The CEO and The Doctor

10. "Everyone's dead."

It was Monday again, and I was surprised to see the new duty roster. I was expecting to see another draining week for me where I would stay at the hospital the entire week; instead I only had two night shifts that week. On Tuesday and Wednesday.

I would have felt relieved, but ever since I had received those flowers with that note on Saturday, an unsettling feeling had been constantly bubbling in the pit of my stomach. I barely made it through the weekend. One light breeze, one slight sound, and I would freak out.

My life had already become so stressful and chaotic, a creepy and anonymous note was the last thing I needed. And hence, I was genuinely considering moving to the hospital. At least I would feel safe.

As night fell, the hospital fell quiet. The patient flow during the day was less as it is that day. Most of my colleagues went home, but I sat in the doctor's room all alone, afraid to go home.

As I sat there contemplating on going home, I heard someone approach me.

My gaze travelled upwards to see who it was.

"Mr. Knight?" I asked, my brows dipping.

"Why are you still here?" He questioned.

I pressed my lips together, shrugging my shoulders as I looked ahead at the wall.

"Go home." His tone was a commanding one. I instantly shook my head.

"Do you not have a ride?" He asked.

"I'll call an Uber." I replied softly, resting my back on the couch I was sitting on.

"Come. I'll drop you home." He offered.

I looked at him, surprised at his offer. He surely had bipolar disorder. From being an absolute asshole to me and threatening to murder me, to offering to take me home.

"I don't want to go home." I mumbled.

"Why not? Did spending last week here make you fall in love with the hospital?" He asked, his tone holding sarcasm.

I sighed, meeting his impassive gaze again. "I'm scared to go home."

He raised an eyebrow, before scoffing. "Is your house haunted by ghosts?"

I pressed myself further into the couch. "I think living people are scarier than the dead."

Something changed in his expressions, but before I could put a name to it, it was gone.

"Dr. Aysel, all of your colleagues have gone home. There's no need for you to be staying back today. Come. I'll take you home." He repeated.

"I don't feel safe with you." I deadpanned.

He rolled his eyes. "Dr. Aysel Clark, I could kill you in a roomful of people and make it out with zero consequences."

A chill ran down my spine, and I found myself glaring at him. "Thank you. Just what I needed to hear."

He rolled his eyes again. "Come on. Lucky for you, I'm not in the mood to murder tonight."

"Yay." I replied sarcastically, lifting myself off the couch.

He shot me a glare, before turning his back to me. I followed him as he walked out of the hospital and to his car. He made his way straight to the driver's seat, not bothering to open the door for me. It was stupid of me to expect he would.

I pulled the door open and climbed into his Audi. I put my seatbelt on as he began driving. I told him my address to which he didn't bother giving a response.

The drive was uncomfortably silent. I couldn't help but stare at his big, veiny hands on the steering wheel as he drove. I knew it was inappropriate and wrong, yet I couldn't stop.

"Are you done staring at my hands?" He broke the ice.

I stilled, feeling caught. "I... I'm not—"

"Don't lie, little one. It's okay. I know my hands are hot. You can look all you want." He replied arrogantly, his eyes not leaving the road once, yet I felt as if he had an extra pair of eyes staring me down.

Little one. It had been a while since he called me that.

I peeled my gaze off his hands and forced myself to look out of the window. "Take a left turn from here." I instructed, and he did.

"I really wanted to go to that conference." I whispered randomly.

"Did you?" He uttered uncaringly.

I turned my attention to him again, glaring at his temple. "Yes! I had been dreaming of it since medical school."

"It was just a conference." He scoffed.

I narrowed my eyes. "To you, it was. To me, it was a dream. A huge opportunity that you snatched from me just to satisfy your stupid ego."

"You're still hung up over it?" He taunted.

"Why would you do that to me?" I complained. "Increasing my workload and shifts is one thing, but shattering my dreams, taking the little things away from me that mean the world to me, is where you really need to draw the line."

"I didn't know that conference meant that much to you. Explains why you broke my MacBook." He said casually.

"Well it did," I said. "I would have preferred to break your head instead, honestly."

He snickered. "By all means, try."

I took a deep breath. "Why do you do this to me? You said I did the second worst thing someone has ever done to you. What does that even mean? What did I do? And what's the first?"

I watched his grip on the steering wheel tighten, his knuckles growing white. His previously relaxed face was now strained, his jaw tense. "Stop talking."

"It's just not fair. Stop treating me like this." I argued.

"I told you to stop talking." He raised his voice.

"You should see a therapist for your anger issues."

He stopped the car, parking it to the side, before peeling his seatbelt off and turning his body toward me. "You—" he stopped abruptly as he looked behind me. I knitted my eyebrows together, confused. "You live here?" He asked, frowning.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I'm not rich like you. I can't afford a mansion."

