[NOT EDITED]

Katherine's POV

I hate him.

Yes i do.

Don't give me that look because I seriously do.

He took my scarf away and he is not planning on giving it back.

And the two other men are laughing at my uncomfortableness, and my face probably went fifty shades of red from all the embarrassment.

I hate him.

F*ck him.

You already did.

Oh my god , stay out of this !

Okay , i am going crazy , this man i call my husband is driving me crazy that I am arguing with myself for god's sake.

I hate him.

Ugh !

I couldn't be more thankful when the doctor entered the room averting their attention away from me.

Finally ! Phew.

"How are you doing today Mr. Ryder ?" The doctor asked Mark , stepping closer toward him.

"Better." Mark said , "When i will be able to leave ?"

"I see you can't wait till you get out of the hospital." The doctor said amused.

As if anyone loves hospitals. I mentally scoffed.

"Yeah ! I can't sit and do nothing." Mark said , "I also have a lot of work waiting for me."

"Well, that's not going to happen anytime soon." The doctor said raising an eyebrow. "You won't be discharged for almost two weeks , you still need to stay under supervision in case any side effect shows up due to the artery grafting we did."

"Hold on , hold on." Mark said raising his hand interrupting the doctor, " You probably don't know me well. No way in hell i am staying two weeks here."

"I don't think you have a choice." The doctor replied and Mark scowled at him defiantly.

"There is work i need to manage , more than one million employees are depending on me." Mark said , he looked unsatisfied, "Tell me doctor, how would you feel if these people lost their jobs because of you."

The doctor chuckled at Mark's comment ,"Even when you go out , you can't start working , your body is still so weak , you can't start working for like two months."

"Are you planning on giving me another heart attack ?" Mark asked placing his hand on his heart faking pain, he looked as if about to faint after what the doctor just said.

We all chuckled at his expression.

I think when they did the surgery, they probably did something to his brain , because seriously, who is this man?

He is joking , laughing , and he is being so nice.

It's weird.

Good weird though.

"I will check on you everyday, just take care and remove the word 'work' from your mind for the time being." The doctor said with a smile, "Get well soon."

With that the doctor left , Mark looked angry and annoyed that he is not going to work for almost two months.

For me , that would be delightful, but I don't know what's wrong with this man.

Who loves working anyway !

"What the hell i am going to do now ?" Mark mumbled more to himself.

"Don't worry , i will take care of the work in your absence." Ashton said , and Mark looked shocked for sure.

"You will do that ?" He asked , as if not believing Ashton's offer.

"Yeah , don't worry about it , i can manage between my company and yours." Ashton added ,"Just get well soon and when you'll be back everything would be the same as you left it."

"Thank you." Mark said , the scowl far gone and it was replaced with a genuine smile.

Alex looked between the both of them , a funny shocked expression on his face. He then looked at me with knitted eyebrows and mouthed 'Wow'.

I smiled. Loving the way their relation is progressing.

I hope it stays like this.

After a while , Zoe , grandma and Melanie came back.

I felt Ashton getting uncomfortable with Melanie's presence so i told him to walk outside for a while.

Once we stepped outside the room , he placed his hand around my waist and pulled me closer toward him.

I see he can't keep his hands away anymore.

Not that i mind.

"I have to go to Colombia tomorrow." He said suddenly making my smile drop ,"I have some work to do there."

My heart dropped in my stomach.

Somehow I didn't like the thought of Ashton being away from me.

I don't know why , but I didn't like it.

I somehow get used to be in the same house as him.

His presence warms my heart and gives me the peace i've always craved.

He makes me feel safe.

"Really ?" I asked him , unable to hide the sadness in my voice.

"Yeah." He said with a sigh , "But I'll try to finish all the work in two days and come back."

"Okay." I said and leaned closer to him.

Isn't it weird how in span of few months, my whole life seems to be revolved around him.

That I can't even imagine two days passing without seeing him.

"I will miss you." I titled my head and said, he smiled and leaned closer ,"I'll miss you too baby."

His lips brushed over mine tenderly, i was about to respond to the kiss but if you already know my luck , then you should guess what happened.

Yeah you're right , Ashton's phone started ringing.

He groaned annoyed , then took his phone from his pocket , "I have to take this." He said , a frown stuck on his face.

I smiled, " And I have to go to the washroom." I said, he nodded then continued talking on the phone.

I walked away searching for the bathroom , i asked a nurse and she directed me toward it.

When i finished , i was walking back to Ashton , when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I took it and saw a message from Cara asking me how things are going.

I was typing her , totally oblivious to where i am walking , that i felt myself crashing into someone's chest.

"Oh i am sorry !" I apologized for not paying attention before even seeing the person i bumped into.

I lifted my eyes up and no one other than Caleb was standing there.

