Chapter 4: Cassie
1318 Words
Cassie’s POV
The cycle never ends.
I was back at the hospital again. Pretending I was okay, putting on fake smiles for patients, as if my heart didn’t shatter last night.
I wanted everything to go back to normal, to the way they were but to think of it, nothing in my life has ever been normal. Every stage had something new and different types of heart wreck.
It was tiring but I had to face them.
I pushed the trolley to the hall towards Dottie’s ward. She came for a full checkup as she had been under the weather lately.
“Do you need anything else?” I said to her, with a bright smile on my face.
“No,” she said. “Thank you Cassie. You’ve been a huge blessing to me.”
My cheeks warmed up.
“Aww, you’re so sweet.”
She smiled back at me.
“I’ll leave you to rest now.” I continued.
“Thank you. Kai is also coming later to check on me.”
I swallowed. “Yes…sure…that’s fine.”
I left.
I hadn’t faced Kai since last night. I left the house early with Dottie on purpose. It would’ve been embarrassing and I didn't want him to remind me how I begged him for help.
He will be coming later today as predicted so I have about four hours to have my sanity and peace to myself till I close this shift.
Or so I thought.
I pushed the trolley down the corridor when I heard my name.
“Cassie.”
I froze.
I knew that voice.
I turned slowly to see who it was.
Adrian stood at the end of the hall with his hands in his pocket like he owned the place. He looked very rough; his hair was messy, his clothes were wrinkled. He looked like he rolled out of bed and came straight here.
I almost felt embarrassed to be seen with him.
He walked towards me and my chest tightened.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“You weren’t answering my calls,” he said. “So I came.”
That was odd. I had a big feeling he was here because he needed something from me. It’s only a matter of time till he dropped his good guy act and went with his original motive.
“I was working so I didn’t have time for my phone.” I said.
“So you don’t have time for your boyfriend anymore?” He said, twisting my words.
I looked at him with my eyebrows furrowed.
“Anyway,” I continued. “I still don’t understand why you’re here.”
“So…you work here?”
That was it.
“Yes Adrian.”
“Cool.” He replied, taking a good 360 look of the place.
Nurses and patients were moving through the halls. I felt uncomfortable standing there with Adrian, especially when he looked that way.
“You can’t come here like this, “ I finally said. “You should leave. We can talk later.”
“Why?” He smirked. “Are you embarrassed of me?”
I didn’t answer.
He moved closer to me. “Look, about last night,” he tried to hold me. “I’m really sorry and thank you for forgiving me too. I’m really glad you didn’t end us. I can’t survive without you.”
Literally.
My stomach twisted.
“That doesn't mean you can just show up here, especially without informing me.”
“So what does that mean-”
“Nothing.” I cut him off.
“Are you hiding something from me? Do you have a new boyfriend?” He chuckled. “Are you cheating on me?”
“No, I’m not hiding anything. No, I don't have a new boyfriend and no, I’m not cheating on you.”
“Are you sure? Because you’ve been looking more beautiful these days, it makes it unbelievable if you say another man isn’t taking care of my girl.”
I scoffed.
“You may leave now.”
His smile disappeared.
“You don’t speak to me like that. Ever.”
I felt smaller.
“Lower your vo-o-ice.” I stammered
“You don’t like when I talk about him,” he said. “Funny. We always shared everything together.”
“That was before you slept with someone else.”
He scoffed. “You’re acting like you didn’t benefit from it. You get paid. I get freedom and half of the 15 grand as agreed when you get paid. Sounds fair to me.”
I stared at him.
“You used the money I sent days ago for a party.”
“So?” he said. “People had fun. Isn’t that what money is for?”
My eyes burned.
“You said it was for food.”
“I said I was at the grocery store,” he shrugged. “I never said I bought anything.”
I felt something break in my chest.
“You don’t even feel bad,” I whispered.
He leaned closer. “You don’t either. If you did, you wouldn’t be living in another man’s house.”
“I live there for work.”
“And I sleep with other women for stress relief. We both do what we have to.”
My hands were shaking.
“You’re disgusting.”
“Yet you keep coming back,” he said. “So what does that make you?”
I couldn’t answer.
Footsteps approached from behind him.
I looked past his shoulder.
Kai.
He wasn’t supposed to be here for the next four hours.
“Is he bothering you?” Kai said with husk in his voice.
He wasn’t watching me. His eyes were fixed on Adrian.
Adrian laughed. “Is this him?”
I gulped.
Kai didn’t move. He didn’t speak. He just watched Adrian like a predator would look at his prey.
“Answer me,” Kai said. “Is he bothering you?”
“And why would that be your business?” Adrian asked.
“I’m her boss.”
“And I’m her boyfriend.”
Kai hissed. “How unfortunate.”
I noticed how much attention we were drawing to ourselves.
“What does that mean?” His smile dropped.
“Please,” I begged. “Let’s not do this here. Adrian, please leave. I'll text you later.”
“No,” Adrian argued. “ I want to know what this so-called billionaire is all about.”
I wanted to disappear.
Kai raised his wrist to check his watch. “I’m giving you five minutes,” he said. “Leave before I make you leave.”
“Kai!” I screeched.
“No, Cassie. This is what you wanted, huh?” He turned to me. “You wanted to feel special so you’re setting me up with him?”
“I swear I didn’t do anything.” I begged.
“Three minutes,” Kai said.
Adrian folded his fists.
“Look, what do you even want with me? It’s not even your business.”
“Two.”
Adrian shivered. He took one last look at me and then he left.
I turned to Kai who was already disappointed.
I showed him to his grandmother’s ward without saying a word.
“Let me know if you need anything.”
“I need you to stop letting miserable people like that into your life. Because when he leaves you stranded in the rain again, I won’t help.”
My heart thudded.
How did he know that?
I didn't tell him.
“And how do you know that?” I asked him.
“You focus on the wrong things.” He paused. “Never let him in here when my grandmother is resting.”
I took a deep breath.
“Okay.”
I walked away without saying anything else.
- Writer
