"To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved."

❛❛「₪」❜❜

Ash's P.O.V.

He helped me to the car, with my belongings in one hand. All the way, we didn't say a word, except at the beginning when he suggested I close my eyes and try to take a nap.

I did as he said. I tried. But I couldn't. Although, I preferred remaining quiet. And so did he.

Once we got there, he helped me home.

"You want me to help you to bed?" He asked.

"No. Just to the couch."

And he did as I asked him to. He took a seat on the couch, keeping a little distance between us. What about the time I was unconscious? Why no distance at that time John?

"Ashleigh. Please take care of yourself. And please, please don't come to work tomorrow." He said. His voice was sounding rough and low.

"But I have been to office for just six and a half days John." I said, trying to speak as loud as I could, realising that he wasn't sitting little far, but a little bit too far.

"Ash but-"

"I have already taken a leave for 6 days. I can't take more leaves Jo-"

"Health first remember?" He said. I nodded.

"At least you can try asking them."

"Yeah." I said.

He smiled and waved me a good-bye. He stood up to leave, but I caught hold of the little finger of his hand, and wrapped it with my whole hand, like a little kid holding the finger of her parents, not wanting to be lost. He turned around. His eyes first moved towards his finger, then towards my face. He sat on both his knees in front of me and smiled.

"What is it?" He asked, holding both my hands in his, giving me the warmth.

I was still sitting on the couch. He was sitting in front of me. His head almost reached the height of mine own. We both sat, almost facing each other with equal heights.

"No nothing." I said, looking at my legs.

He smiled and gave me a small hug. Isn't that all I wanted?

"Take care Ash." He said, still not breaking the hug.

"I will." I whispered.

"I will talk to Katie about taking you to the doctor alright?

"Yes." I said.

He broke the hug and stood up. He turned around. This time, I didn't stop him. He gave a smile and walked again.

He opened the door of the house and we saw Katie standing there, right in front of the door. Her hair was a mess, and her face full of tears, making the black liner flow down to her cheeks. She had been crying, and she was still doing that. The moment she saw John in front of him, she hugged him tight, and cried in his arms.

He slowly wrapped his arms around her, making sure not to touch her exposed back, and placed them on the clothes.

"Are you fine?" He asked.

She didn't reply. She just kept on crying. He brought her to the couch and made her sit there, beside me. John sat on the other side, with Katie sitting in the middle.

"Ka- Katie?" I asked.

"I slapped him." She said abruptly, in the middle of her sobs.

"Slapped whom?" I asked, keeping my hand on her leg. John looked at her, with her hand in his.

"But he dumped me!" She said in a single flow, and then she continued sobbing.

"Ethan?" I asked. How can he dump her after such a long relationship?

"Who else?" She said, wiping her tears. It didn't stop them though. It just made room for more.

"But why?" John asked.

She looked at him, and stared at him for a few seconds. We were all quiet, waiting for her to speak up. But all she did was... hug him again. Umm... but why uh... hugging? No wait. Don't think too much!

"He- he left me." And she cried again.

"Tell us what happened Kat." I said, placing my hand on her back, as she had turned around to hug him, facing her back to me.

She let off his embrace and turned around. She started narrating it to us.

Katie's P.O.V.

We sat in the car. He was behaving weird today. Like very weird. He usually had so many stories to share. He would talk to me so much while driving. But today he remained silent. So, I decided to not speak up too.

We remained silent, until he was taking a wrong turn.

"The restaurant is at the left Ethan. Why are you going right?"

"We aren't going to the restaurant." He said.

"Then?"

"Be patient." He said. And so I did. I thought he was giving me some surprise. Until we reached a familiar street.

On looking around I realised he was taking me to my own house.

"You hadn't been here since long right?"

"Yeah." I smiled.

He took me out of the car.

After we stepped in, he said, "I have planned something special for today. I thought, home could be the best place."

How sweet. No doubt I love him.

I went over to kiss him, but he didn't let me.

"Wait for the surprise!" He whispered. Once he came back, I saw him with a CD in his hand. He showed it up... it was a Romance Film.

He got me to the couch and said, "This is not the surprise. Surprise is on the way." He winked.

We sat together and watched the film. It was not that good. But then, if Ethan liked it, I was fine.

After around 5 minutes, there was a knock on the door. A guy with a big box stood there. Ethan received the parcel and closed the door.

"A cake for you." He grinned.

He started opening the box. At first it looked like it was a heart. But when we opened it completely, it represented a broken heart.

I looked at Ethan. There was a frown on his face. "Hey. It's fine. It must be a mistake babe." I said.

"No."

"Ethan it is fine-"

"No Katie..." he said. I got scared. What if he turned angry?

"Ethan chill-"

"I am chill hun. You aren't. Look at you." He laughed.

