Bleeding Hearts

CHAPTER 9-I

Ashley’s POV

Mom’s trip to London went to waste. The new owner of our company who also happened to be my father’s best friend refused to acknowledge anything.

If only he knew.

There was no sane solution to this problem.

Except for one.

“Tell him the truth.” I looked at my mom solemnly. “There is no other option.”

“Ashley!” Mom warned as calmly as possible.

This was not the first discussion. We were going in circles with the same thing ever since they returned from London.

“I am saying this for the last time.” She stood up. “Don’t ever mention that night. Ever again. Do you hear me?” Her voice rose another notch. “That night–I almost lost you too. I will not go through anything like that again.”

“But,”

“Enough, Ashley. Just shut up.” she raised her hand to stop me from saying any more. “Never a word again, do you hear me?”

“Do you think it is that easy for me to just forget about it?” I stood up as well.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Have you any idea what this ‘never talk about that night’ has done to me? Do you know what it is still doing to me?” I yelled at her.

“Ash,” Fey put a hand on my shoulder but I shook her off.

“I was there,” my voice shook. “I was–I saw it all happen in front of my eyes and you want me to just forget about it like some bad dream.”

She looked at me with a pained expression.

“I can never forget about it,” I whispered hoarsely. “The screams of that night still echo in my ears.”

“Where are you going?” Fey yelled after me when I stormed out of the living room. “Ash!”

“Don’t come after me” I banged the door loudly on my way out.

Always the same. She never listens to me. Never listened to me back then.

If only she had.

I started running wildly.

I wanted to scream my lungs out.

All the anger, the pain, and the frustrations.

“Goddamn,” I yelled angrily.

I hiked up the trail toward the rugged mountain top.

I didn’t want to go back right now. I would end up fighting with mom and opening up old wounds.

It was almost seven in the evening and the weather was not in the least bit favourable. It could rain any minute or snow.

I could care less.

I walked towards the edge but not too close once I reached the top and looked over the town.

How small and unreachable!

My stretched arm fell by my side animatedly.

“I wasn’t expecting to meet you here out of all the places.”

I whirled around in shock.

There were ten men behind me and all in suits.

“Don’t be afraid.” One of them stepped forward. “We are not here to harm.”