Catherine's POV
I couldn't yet comprehend what had happened today. For a moment, I had that tiny voice again. "Wouldn't it be better if I just quit this job and heed my parents' biddings?
I don't need any trouble or a dent on my family's name. However, I couldn't bear to keep quiet under that lady's annoying presence. It was just so grating that after she started the fire, she still felt like she was right. How silly she could be simply because she was the boss's wife.
I sighed and nudged myself, trying to shake off the frustration. My heart felt restless.
"Gosh," I muttered, slamming my pillow over my face. I needed sleep.
But sleep wouldn't come. My mind wouldn't stop racing. A thousand thoughts swirled, weighing down my already exhausted heart.
Suddenly, the thought of Rick flashed through my mind.
A grin spread across my face as I pictured his face in my heart. He was cute and breathtaking, quite alright; aside from that, there was something else I felt in my heart toward him that I hadn't felt for anyone in my life.
It seemed we were kind of connected; whenever he was close to me, it felt like a magnet attracting two like poles. I couldn't shrug it off, no matter how hard I tried.
A sting of sanity struck me, and I frowned.
It was useless after all. He was married to the most annoying woman I had ever met, so the fantasy in my heart was never going to come true.
This realization taunted me deep down until I finally drifted off to sleep.
*****
Let me go! Let me go!" I screamed, struggling against a faceless figure. Darkness surrounded me, thick and suffocating, except for the piercing gray eyes staring back at me.
"Please let me go," I begged once more, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. He was mean and ruthless, snapping the bones of my left arm mightily.
"Pl…ease!" I struggled with my words, finding my voice amidst the pain I was enduring.
I felt my body on the cool, moist floor that sent shivers down my spine. I couldn't yet comprehend if I was on a floor or in water, but all that mattered was the painful sensation I felt from the firm grip, and I could hear the cracking sound of my bones as I screamed in pain.
My heart bled over again.
"Nooooo!" My voice echoed in the space as I jumped out of bed.
A sharp beam of light from the window stung my eyes. I blinked, rubbing them as my heart pounded erratically. Sweat drenched my body despite the cool air in the room. My hands shook as I inspected them, no signs of injury, just my damp nightgown sticking to my skin.
The door creaked opened.
"What's wrong? I heard your scream from our room," Mum's voice surged as she approached hastily. She sat next to me, holding my hand and staring at me intensely.
After a while she broke the silence.
"Is it the nightmare again?" she asked, and I nodded hesitantly.
She heaved a sigh. "You startled me, daughter. I thought something was wrong. Don't worry; it's only a nightmare, and you will soon get over it," she expressed, leaning in to embrace me, gently tapping my back.
I just stared; I couldn't utter a word.
It had been that way for as long as I could remember. It seemed to have stopped for a while about a year now, only to resurface again today.
"That reminds me; aren't you going to work today?" Mum inquired, jolting me out of my reverie and weak state.
My heart quickened.
I couldn't believe that on my second day of work, I would be going in late. I glanced at the clock; it was already past seven o'clock.
"Gosh!" I hurried up from the bed, heading to the bathroom, but something struck me back, and I stopped in my tracks, clutching the door of the washroom while Mum watched.
Remembering my experience yesterday only weakened my earlier anxiety and crippled my limbs.
"What's it now? Do you want me to leave your room while you freshen up?" she asked immediately, already on her feet.
"Not that, Mum."
"So what's it?"
I hesisted for a while, but then, narrated everything that happened to her, excluding the feelings I had whenever I was with him.
Mum's gaze widened in shock.
Her sudden expression changed instantly into a more darkened one.
"Did I say something wrong?" I inquired.
"Not at all dear," she moves closer, her hands resting on my shoulders, a small smile curving on her lips.
"It's only that, it hurts to see you sad," she exclaimed.
At that instance, I felt the urge to ask her why the faces I met today looked familiar, but then I remembered the doctor's report. Things and people would look familiar as I slowly recovered; however, it had been six years, and I still couldn't figure out anything.
