Chapter seventy-eight (The urgent call)
Ashley
It was Monday morning, and Jessica had asked me to come in for a check-up. Mason had been calling nonstop for the past few days, so I blocked his number. I needed to see my father, but I didn’t want to cause Mason more trouble or pain, concerning Damien’s last threat.
I know him, and I’m sure he meant every single word that left his lips that day, so I sat back.NôvelDrama.Org: owner of this content.
Getting ready, the driver took me to the hospital. It was bustling with people, just like any other regular workday.
I walked up to the young nurse at the counter and said, “Hello, I have an appointment with Doctor Jessica.”
Looking at me, she offered a warm smile. “Good morning, Mrs. Ashley,” she greeted before saying, “May I see your card?”
I handed her the card, and after checking it, she nodded and returned it to me. “Please have a seat and wait for her. She’s in the operating room but just wait for five minutes. She’ll be out,” she said with a smile which I also returned. I nodded and made my way to find a place to rest my tired body.
I had told Damien that I was diagnosed with a fever this morning when he found out about me going to the hospital. I know I have to tell him the truth, but how do I break the news to him?
The big question is, how do I tell him that I’m pregnant, but the baby isn’t his? It’s from a stranger, a result of a night of rape.
This sounds crazy and really messed up.
As I walked to take a seat, I immediately heard someone call my name from behind, “Ashley!”
I halted in my steps and instantly turned around to find a surprised and grinning Sebastian.
“Sebastian,” I exclaimed, shocked to find him at the hospital.
Why is he here so early in the morning? I looked down and noticed he was holding a bouquet of roses. Hmm… Is he here to visit someone?
Grinning as if he had just reunited with an old pal, he approached me and enveloped me in a warm hug. “How are you, sister-in-law?” he asked.
“I’m great, Sebastian,” I replied, playfully tapping his shoulder.
“Sorry, I didn’t call to check on you that day,”
Shaking my head with a smile, I replied, “No worries, I’m good, of course I’m fine.”
“Fine and in the hospital?” He raised his eyebrow. “Are you sick?”
Sick? Oh, I’m more than that right now.
With a smile, I swiftly diverted the conversation, indirectly tucking the hospital card into my bag and glancing at the flowers in his hand. “Why are you here so early?”
Hearing my question, Sebastian bashfully scratched his neck and averted his gaze. “Oh come on, why the boutique? Are you here to see someone?”
Biting his lip, he shyly smiled and nodded. “Yes.”
I paused, then squinted. He had mentioned his parents’ passing, and based on what I’ve seen, he seems like a solitary person. So why is he here with a bouquet of roses? “Who’s the person?”
He dropped his head, shaking it from side to side, which made me give him a weird look.
“Are you okay?” I grinned.
“Okay. Okay, fine,” he lifted his head. “I’m here to see my fiancee.” He laughed.
“You have a girlfriend?” I gasped.
“Yeah,” he appeared sheepish, prompting me to chuckle, but I quickly regained my composure to avoid drawing attention. “Who’s the lucky one?”
“Her name is Jessica.”
Jessica…. Wait a minute!
“Doctor Jessica,” I inquired to confirm what I heard.
“Wow!” He seemed taken aback. “You know her?”
I felt frozen, or should I say paralyzed. I opened my mouth but couldn’t utter a word; every fiber in my body seemed to be crushing.
What a small world.
Jessica is his fiancee? She’s the only one aware of my pregnancy; what if she spills the beans to him?
But she vowed to keep it confidential, right?
“Hey, sister-in-law,” he waved his hands in front of my face. “Are you okay?”
Snapping back to reality, I immediately mustered up an uncomfortable smile. “Yeah… Yeah, I’m good.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Of course, don’t worry about me. Congrats but… umm,” I stammered, offering a wry smile. “I need to leave; I have something urgent to attend to at the office,” I fibbed, waving at him when suddenly the nurse from earlier approached us.
Holy fuck!
