DANIEL
Do you know what is the worst feeling out there? It is regret! Because It never leaves you. It surreptitiously but effectively keeps hollowing you out from the inside destructing your confidence and belief in the process. It doesn't feel like a sudden sharp stab but feels as if someone is slashing your heart piece by piece. You know what is the worse thing about it? you can't point fingers at others for feeling like this because Regret breeds from your own actions. It leaves you vulnerable and helpless. And what makes it even more dangerous is the fact that there is no salvation from it. No way out. IT STAYS FOREVER. Forever at your service to crumple your soul like a piece of paper.
Regret was among many emotions he got struck by when Daniel peeped in through the glass window. The sight of her lying almost lifeless on the bed was too heart-shredding to bear. He whipped his face to the side and stepped away. The sharp pain searing his inside intenAshleyHow could she have forgotten those eyes. Those enigmatic green eyes, that held the power of drawing her in and scaring her away at the same time. A mystery that she itched to unravel but was too afraid to get close to. Something in her was always tempted to measure the depth of these oceans but was also afraid of drowning in them. Regardless of the time passed, these distinctive orbs still haunted her dream and invaded her thoughts. So many times they had flashed before her unannounced. So many times she had found herself comparing other people's green orbs with his. How could she have forgotten those gems?The world had stopped spinning as her eyes focused on his green ones. What unnerved her, even more, was that those intimidating orbs were trained on her. She didn't need to hear his voice or see his face to confirm. She knew it was him. Daniel Smith. With the realization came some questions. What is he doing here? What is she doing here?
DANIELHis heart clenched painfully when an achromic drop of tear trickled from her misty eyes. His eyes followed the tear trailing down her cheek and leaping off her jawline. She sounded so confused and scared. She didn't even need to tell what she must have gone through as her injuries explained the ordeal just fine. But what about the psychological pain?"Do you know who was he?" he asked trying not to sound pushy."No. He broke into my house in the early morning. I struggled to get away from him but he whisked out a gun and said someone has paid him to get me," she reminisced. Pain crossed her feature.Daniel pulled his brow together in confusion."Did he tell you who was the person who paid him?" he asked in his interrogative tone."No," she simply stated while locking her gaze with the bedsheet.He already knew what she told him. There was someone after her. Maybe Michael as he has been set free. But why did he pay so
ASHLEYHer groggy eyes snapped open to be met byaboundless ocean of darkness. Confused, she whipped her head around to catch a single shred of light but in vain. There wasn't a single ounce of light penetrating through the pitch-black surrounding that had engulfed her. Trepidation seeped into her veins sending her heart racing. She tried to get up from the chair she was sitting in. However, her movements got restricted causing a realization to strike her like lightning. She has been tied down with the chair. A skin-chaffing rope snaking around her waist and wrists. Her eyes widened in shock and her mind turned numb. As if on autopilot, her body began thrashing violently to get free from the bound.Sweat broke across her forehead and tears rolled down her cheek as she heard the sound of footsteps coming closer. "You really thought you can escape me," a menacing voice reached her causing hair to spike on the back of her n
AshleyHow did it happen? She couldn't help but ask herself this question every time Daniel came in front of her. She was perplexed. Utterly confused by her own feelings. She still couldn't understand why she isn't afraid of him as she used to be nine months ago? Why she wasn't finding his cold eyes and intimidating aura as terrifying as she used to find all those months ago.People say time changes everything. So, had the time changed her feelings? Her opinion about him? If yes, then why the mere mention of Michael's name still manages to strike terror in her heart? Why the time seemed to have no effect on her fear for him? Why was she still afraid of Michael but not Daniel? They both were driven by their mal intentions. They both harmed her. Harmed her?....No, Michael harmed her but Daniel.....he tried to harm her but he didn't. In fact, he went to great lengths to ensure her safety. If it weren't for him, she still would have been burning in
AshleyThe days followed by the "note incident" flew by in peace. No further threats were received. But that didn't mean she was not afraid anymore. The threatening words of the note were etched painfully in her memory that kept repeating themselves again and again in her head. Daniel didn't tell her much and his guarded expression revealed nothing, but she knew better. Ashley was suspicious that Michael was not alone in it. There was someone aiding him.She wanted to ask Daniel but she hadn't seen much of him since that day. Like a true workaholic, Daniel was always out of the house coming back only late at the night to leave again early the next morning. One silver lining was that Ashley had recovered to a great extent. She was able to walk on her own now. However, running was still out of question.That night she asked Dayna not to prepare her dinner as she wanted to make it by herself. It had been days since she had made something and her hands were itching to coo
AshleyThe day started as ordinary as any other but she was more than sure it was going to end differently. Tonight she was going to attend Giselles' party with Daniel. To say she was nervous would be an understatement. Ashley had never attended high-profile parties before except for the one back at Springdales to celebrate Daniel's visit. She wasn't exactly a party animal. No, she was far from that. She loved living in solitude. In her own world. But that didn't mean she liked to be caged. Or dictated. There is a difference between choosing to live alone and being forced to live alone.Ashley forced herself apart from those memories of Michael. She had more pressing issues right now. For instance, what is she going to wear today? Ashley didn't have many clothes as all her belongings were tucked inside the cupboard back in her home in Springdale. Heck, she didn't even have her phone. Only a few casual tees and lowers that Daniel had bought for her.
The car came to a halt in front of a grand door. Two muscular guards were posted on either side of the door. Ashley had to crane her head to see the top of the lofty building. She realized they were in front of a hotel. The driver opened her door removing the glassy barrier between her and the outside world. She twisted her neck to her side and realized that Daniel had already alighted from the car. She gulped back her apprehensions and climbed out."Thank you," she uttered to the driver and walked towards Daniel who was standing just a few steps away from her. Daniel was typing something on his phone. They begin walking towards the entrance once she caught up with him. Her heart was threatening to jump out of her chest as they padded towards the entrance. Daniel looked indifferent. Maybe bored.The guards greeted them with a bow before drawing the door open for them. Ashley let Daniel take the lead but Daniel wanted her to walk beside him. This is why he would stop every
Daniel didn't stop glaring daggers at Leo even after he stepped back."Sorry pal, I didn't know she is taken.....by you" Leo raised both his hand in surrender. Ashley's whole face had turned red by now. Daniel still had his arms wrapped around her waist as if he had all the right in the world to do so. Ashley didn't know what to think. She waited for Daniel to correct Leo but the billionaire seemed to be too busy destructing Leo with his cold gaze. She tried to step away but Daniel's tight hold didn't allow her."Umm...we are not together," Ashley finally spoke up realizing Daniel was not going to clarify it. Her words surely had an effect on Daniel as his head turned towards her the moment she spoke the line. Ashley's heart skipped a beat when her eyes met with his. His cold orbs had softened as they landed on her but there was something in them that caused her heart to scrumple. It flickered and disappeared in a flash. And then his eyes hardened again. He slid his hand o