"You can't even afford windows?" He questioned.

"What?" I asked, confused. I turned my head to look at my apartment, and a gasp left my lips as I did.

The windows at the front were broken.

My mouth hung open, fear consuming me. "Oh my god..." I covered my mouth. "Someone broke in."

"Give me your keys." He said.

"What?"

"Give me your keys." He asserted with more emphasis.

I took the keys out of my purse and handed them to him, dazed.

"Stay here. I'll go take a look." He spoke, turning to get out of the car.

I gasped, grabbing his big hand. "What? No! It could be dangerous!"

He rolled his eyes, scoffing. "More dangerous than me?"

I bit my lip, shaking with fear. "Stay here," he repeated in a commanding tone. "And don't move." Then he got out of the car, locking it as he stalked up the front steps of my apartment. I watched him unlock the front door and step in, before he disappeared from my line of view.

I sat consumed with fear, hugging myself. First those flowers and that note, now this? What was happening with me and why? Why would someone break into my apartment?

My anxiety grew worse as each minute passed and Mr. Knight still did not return. I was terrified, contemplating on going inside. What if the intruder was still in there? What if Mr. Knight was hurt? I should not have been worrying so much about him, but I could not help it.

A breath of relief left my lips when he emerged from the front door of my apartment, walking towards his car. I sat up straight as he climbed into the driver's seat, waiting for him to tell me what happened.

"I looked around your place. There was no one there." He told me.

I pressed my lips together. "I don't know why someone would break into my apartment." I said softly.

"I would say to steal, but it doesn't look like anything has been stolen." He replied.

"I don't have anything worth stealing in there anyway." I mumbled, rubbing my forehead. The note came to my mind.

I jumped a little when Mr. Knight started his car, reversing it out of my street. "Where are you taking me?"

"To my place." He responded.

"What?!" I exclaimed in surprise. "No way! Take me back to the hospital."

He ignored me, continuing to drive.

"Mr. Knight! I'm not coming to your place with you." I said loudly.

"You don't have a choice." He replied calmly.

"Please just take me to the hospital. I'll sleep in the doctor's room."

He sighed frustratedly. "Aysel, just be quiet for God's sake."

I bit my tongue to keep myself from arguing. He clearly was not going to listen to me. So I looked out of the window as he drove, while wondering who was after me.

Thirty minutes later, he pulled into a driveway and parked in front of an opulent penthouse. My eyes were dazzled as I admired the modern piece of architecture, and didn't notice him walking around the car to open my door for me.

I was surprised at his gesture.

"Are you going to sit in there all night?" He asked annoyedly.

I stepped out immediately, and he pushed the door closed, before walking ahead of me to the front door. I followed him reluctantly as he pushed the door open. Gaping in awe, I took in the interior. His penthouse was gorgeous. How I wished I could afford a place like that one day.

"Like it?" He asked.

"Yeah," I replied softly, looking around before settling my eyes on his tall frame. "Does your family live here with you? This place is too huge for you to be living here alone."

I saw him stiffen, his eyes darkening and his jaw clenching. "I live here alone." He said through gritted teeth.

"Oh." I uttered, confused at the stark change in his behaviour.

"Follow me." He commanded, heading to the spiral staircase, and I climbed the stairs behind him.

We stepped into a corridor where he stopped in front of a room.

"You can stay here," He said, pushing it open and entering it, turning the lights on.

I stepped in as well and admired the room.

It was spacious and the prettiest bedroom I had ever seen.

"The bathroom's right there." He pointed to a door in the corner.

"Okay... thank you." I said timidly.

"The room right opposite to this is mine. Let me know if you need anything." He said.

"Okay."

"Do you want something to eat?" He asked. I shook my head. "Are you sure? My cook can make you anything." Of course he has a cook.

"No, I'm not hungry." I replied softly.

"Fine then. Good night." He said abruptly, turning to the door.

"Wait!" I called, making him halt and turn back around. "I don't have any of my stuff. I don't even have clothes to sleep in."

He sighed. "Wait." Saying that, he left the room and returned a few minutes later with a t-shirt in his hands, stretching it out towards me.

I hesitantly took it from him. "Is this yours?" I found myself stupidly blushing.

"Do you expect me to have a female wardrobe here?" He asked sarcastically.

I pressed my lips together.

"Do you need anything else?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Okay. Good night." He said, leaving in an instant.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

After locking the door, I proceeded to the bathroom to freshen up and change into his t-shirt.

I felt a strange sensation as I slipped it on.

I could not believe that I was wearing the Aiden Knight's shirt.

It was too big on me. One of the sleeves kept slipping down my shoulder, and its length went past my mid-thighs.

