Maria swallowed, her mind still reeling from the unexpected event, and tried to return focus to the conversation. She cleared her throat and spoke again, this time more confidently. "I can't leave yet," She asserted with a deep breath. "I promised myself, my boss, and your mother that I will do my best in making you feel better. You have to stop taking me as an enemy but as a friend. I am here to help you, Mr. Stan--"
"And who said I need any fucking help from white robe people like you?" He sliced in once again, anger creeping into every part of his voice and it was evident he was holding himself back from yelling at her.
Her mouth hung open in surprise. Her eyes lowered to the table, and she could see his fists clenching tight and his knuckles turning white. His whole body was tensed and his lips were pursed together, forming a thin line as if he was fighting to keep his emotions in check. "You don't want to be helped?" She questioned, her voice trembling as she struggled to hold back tears of frustration. "I--" She was at a loss for words and he was not interested in giving her a chance to speak.
"Save every damn thing and just get lost, woman!" He snapped, and the hostility oozing out of him made her take a step backward. He was losing it, she could sense it, and was already passing aggression on the papers getting squeezed between his fingers.
She bit her lip and shook her head slowly, her eyes glued to his clenched fist. "I know you are mad but please try to calm down and give me a chance--" She stopped talking when the man jumped from his seat and threw the squashed papers across the room with such force, they bounced off the walls and scattered around the floor.
"How dare you come here and tell me how to live my life?" He demanded, his voice reverberating throughout the room. "What gives you the right to meddle in my affairs? What makes you think you can just waltz in and decide I need help? Do I look sick to you?" He snarled, gesturing each word with his finger. "Do I seem like someone who needs your assistance? Am I suffering from some kind of illness that is affecting my brain?" He continued, his tone becoming increasingly heated. "I only want to be alone, why does every fucking person around me take that as an abnormality--?"
"That's exactly the problem, Mr. Stanley," she cut in softly, her eyes shuddering with concern. "You don't want to be helped because you think there is nothing wrong with you. I understand that, Mr. Stanley. I have seen patients like you and--"
"I am not a fucking patient, woman!" He roared over her imploring words, his voice finally thundering with unleashed emotions. "I am perfectly alright, so enough of the bullshit and get lost!"
His outburst left Maria speechless, her brows furrowing in confusion as she stared at him in disbelief. "But--" She tried to say something despite the stupor he had caused her, but Jayden interrupted with a loud banging sound against the coffee table.
"Shut up and get lost." He ordered, slamming once again on the glass furniture without minding its delicacy.
Maria stared at him, dumbfounded. How did things go so wrong in a matter of seconds? She felt like she was in some sort of a movie, where everything was happening too fast and there was nothing she could do to control it. Her main fear was the harm he might cause himself if he kept on raging like this. "Your migraine can get easily triggered by stress like--" She tried to make him reason but he was beyond caring for himself.
"It's none of your damn business, white robe!"
"Just calm down..." She breathlessly uttered, clasping her palms together.
"Stop standing there and just leave! Is that too difficult for you to understand? Are you that stupid?" He questioned, his raucous banging occupying the atmosphere and the table was beginning to crack beneath his fist.
"Mr--"
Jayden dropped two consecutive bangs, cutting her words once again. He wanted her out and did not need any medical care but only his peace. The doctor had come to him after all and if she was going to insist on interrupting his privacy, then he would be equally insistent about wanting her off the premises.
The doctor frowned her lips, visibly frustrated at his refusal to accept her help. That was all too much. No one had ever made her feel that worthless and it was just her first day of personal service. Now she could see why an extra salary was added as a bonus offer.
The agitated man stepped forward, one hand clenched tightly by his side and the other flung towards the metallic exit. "Get out," he repeated, his voice lowered to a menacing growl. If his family wanted to treat him like a child by inviting people into his room to tend and do some other bullshit, he was ready to behave like one.
She took another step back, watching him closely as she held her breath. His temper was growing more intense by the second and she wondered what she had done to deserve such scorn from him. She was only trying to help, and now she was being treated like a piece of trash. He wanted her to leave but she had her job to do. It felt disheartening and difficult when her patient did not want her around.
"I'm sorry," Maria uttered in a small voice, "I thought you would be pleased that I am taking an interest."
"You have no reason to be here," he snapped almost immediately, his brown orbs darkening at the hurt in her eyes.
She stood still, needing space to think. The room seemed too close now, and her heart felt like it was breaking. Watching him explode with fury slowly made her heart pump with growing annoyance. She was human too and there was a limit to some attitudes she could take from patients.
"If you want me out of this room, then I will go," Maria pronounced, carefully hiding her irritation from her tone.
He stopped his profuse bangs and straightened to face her with a =n expression dominated by indifference. "Yes, go away and never return."
