“What did you just say?” DJ asked as he strode into the room.Bruce followed behind him. He had helped DJ carry Ashley to the car when she fainted at their house. The ambulance was taking forever to arrive and DJ didn't want to wait doing nothing, so he insisted on taking Ashley to the hospital himself.Mr Leon had suggested that Bruce drive his brother to the hospital as DJ was not in the right frame of mind to drive.Bruce ended up bringing them to the hospital. He was just about to leave after DJ expressed his sincere gratitude when they glanced over to where Knox and Dr Tony stood by the door to Ashley's cabin.The rush with which Knox had charged into the room alerted DJ that something was wrong.He quickly sprinted for the door into which Knox had disappeared. He wanted to find out for himself what was happening with Ashley. Bruce instinctively ran after him and they were met with Dr Tony's announcement. His reaction was just as the same as Mr Knox's.“How old is the pregnancy?
The ground spinned under Mr Knox's feet. His heart skipped many beats and raced when it picked up. He felt as though his essence was seeping out of him.“Ashley?” He whispered.Ashley suddenly jerked her chest up and her eyes bulged, growing wide like saucers. The ECG machine beeped rapidly as she propped her upper body as though she was taking her last breath.Dazed, Mr Knox tripped back. His senses picked up and he ran for the door, darting his gaze between the path before him and the epileptic Ashley on the bed.Knox yanked the door, poked his head out and yelled out to Tony who was thankfully still waking down the hallway.“Tony! Come fast! I think something is wrong. She woke up… She…” Knox stammered in his agitation.Tony was quick on his heels. He pushed past Knox and stepped inside the room.DJ and Bruce, who had stayed back, waiting by the cabin after their argument, followed behind Tony.“I… I don't know what happened… I… She woke up… Looked at me… Opened her eyes. Then all
Ashley had lazily opened her eyes to the unfamiliar room. As her heavy eyes roved around the room, trying to figure out where she was, they met with the eyes of the strange man staring worriedly at her. “Who are you?” She asked. Her voice barely above a whisper.She watched as the man's eyes flew wide with fear.“Ashley?” He said.It was a vaguely familiar call and in that instance, it hit her. The sharp piercing pain at the back of head. Memories of a past locked in the deep recess of her mind and that of the past few days collided, clashing and battling for dominance in her mind.Lilian, Ashley, Bruce, DJ. Who was she? Her heart raced. Her pulse palpated. She felt a decline in her insides before she gave in to darkness.The faint voices, so closed yet so distant, floated in her mind. She could faintly hear the conversation between two people. She felt exhausted. The fierce mind battle she had fought had drained her. Now she was focusing on calming her racing heart.There was no w
Tears pulled at Knox's eyes. She remembered him. She didn't forget her new life. He was grateful that he hadn't yet again lost a daughter. Everything would be as it were. He would be her father and she would be his daughter.Tony on the other hand was thankful that his practice would not not be affected. He didn't deny the fact that what he had helped his friend do was illegal and he feared the consequences.DJ was happy that he wouldn’t again be a part of her forgotten memories and he wouldn't be starting all over again in winning her trust.Only Bruce had a neutral expression. He was only glad that such a beautiful girl didn't lose her life.Tony smiled at Ashley. “That's good.” He commended her. Tony turned to the nurse. “Have you given her the injection?” The nurse nodded in response.“You should get some rest now.” Tony told Ashley. “You’ll need to regain your strength.”“When do I get discharged?” Ashley asked. “I want to go home.” Dr Tony was taken aback by her question, but
The room zoomed in dangerously and everything blurred from Lillian's standing spot at the entrance to her room.Her room, her matrimonial room. Laid atop her matrimonial bed was her husband vigorously and pleasurably thrusting deeper and deeper into the honeycomb of her sister. Their moans, the only deafening sound that filtered through the hazy cloud in her mind.She refused to believe her vision. The two most important people in her life could never think to do this to her. The only people that cared about her would never do this. Her heart said differently. Her eyes saw reality. Reality she vehemently refused to believe. She moved closer to the bed. She wanted a closer look at them. She wanted to confirm their faces, even though she already knew. She wanted it to be a mistake.Just as she reached the foot of the bed, she saw her husband shake violently, emptying his release into the depths of her sister. Their sigh of deep satisfaction caused her eyes to water.As Bruce finished o
"Toss it over! Come on, hurry!" There was urgency in Rachel's voice."Don't you think we should check if she's still alive.""No one can survive such a beating. Didn't you see how they almost splattered her brain out? The guys did a good job. Her head and face is destroyed. Toss this trash into the river before someone sees us." Rachel urged. She darted her eyes back and forth the darkness of the overhead bridge on which they stood.Bruce grunted as he lifted the bag enclosing Lillian's body. "I don't know why you didn't pay them to dispose of the body too." He whined."You want it to be traced back to us? Is that what you want?... Just hurry up and let's get out of here!"Lillian heard the voices in a haze. Her body felt numb and alienated. The physical pain she felt was like nothing in the world. Her breathing was so slow, she thought she would die the next minute. She held her breath when she was lifted. The pain heightened with the contact. She felt herself rise. Her pain increas