I slipped into the comfortable bed, pulling the covers on me, pushing all thoughts of whoever had broken into my house to the back of my head, and forcing myself to fall asleep.

And after a great struggle, I finally succumbed to slumber.

———

I woke up around 1:00 am, with an urge to pee. Groaning, I pushed the covers off of my body and walked to the bathroom in the room. Before I sat on the toilet seat, I checked the water. It was something I always did.

There was no water supply.

I didn't know rich people had these problems too.

I groaned, walking back to the room and pacing around, thinking of what to do. My bladder urged me to empty it.

Sighing, I decided to head to Mr. Knight's room. Reluctantly, I knocked at his door and waited for a response. Not receiving one, I knocked again, louder. Still no response. I knocked a third time, but he still didn't answer.

I found myself twisting the door handle, and discovered that it was unlocked. I slowly pushed the door open, peeking my head inside. I couldn't see anything. Not even his bed. I pushed the door open more to allow myself to enter. I took small steps ahead before his bed came into view.

He lay on it, his eyes closed, but his body shifting in his sleep and his lips moving. I watched him curiously, taking cautious steps towards his sleeping body. When I finally stood by his side, I realised he was mumbling things in his sleep. It looked like he was having a bad dream.

"M-Mr. Knight?" I uttered softly, watching him frown and move in his sleep.

"No, no," he mumbled in his sleep. "Don't... stop it.... No... please.... I'm begging you... don't!" His voice grew louder and more desperate. "Let me go! NO! No! Let go!"

My eyes widened as he violently shook, his arms clutching the covers tightly. I grabbed his shoulder and shook him in an attempt to wake him up. But it didn't work. He kept muttering incoherent words and shaking.

"Mr. Knight, wake up," I urged, shaking him again. "Mr. Knight... Aiden!" I exclaimed, causing him to suddenly sit up. He sat taking sharp, uneven gasps for breaths.

"Mr. Knight?" I asked softly, genuinely concerned for him.

He turned to gaze at me, a strange look on his face. "They're coming." He whispered.

I knitted my eyebrows together. "Who's coming?"

He held his head in his hands, still breathing unevenly. "Everyone's dead." He uttered.

I gaped at him, confused and scared, not knowing what to say or do.

I put a hand on his shoulder. "I think... you had a bad dream..."

He shook his head. "It wasn't a dream."

I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. "You should try sleeping again."

He shook his head violently, lifting it to look at me again.

I couldn't help but move the hair out of his forehead.

"I can't sleep. I'll see it again." He looked frightened and distraught, and seeing him like that was honestly scaring me as well.

What could possibly scare that guy to such an extent?

I was starting to worry that he was possessed by evil spirits.

"Um no, you won't... lay down." I insisted, giving his shoulder a small squeeze.

His scared eyes pierced through mine. "Will you stay here?" It sounded like a plea.

"In your room?" I stiffened at the surprise his request brought.

"Yes."

"I don't think that would be appropriate." I said, biting my lip nervously.

"Please," I was shocked to hear him say that. "I don't want to be alone. It makes me want to kill myself."

My eyes were wide as saucers when he said that. "Don't say that!"

"You said you wished I had died that night." He said softly, holding his head again.

"I..." my heart ached. I had regretted my words the second I spoke them. I hated him, but not to the extent of wishing death upon him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

"I didn't mean to be brought to the hospital either. I didn't mean to be saved." He said, groaning at the end.

I gawked at him. I could not decipher a single thing he was saying. "What do you mean?"

He went quiet for a few minutes, before he lifted his head once again. "Why are you here?"

It took me a minute to realise why I had come to his bedroom. "Yeah, um, there's no water in my bathroom. Can I use yours? I really have to pee."

He nodded, pointing to the bathroom without saying anything.

I went to the bathroom, finished my business and returned to his bedroom where he sat exactly where I had left him.

"Um... do you still want me to stay?" I asked softly.

"Yes please." The vulnerability in his voice tugged at my heart. He said please.

"Okay... I'll sleep on the couch then." I said, awkwardly fiddling with my hands.

He shook his head, pulling the covers off of his body. It was then I noticed that he was shirtless. I instantly averted my gaze.

"I'll sleep on the couch. You can sleep on the bed." He said.

"No, it's okay. I can sleep on the couch." I insisted, but he had already walked to the couch and laid on it.

I bit my lip, staring at him for a minute before reluctantly getting into his warm bed and pulling the covers on me.

As I tried falling asleep, I couldn't help but wonder. What was he dreaming about? What had him so scared and vulnerable? The man I witnessed that night was nothing like the one I had been encountering since when he first came to the hospital.

And it had me curious. Was Aiden Knight really how he showed himself to be?