Do I always have to be unlucky? He shouldn’t know that I am here to see Jessica, I don’t want him to know about the pregnancy.
“Good morning, sir,” she greeted Sebastian and then turned to me. “She’s out; you can go see her now.”
“Huh,” my gaze widened, but I quickly composed myself.
“Are you here to see someone?”
“Yes, she’s here to see, doctor…”
“No, no,” I quickly interjected, cutting off the nurse. “Don’t worry, we canceled the appointment. There’s something urgent I need to attend to at the office.”
“Oh,” she gave me a confused look, nodding before leaving.
“Hope everything is okay?” He asked as soon as the nurse left.
Turning to Sebastian, I flashed him a forced smile. “Everything’s good. I need to leave now,”
“Should I drop you off?”
“No, I came with a driver,” smiling, I waved at him and hurriedly rushed outside.
Oh my goodness! That was close.
Walking back to the car, my phone started buzzing. Bringing it out from my bag, I pressed it against my ear. It was a new number. “Hello..”
“Thank goodness, I finally reached you,” The person said with relief.
I immediately halted my steps upon hearing the voice. “Mason,” I stammered, sounding startled.
“Please, you need to start rushing to the hospital right now. You know the short narrow road, just follow it to be fast.”
Rushing to the hospital?
“Is there a problem?” Before I could finish asking, he ended the call. “Mason…. Mason.”
“Damn it,” I redialed the number, but it wasn’t connecting anymore.
Oh my goodness…. He sounded so urgent. Is there a problem? Did anything happen to my father?
Hurrying toward the car, I quickly instructed the driver, “Take me to the Prestige Medical Center, fast.”
“Is there a problem, ma?” He asked.
“Just go! Follow that narrow road that leads to that hospital,” I yelled, slamming the door shut.
“Okay, ma,” he replied and started driving away to the destination. “Hope everything is fine, do we need to call the boss,”
“No, it is not necessary, and enough of the questions,” I snapped. Nodding, he glanced at me through the front mirror and focused on the road without saying any more words.
I kept praying that nothing would happen to my father. I continued dialing the number, but it wasn’t connecting anymore.
My heart was pounding very fast.
“Be fast!” I yelled, nervously clasping my palms together.
“Calm down, ma, we are close,” he said, but instantly I noticed our car halt in full force, jerking me forward. “What happened?” I asked, confused as I glanced at the surprised-looking driver.
“Damnit,” he banged his fists hard on the steering wheel. Following the direction of his eyes, my gaze fell on the four black cars that circled us.
My heart went up in panic as I glanced at the driver, “What is going on?”
“I think we are in danger,” he mumbled and quickly retrieved his gun from the car’s cup hole.
Danger?
My gaze widened at the information. I glanced outside and noticed seven men in black suits walking toward our car. The road is empty and lonely, no car or anybody can be seen in sight.
In just a few more minutes, we will be in Mason’s hospital.
“What should we do? What should we do!” I panicked, tears quickly stinging my eyes.
The driver also seemed terrified, “We are outnumbered. Please ma’am, call the boss immediately.”
“Okay,” I suddenly dialed Damien’s number with my shaky hands. The men were already in front of our car, and Damien picked up at the third ring.
“Yes, are you back from the hospital?” That was the first question that he asked, but before I could answer, I heard a loud gunshot… BAM!!
The driver fell back on his seat and died instantly, his blood splashing on my face. Screaming, I threw the phone to the ground. “What was that? Ashley!” Damien shouted from the other side.
“Where are you?”
I scarily screamed hard, crawling back in fear. The window has shattered into pieces on the steering and on top of the driver’s body. Putting their hand inside the car, they opened the door.
“No no no!” I kept on shouting, fear gripping me. They have their faces hiding in masks.
“Ashley!” Damien yelled, but before I could respond to him, the side of my door was pulled open, and I was forcefully dragged out. “Ah… please!” I cried out.
“I have seen the location, just stay tuned, I am coming right away!!!” I heard the worried voice of Damien for the first time in months before everything went black.