Maria was not bluffing and had already given up on his case. They could find him another doctor. However, she did not think he would change no matter how many times they tried to convince him. He was a lost cause and too stubborn, for his own good.
She thought about leaving the room without saying anything else but instead decided to do so after she made one last comment. "I'm sorry for wasting your time." Her voice was soft as she spoke.
Her frame revolted and marched toward the already opened doors. She paused before exiting, noticing his panting had grown more erratic, louder, and... painfully? It sounded abnormal. The sound was strange and frightening, making her wonder if he was suffering from some kind of attack.
Maria whirled around without hesitation and directed her gaze at him. Her eyes protruded at the second sight of him. He was in a different condition within seconds. His body was trembling and he was grabbing his head as if the pain was erupting through it. He had his eyelids slammed shut while he dug his fingers around the crown of his skull.
The doctor was startled by the sudden transformation, fearing for his state. She was frozen at the scene before her for several seconds until the staggering of the man revived her senses, and she rushed like a hurricane to his side, forgetting every damn thing about quitting.
***
His mind was hazy and his vision blurred. The world around him was spinning and he could not focus on anything. A headache was forming behind his temples and his whole body was throbbing. Jayden knew something was wrong yet he wanted to ignore the sensations. He needed to concentrate on getting rid of the doctor and not create reasons for her to stay. But he knew it was too late when the lady by the door turned her attention toward him. He averted his eyes quickly, hiding the agony he felt inside. He could not afford to show weakness or vulnerability to anyone. Not even to her. His frame managed to move with a few steps, targeting the sofa for a seat but failed when the dizziness became unbearable. The next moment, he found himself collapsing onto the floor, unable to support his weight. "Mr. Stanley!" The loud cry of the doctor was what he heard next, followed by her footsteps running toward his side. Her figure was quick to find his on the floor as she squatted right
"I am not hungry," He stated flatly, his voice low and cold. His eyes remained fixed on the container, refusing to look at her.For several seconds, all she could do was stare at him in bewilderment. Her pride was hurt, no one had ever made her feel so insignificant before. Right, she agreed they belonged to a different caliber but he didn't have to spell it out to her face.But she was not ready to let him win this battle. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you. But you're going to eat." She declared, her voice firm.Jayden rolled his face away, his shoulders stiffening. "Get lost." He grumbled, his tone harsh and uncompromising.Her chest rose heavily as she contained all her exasperation into a deep sigh. She remembered her earlier conversation with his mother, realizing how completely wrong when she thought Jayden could never be any worse than the most difficult patient she ever encountered. He was not only worse, he was beyond terrible and unbearable. However, her promise t
The morning was bright and clear, the air crisp. The sun shone brightly on the white marble of the building grounds as it rose into the sky and a fresh breeze was blowing through the trees that lined the gardens.The next day had come so soon and she was back at the Stanleys' home as though the other night only happened in a blink of an eye.The chirping sounds of the birds had welcomed her like the day before. She looked around once Eric had driven away to park the car in a proper spot. The compound looked less lonesome than the day before. A small group of servants was busy doing their jobs, tending to the grounds. She wondered if she was supposed to walk up to one of them for directions or simply pretend to find it on her own with hopes one would notice her and offer to help.Fortunately, a woman in a similar checked uniform walked in front of her before she decided to stick to the latter."Good morning." She greeted her. "You must be the doctor."Maria nodded, pushing so
"Mr. Stanley?" She cried for attention for the millionth time. The word torment was an understatement for her situation. Her job had never been this difficult and exasperating in her entire life. It was all thanks to Mr. Grumpy Stanley sitting opposite her and adamantly refusing to open up to his doctor like a two-year-old who was forced by his mother to visit the dentist, and that doctor was almost getting to the point of losing her sanity. Her patient looked so much like someone who would not be able to resist seeing how far he could push her before she exploded into a fit of anger and tears. And to make things worse, there was always the chance that he'd go on a rampage if she pushed him too far, so she was being careful to not make him angry as he already was.Maria rubbed her forehead, her azure eyes dropping to her jotter to find a different question that would stimulate his interest. "Can you tell me your sleeping patterns and how will you rate your quality of sleep?"
