Falling in love with the CEO's Assistant

Dazed.

She let out pale sounds as more tears surfaced, in her mind, it felt like she was alone, she was completely oblivious of the person that stood beside her.

Pete was stunned at what he saw, he had struggled to keep his eyes off the image of who stood right next to him but he couldn't, he could sense her fear and despair, those feelings were very familiar to him and so he could instantly recognize them.

She had long brown hair that was so messy that it looked quite attractive, her pale voice somehow resonated with him, and her desperate struggle to breathe tempted him to reach out to her. Why? because it reminded him of a reality he once had to live through and what was worse was it was right in this spot.

That experience pretty much sealed his fate, she was going through the same thing as he did and she displayed the same actions as he did. He knew what would come next, he had to follow her, he was inquisitive, this might have been different from his, but how would know for sure? he realized that he was strangely drawn to this girl. As the elevator parted ways, he watched her dash out and he followed behind her.

Elena opened the doors, still shaking from head to toe she walked into a scenario that she never imagined she would. She heard a loud screech inside her head like the picture she saw became more visible, it was her mother lying on the bed numb with a mattress over her face, and her mother was dead.

She ran passed the nurses that stood in her way and once she was close to the bed she immediately opened the mattress. Her crooked voice would echo down the hall as she vigorously shook her mother's torso in a bid to somehow bring her back to life.

it was a frantic attempt, the doctor and the nurses who were in the room gave her a little space for closure, and she needed it. The wails would continue for several minutes until she ran out of voice.

" Elena, you're Elena right? " one of the nurses spoke to her.

Elena recognized the voice, it was the same voice who spoke to her on the phone, Elena nodded.

" I am so sorry, my name is Catalina, I was your mother's friend. "

Right, she was Mexican, that was probably why they were friends.

" How did this happen... ? " Elena's voice was barely hearable.

" She had a heart attack.. " the doctor began. " We did all we could but we couldn't save her, I'm sorry for your loss. " The doctor said and left.

" Elena, your mother told me a lot about you, how you've been so strong and hard-working. I know that you can pull through this. "

Elena was dazed, she had eventually stopped resisting and just stared deeply at her mother who laid lifeless on the bed. Things still weren't feeling real to her, she couldn't still comprehend her sudden surge of emotions There was guilt, sorrow, pain, anger, and most especially fear. She saw lips move but couldn't hear a word from anyone around her.

She had instant thoughts flooding through her mind, she couldn't think rationally now she just acted, it was her only way out. She slowly turned around, walking out of the room.

There were movements behind her but she couldn't pay attention to them, she made her way outside the room and headed for the staircase, her destination was up, and up she went. She had one music playing in her head, it was her mother's voice, it was her mother's song, it was the song her mother would sing to her when she got too scared, too worried, too paranoid, or was overthinking things, eventually, she unknowingly started singing out loud.

" Dear baby bird, dear sparrow you have come so far, rest those wings.

Dear baby bird, my little sparrow

whenever you feel low just remember it's not too late, hang in there and the light will follow you. "

She cried as she sang this song severally, she was so submerged in her delusions that everything appeared blurry and almost invisible. She was almost at the top, she was almost at her goal and very soon it would all be over, the pain would be over and this horrible reality would be no more.

Pete hasten his footsteps behind her, he heard her screams from outside which sealed his suspicions that she indeed lost someone special to her today, he was right all along. Seeing her in the elevator reminded him of himself, then he'd seen her step out of the room looking like a zombie.

He later heard her sing an unfamiliar song which so much pain in her voice, he was tempted to shed a tear, maybe he should stop her now, he already know what was about to happen, he knew the end of this, but how can he stop her if he didn't know for sure.

He had questioned himself severally for a while, why was he doing this? why did he take so much notice of a stranger and what's worse he was following her. He was so quick to analyze this situation that he was suddenly determined to prevent the end at all costs. This was certainly not something that he would do, not today at least, not while he was going to see Sarah, but this urge and yearn to follow this stranger was far much stronger than anything he'd felt in a long time. He wasn't going to turn back, he couldn't turn back even if he wanted to, she needed him and he was going to help her.

Elena was finally at the top, she continued the song as she walks over to the edge of the building. She was on the tenth and last floor of the hospital, she was already at the edge without holding back.

" I love you, Mama. "Were her last words as she leaped.

She didn't fall forward, instead, she felt a strong pull backward, she landed on top of a man she had never seen before in her life, this pull was what dragged her back to reality. Her blurry surroundings suddenly became more visible, the sounds from the environment which seemed like echoes were now stable and more distinct.

Pete carefully carried her from on top of him and laid her sitting on the floor while he sat next to her.

He lifted her hair which clouded her face and arranged them neatly at the back of her ears.

" Are you okay? " he asked.

Elena glanced around, now realizing where she was and what she was about to do. The harsh truth resurfaced, her head was now heavy, and she screamed as she burst into tears once more.

Pete, without thinking for a slight second immediately pulled Elena closer to his chest in a tight and warm embrace. With one of his hands wrapped around her shoulders while his other hand covered her head, he could feel his heartbeat moving so fast. He felt her so close to him and sensed her movements as he tried to keep her in control. He was forcefully thrown out of balance and he and Pete Stackhouse shed a tear.

After a few minutes of weeping, Elena suddenly pulled herself from this stranger's bosom, she was slowly drifting back to sanity.

" Who... who are you? " she vaguely asked with a fragile voice.

" It doesn't matter who I am, I'm just glad I could get to you in time " Pete replied as he also pulled back.

" You just saved my life, thank you so much " Elena struggled to keep her breathing steady, Pete placed both his hands on her shoulders.

