Being The CEO's Past

Prologue

7 years ago

I struggled to open my eyes. The pain in my head felt as if I had been hit by a truck and to top it all, I had really bright lights flashing on my face.The lights were so blinding that I had to squeeze my eyes tighter even before being able to open them. 

Yet, somehow I managed to open my eyes. My vision was still blurry but I could make out most of the stuff in my surroundings. There were really dull and empty walls, the door looked shabby with shades that prevented me from seeing what was outside. But amongst it all, one thing was clear, I was not in my room or my house for that matter.

The place I was in, didn't really leave a good first impression. I closed my eyes and opened them again, this time I saw everything much clearer. I looked around to see my mother, sitting on a chair beside that shabby door, reading a magazine. Almost as if she knew, she looked up and our eyes met. 

"Honey?" She said sweetly and got up from the chair but stood rooted to her spot. "You awake?"

I wanted to reply to her but my throat suddenly felt parched. 

"Water." Was all that I could manage to croak.

What the hell has happened to me?

"Euphoria?" I heard mum's voice again. This time she reduced the distance between us. "Sweety, how do you feel?"

I blinked my eyes furiously, trying to get air into my body because I suddenly felt that I wasn't breathing.

"Jake, Jake come in here, she's awake." Mum called Dad. "Get the doctor."

Doctor? I was in the hospital? But why?

Before I could think about my reasons for hospitalisation, the door opened and I saw my Dad enter. 

At the same time, Mom put a straw against my lips. "Here Sweety, have water." I tried to bring my hand up to hold the glass but just as I did it, a bitter pain stabbed my right arm making me groan.

Mom sniffled back tears as she looked at me in a way I could quite understand. "Mum?" I was so confused. "Wh..what has happened mom?" I asked her again and she broke into an array of sobs and my dad just stood there, holding her, trying to keep his pain stricken face expressionless.

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

TWO DAYS LATER

"But Betty, why are you guys not telling me anything?" I sat across my best friend to question her. I was finally discharged from the hospital earlier in the afternoon, with a broken right arm and some bruises. 

"Er...Eu...it's nothing, it's better you don't ask about it." She replied. Betty was pretty blonde with beautiful hazel eyes. I had known her since we were five. 

I dragged myself to the edge of the bed and stared at her.  

"You've got to be kidding me! I was hospitalised for a week, I was unconscious for four friggin' days and you are telling me not to ask you anything." I shouted at her. 

Ever since I had woken up, I had asked everybody, my mom and dad and even the doctors, but nobody told me why I was hospitalised. I just had a nurse who came close to saying I was in an 'accident' that did not involve a car.

"Your parents have asked me to not talk to about it, Euphoria." Betty moved the chair she was sitting on, closer to me. "It's better if you don't know about it. Just think of it as an accident."

"What is wrong with you?" I looked at her in disbelief. "How can I not ask about my own self?"

"Eu..." Betty trailed off.

Then I suddenly remembered. "Tristian...I remember he was the last person I saw. Would he know about the 'accident' you guys keep talking about?"

My words made Betty go stoic. All the colour drained from her face. 

"Is..is..he al..alright?" My heart started pounding furiously. I had really started liking him. "Where is he Betty?" I asked her, almost choking. I was worried that he might've been involved in that accident with me and could've been hurt pretty bad.

"He's gone." She said in a sad voice.

And I felt as if someone had stabbed my chest. 

"What? Where? Why?" No! No! This can't be true.

"He had to go, after what happened, after what he did to you....your parents are not telling me anything and there are a lot of rumours. Even the police is involved."

He was alive. He was alive. I took in a deep breath before starting again.

What could have Tristian done? I Knew he could never hurt me intentionally.

"Tell me Betty what did he do to me?"

"Eu....Somebody saw Tristian....trying to r...rape you." And Betty began to cry.

I stared at her for a while and, then I felt everything in front of me blur and within moments I was consumed by darkness.