"You never told me you were working with Rick Andy," she asserted, her expression unreadable.
"That was because you never asked," I defended.
"The Andys are our rivals and enemies. I know you don't know all this simply because you've spent all your years abroad. You should have nothing to do with their son," Mum expressed.
For a moment, I felt quiet. "I don't have anything to do with him other than him being my boss," I explained.
"That's the issue, my daughter." She slowly tapped my shoulders. "Emilia Jones, his wife, is also the problem. She's a well-known, dreaded heiress, and I value your safety. You are done with that job, daughter."
I inhaled sharply.
"Mum, please. It's my life here, and I promise to be more careful. Leaving the job I just started is just not adding up. Besides, I learned quite a few things yesterday and am beginning to like their working ethics and schemes," I expressed, my gaze pleading.
"Why are you always so stubborn?"
"That's because I'm your daughter, and I need to be strong," I asserted.
"Then you are going with security."
"No way, Mum!" I slammed the door of the washroom, ignoring mum's words.
Moments later, I was dressed, storming out of the mansion in a hurry before Mum and Dad could notice and insist I go with a guard.
All my life; that I could remember, I had been living with guards by my side, and it felt like a cage. Now that I was living a free life like the others, she wanted to bring the idea back again? No!
Just as I was about to sneak out of the mansion, I heard the sound of hushed voices obviously mum and dad. I felt strange because they never argued before.
I stopped in my tracks, hesitated, and followed the direction of the voice.
"I told you we made a great mistake allowing her to take that job in the first place," Mum retorted. I could sense the anger in her tone.
"You know how stubborn she is; she wouldn't want to listen even if you tried to stop her," Dad replied, slamming his hands on something that sounded like wood. Why was he angry?
A moment of silence crept in before Mum's voice surged. "I'm just afraid she might discover soon about her….."
Dad cuts in, "woman, you worry too much. Nothing is happening; the doctor…"
My phone suddenly rang, and the conversation stopped. I hurriedly turned off the phone, lifting my head to meet Mum standing right in front of me, her expression masked in worry.
"You didn't tell me you were already set for work," Mum asked, but I was curious to know what they were discussing about.
"What was I to discover, Mum?" I asked instead, ignoring her inquiry.
I noticed a sudden shiver in her expression, which suddenly stabilized.
"Nothing to worry about, daughter; it's just a minor issue. The doctor brought another drug suggestion that we were discussing."
A sudden sadness crossed her expression. "I'm just worried you wouldn't want to try it. You know how stubborn you can be at times."
"Mum, I'm not stubborn, alright? I will try it when I return, but for now, I need to get going; I'm already late."
I quickly hurried out, slamming the door without leaving room for any more words.
Driving out of the mansion, my heart strayed back to the conversation. Mum didn't seem comfortable when I asked her that question.
Anyway, I brushed it off; she always put up shows at times, and most of the time, it was fun being around her. Deep down in my heart, I was grateful she never remembered the earlier discussion.
*****
Halfway down the busy road, I focused on dodging reckless drivers. The city was always chaotic, cars weaving in and out like they owned the streets.
A black car behind me caught my attention, but I ignored it. I could handle a tailgater.
My phone rang. Without looking, I sighed. "Mom, I'm not taking security, end of discussion…."
"It's Rick Andy." I took the phone off to check the number. How did he get my number?
"Where are you, and why haven't you reported yet?"
"Sir, I'm on my way; I just had a little to sort out at home."
"Just report immediately."
"Right, sir." I shoved the phone into my shirt pocket as I tried turning the steering wheel of the car onto the less busy road that led toward the hospital.
It happened in a flash; a car was trying to overtake mine. I tried to pull the car steering over to the other lane, but unfortunately, I was a little too late in doing that, and the car halted just halfway while the other car had already stopped in front of mine.
My heart started racing and falling drastically as I watched two hefty men approaching hastily…