Dr Tony was taking off the bandages wrapped around Lillian's face. He worked with dexterity as he pulled on the bandage. It's been five weeks of waiting since after the surgery."You will feel numb around your face when the bandages come off, but it shouldn't alarm you. It's normal and the feeling will wear off in a moment." Tony explained as he unwrapped the bandage. Sam Knox stood by the corner of the room, his heart racing and his eyes shone with fear. He was eager to see the result of the surgery and yet, uncertain how Lillian would react to her new face.Lillian had only been able to communicate by nodding whenever she was spoken to. The bandages had prevented her from speaking. So they had not been able to have a real conversation with her.Tony had said that the chances of Lillian remembering anything about her past was very slim. But Knox couldn't shake off the fear that she would remember her past life. It would be a disaster if that happened.Tony finally removed the last o
"Yes." Knox nodded at her. "Yes. You are Ashley Knox." He reiterated with tear filled eyes. "You are my Ashley.""You are my daughter." He announced with tearful glee. She watched him move near her. Uncertainty flooded her gaze. She looked up at Dr Tony whom she inexplicably had a measure of trust in. Tony sensed her insecurities and he understood them. He had seen it a thousand times, patients waking up to memories of their life snatched away from. Knowing nothing. Remembering nothing. The feeling was depressing. He nodded silently at her, consenting to the information she had just received.She turned her gaze away from Tony to regard Knox who had stopped in his tracks. Her countenance had not been welcoming causing him to pause."You are my father?" She inquired.Her innocence burst open the flood gates of Knox tears. He shook violently, collapsing on the bed on which she sat. She suddenly felt guilty. He was her father and she didn't know him. She imagined how that must hurt. S
Tears pulled at Knox's eyes. She remembered him. She didn't forget her new life. He was grateful that he hadn't yet again lost a daughter. Everything would be as it were. He would be her father and she would be his daughter.Tony on the other hand was thankful that his practice would not not be affected. He didn't deny the fact that what he had helped his friend do was illegal and he feared the consequences.DJ was happy that he wouldn’t again be a part of her forgotten memories and he wouldn't be starting all over again in winning her trust.Only Bruce had a neutral expression. He was only glad that such a beautiful girl didn't lose her life.Tony smiled at Ashley. “That's good.” He commended her. Tony turned to the nurse. “Have you given her the injection?” The nurse nodded in response.“You should get some rest now.” Tony told Ashley. “You’ll need to regain your strength.”“When do I get discharged?” Ashley asked. “I want to go home.” Dr Tony was taken aback by her question, but
Ashley had lazily opened her eyes to the unfamiliar room. As her heavy eyes roved around the room, trying to figure out where she was, they met with the eyes of the strange man staring worriedly at her. “Who are you?” She asked. Her voice barely above a whisper.She watched as the man's eyes flew wide with fear.“Ashley?” He said.It was a vaguely familiar call and in that instance, it hit her. The sharp piercing pain at the back of head. Memories of a past locked in the deep recess of her mind and that of the past few days collided, clashing and battling for dominance in her mind.Lilian, Ashley, Bruce, DJ. Who was she? Her heart raced. Her pulse palpated. She felt a decline in her insides before she gave in to darkness.The faint voices, so closed yet so distant, floated in her mind. She could faintly hear the conversation between two people. She felt exhausted. The fierce mind battle she had fought had drained her. Now she was focusing on calming her racing heart.There was no w
The ground spinned under Mr Knox's feet. His heart skipped many beats and raced when it picked up. He felt as though his essence was seeping out of him.“Ashley?” He whispered.Ashley suddenly jerked her chest up and her eyes bulged, growing wide like saucers. The ECG machine beeped rapidly as she propped her upper body as though she was taking her last breath.Dazed, Mr Knox tripped back. His senses picked up and he ran for the door, darting his gaze between the path before him and the epileptic Ashley on the bed.Knox yanked the door, poked his head out and yelled out to Tony who was thankfully still waking down the hallway.“Tony! Come fast! I think something is wrong. She woke up… She…” Knox stammered in his agitation.Tony was quick on his heels. He pushed past Knox and stepped inside the room.DJ and Bruce, who had stayed back, waiting by the cabin after their argument, followed behind Tony.“I… I don't know what happened… I… She woke up… Looked at me… Opened her eyes. Then all
“What did you just say?” DJ asked as he strode into the room.Bruce followed behind him. He had helped DJ carry Ashley to the car when she fainted at their house. The ambulance was taking forever to arrive and DJ didn't want to wait doing nothing, so he insisted on taking Ashley to the hospital himself.Mr Leon had suggested that Bruce drive his brother to the hospital as DJ was not in the right frame of mind to drive.Bruce ended up bringing them to the hospital. He was just about to leave after DJ expressed his sincere gratitude when they glanced over to where Knox and Dr Tony stood by the door to Ashley's cabin.The rush with which Knox had charged into the room alerted DJ that something was wrong.He quickly sprinted for the door into which Knox had disappeared. He wanted to find out for himself what was happening with Ashley. Bruce instinctively ran after him and they were met with Dr Tony's announcement. His reaction was just as the same as Mr Knox's.“How old is the pregnancy?
