Chapter 7: Awake

The first thing Ashley heard was a woman's voice. "...her pulse is much stronger than yesterday."

She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt as heavy as stone. A dull ache pounded relentlessly inside her skull, making every attempt feel impossible.

"She's finally stabilizing," the woman continued. "I'm more concerned about the pregnancy now. The amount of stress her body has endured isn't ideal."

A man's voice answered, deep enough to command attention without ever needing to rise. "How far along?"

"Approximately two to three weeks."

Ashley couldn't move, but she could almost feel the weight of that silence pressing against the room.

Then the man spoke again. "If I slept with her two weeks ago..."

The doctor sighed. "You're asking whether it's possible that you're the father?."

"Is it possible?." His voice was calm, yet every word carried an unmistakable authority.

"The timing is complicated," the doctor replied carefully. "Without further testing, I can't tell you who the father is."

"If there's even a chance the child is mine," the man said firmly, "I'll take responsibility."

Ashley frowned weakly. Her mind struggled to make sense of the conversation.

Who was he talking about?. Who was pregnant?

Ashley groaned and the room instantly fell silent.

"There," the doctor exclaimed. "She's waking up."

Ashley forced her eyes open.

Bright white lights stabbed into them, making her wince. Her vision swam before slowly settling into focus.

An elderly woman in a white coat hurried to her bedside, relief spreading across her wrinkled face.

"Easy now, dear," she said gently while checking Ashley's pulse. "Don't try to move too quickly."

Ashley blinked several times. The room looked unfamiliar but she saw The Creek Bar logo with her blurry eyes. 

"What..." Her voice came out cracked. "What happened?"

"You've been unconscious for two entire weeks," the elderly doctor answered.

Ashley stared at her. "Two weeks?"

The doctor nodded. "You suffered severe exhaustion, dehydration and a concussion. Your body simply shut down."

Two whole weeks. Her heart skipped as everything rushed back.

The engagement party. Anna and Travis. The betrayal.

The sports car chasing her. Her car crashing, swimming to safety, stumbling to Creek Bar to search for her trusted friend, Ryan. Ordering the strongest vodka. 

"My name is Dr. Brooks," the woman continued kindly. "Before anything else, I need to ask you something."

Ashley nodded faintly.

"Were you aware that you're pregnant?" The words landed like an explosion.

"What?"

Dr. Brooks repeated herself gently. "The tests confirmed it."

Ashley stared at her as though she'd spoken another language. "No..."

Her hands instinctively covered her stomach. "No, that's impossible."

Then reality struck.

Travis.

It had to be Travis. A fresh wave of anger surged through her chest.

After everything he'd done. After humiliating her in front of everyone. After sleeping with Anna.

Now this?

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "You're kidding me."

"I'm afraid I'm not."

Ashley shut her eyes tightly. The man standing across the room finally cleared his throat. 

Ashley turned toward him for the first time.

He was impossibly tall, well over six feet, with broad shoulders that filled the black shirt stretched across his muscular frame. His sharp jaw was shadowed with light stubble, and the scar cutting through one eyebrow only made him look more dangerous. Cold gray eyes watched her with unsettling composure, giving away nothing.

There was something strangely familiar about him.

She was certain she'd seen him before. She was certain she knew someone with a scar at that same place. 

Her pounding headache refused to let her remember who.

He said, "the child could be mine."

Ashley stared at him, then frowned. "What?"

"I said the baby could be mine."

Her confusion quickly gave way to outrage. She pushed herself upright despite the protest from every muscle in her body.

"Did you take advantage of me?"

His expression didn't change. "No."

"Then how exactly does a complete stranger end up thinking he got me pregnant?"

"You weren't unconscious. You seemed perfectly fine to me.” 

Her face hardened. "So you're saying I willingly slept with someone I've never met?"

His face twitched a little at her words. "You came to me first."

"I don't even know who you are. There's no way I would have done that."

"You didn't seem concerned that night."

Ashley glared at him. "You expect me to believe that?"

"I don't care whether you believe it. It happened." His calmness only fueled her anger.

"You think you can just walk in and casually announce you might be the father of my baby?"

He stated, "I'm stating a possibility."

"A ridiculous possibility. I didn't mean to sleep with you."

"It happened." He folded his arms in front of her. 

"You could be lying."

"I don't lie. You embraced me first." He said stubbornly. 

"I don't remember embracing anyone."

"You even kissed me first."

Her face flushed slightly, "I don't remember that either."

"Well I remember that you refused to let go."

Ashley felt heat rush into her face. "Stop making things up. Shut up okay. This baby can't be yours."

"I'm not. Just calm down.”

"I'm perfectly calm," Ashley snapped.

"You don't sound calm," the man replied.

She shot him a murderous glare.

"You know what? I wake up after being unconscious for two weeks, I'm told I'm pregnant, and then some giant psychopath starts claiming he might be the father. Forgive me if I'm not handling this well."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm neither a psychopath nor a liar."

"Then who are you?"

He remained silent.

Ashley folded her arms despite the ache in her shoulders. "Seriously."

Her patience finally snapped. "Who the heck are you?"

Before he could answer, the hospital room door burst open.

A man in a three piece suit hurried inside, stopping in shock the moment he noticed Ashley was awake.

He covered his shock and turned his attention back to the intimidating man. 

"Hunter," he said. "We've found the employee who poisoned you and she's going to confess about who sent her."

Ashley froze. Hunter?. The name echoed through her mind.

She only knew one Hunter. Hunter Western.

Her eyes widened as memories finally crashed back into place. The vodka burning her throat, a hand taking the bottle from her grip, the argument, strong arms catching her before she fell, warm body, warm lips, dark eyes.

Everything blurred together until another wave of pain crashed through her head.

The man standing before her wasn't a stranger at all.

He was Hunter Western. Not just the man she slept with on her engagement night but her childhood lover who had disappeared years ago. 

And he was claiming her unborn child might be his.