Chapter 43

Episode 43.
I felt furious as I stomped out of Ric's office. I could finally breathe. I hadn't realized I was holding my breath all these while until I finally stepped out.
How could he think so low of him? I could possibly betray him? Please,to what end? He has got some serious insecurity issues and he needs to work on that. I nearly bumped into Trevor just outside my office cubicle.
"Wow, wow,wow,"he stops me with both hands in front of me "what's the rush?"
"Sorry,T, wasn't looking"I tried to walk past him.
"Ashley? Is everything alright?"
"Yeah,I'm fine" I maneuvered past him and into my office, Trevor's eyes still watching me as I went in. Just then,my phone started to ring and I grabbed it. The caller's ID isn't saved but I picked it anyway.
"Hello?"
"Hi,"a masculine voice said calmly from the other end "am I speaking with Ashley Shawn?"
"Yes?"
"Daughter of Ronald Shawn?"
Wondering why he asked that,I replied slowly "yes?. . . ." The moment he asked if I was the daughter of Ronald Shawn,my first instinct was that there was something wrong. It's not everyday everybody addresses me as my father's daughter. When he went silent for a split second,I knew whatever he was going to say wasn't gonna please me.
"Your presence is needed at your father's residence ma'am. We can give you a maximum of twenty four hours to get here,Miss Ashley, regardless of where you might be right now"
The moment I heard those words,my heart started to beat rapidly. I tried to place the voice to who the owner might be but I couldn't quite figure that out right now.
"Who. . . Who's this?" I glanced over at Trevor who was standing against my office cubicle and he gave me a troubled look,like he knew whatever I was talking about on the phone wasn't pleasant at all.
"I'm glad you asked. This is Drako Black. I'm sure your old man told you about me"
The moment he said that,I thought my heart cut from my lungs and I couldn't breathe. He was the notorious loan shark my father had borrowed a huge sum of money from many years ago,the reason why we're both in complete mess right now.
I glanced at Trevor again and this time he had concern written all over his face and mouthing "what's the problem?"
I look away and said into the phone "what do you want,Drako?"
He started to laugh sinisterly before replying "you know what I want,don't you? Imagine my surprise when the doctor told me your father's health condition"
"Don't you dare touch him,Drako"
"Touch him? He'd be dead if you don't get here with my money. Twenty four hours"
And the call disconnected, leaving a peeping sound ringing in my ear. I felt tears well up in my eyes the instant I brought my phone back to my face. What was he doing this?
"Ashley"Trevor's voice suddenly sounded so distant from me that it took him shaking my shoulders to bring me back from my thoughts. "Are you okay?"
Shaking off the fog in my head,I replied "I'm fine. I need. . . . . I need to go. . . I. . ."
"Go? Go where?"
" I need to go home right now!"
"Why? Is everything alright?"
I couldn't think straight. I stepped past him and said "I'll be back" before dashing into Ric's office. He looks from the tab in his hands and he sat behind his desk,his eyes catching mine the moment I stepped in.
"What's the problem now Ashley?"he asked,going back to what he was doing.
Stopping before his desk,I replied "I need to talk to you about something"
"I'm all ears, Ashley"
"I need to take a leave,Ric"
He stops scrolling on his tab for a second before looking up to see me. He had a straight look on his face and I don't let it bother me. We just got off that fight anyway.
"What for?"
"I need to go home. And I don't mean here. I need to go to California"
His eyes held mine for a while before he bursted out laughing,his voice full of mockery. If anything this only fueled my anger and I felt my hands clenching beside me.
"And why the hell will I let you leave in the middle of work, Ashley?"
"Because this is important to me"I tried to hide the anger in my voice. Actually,it started to tremble because he made me feel like a complete shit right now.
"Okay. Nope"
I waited for him to say something more meaningful but he just stared back at me.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard what you think you heard. No"
"Okay,I have the right to request when I need it, Ric"
"Who the fuck wrote that right, Ashley?"
"This is important,Ric and I'd rather be on my way than stand here and have these talks with you. . . . "
"Listen, Ashley. . . "
"No you listen! My father needs me and I need to be there before twenty four hours is over. Or I'm gonna lose him!"
His smile is amusing and mocking when he replied "I already told you you can't take a fucking leave, Ashley"
"I am leaving and there's nothing you're gonna do about it! This was all a mistake anyway" I said before hurrying out, meeting Trevor rooted on spot beside my office cubicle.
I reached for my bag and dumped all my belongings inside before hurrying past him and shoving the bag over my shoulder.
"Ashley?"
I turned back to Trevor, realizing I needed some explanations to give him. He obviously heard that went on inside Ric's room "I. . . I'll call you,I promise" and the I was gone.
I hailed a cab to a stop and jumped in. I asked the driver to step on it and he did. Once we stopped at my apartment building,I jumped off and ran all the way in to my room. I pushed the door open to find Katie on the floor,a nail cutter between her hand and the other finger.