My eyes widened and so did his.

His hand was on my arm , and at the moment i felt disgusted by his touch.

But i didn't move and he didn't either. His green eyes bored into my brown ones and I couldn't help but notice how tired they look.

His hair was messed up , dark circles around his eyes , his face pinched and he looks like he hadn't shaved in days.

What's wrong? I wanted to ask but I didn't.

I don't want to talk with him.

His eyes traveled to my neck, and the way they fired up i came back to my senses and realized that i am not wearing my scarf anymore.

With a look of disgust in his eyes , he removed his hand away from me.

It was harsher that it should be.

Without uttering a single word , he walked pass me , his shoulder brushing with mine.

He walked away as if i am a complete stranger.

I didn't want to talk with him and fight again but I couldn't help but wonder what's wrong with him ?

I couldn't help but be slightly worried.

We were so close , he helped me a lot , and i can't just forget about that and focus on what he did lately.

A year ago , he was a friend, a brother , he was my safe home.

Ashton was the enemy back then.

But now , it's the exact opposite.

Isn't it weird what a year can change ?

I shook my head to kick all these thoughts, kicking in my way the look in his eyes before he walked.

Ashton was still waiting me by the room, I stepped toward him acting all normal , like I didn't see Caleb minutes ago.

"I have to go to the company now." He said looking bothered by the idea , "There is a lot of work piled up."

"Is there anything i can do ?" I asked not liking the look of tiredness on his face.

I can help him , i mean i used to work there.

"Yeah." He said with a smile, "Kiss me."

Well in that , i can help.

"Kiss me until I forgot how terrified i am of everything going on in my life." He said pressing his forehead over mine till our lips locked.

I didn't understand the exact meaning behind his words but i ignored that as i kissed him back.

"OH MY GOD ! You just raped my virgin eyes." Alex's screaming was enough to make us pull apart and i felt like kicking him on his private area for interrupting my kiss.

I glared at him , "Alex , the word virgin and your name , they don't come in the same sentence."

Ashton chuckled at my words while Alex scowled at me then looked back at Ashton , "Come on , continue what you were doing."

"I won't mind free porn." He added with a stupid grin.

"F*ck off." Ashton said shoving him away.

He looked at me again with his beautiful blue eyes , "I have to go now." He said," But I don't want you to leave alone , it's getting late."

"I'll drive her home." Alex said and Ashton nodded , "Leave with Alex, okay."

I nodded , he leaned closer and gave me a peck on the lips , "We'll continue this at home." He whispered then winked at me and then went leaving me trying to calm my heart beats.

I turned my head toward Alex , who was wiggling his eyebrows like a kid , "You're so in love with him."

"Shut up." I said with a smile slapping him on his shoulder as we walked back to the room.

****

When it started getting dark , we decided to leave , we bid our goodbyes and went out of the hospital.

"Are you going with Ashton tomorrow?" I asked Alex as he was driving me home.

"Yeah , there is a lot of work to do." He said, "Don't tell me you already miss your lover boy."

He looked at me and winked.

Oh my god this guy , he doesn't take a break.

"Why you're always happy ?" I exclaimed.

His smile dropped instantly and i felt that I said something wrong.

"Who said i am happy ?" He asked looking at me , a smile on his face.

But this time it wasn't genuine.

It was forced , it was fake.

"I am sorry.. I .." I said , or maybe tried to say , because the sudden tension in the car made it hard to think of the best words to say.

"Hey, don't apologize." He said , his normal tone was back , "Come on sweetheart ."

I don't know if he is faking his smile again or what ?

"Do you.." He was about to ask something but he didn't continue, or maybe he did but I didn't hear him because of the loud horn that echoed in the silent road.

The bright light flashed making me involuntary close my eyes.

The car jerked , going in different directions, moving faster that it should.

No ! I screamed from the inside.

Or maybe i screamed it out loud , I don't know , I couldn't wrap my mind at what is happening.

The sound, the light, its all the same.

The memory flashed behind my closed eyelids making it harder to breath, it blurred my mind.

It suffocated me.

The car stopped with a sudden jerk making my forehead slightly hit the board in front of me.

I opened my eyes , the car was parked in unnatural angle at the side of the empty road.

"Katherine." Alex said , "Are you okay ?" He asked looking at me concerned , "Are you hurt ?"

I shook my head unable to talk , the voices in my head increasing , the images kept rushing behind my eyes.

I couldn't control it.

I wanted them to stop , they are ripping me from the inside.

Alex said something but I couldn't hear , I couldn't focus on anything.

I felt my breathing becoming heavier , my heart was beating so fast.

I tried to take a breath to calm myself, i tried to kick the thoughts away , along with the awful memory.

Alex was trying to roar the engine back to life , but it wasn't working.

