OBSESSION

CHAPTER 6

"Cassandria." Despite their long conversation, she hadn't thought to ask the pale woman's name. Only now did she realize she didn't know it until Ashton called her. Well, being inquisitive was not in her vocabulary.

"Can you please check on Ashwin in his room?" Cassandria nodded in response and took the medical kit. "Thanks," Ashton said with a sweet smile.

"You don't need to say that." She paused at the door. "After all, this is my job," she said before leaving.

Ashton turned to her and walked happily towards her, his hands in the pockets of his white lab coat.

"How are you feeling, Kizia?" He sat on her bed. "Does it still hurt?" He lifted her previously bowed face.

She clenched her fist tightly on the sheet of her bed.

"It seems you're okay." He moved closer, and in an instant, she felt his lips on hers. She smelled his minty breath and felt his sweet, soft, moist lips.

"W-What do you think you're doing!" She pushed him away as soon as she regained her senses.

"Very okay," he said, as if he didn't hear her. He then stood up and took her arm.

"L-Let go of me! W-What's wrong with you, Ashton!"

"Stop moving."

She stopped as he gripped her arm tightly, feeling his nails dig in.

She flinched when Ashton suddenly pulled the IV needle from her hand. He was removing the dextrose connected to her right hand.

"After this, proceed to Ashwin's room," he said boredly while wiping her few drops of blood with cotton.

"I-I don't want to," She said as he stared him bandaging the wound from the needle.

"He needs you." He looked at her intently.

"What!" She pointed at herself. "Me? Going back there? I still remember what happened to me, Sir Ashton. He smashed my head against the car window," she said, disheartened. "... and I almost died because of it."

"But you're alive." He took something from his pocket.

"Yes, I'm alive... And this is probably my second life, Sir Ashton... So..."

"So what? You're leaving? You don't want to work here anymore?" She bowed at his words.

"Kizia, think wisely before you do it."

"Yes, Sir... I'll think about what to do - whether I'll be safe if I stay here or ---"

"...Also think about your family's situation," He grinned.

"W-What do you know about my f-family?"

"I know you're poor. Your mother is all you have, and she's currently in the hospital suffering from liver cancer." He breathed out, "She's being cared for by your 15-year-old sister while you're looking for money to pay for her surgery." She was stunned by how much he knew about her. But how did Ashton know all this?

"And there's more... Your former employer took your 10-year-old brother because of your large debt to him. He will only return him when you pay off your debt." He bowed and stared at her. "Even if you sell illegal drugs like you did before, it's still not enough to cover your earnings."

He stood up straight and looked at her intently. "... So think about how much you'll lose if you leave this house."

"H-How did you know about me?"

"Through private investigation, Kizia. I needed to scrutinize the character of the employee I hired; whether you would be a threat to my brother's life." Anger registered on his face. "I don't want a repeat of what the previous maids did - trying to kill him." She covered her mouth.

"But I know you wouldn't do that to Ashwin, Kizia." He extended his hand. He was holding a small square box, seemingly offering it to her.

"W-What's that?"

"I know you're not leaving, so take this." She just stared at the black object Ashton was holding.

When she didn't move, Ashton took her hands and placed it in her palms.

"Open it."

She followed his instruction and was surprised by its contents - ten injections.

"Ashwin won't hurt you again as long as you have a tranquilizer. Inject it when he loses control. You know how to use it, right?"

"B-But..."

"If I were you, I'd keep it if I didn't want a repeat of what happened today. Cassandria must have explained Ashwin's condition, right?"

Kizia remained staring at the injections, seemingly processing what had just happened.

"As long as I have this... I won't... die, r-right?"

"Depends."

She looked at Ashton with a furrowed brow.

"... If you get to him first."

"Why, Sir? Why did you hide this from me?"

"If I told you about Ashwin's condition, would you stay here?" He laughed. "Of course not!" He answered his own question.

"Is that why you had me investigated?" She guessed.

"Indeed! Besides assessing your character, I wanted to find a trump card to keep you from leaving the mansion once you found out. I knew we couldn't hide it from you for long."

"So smart, Sir Ashton." It was all she could say. "But why does he need a personal maid? I don't really understand my role here."

"Because we're too busy to take care of our older brother. He needs someone who can care and look over him more than we could," He breathed out, "We decided that a woman would be more capable of understanding and caring for him than we are. We grew up without a mother, all of us. So, we don't know how to take care of someone like him."

"So instead of your black guards taking care of him, you chose to hire a woman to be his personal maid?"

"Exactly! And as you can see, they were all men; I need a woman!" He smiled at her. "I know you can take care of him. Take care of him as if you're taking care of your sick mother." She was stunned to hear about her mother. "I need you to nurture him like a mother nurtures her child. Maybe... Maybe he can forget the scars from his past that continuously haunt him."

ASHWIN DRANK the medicine Cassandria gave him. Cassandria had been treating Ashwin since his illness was discovered. She was the only one Ashton trusted, and besides that, she was a doctor who had studied Dissociative Identity Disorder.