"Hey,Ash. Is everything alright?"
I stop before her, fighting to moisturize my suddenly dry throat. "It's. . . Dad, Katie"
The surprise on Katie's face was nothing compared to how I felt that moment. "Drako called while I was in the office"
"What?!,"Katie stands up "what does he still want?" She walks to me,her hands reaching for me.
"He needs me to be in california before twenty four hours,Kay"
"Oh my God. I thought your father paid all the money already"
"He lied, Kay. He said he did that to protect me" I felt the tears threatening to fall down my face but I tried to hold them back.
"I'm so sorry,Ash"she pulls me into a hug and I held on tight. "Don't you worry, babe. Everything's gonna be alright"
"Ric wouldn't let me leave. We had a fight."
"That's not your fault, okay?"I noticed the tears at the sides of her eyes. They spoke differently. What the hell happened?
"I have some money okay? I'll give it to you. Just go okay? I. . ."suddenly, Katie is breaking into a low cry,tears streaming down her face. She palms her face and cries into her palms.
"Katie?"
She looks up, trying to stop the tears from coming and said "I'm sorry. Do you need me to come with you? I'm coming okay?"
"What's wrong Katie?" I reached a hand over her shoulder.
She starts to shake her head negativity,breaking what's left of my heart. Have I been so ignorant of what's happening with her?
"I'm fine,Ash. I'm just. . . So sad"
She hugs me tight and I patted her back "I'm so sorry,Kay. You don't have to come okay?"
She nods frantically on my shoulder.
"Let's help you pack,"Katie said as she pulled away.
"I need to make a few calls home first. I'm just gonna book a flight first before packing"
She nods before walking back to the couch. I made my way over to my room. I made a call to Luca to see if he could come stay with Katie for a while. Then I booked a flight before running into the shower.
Walking back to the bedroom,I saw my phone beep for an incoming message. I reached for it, opening it only to find a message from Ric.
Ric: I'm sorry about earlier. I don't know what to say to you to get you to listen to me. Please meet me at gangnam block,3rd. I have something to tell you. It's important. 3p.m
3pm. I could spare that much time. But why would he wanna see me? Such a temperamental man.
At exactly 2:58p.m,I was standing across the street from gangnam diner. I made a cross over and hurried inside, searching the faces seated on individual tables for Ric. I spotted him at the back side of the room. I walked over when he didn't see me and stopped before him, causing him to look up at me.
"I thought you wouldn't come"he said,a smirk flirting on his lips.
"I'm not an idiot. Are you gonna invite me to sit?" I replied.
"Please" he said, pointing to the chair opposite him. I drew it out and sat down.
"What would you like to eat?"he asked.
"I'm not here to eat with you Ric. You said you wanted to talk to me"
"Yes, first I wanna tell you that I know that I'm a complete asshole and a jerk. I'm sorry. I really am"
Watching him now,a feeling inside me told me I'd been wrong for saying all I said to him. But no,I wasn't. He was being a jerk and he deserved everything I said. But there's so much sincerity in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Ashley"
"Why are you even apologizing"
"Because I'm in love with you"he replied,his face holding so much seriousness. I stared blankly at him, surprised mixed with shock.
Suddenly,he erupted in a belly laughter and I realized he'd caught me immediately.
"I was joking,"he laughed "you needed to see your face. That was priceless"
I tried to settle my face so he wouldn't think what he just did upset me. He's a loudmouth and I didn't want him to start getting ideas. Holding a straight face,I replied "that was a very funny joke. Why am I here?"
He goes silent for a while before waving behind me. A young waitress walks to us,her eyes glistening and her lips looking like they were gonna exceed their elastic limit as he smiled at Ric. I remained silent as he ordered our food and the waitress walked back.
Ric's eyes falls back to me and I raised a questioning brow at him.
"Ashley,I really wish you'd stop seeing me as a bad person and let's talk like . . . Friends"
"We aren't friends,Ric. Friends don't mistrust or misjudge each other. I have a flight to catch in a few hours,Ric and I need to start packing"
"That's been taken care of"
"What do you mean?"
"I'm flying you to California myself" he gave me a smile as if what he just said was supposed to be okay by me and I'm supposed to go on my knees and start thanking him.
"Sorry,Ric. I already booked my flight"
"Cancel it"
"I won't"
"Okay I'll just call my manager to do it then"
"What's your problem,Ric?" I asked, frustrated.
"I'm sorry. About everything. I want us to talk"
The waitress comes back with another waitress holding our meals. After setting them down,they left much to my satisfaction. He started eating and I watched him.
"Eat,it tastes good"he said.
Rolling my eyes at him,I started eating and he was right,it did taste good.
"Ashley"he called just when I was about forgetting that he was actually sitting before me. I looked up to find a small smile on his lips. "Michael and I came a very long way" I waited for him to continue.
"He killed my mother" he added.