ASHLEY… "No more shedding of tears, I'm aware your heart is so big that you can accommodate everyone, including the one that hurt you deeply" Rachel said, consoling me. "I tried to run away from my horrible childhood but at the end of the day, the man lying unconscious is still my dad, his blood runs through my veins" I sobbed uncontrollably "So what have you decided on? I promise I'll support every decision of yours" Racheal stated, dragging a stool beside me and she gestured for me to sit down. "I'll let him stay here till he recovers and I'll also take care of him but once he's able to stand up on his own feet I'll just send him away" "It must be a tough decision right? but hopefully with time I believe your decision will change" Rachel voiced out, placing a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it lightly as I glanced up at her and faked a smile. "He needs a room to stay in so I'll just tidy up the storeroom and change it into a comfortable bedroom before he regains consciousness"

ASHLEY… I would admit seeing Dante made me feel elated, I just had to push more buttons so he could finally confess his feelings for me. I checked on dad but he had gone back to sleep then I saw a paper on the table in the living room. I grabbed it and opened it to read it's contents, it was a message from Racheal stating she stepped out but would be back before night fall. I squeezed the paper and threw it into the wastebin then I arranged the groceries properly into the kitchen. Placing dad's medications on the table, my hands went to my neck as I stretched my body due to the tiredness I felt but then I was left utterly stunned. I couldn't feel the pendant on my neck anymore, I refused to believe I had been so careless to lose it as I scoffed in disbelief. I quickly scurried towards the mirror and unfortunately the pendant wasn't on my neck anymore. "Damn it!" I swore, plopping myself onto the sofa with my knees raised to my chest and my hands covering my face. I didn't und

ASHLEY… I heared a loud noise outside and I quickly scurried to unlock the door, peeping through to see if anyone was standing outside but no one was there. I guessed it was my imagination, I had just finished preparing a meal for my dad as he ate it all up and with that he took his medicines and not too long he drifted off into unconsciousness. I slammed the door shut, gasping for breath and leaning against the door. I was tired from the activities and I knew I needed rest for sometime before Racheal comes back otherwise I might never get to close my eyes while staying up late to listen to her unending stories. My foot kicked against something light and I glanced down on the floor to see an envelope, picking it up I flipped it over with different thoughts in my head. "Where did this come from?" I muttered under my breath but I guess I was thinking too much and I dropped the envelope on the counter. I was about to walk into my room when I paused in my steps, looking at the enve

ASHLEY… I could feel my heart shatter into unfixable pieces, for a second time in my life I loved a man that doesn't love me back. I was such a fool to think his affection towards me was because he felt love, damn it Ashley! I tugged hard on my hair, hoping to rip it apart and not feel any pain. I should have believed it when I was told love brings pain, nothing else. My hands were placed on the wall, guiding me towards Dante's bedroom and I pushed the door open to inhale his cologne. I stepped inside with my eyes peering around the room, the memories of our happy moments, the laughter, the sex, the angry moments, the fights, kept flashing right before my face. It felt as though everything was happening in reality but it was just my past. Relieving myself out of the trance I was in, my hands raked through Dante's closet and I took out my favourite white shirt. It belonged to him but I found myself falling deeper in love whenever he's drapped with it. I brought his shirt closer

ASHLEY…For the uptenth time, I glanced towards my phone as I released a sigh of frustration.I didn't want to pick any calls, I wanted to be in a world of my own, far away from anything that would cause me pain.With anger burning inside of me as though it were a volcano ready to erupt, I marched towards my phone and picked up the call.I was ready to lash out at the caller not untill the words I heared brought me off guard that I didn't realise when my phone dropped to the floor.I staggered behind to get myself in control but the words kept ringing in my ear, without checking on anyone or telling anyone about my disappearance, I stormed out of the house.I arrived at the police station, searching for Tina who informed me over the phone but then I saw a man being led in with handcuffs and a mask draped over his face.I quickly ran towards the cops who were holding him and I removed the mask off the person's face only to reveal Dante whose eyes gazed into mine and I clamped a hand on