Chapter 3 The Accident

One faithful day, as usual, I went to work, and Nathan, in his usual way of taunting me, asked me to retrieve a file from the highest level of the cabinet, towering over me like a skyscraper. I looked at him to see if he meant it, but yes, he does; he meant it. When I realised that he meant it, I quickly scanned the area for something to stand on, but the only solution was to climb a ladder. I ran to grab one. There was a ladder right outside; the gardener uses it once in a while, and I have seen him using it, so I rushed out to get it, eager to fulfil Nathan's request. However, after I had reached for the ladder and brought it all the way back inside the office, he appeared and snatched it from my grasp. At first, I thought he was going to reprimand me for bringing a dirty ladder into the office. Of course, it was not dirty; I made sure it was clean before I came back with it, and that was probably the reason I was late. His countenance was twisted with anger, his tone harsh and biting. "You're so lazy and useless, all you're good for is looking pretty," he sneered at me. He was actually going to climb the ladder by himself. "Foolish man," I thought to myself. As he began to climb up the ladder, I wished he fell from the ladder and lost his life; I hated his guts, and I know he hated me too, but it's ok, it's not like I cared. He killed my father, so I washed him away to a worse death. The atmosphere in the office turned tense and sour for me, with his words lingering like a toxic mist. I felt my blood boil with indignation, but I remained silent. What more can I do? I have to remain silent; I can't afford to let him know of my utmost hatred for him, not until I get what I want from him. Well, I'm almost there; he will surely pay. As I watched him climb the ladder, I couldn't help but feel a deep hatred for him. But then something strange happened. The ladder began to shake; it quaked, and he shook along with it. I could see fear all over him, but the bastard was too proud to call for my help. I stood below, watching the surreal scene unfold before me. My anger dissipated, and I was left with a sense of calm. The world had shifted, and the ugliness of Nathan's words no longer had any power over me. The ladder was very high, and he was at the top of the ladder; he might not survive if he happened to fall from there. Yeah, I know I wanted him to pay for what he did to my father, but not that way. I might really want his death, but not now, and definitely not this way. At that moment, I saw him for what he truly was: a small, insignificant figure, trapped in a world of his own making. As the ladder swayed gently in the wind, I had the urge to help him, and yes, I could have helped if I wanted, but I changed my mind—what if I just let it end this way? What if this was what fate had in store for him? What if I do not even have to do anything to punish him? So I thought, and I chose to turn a blind eye to him. Nathan was indeed a proud bastard; he never asked for help; he kept on dangling on that ladder till it finally slipped out from under him, and he fell to the ground with a sickening thud. The fall was hard, and even if Lucifer were there, he would have compassion for Nathan, so I also couldn't help but feel bad. I rushed to his side, and my heart was pounding as I tried to assess the damage. He groaned in pain, and I could see the blood starting to pool around his head. My hands trembled as I fumbled for my phone, calling for an ambulance. I might be a tigress, or so I like to call myself, but I have never seen anyone bleed that much. Yeah, it's true, I remember how much pain my dad felt; I knew he bled a lot, but that was only emotional bleeding. My mind was a whirlwind of panic and fear as I watched Nathan slip in and out of consciousness. I feared that he could die in my hands. But as I sat by his side, I couldn't help but feel a hint of joy; it was like a cocktail of joy and compassion. Nathan had always been so cold and callous towards me, and yet here he was, vulnerable and in need of my help. As we waited for the ambulance, I screamed out for help, and in no time the office was crowded with staff; they were all in panic, asking me what it was that happened; they all knew who he was, and they knew how annoying he can be.  But before I called out for help, there he was, sitting on the ground with his head on my hand. I couldn't help but ask myself: should I take this opportunity to get my revenge, or should I give in to the growing feelings I had for him?

Nathan was taken to the hospital but was unconscious; he spent weeks in the hospital in a coma. The staff waited for his return, and days turned into weeks, and Nathan remained in a coma. But he finally recovered after six weeks, and when he finally awoke, he was a different person. He was no longer himself; he had lost his memory, and he began to behave strangely. He was no longer the cold and distant CEO, but a kind and gentle man who knew nothing but to look at me with eyes filled with love. I was conflicted and unsure of how to proceed. Was this just a game to him, or did he truly feel love for me? Or was it the fact that he had lost his memory, or was he even playing a game with my feelings?  As time went by, I found myself getting so used to the new Nathan; he was quite a cutie; he was caring and nice; and he was extremely soft and emotional; he was definitely the opposite of what he was. As we talked and shared our thoughts, I couldn't help but feel the walls I had built around myself begin to crumble. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for us to find love and happiness together. But for now, all I could do was take care of Nathan and hope that our feelings for each other were real.