I kept staring at him in confusion.

"You think it's a mistake?" He asked, still laughing.

"Y-Yeah." I said.

"Oh god no." He laughed. And suddenly, he stopped. "I ordered it on purpose. This is a part of your surprise honey. Do you like it?"

"What sort of a joke is this?" I asked.

"No joke!" He said. He came towards me with a knife in his hand. He placed it in my hand and said, "C'mon cut it."

He stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, making me uncomfortable in the weirdest way possible.

"Don't." I cried.

"Shh."

"What are you doing?"

"After I give you the next part of your surprise, this will be your condition." He smirked, pointing at the cake.

"Huh?"

"Don't get it? Wait." He finally let me off and went down on his knees.

What is he doing?

"Miss Katie Summers. I, Ethan Everette, thereby declare that we... are no longer in a relationship." He smiled. And I should have cried and cried and cried more, but no. I didn't cry. He somehow made me super angry.

"Why???" I screamed at the top of my lungs, rage filled in my voice and redness all over in my eyes.

"Because I am bored." He stood up and shrugged.

Did he just?

"Get lost Ethan!"

"Looks like somebody is offended ha?" He gave a wicked smile. He came towards me and extended his hand to touch me, and all I could think of was slapping him.

Before he could get close, I slapped him. And I took my purse and ran away from there. I booked a cab and got in. I was full of tears. Never did I ever feel so worthless and insulted. Everything inside me died.

Ethan Everette. The man who stole my heart. And the man who stabbed it later on.

Ash's P.O.V.

Really? I had not at all expected that Ethan could do that.

Katie was in tears again. I tried to give her a hug, but before I could, she hugged John again.

"Shh. It's okay." He told her. He stroked her hair and kept trying to console her.

"But I still love him. Why did he-"

"Shh. He didn't deserve you." He said. And he- he kissed her. He kissed her on her head. No Ash. You're fine. Stop thinking.

"Yeah right. He didn't." She sobbed. She let go off him and wiped her tears. As she stood up, she looked at me first and then towards her feet.

John stood up and after giving us a final good bye. I stood up to go to my room, feeling another ache creep up in my head.

"I know your upset. But he did that himself."

"Sorry what?" I turned to look at her in confusion.

"John? He kissed me right?"

"It didn't bother me Katie." I said. Or did it?

I turned towards my room again, when Katie said, "Why aren't you talking to me? It wasn't my fault."

"I never said that it was. I have a head ache Katie, that's it."

"Stop making excuses!" She said, almost yelling.

"I am not. I fainted in the wedding." I said, trying to keep my calm, knowing that this was all just frustration.

"Oh really? Just because you've got the goddamn disease in you, stop taking advantage of that!"

"What?" I shouted. No Ash relax. "No look, you're taking me wrong."

"I am not!" She shouted louder. "I didn't ask him to kiss me. He did that himself."

Keep.... calm Ash.... keep.... calm....

"Katie look-"

"No. I won't."

"Katie please stop! Right. Now." I finally shouted.

"I won't. I will keep speaking."

"Fine then! Keep blabbering. But lemme go!"

"Yeah right!" She said. "I was here for you Ash. I was here when you were alone. I was here when you needed support. I was here when you needed me. And you didn't even bother to talk to me just because your crush kissed me! He must've understood that you were selfish!"

"What the hell are you even talki-"

"I am so glad I told him your parents left you!"

"Wait what?"

"No I- I-"

"Did you- did you tell him about my past?" I cried.

"Ash I-"

"Did. You?"

"Yes. But I am so-"

"Screw you!" I shouted.

"No look... am sorry."

"No you're not! How could you-"

"It just- just slipped out of my mouth, I swear."

"Slipped out?"

"I am sorry." She cried.

"Get lost!" I yelled and then cried. She spoke nothing. She just packed her belongings and left...

"I loved you." She said before leaving.

"But I trusted you." That left her with no words. She left with a guilt.

John's P.O.V.

"Damn it! I shouldn't have kissed her." I spoke to myself after throwing myself on bed.

Author's Note

Short chapter wasn't it? But I am desperately waiting for the upcoming one. The more I am writing new chapters, the closer we are getting to the reveals... let me make a small reveal today (not exactly a reveal just a fact)... after around half the book, we have a plot twist! Excited? Me too!😉

By the way, I am sorry, I didn't like the fact that Katie had to leave. I had started loving her caring character so much, but we can't ignore the fact that she broke Ash's trust. Now we as readers (and me as the writer lol) know that John is good, because he is the protagonist... but how could Katie trust a mere stranger? That was something we couldn't ignore... so here we are...

#StayHomeStaySafe #HelpStopTheCorona

Next Chapter Coming Soon!

Until then guyz,

Keep Reading!

Enjoy!

Love Love,
Vri xx.