SIX YEARS AFTER
Catherine's POV
Stepping out of the car into this big general hospital, I felt elated. I knew more than anything that I was going to do this my own way, without involving my parents.
"Have a good day, ma'am," the security guard at the entrance greeted, and I responded with a grin, heading toward the office for the interview.
"Miss Catherine Moore?" the interviewer inquired.
"Yes, sir."
He went through the files on the desk, and after a while, he announced, "Congratulations, you got the job."
My heart jumped in joy, it's rhythm matching that of a drumbeat. "Yes," I cheered inwardly.
"I'm Rick Andy, and you'll be working as my assistant," the guy who had just walked in announced, and I turned toward him.
"Gosh!" He was incredibly handsome and hot.
"Nice to meet you, sir," I stretched out my hand for a handshake, which he received.
The moment our skin touched, a strange electric pull surged through me. I instinctively pulled away.
A weird sense of familiarity nagged at me, but I couldn't place it. Had we met before?
Mom once told me I had amnesia after an accident. But if we'd crossed paths in the past, why didn't he recognize me? Had my appearance also changed?
"You start tomorrow," he said, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that made my stomach flip.
****
The next day, I was already seated in the lab, waiting for guidelines on what to start doing.
"Isn't she the new hire?" I heard a lady at the test station ask another, who was busy removing slides.
"Yes, she is."
"Hmm, she looks too hot and rich to be working in a place like this," the other commented.
"Yes, she is rich. I heard she's the daughter of the Moores."
They both gasped together. "The richest family in the state?"
"Exactly. Rumor has it she lived abroad all her life and came back just for her internship."
"I don't get it. She could be training in some elite facility or running one of her family's trillion-dollar companies."
"Apparently, her parents are against her working here. But she's too stubborn to listen
Did she just call me stubborn? I inhaled sharply, restraining myself. It was my first day, and I didn't want to leave a bad impression.
"That side of her is bad for a hot girl like her. Any lady who's stubborn ends up badly," one exclaimed and I nudged myself slightly.
"I doubt she can even obey the instructors if she's that way."
"And what are you three doing over there? Don't you have better jobs than gossiping?" a lady who walked in scolded them, and they hastily scattered to their positions.
"Are you Miss Catherine Moore?" she inquired.
"Yes, ma'a...." My mouth agape as I lifted my gaze to meet hers.
Why is her face also familiar? This place seemed to have these faces that I couldn't yet figure out where I had met them.
"Any issues?" She asked, perplexed at my sudden expression.
"Not really" I bottled up.
"Alright, I'm Lily Peters, your co-instructor," she introduced herself.
"Take this and deliver it to the emergency ward two." She handed me a specimen wrapped in an amber bag.
"Please be careful with it. Once you get to the ward, the nurses will collect it from you. They already know what it's for," she added, turning back to the test station. I stood up to deliver the specimen.
"Ma'am, which way is the emergency ward?" I asked a nurse standing by the passage leading into the main building.
"Take a left turn, and you'll see the emergency ward at the other end," she directed, and I headed in that direction, carefully handling the specimen.
Just as I turned left, my eyes searched for the emergency sign across the building, unaware of a lady approaching from the other end. We collided, and the specimen fell to the floor with a crack.
My heart nearly stopped.
"Are you blind?" the woman shrieked.
I snapped my head up, irritation flaring in my heart.
"Are you insane? You were glued to your phone and not watching where you were going!" I shot back, shifting my glare between her and the shattered glass.
Smack! A hot slap landed on my face, sending me crashing into a pillar behind me. My senses jolted from the intensity, and for a moment, everything seemed louder.
"Are you mad? How dare you call me insane? It's your father, your mother, your entire…" I cut her off with a slap, just as fierce.
Maybe I could have endured the insults to maintain a good impression on my first day, but I wouldn't tolerate anyone involving my parents.
"How dare you? Do you know who I am?" she barked, her eyes enraged, and so were mine, ready to unleash the beast within me.
"You can do nothing. One more word, and consider yourself locked up for life!" I yelled, my brows raised.
My heart racing. My fists clenched.
"What's going on over there?" a familiar male voice cut through the tension. I knew instantly it was without looking.
Rick Andy, my instructor.
Before I could turn, she rushed over towards him.
"Honey, she slapped me and pushed me to the floor!" she cried, suddenly summoning tears that weren't there a moment ago. I marveled at her theatrics.
"She called him honey?" I inhaled deeply.
Was he married? I looked through his slender ring fingers. To my relief, no ring was on it.
I exhaled silently.
"Why would she do that to you, and you stayed quiet until you heard me coming?" Rick asked, his gaze shifting between us.
His response shocked me. Wasn't he supposed to scold or insult me? Instead, he seemed to counter her.
"Rick, how could you take her side? Aren't you supposed to be on my side as your wife?" she retorted, her brows raised. In an instant, the tears dried up.
My heart skipped at the word "wife".
"Honey, I didn't side with anyone. I'm just trying to handle the situation based on what I saw when I arrived." He admitted.
I remained frozen in place.
"You're such a scumbag and a betrayer of a husband!" she shouted, storming off, but stopped in her tracks. "How did you know who she was?" she asked, a perplexed look on her face.
After a moment of hesitation, Rick replied, "She's the new hire I told you about yesterday….."
"The one working as your assistant?" she completed the statement.
"Yes."
"I don't like her. Fire her now, or better yet, terminate her appointment. I don't want her anywhere near my husband," she snapped, storming off after a final glare at me.
Turning to me, Rick said, "You should have been more careful. Next time, I won't be so lenient." His gaze betrays his words.
"But sir…" I started, but he raised his hand to stop me.
"Call the cleaners to handle this mess and return to the lab immediately. I need you to sort things out." He ordered, and I did as instructed.
For a second, I thought about quitting. My first day didn't seem to hold much promise.
Plus the fact that I battled with the sudden realization of my boss being married in my heart.
Thousands of thoughts cascaded through my mind as I returned to the lab. I didn't know how, but news of the incident spread quickly, and the murmurs intensified with each person glaring at me. No one had to tell me what they were discussing.
"Did you deliver the sample?" Lily inquired. I turned in her direction. Her once bright face had turned sour with a glare, and I knew instantly that I was in for something bigger.
"She obviously didn't do that. Instead, she staged a fight with me, how hilarious," I heard a familiar voice approaching, each step loud and purposeful. I turned to meet the disgusting stare of the lady I had encountered earlier.
Somehow I felt a pang in my heart at her presence.
"That's because you choose to act incredibly silly, so I had to put some sense into that sense of yours," I asserted sternly.
"Stop this minute, or I'll make sure you're kicked out of this place right now," Lily snapped angryly.
"You wouldn't dare," came Rick's voice from behind. All eyes turned to him, confusion evident on every faces including mine.
The atmosphere grew tense….