The doctor had forced herself not to stare at him and instead concentrate on her job. "Thank you." She cleared her throat. "Now, I'm going to listen to your heartbeat."Jayden shifted his eyes away from her wordlessly, staring at the ceiling and rubbing his temples.Her fingers touched the metal of the stethoscope, feeling its coldness against her skin. She inserted the earplugs, listening carefully to his heartbeat, silence filling the room. After a couple of minutes, she withdrew the object from his chest and dropped it back onto the table."Perfect, nothing alarming." She noted more to herself, retrieving another medical device. "I also need to check your blood pressure. Please roll up your sleeves," she added, turning to face him, her voice monotonous with professionalism.Jayden kept his gaze on the ceiling, without showing signs of attentiveness, and the doctor took it as her cue to do whatever she wanted. She reached for his arm, her hand lingering, holding the materi
Running across the Stanleys' estate was something she never knew would happen in her life and being chased by a patient was more incredulous. But those two absurdities merging was the worst and craziest thing that could ever happen and unfortunately, it seemed that those impossible circumstances had decided to take a toll on her on that very day.There she was, on her second day as a personal day, running for her life (yes literally) and away from an angered patient trailing after her across the vast place.Maria had been running blindly, not knowing where to seek safety, the moment she had rushed out from the relaxation spot following the tragicomedy of ruining his hoodie by pouring bloody beer all over him. Her lungs were burning with intense pain, her heart pounding against her ribs as she flee past every servant watching the appalling scene.The garden was wide, giving her an excessive space to traverse through, hoping to find a space of refuge, but her path seemed to be
Jayden walked into his room and wasted some seconds by the entrance, wondering the right spot on the floor to dump the lady in his arms. There was no way he would let another human on his untouchable bed. He traveled his gaze to the floor and the coldness beneath his feet pleaded with him to be more merciful. His eyes darted to the couch before moving towards it. He placed the doctor on the cushioned seat, in a way her shoes were on the floor, and tossed her medicine to her side. Nodding her head with gratitude, her jittery hands reached for the inhaler and pressed it into her mouth. The moment she inhaled the medication, her body and mind relaxed. Her fingers combed her loose ponytail, pushing some strands away from her face in a bid to calm her nerves. The clattering sound of the repeated clashing of the canister and the plastic casing erupted between them for several minutes as her lungs slowly regained their normal functioning. Jayden stood, watching her frantic mov
Light beamed into her eyes, coming from the open curtains and she slowly woke up. The sun's rays warmed her skin and she stretched her limbs, feeling fresh. Her head rolled against the pillow with the rest of her body consumed by a heavy blanket.She had begun to wonder what grandmother could be doing in the house when her senses realized her surroundings did not look anything like her room, not to talk of her apartment.Her back immediately jerked from the mattress and her vision surveyed the room with a protruding gape. She had only been there a couple of times but the room was still very much ingrained in her memory. It looked familiar; the wallpapers, the aquarium, the toy figures...It took her a few seconds before she grasped the situation and realized she was in the extraordinary room of Jayden's.Maria immediately shot up at that realization, kneeling on the bed with her wide eyes roaming across the large place. She sounded with a gasp and her gaze fell back on the c
"Jayden!" Delia called out vociferously, stomping her heels irritatedly as she stepped closer to her son. Jayden turned a little, and lowered his gaze at his mum. She looked enraged and whatever reason causing the almost visible fumes soaring above her head was something he didn't care about. "What just happened between you and the doctor?" His mother questioned, pointing a fake nail towards the direction the mentioned person had passed. His brows moved up a little as he figured his mother was among the onlookers Maria was referring to. "What is what?" He questioned, his brows lowering back to position against flat eyes. "You two...t-two just kissed!" "Let me be." He stated dismissively and turned to walk away. Apparently, he wasn't in the right mood to talk to anyone, especially topics that included his pathetic rejection. "I'm talking to you Jayden!" Delia berated, yet her unconcerned son ignored her. "Are you having an affair with your doctor?!" She quizzed, her words
Her red sneakers led her into the building and halted her quick strides before him. "Good morning, Mr Stanley." She greeted, finding his standing figure with her eyes. Turning quickly, he looked up to see the woman who have been occupying his mind lately. His eyes ran over her, realising how much he had missed her even though she was only away for a day. "Good morning." Maria repeated, halting his wandering stares. He twisted his lips slightly to a displeased sneer, noticing that she was yet to drop her unfriendly vibes. "How was your night?" She questioned, stepping closer to his chair. "Terrible." She fluttered her lashes at him, clearly showing how surprised she was to get a honest reply from him. He was always very secretive about his migraine attacks. "Terrible?" She returned his words with lowered brows. "Yeah.""Was it an attack? Please tell me every detail about it." Her notebook and pen was out already and her blue eyes gazed at him attentively. "Yeah.""How many min
Jayden laughed bitterly, staring at his half-naked reflection in the mirror. He bent against the sink and took some of the running water, splashing the cold droplets against his face. He repeated his action, meeting his face with harsh water. It seemed more like he was punishing himself. Slapping his face continuously without giving himself a moment to breathe. The more he thought about how Maria had been treating him lately, the more miserable anger dominated his entire self. "Arrrg!!" He exploded and slammed his two fists against the sink so hard his phalanges almost crushed into pieces. Sadness forming as boiling fury was spiking through his veins. He planted his wet palms on the mirror and focused his gaze on himself. "Why?" He queried with his brows lifting higher. "What exactly doesn't she like about us?" he added and laughed again, realising that a girl was turning him into a professional soliloquist. She had infact changed him into something else. He was almost losing his s
Ted glanced at the lady sitting beside him and her bottled up attitude happened to perturb him. "Hey," he called out softly and she met him with dull eyes. "What's wrong? I know something is." It was obvious. "Nothing much." Maria shrugged, taking her eyes back to TV which she wasn't even paying attention to. "Mood swings, I guess.""Mood swings?" He repeated and then she nodded curtly. "Are you on your period? You have some pain?" He loaded her with several questions immediately and shifted closer to her. "Uh?""It's not that, Ted. And stop talking about my period so freely like that." She responded in a low tone, and she sounded like someone surviving on her last energy. "C'mon, man. Then tell me what's wrong. We have been watching TV for good two hours and in silence. It's so unlike you. And what's with the gloomy face all about?""Do I have to smile all the time, Ted?" She rubbed her eyes and returned an indifferent gaze at her favourite TV show."I do not mean that but still...
