DOES SHE FEEL THE SAME?

Xander opened his eyes to find Ashley embracing him tightly. He could hear the sound of his heartbeat, but he couldn't believe he was actually in love with a psychopath. Nevertheless, he hugged her back, wishing to stay in the moment forever.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and a nurse barged in. The sight of the two cuddled up in bed, with no clothes on, made her scream in shock.

Chris, who had been standing outside the door, walked in and caught sight of the scandalous scene. He shook his head in disbelief and placed his left hand on his forehead.

Ashley woke up and saw the nurse's reaction. Without hesitation, she slapped Xander hard across the face and threw him off the bed with her feet, covering her body with the duvet.

"Miss, please calm down. I'll handle it," Chris said, handing her a little tip to leave the room. As the nurse dropped some medicine and food on the nightstand, she left the room, shaking her head with disappointment.

"What the hell is going on here?" Chris asked, as he closed the door behind him.

Ashley looked at Chris and smiled. "Oh, just a little fun between us," she said, as she pulled the duvet over her body.

Chris rolled his eyes. "This isn't the first time you've had sex under my nose. I'll pretend it didn't happen," he said as he walked over to the window.

Chris turned around and faced Ashley. "We found Melody. But the team that brought her back is taking her to your mansion. I tried calling them, but their line isn't going through anymore," Chris said, as he walked towards the nightstand.

Xander’s eyes lit up at the mention of his sister’s name. “Really? You guys found Melody?”

Ashley looked at Xander and smirked. "If I have your sister, you're free to go and continue your pathetic life," she said coldly.

Xander felt a lump form in his throat. He couldn't believe that after all they had been through, Ashley could throw him away so easily.

As he stood up from the floor, he looked around the room. It was small, with white walls, and the only source of light was coming from the window. The nightstand had a lamp, with medicine and food scattered on it.

He felt a sense of despair wash over him as he realized how alone he truly was. He had lost his last girlfriend to a rich man, and now, he was losing Ashley to his missing sister.

He looked up at Ashley, who had covered herself with the duvet, and felt a wave of anger wash over him.

"You're a psychopath," he shouted. "I can't believe I fell in love with you."

Ashley's eyes narrowed, and she glared at him. "You were the one who pursued me," she said. "I never asked for your affection."

Xander clenched his fists, feeling his blood boil. "Well, I regret ever falling for you," he said. "You're nothing but trouble."

Ashley's expression softened, and she looked at him with a mixture of sadness and regret. "I'm sorry," she said. "I never meant to hurt you."

Xander shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe how easily Ashley could switch from being cold to remorseful. It was as if she had no control over her emotions.

He grabbed his clothes from the floor and quickly put them on. "I'm leaving," he said. "I don't want to be around you anymore."

Ashley watched as he stormed out of the room, feeling a sense of sadness wash over her. She knew that she had pushed him away, but she couldn't help it. It was as if she was addicted to the thrill of manipulation and control.

As she lay back down on the bed, she knew that she had lost the only person who had ever made her feel loved. It was a feeling that she would never forget.

"Go after him. You need to stop him," Chris said, his voice urgent.

"He'll come back," Ashley replied, her tone dismissive. "He's a crazy slave who's in love with me. He doesn't have anywhere else to go."

"All due respect, queen," Chris said, his frustration clear in his voice. "You're being a mean bitch. You finally have a man who truly loves you, and you're throwing him away."

"If you like him so much, why don't you date him?" Ashley snapped back, squatting to pick up her clothes from the floor. She looked Chris in the eyes. “Lower your voice when talking to me, don’t forget your place or I will fire you.”

Chris stuttered, taken aback by Ashley's harsh words. "Sorry, queen," he mumbled.

The silence in the room was palpable as Ashley finished dressing. Chris watched her, his expression conflicted. He wanted to help her, but he didn't know how. Finally, Ashley stood up and walked to the door.

"Let's go," she said, her voice cold. "We have a bunch of assholes to get rid of."

Chris followed her out of the room, feeling helpless and frustrated. He knew that Ashley was pushing away the one person who truly loved her, and he didn't know how to make her see reason.

Ashley and Chris walked out of the hospital, blinking in the bright sunshine. The hospital had been suffocating, but now they could breathe again. Ashley’s eyes scanned the street, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. She saw Xander leaning against a car, his blonde hair falling in his face. He looked miserable. Ashley’s lips twitched in a smile. She knew she was right. He had nowhere to go.

Before they could walk over to him, a van pulled up in front of Xander. The doors slid open, and in the blink of an eye, they had him. Chris turned to Ashley, a look of concern etched on his face.

“We need to go after him,” he said.

Ashley shook her head. “Xander isn’t worth the sweat. Let’s get going.”

But before she could convince Chris to come with her, he was off and running down the street after the van.

“Chris, wait!” she shouted. But he didn’t listen. He was determined to save his friend.