“How could you let this happen?” Tony rebuked Knox who had the lines of worry embellished all over his expression.He had just stepped out of Ashley's Ward where he just finished examining her. He was still standing by the door when Knox approached him. Ashley had to undergo a minor surgery to stitch back her open wound. Knox had left the concerned group, DJ and his brother at the far end of the hall to speak privately with Tony. “How is she? Will she be alright?” Knox questioned, ignoring Tony's reprove. His concern was focused more on the girl, Ashley, his daughter.He had almost died in the instant he received the distressing call from DJ. He immediately made arrangements for Ashley to be taken to Dr Tony. A doctor who was familiar with her medical history.“She suffered a major concussion. The wound reopened. We had to stitch it again… Thankfully, she's stable now.”“And?” Knox asked anxiously, fearing the worst. It was a question Tony understood and he gave his honest response.
“You’ve come!” Mrs Leon beamed from behind the others, pushing past them to welcome her favourite son, Bruce and his wife.Bruce returned his mother's greeting distractedly as his gaze darted between the company of DJ, his father and the strange lady.“They came in early and are already leaving because his fiance seems to always fall sick at important events.” Mrs Leon took the liberty to explain to Bruce who was staring at DJ, surprised that he was on his way out.“Sarah!” Mr Leon addressed his wife by her first name. He was totally disgusted by her behavior.Mrs Leon passed him an unapologetic look, eyeing her husband for reprimanding her in front of the kids.Bruce turned to his brother, ignoring the angry glares being exchanged between his parents.Bruce didn't like this. He wanted a chance to gloat over his achievement to his brother. He wanted to see the hurt and bitterness on DJ's face as DJ's rights were being passed on to him.“Why are you leaving so soon?” He asked. “The din
The mention of dying with water clogging the airways was like a trigger that stirred something in Ashley. She suddenly felt her lungs fill with water, then the cold, tickling sensation of water on her skin. It felt so real that she couldn't breathe at that moment. She had been leisurely resting a hand on DJ's thigh as Mr Leon spoke. But she soon found herself digging her fingers into his thigh as she struggled to breathe. Her hand held her head as a heavy ache invaded her.The suffocation was so real and she felt as though she had been there before. Swallowed up in water and drowning. It felt all too real in her mind.She jolted back into consciousness when DJ repeatedly shook her, calling out her name.She clutched her chest staring up at DJ wide-eyed. Her breathing ragged as her heart raced.DJ gathered her into his arms protectively. Rocking her back and forth reassuringly.Mr Leon watched in perplexed confusion what had happened. “Is she alright?” He finally asked. “What happene
Ashley nervously smooths her hand over her dress for the nth time. DJ had picked her up for dinner at his parents house. They stood by the door and he patiently waited for Ashley to collect herself. He couldn't understand why she insisted they come here when it made her this nervous. Left to him, he'd rather be somewhere else than here. But Ashley had the inexplicable need to make it up to his brother. If only she knew. He looked at her. “Ready now?” She passed him a nervous look, a subtle plea for a few more minutes. “We could cancel this, you know. We don't have to be here if you're not up for it.” He offered, silently hoping that she would change her mind and they'd just turn around and leave. “No no no. I'm just…” She inhaled sharply. “Let's go.” She said, wearing a shaky smile. I raised my brow at her seeking confirmation before taking my next action. Ashley nodded a ‘go ahead’ at me. I raised my hand and rang the doorbell. It didn't take long before we were ushered into
“Have you been getting enough rest?” Dr Tony asked as he switched off the pen torch he used to examine Ashley.Ashley nodded her head negatively in response to his question.“And how is the headache?” “Worse. And I feel dizzy too often.” “That is likely to happen as you are not getting much sleep… Are you using the pills I gave you regularly?”“I missed a few days.” She answered truthfully.Dr Tony kept his stern gaze on her. She was doing everything he had instructed her not to do.“I forget sometimes.” Ashley explained in response to the disapproval in his gaze.“Do you enjoy the pain?... You don't seem to want to get better, Ashley. You're not following the instructions I had given you. Instead, you're doing the exact opposite.”Tony kept a straight eye on Ashley. “Don't you want to remember your past?”Tony's question only earned him a glance from Ashley. She didn't respond to his question. At this point she wasn't certain what she wanted. Not after what she discovered last nigh