My brows furrow in question at her words. What is she talking about?

"What happened Mom?"

She let out yet another mild breath. "Why are you so stubborn?" She took a long pause before continuing. "Do you think we are all happy? Me and your father? No, we are not. Just like you're feeling empty, we are experiencing it too. But losing our first child shouldn't make us give up on life. We love you just as much as we love Nikky. I know your dad didn't mean what he said. Believe me, he loves you and whatever he's doing is for your safety. Understand him" I don't know what to feel about her confession. Some parts of my body felt weak and some part of me couldn't forget his words. If he did love me as he said, then why blame me for Nikky's death. Mom reached for my hands and took them in her warm ones. "I know the words strike you but we are your parents. If you don't trust us then who will you trust? Please, Ashley, listen to your father. Just this once" The feeble look on her face reminds me of the time we coped without Nikky. And my mother rarely talks so softly the way she did. She always does things with authority.

I exhale out a sharp breath. "Okay Mom, I will but only on one condition" If I'm to work in his company, then he has to let me do my job.

"I will continue managing my photograph firm together with his company" She kept quiet for a while before a smile made it way out of her lips.

"Don't worry about that. I will talk to your Dad. Get some rest and don't disturb the poor guy" Talking of guy. I didn't even do anything to him. I nodded my head in answer even though I'm not going to listen to her words. After she left, Neil came in. His smiling face was now replaced with a frown. Ignoring his stare or rather glares, I reached for my phone laying still on the side table. Two missed calls from Kristine. And a message from her two.

I got hold of the person managing the website. Call me ASAP.

I dialed her number immediately. She picked up in one ring. "Where did you drop your phone. I've been calling you since" was the first thing she uttered out of her mouth. I had to move the phone away from my ear due to her shouting.

"Easy there. I'm in the hospital. My dad was rushed to the emergency. So what about the website" I didn't want her to ask too many questions so I change the topic but knowing how nagging she can be, she decided to ask more.

"OMG! And you didn't even bother to inform me. What happened to him? I hope he's okay now"

"You have nothing to worry about. He's fine. Now tell me" Her deep sigh resonate through the phone before she spoke again. "It was managed by some girl. I traced the IP, and it seems she's a high school girl because her location shows a school." Great. An easy way to deal with the problem.

"You know what, I will be on my way. We will go there together and settle everything before it gets out of our hands. Meet me at the office" without waiting for what she had to say, I ended the call. My eyes went straight to Neil who was already looking at me.

"What are you staring at?" I exclaimed, discarding the almost empty drip and got down the bed.

"Where are you going?" He asked rising up too.

"It's none of your business"

"Of course it's my business. That's part of my job" I resist the urge to roll my eyes at him. Sure it's part of his job. Making my way slowly towards him, I gently placed my fingers on his shoulder with a smugly smile on my face.

"I'm amazed by your hard work. Indeed my father chose an accurate guy for the job. But poor you, Mr. Neil but this job will not be an easy one. Are you ready to encounter a blast in your life?" I smoothed out his tie.

My body shivered at our close proximity but I soothed myself down. I want to see him give up. And that will be very soon. What I didn't expect from him occurred. Nudging me away, my back collided with the wall with his two arms caging me.

I could swear my breath hitched at his actions. He inches his face closer, close enough that I could feel his minty breath on my face.

"I'm more than ready Miss Ashley. Besides, I'm intrigued by your personality."