The double doors opened and Jayden's face lit up to see the lady walking into his room, in spite of the fact of causing him a sleepless night. The smile he was about giving out immediately went back into hiding when he noticed the odd vibe bounding out of her. A serious expression distorted her face with her usual smiling lips falling into a straight smile. Her face held no glint of humor And she seemed she had come to work for business and business alone. "Good morning, Mr. Stanley." Even her tone was thick with a professional accent. He wanted to reply to a morning greeting for the first time but she was too quick to say something else."I'm afraid I won't be spending much time with you today sir. I have an appointment with my boss later in the day. We will do a quick check up and then I will be out of your hair."Jayden stared at her as she walked closer to where he sat in the mini living room. What's with the formality? Weren't they passed that already? Apart from that, everyth
"Don't cry.... Don't cry," She muttered to herself and fell on the couch with a thud. Crying because of a man would definitely be the last rule she would break. After-all, she had broken every laid down principles she made for herself, and crying because of a man would render her defeated. The more she thought about how cheap she had become, exposing herself, acting like a slut and playing hickey-dory with a rich guy, the more anger took over her soul. She was angry with nobody but herself. She had destroyed whatever she stood for; professionally, ethically, you name it. Why had she of all females acted like one with no dignity. What could have gotten into her? It could have been any other guy. It could have been some guy who wasn't her patient or someone who wasn't engaged to another female. She would never be Ashley even though the universe flip ten times over. She broke her last rule eventually, her cheeks flooded with streamy hot tears as she cried because of a man. Each year d
He peeled his chocolate eyes from the monitor and directed them at the blonde lady whose attention was deeply fixated on a large potrait in his office "You have a crush on my dad?" His asked, folding his arms with his lips crooked a little. His question was supposed to tease her but her body language happened to be too serious to stomach some jokes. "Your dad??" She asked, glaring at him with crushed brows. He simply nodded, finding her reaction odd. That dazed expression was the usual kind of look he got whenever people realised he was Jayden Stanley or that his father was Helbert Stanley. But she was Maria, his personal doctor to be precise, who already knew who he was already. "What's with that look?" He asked, switching on his second laptop to work on something Daniel informed him about. "Didn't you know that?" He added, chuckling a little bit. Maria returned her eyes, staring at the stern looking man in the picture. "Well... I didn't know this was your dad. I mean I have hear
The dining room seemed too exquisite for a home. But it was okay and unchallengeable. It was the home the Stanleys and situations of such were considered normal. It was her first time coming to that particular part of the vast mansion and it was all thanks to Mr Grumpy who surprisingly decided not having breakfast in the room he usually locked himself in. A maid rushed in, approaching the both of them with a concerned look. "Good morning sir." She immediately voiced after throwing her head down into a bow. "You dismissed the meal brought to you sir. Is there something you didn't like about the meal or would you like us to prepare another kind of dish?" The woman furthered, and slowly looked up at Jayden for a reply. "No," was the prompt reply from her superior."Si-Sir?"Jayden looked away, walking past her with his steps targeted at the dining table. "He could have just said he was having his breakfast differently," Maria muttered, shaking her head at his retreating figure and won
"And then he said he likes me? With an emotionless tone and dead pan looking face? Who confesses to a lady like that?!""And what did you actually do?""What do you think I might have done? Picking up my cellphone to make a fake call and hold the call throughout the drive home just to avoid the awkward conversation? Yes. That was what I did.""So let me make a summary of what you just told me.""Okay?" "You both relationship is becoming weirder of late. You guys also kissed but you don't know what it means to him, although you think it's a drunken mistake. And now he told you he likes you but his confession lacked the required emotions needed to buy his words. And besides all that, before all that happened, he already attempted flirting with you numerous times including kissing you during a time you both pretended to be lovers.""Yes, yes, yes. O boy, you are so attentive.""And now you are completely confused if he is messing around with you again.... Or maybe not."She nodded again