He cursed something under his breath ,he hit the steering wheel with his hand.

He rubbed his forehead furiously , "I will call Ashton." He said.

The voices , they just couldn't stop , they are so loud. I feel my head is about to explode.

"Hey." Alex said talking on the phone, "My car isn't working."

His voice was low , or is it me that i am not able to hear him well.

"Come and pick Katherine." He said then looked at me with a worried expression.

I tried to ignore all the voices ,all the images and just concentrate on what's happening.

"He'll be here in ten." Alex said and i nodded , "You're sure you're okay ?" He asked again furrowing his eyebrows.

I nodded again, but I didn't feel okay.

I stepped out of the car trying to take a deep breath , maybe it will make me feel a bit better.

But nothing.

It was getting worse.

I felt an emotional assault taking over my mind. I felt a war inside my head.

I was fighting to not remember and the memory was fighting to show itself.

Why this is happening?

It's been a long time , really long.

This never happened to me before. I am panicking.

I never had a panic attack before.

But maybe the little incident that happened was so similar, it made me live that fear again.

It pressed the replay mode in my mind all over again.

Few minutes ticked by, when i heard the voice of a car nearing us , i was snapped out of my trance.

Ashton's car arrived and he went down.

My legs acted on their own, as i felt myself running toward him. I threw myself in his embrace and hugged him tightly burying my face in his chest.

The pain in my head was increasing. I wanted him to take it away.

"Make it stop." I said my voice muffled with tear , "Please , make it stop." I hiccuped a sob as i muttered that line.

I felt his muscle tense around me , he grabbed my face in his hands forcing me to look at his face , "Baby what's wrong ?" His voice was so soft , he sounded worried and confused.

But I couldn't explain , my mind was going wild , my breathing wasn't controlled by me anymore.

When I didn't answer , he looked toward Alex's direction with a questioning look.

"We kind of had an accident." Alex said and Ashton's eyes widened.

"Are you okay ?" He directly asked looking at me from up to down , "Katherine! Are you hurt ? " his voice made my heart break from how vulnerable it sounded.

I couldn't take it anymore.

The voices are too much to handle.

I stepped away from him , my vision getting blurry , "I can't , I can't." I was shouting , sobbing , crying , breaking..

I didn't know what i was.

I just couldn't..

I pressed my hands over my ears thinking their voices would disappear.

But it didn't.

The voices were inside my head , they were ripping me from the inside.

"Stop ! Stop.. Make it stop." I don't know what i was saying,i didn't  hear what Ashton was saying , i felt his hand around me , i felt his hands on my face.

He was saying something. But I couldn't wrap my mind and concentrate.

The accident, my parents voices , their screams , the crashing of the glass , the horn voice..

I felt my head will explode.

I couldn't.

I just..

I just couldn't.

"Katherine !" His voice made me open my eyes. "Hey ! Look at me , look at me baby."

His hands around my face were shaking , or was it me the one who's shaking ?

He tried to remove my hands from over my ears ,he said something again but the voices in my head were louder than anything.

I lost control over myself , over my mind , i stopped thinking , I can't think straight.

My whole body is shaking , i can't breath , i feel i am breaking down.

"It ..hurts." I cried , "Make it stop.. please , I .. can't."

"I..can't breath."

I really can't. As if a huge fist grabbed a hold of my inside, of my heart and in the same time of my mind.

"Calm down , baby look at me, Katherine look at me." Ashton said , i looked at him , "You're safe , i am here , i am beside you , you're okay .. calm down."

"Come on , breath , come on Katherine, exhale then inhale." He said , "Do what i am saying come on baby."

My eyes were just looking at him , i did what he was saying, and i felt air rushing back to my lungs.

"Yeah, yeah , take a deep breath ." He continued, his eyes not leaving mine , his hand gently stroking my back,"You're doing a great job, come on."

My eyes were fixated on his , his voice was the only thing i can hear now.

All the other voiced faded , everything else went into oblivion.

It was just me and him.

With Him holding me close.

He removed the hair that fell over my face away , his thumb gently removing the left tears.

I saw pain in his eyes , I didn't know why.

"Don't go." I said sniffing , i didn't know why I said that, but his presence now made the voices stop.

His presence took my pain away.

"I am here." He said pressing his lips over my forehead , his hands still cupping my face ,"I am not going anywhere."

He pulled me toward his chest again , he pulled me toward my safe place.

He hugged me tightly , placing his chin over my hair , he whispered, "Come on ,let me take you home."

But in that moment i realized that my home isn't four walls and a ceiling.

My home is two specific blue eyes and a heartbeat.

***************************

I was going to write another scene at the beginning and then end it with the almost accident, but then i was like I can't be that mean and leave u hanging there😂

So, Hope you liked it , don't forget to comment and vote.

Love ya❤️