Sophia's POV.
I woke up to the pungent smell of hospital disinfectant invading my nostrils. The room was silent apart from my heavy breathing and the beeping sound you often hear in hospitals.
I opened my eyes and then quickly had to shut it. The bright light was like a laser gun shot at my brain.
Then, slowly, I opened my eyes, squinting in an attempt to sharpen the blurred images before me.
I glanced around, taking in the deserted gray and white color-schemed hospital bedroom.
Even in my sorry state, I couldn't help but grimace at such a dull color for a hospital bedroom.
How long have I been here? I shut my eyes trying to remember what happened exactly. Then it all hits me with a bang. The memory of it all started to occupy my thoughts.
I was hit by a car! The pain jolted throughout my body. I believe I heard a lady scream. In the thin line before giving in to unconsciousness, I noticed people starting to surround me.
And then, I heard a deep voice say “Hold on, you'll be fine”. Before giving in to the beckoning hands of darkness.
Who brought me here? Who hit me? While pondering this, my hand traveled to my face, I winced as I touched the throbbing area on my right temple.
I tried to get up but quickly realized what a bad idea that was. My body was engulfed in so much pain as if objecting to my decision to stand up.
I lay there pathetically waiting for the pain to ease up. Staring at the ceiling, illuminated by a white fluorescent light.
I still didn't know how I got here.
“Who brought me here? How long have I been here?”
My thoughts were interrupted as a devilishly handsome man with brown hair and mesmerizing blue eyes, dressed in a fancy suit like he wanted to be anywhere but here, emerged from the door of my room with a mobile phone close to his ear, talking.
Oblivious to the fact that he had fully conscious company. I couldn't help but eavesdrop.
“Stuck here like I'm some freaking babysitter. She won't wake up! What am I supposed to do? I can't just leave her here alone.”
Well, I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me that he was talking about me. I guess this answered my question about who brought me here.
Just then, he glanced in my direction. I must have made a sound even though I tried to stay as still as possible.
Quickly, he spoke into his phone, “I'll see you at the office”, then abruptly ended the call and tucked his phone into his pocket, turned towards my direction, and said.
“Do you have a death wish”?
“Excuse me”? I said with confusion written all over my face.
“I asked if you have a death wish,” he rudely repeated.
“Yes, I heard you the first time. Why would you ask that?”
“How else do you explain absentmindedly crossing the road without looking to check for any incoming vehicle? I could've killed you, you know,” he said while running his hand through his hair in frustration.
“Well, thank you for not killing me,” I replied sarcastically. “Now when do I get out of here?”
I wouldn't be caught dead admitting to my mistake, especially when this stranger was being so rude about it. My life was shitty enough already.
Just yesterday, I had a job, only to get to the office to realize that I was among the few people being let down by headquarters to save funds. It's no wonder I wasn't paying attention to the road. I just wanted to go home and cry.
Noticing the tears gathering in my eyes and mistaking them as a result of physical pain, his demeanor softened.
“I'll get the nurse to make sure you're alright. Meanwhile, I need to be in a very important meeting right now. Let me just go sort out your discharge papers.
The doctor assured me that you'll be just fine”. And like an afterthought, he added, “Please don't go about crossing roads absent-mindedly or your wish might just be granted”.
Just like that, he was out of the room.
How dare he?
Not even an apology?
Rude!
Moments later, the door opened and while I was expecting a nurse or some other hospital staff, I felt this tingling feeling in my belly at seeing this stranger again. I felt betrayed by my body because didn't we just settle on how rude he was? Arrgh!
Or maybe he's here to offer that apology after all. I thought in anticipation.
“Oh, and lest I forget, I'll have the nurse also bring your belongings. I'm sure you might want to make a few calls.”
He remained at the doorway like he wanted to say something then hesitated and just as abruptly as he came in, he was finally gone.
Well, there went my apology.
*****
Alex's POV.
Why couldn't I get her out of my head? Those dark brown eyes keep looking right at me even when I close my eyes.
With such pretty dark hair and a pale face.
I'm a CEO, goddammit! I have a company to run and not engage in such baseless thoughts, especially not after what Emily put me through.
If only I had allowed Josh to drive me to the office that morning, I’m sure as hell I wouldn't be in this dilemma.
Josh is a seasoned driver. I only called him to come to drive me from the hospital because I was too shaken and angry to drive.
My mind accommodated a lot of thoughts.
“Josh, sir?" He said, drawing my attention back to the present.
I looked up at him wondering why we had stopped.
“We're here,” he added.
With a confused look around, I quickly realized he was right. Hurriedly, I stepped down as I didn't want to be late for the meeting with the new investors.
This was a deal I had been working on for some months now and I wasn't about to let some pretty brown eyes screw with my head on the day I'm to present this proposal.
“Good afternoon, Mr Hayes, the investors are already in the conference room, and it seems they're about to round up the presentation sir,” Mary, my heavily pregnant secretary said to me immediately as I got to the elevator.
Seeing her reminded me of how much I needed to get a new secretary as Mary would soon be going on maternity leave.
“Thank you, Mary. That reminds me, have you put out the job offer for the new secretary on our website, so you can be relieved as soon as possible?”
“Yes, I have, sir. I'm still sorting through the numerous applications” she replied with a smile.
"Very well then, I'm sure Steve did a good job representing me on this one."
Steve Harrison had been his best friend since high school and is now his business partner. It was also Steve who called to know his whereabouts while he was in the hospital.
Proceeding into my office with Mary following closely behind, the only thing I could think of was “Would we get this deal”? or “Would my proposal be accepted”?