" Calm down.. how do you feel? "

" I feel like I wanna die. "

" No you don't, you just think that dying would be a quick escape. " Pete replied as he tried to search for her eyes.

" Well, wouldn't it? " Elena finally looked up to him and they glared at each other.

" You don't know that. "

" My... my mother is dead, she... she is dead, how can I live without her? she is all I've got. I'm alone... I'm alone... I'm alone. " Tears dropped from her eyes, and Pete wiped off the tears.

" I know how you feel. First off you're in complete shock and disbelief, then once your fears are confirmed you're filled with sadness and a great deal of pain, and in this time you act on your thoughts, which is what you almost did. "

Elena was now beginning to comprehend what was happening, but what was happening? Who was this man who had just apparently saved her life? How did he even get here? Her vision became even clearer, she could see his stoic facial expressions, and she could see his eyes.

Pete continued " Now, the worst part of grief hasn't even surfaced yet, but don't worry it'll come. "

" And what is that? " Elena asked as she became more captivated.

" Guilt. You'll think more of what you should have done or shouldn't have, what may or may not, and what you could have changed if you can go back in time, but you can't and the reality will kill you. "

" I lived for her, and she lived for me, she did everything for me, and what did I do? I just had plans, no actuality, what do I live for now? It was us two against the world we ran away from our past together in hopes of a better future and now she just left me alone and afraid. "

Pete felt her pain even more intensely now as she opened up to him.

" Yeah, I once asked myself the same question, what do I live for? the answer was right in front of me. There is always something to live for. "

" You lost someone too? "

" Lost my parents years ago, in a car crash, was kinda my fault, my little sister was also.... she was also in that car. "

" I'm so sorry. "

" It's okay... she survived, I couldn't face her, I killed her parents. "

" It wasn't your fault... " Elena tried to comfort him.

" It was, I wanted to end my life, I felt like I deserved it. I pictured it as some sort of Justice. "

" So how did you find a reason to live? what did you live for? " Elena asked as she focused on his next reply.

" A promise, I made a promise to my dad before he died, death was no longer an escape, I needed to live, I saw a reason to live, I owed him a reason to live. " He glanced at Elena even closer. " Did you make any promises? "

Elena was quiet, it all came to her now, how could she have been so foolish and selfish, her mother didn't deserve that. Of course, she made tons of promises, promises of a better life, how she would make her mother proud, she would get a good job, earn well, would get green cards. She made a lot of promises.

" Yes, I did. "

" There you go, that's your reason to keep on living. Do you think your mother was happy when she died leaving you alone? Death is inevitable. "

" I know that, it still hurts. "

" Think about what your mother would have wanted you to do, think about what you promised her you'd do. " Pete replied standing up, his work here was done, he had snapped her back to her senses.

Elena couldn't believe what was happening, it was as if this man read her mind or something, nevertheless, he just saved her life in a really weird way.

" How did you even get here? How'd you know to follow me? "

Pete stopped halfway and stared back at her. " Well this is a bizarre experience, but uh.. since I'm probably never going to see you again I might as well tell you, how did I know to follow you? Um, I saw you In the elevator and was somehow able to read you like a book, I don't know why yet, but I knew you were going to commit suicide. "

" I think it's because you went through the same thing, you saw yourself in someone. "

" Probably, I came to see someone and noticed you along the way. "

" Is the person okay? Did you have to leave them for me? I'm so sorry. " Elena stood up Immediately as her concern grew.

" Don't bother yourself, she is in a coma, and has been for three years. "

" Oh my God. " Elena was stunned " And you haven't given up on her yet? "

" I can't... I won't.. because.. "

" You made a promise, I get it. " Elena nodded.

Pete arched a brow " I did. "

" I hope she wakes up, you seem to care about her. "

" And how did you know that? "

" Your eyes and your voice showed a sense of urgency and guilt. "

Pete knew his time was up, he had accomplished his mission and it was time to leave.

" Take care of yourself, bye. " And with that final statement, he exited without looking back.

Elena later retreated downstairs where she spotted Catalina the nurse who had been looking everywhere for her, on her way down she had made several efforts to find that strange man but she couldn't.

" Elena... " Catalina called as she ran towards her, giving her a brief hug, " Are you okay Hunny? "

" No... no, I'm not. " Elena replied

" I am so sorry, if you ever need anything, like the funeral arrangements I will be grateful to help you. "

her mother's words came ringing in her head once more.. never refuse help if you need it and she would abide.

"I need help with the funeral. "

" Of course anything.. "

" I need her to be buried immediately, I need to get past this as quickly as I can. Since it's probably going to be just me, on Sunday perhaps? "

" On Sunday it is then, and it's not only going to be your dear, my son and I will be present, but Cruzita was also a loving woman, and the house she bought for you... it was my son's, he would be devastated to hear of her passing "

" Oh... that would be nice Mrs. Catalina, thank you very much for your help. "

Pete got one last look at the woman he just saved, she is beautiful, surely she was broken and lost, but he was able to see through that. He had still tailed her up on till that point, but it was becoming to look weird he really should be going now. He had mixed up feelings about this experience, he didn't want to see this woman anymore but a subtle nudge within him states otherwise.

He felt guilty for mentioning Sarah, what was he thinking? How foolish could he possibly be? No other living soul knows about Sarah's existence and he just felt comfortable telling a total stranger about it? Maybe it was the assurance that seeing this woman again was nearly impossible. One thing is for sure, he thought as he exited the hospital, it was a very wonderful experience but he absolutely must not set his eyes on that woman ever again.