"I want her, right now." Ashwin was referring to his personal maid. He stared into space, ignoring her presence.

"Don't worry. She'll be here soon." She took the glass from Ashwin's hand.

"Do you think she'll quit after I've hurt her?" She sighed, observing Ashwin's calm demeanor. She knew this was another personality - the good side of him.

"I treated her well," was all she could say.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she chose to leave. She almost died because of me."

She chose to remain silent, unsure of how to respond. She was careful with her words, knowing they might trigger his other hidden personalities.

She heard the door knob turn. She sighed.

"Stop overthinking. As I told you, she'll stay." Before she turned away, she saw his eyes widen and his face turn toward the door.

Now, I'm getting curious about how this poor woman is going to treat her boss despite his raging multiple personalities.

"I'll leave him to you," she patted Kizia's shoulder as she stepped out of the room.

KIZIA WALKED SLOWLY to where Ashwin was. She couldn't look him in the eye because the memory of what he did to her was still fresh. Even though she knew her boss didn't mean to do it, she couldn't deny the fear and anxiety that it might happen again.

She sat on the bed as she finally stood beside him. He moved to the middle of the bed, patting the space next to him, indicating she should sit beside him.

"W-Why did you call for me, S-Sir?" She asked, still looking at the bed.

"Sit," he commanded. She sighed and obeyed. She wanted to avoid angering him.

She made sure there was a small space between them. She focused her gaze on her feet, unable to meet his eyes.

She let out a small scream when Ashwin suddenly pulled her, causing her to lean against his strong arms and clutch his hard chest.

She flinched as Ashwin's arm wrapped around her waist. His warm palms sent a strange romance through her body.

She slowly clenched her fist on his chest. She couldn't explain the strange thoughts running through her mind. Before she entered the room, she promised herself she would be cold towards him, but one hug changed her plans.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Kizia," he said, making her look up. She saw sincerity in his mismatched eyes.

She saw emotions on his once dull face. She was surprised by the change in him. Maybe it was because of his strange illness, and she felt sorry for him.

"Sorry... Sorry for hurting you. Believe me... I...I... I didn't mean it." He pleaded like a child asking for forgiveness, unable to look her in the eyes.

"It's o-okay." She forced a smile.

He sighed, which puzzled her, and closed his eyes tightly. He hugged her tightly and rested his head against the wall. She saw him staring at the ceiling as if trying to remember something.

"I know it... That smile was fake." He smiled bitterly. "But that's okay. It's my fault. But I'm happy. I'm happy that you woke up. I really thought it would take longer; good thing you only slept for three days."

"What?!"

"Didn't they tell you?" She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Kizia." He hugged her tighter.

She closed her eyes tightly. She was frustrated and didn't know what to do about their situation. Her mind screamed for her to push him away, but her body wanted the opposite.

Why? Why is this happening? Why! Can someone tell me... what's going on?

"Kizia." Ashwin's voice sounded like a beautiful melody in her ears, adding to her confusion.

"I don't know why... But... I have this urge to... To tell you about my life... My life from the past." When she looked up, he was still staring into space.

"Maybe... after... after knowing my past..." She was shocked when their eyes met. "... You'll stay." Her eyes widened; she didn't expect those words to come out of his mouth.

B-But why?

"How should I say this, Kizia?" He brushed aside some strands of her hair covering her face. "I... I don't understand... I don't know what to say."

What?!

"I really don't know what's happening to me, Kizia... I just have this feeling... the feeling of..."

What feeling?! Get a grip.

"...Of not letting you go." Her heart beat rapidly. Her lips parted and trembled.

N-No... You misunderstood it, Kizia. Yeah! Stop making conclusions. It's just... Selfish! Yes, that's it...

"I have this feeling of..."

"Stop!" she shouted and tried to pull away from Ashwin's embrace, but he pulled her back.

He held her face and lifted it. "You don't believe me?"

"S-Stop it." She couldn't look him in the eye. "It's just your illness talking, Sir."

"You think so?"

"Yes, sir."

"But..."

"Enough, sir!"

"That's the truth."

"Listen, sir! When your illness strikes again... You'll change! You'll forget what you said now... I told you, you only feel this way because of your changing personalities. So, whatever you're thinking now is just a product of your restless mind."

But why does it hurt when she says that? Why does she feel like she's lying to herself?

"I'm still the same person. That will never change. I still recognize the people around me. It's just that, I can't control myself once I go wild."

"S-Sir."

"And as I said. I am afraid of... of losing you."

Shock and disbelief were written on her face. Why would he say such things? And why did those simple words make her heart race?

"You're really insane, S-Sir."

He smiled, "Let me tell you why I'm insane."

"S-Sir..."

"Maybe after knowing this... You'll stay... Not because I say but because you choose to."

She sighed deeply. She wondered what kind of personality he was showing her now? How many personalities did this man have?

But, no matter what, she had to endure it for her family. She accepted Ashton's offer again, even though she knew it was dangerous because she needed the money. Her loved ones were on the brink of death, so it was only fitting that she was also in the same situation.