Cassie’s POV
Damien walked into my room with a box of fruits, set them on the table close to my bed.
"How are you doing?" He asked, sitting on the chair beside my bed.
"I’m getting better." I mumbled, despite the pain I still felt the need to look good for him.
"I haven’t properly thanked you for what you did. I’m really grateful."
He stared at me, and for the first time I saw something in those eyes I hadn’t seen before — passion, empathy, all directed at me. It was awkward, but somehow I was comfortable with it.
"You don’t need to. You’re just my employee, and I have to protect you."
I was thrown. Does that mean he’d risk everything just to rescue an employee from harm?
"That’s the problem — you act like this was just you doing your job. No one goes this far for a mere employee." I continued. "Either you have a savior complex, or you’re just insane."
I caught myself. "I’m sorry, I don’t mean it that way. I’m just worried you could’ve died, or something worse could’ve happened."
He didn’t say anything, just stared at me like I’d just lectured him.
"Savior complex, huh?"
"Don’t get me wrong, but I couldn’t have forgiven myself if anything happened to you."
He stood up. "Well, get better. I’ve got better things to do than saving people."
"Cassie," a voice called out, and I saw a young doctor walking toward me.
He looked familiar in an unfamiliar way. "Cass, is this really you?" he asked, studying my face like he already knew the answer.
"Don’t you remember me?"
"No, I don’t," I said, catching Damien’s eyes flick toward him.
"Edward. From high school."
I looked closer, and there he was... the cutest guy in my grade, the one I’d genuinely had feelings for back then. I’d written him a love letter once and slipped it into his bag, only for his friends to find it and read it out loud in front of the entire class.
I remembered crying, running out of the room, and him chasing after me — walking me back inside, which somehow got the whole class cheering, like he’d rescued me from the embarrassment single-handedly. We stayed close after that, all the way to graduation, then eventually lost touch.
He’d always wanted to become a doctor, ever since his mom died on the way to the hospital, the doctors later told him CPR might have saved her. He swore after that he’d always be there for the people he loved.
"Edward Fisher."
"Yeah." He pulled me into a hug right there on the bed.
"Ouch," I mumbled.
"I’m sorry — I’m sorry." He pulled back slowly.
"I wasn’t totally sure it was you, but I’m glad I asked."
"Is this your boyfriend?"
"Boyfriend?" A nervous laugh slipped out. "No, he’s my..."
"Boss," Damien cut in. "I’m her boss. And you are?"
"Her high school friend. Edward."
"Damien Blackwood."
"From the Blackwood Group?" His eyes lit up.
"Yes," Damien said, pride slipping into his voice. "And you?"
"I’m a doctor. I run my own hospital, actually — just here for a specific case today."
Something shifted in Damien’s expression, subtle but there, like he’d been expecting Edward to be less impressive than he actually was.
Is Damien jealous of him? Why would he be.. he runs the biggest company in the city.
"I’ll see you around. Hope we catch up soon," Edward said, stepping out of the room.
"Seems like you have a problem with him."
"No. I just think you should be careful — knowing someone once doesn’t mean they’re still that same person now."
"That’s fair, but from how he acted, he still seems like the same guy from back then."
He looked at me, stretched out on the bed. "You’ve got a lot to learn."
"Or maybe you could give people a little more grace, don’t you think?"
He smirked. "You’ll end up disappointed. Over and over."
Just then, someone else walked in, heading straight toward my bed. I looked up and froze — my father, standing right beside me.
Fear hit instantly. What is he doing here? How does he even know I’m in this hospital?
"Cassie. How are you?" He said it firmly, casually, like this was any normal visit.
"Please leave." I spat the words out. "I don’t want to see you, or hear anything you have to say. Just go."
Damien’s eyes moved between us. "Sir, you need to leave. She doesn’t want you here."
My father looked at him, something almost gleeful behind his eyes. "I know you. Her boss. The one who threatened to have me arrested if I ever came back."
He laughed. "So that’s what this is. You’re fucking her. That’s why you’re so protective, keeping her away from her own father." He kept going. "She’s my daughter. I can see her whenever I want. She’s my only family.. I deserve to be here right now."
"No, sir, you need to lea—"
"Leave him. Just give us three minutes," I cut Damien off before he could finish. "What do you want?"
"Tell him to leave. I want to talk to you alone."
I gestured for Damien to step outside for a moment.
"Are you sure you want to be alone with him?"
"I’m fine. He can’t do anything here, especially with you right outside." I said it to reassure him, though I wasn’t entirely sure I believed it myself.
He stepped just outside the door, close enough to intervene the second anything happened.
"Are you fucking your boss? Is that how you got this job?" He kept going. "At least you learned something from me. Use whatever’s in front of you. Even if it means fucking a wall to get there."
"Really? That’s what you think I am? That I sell myself for what I want?" I paused. "I am nothing like you."
"That’s exactly what your mother was. Even before I married her."
"Don’t talk about my mom like that." I snapped.
"I’ll talk about her however I want."
"It’s time for you to leave." My voice cracked. "Damien — please, he’s done."
"Sir, you need to go now, or I’m calling security."
"Don’t touch me." He raised his hand sharply. "This isn’t over. I’ll deal with both of you." He said it on his way out, the door slamming behind him.