The Proposal

Ever since my conversation with Dr. Bateman, I can't get him off my head. He knows who Gale is. He knows who what he did to me.

And trust him?

Is he worthy of my trust?

I've been thinking about it over and over. He knows me and Gale, so maybe the also know Lau. Or they are a team trying to destroy me?

"Oh, you're up?" Dr. Thompson came in with a smile on his face. "How is your leg?" He asked, touching a part of it. "Is there any improvement after the pill that I gave you last week?"

"It reduces the pain in my leg and my back though." I answered, crossing my arms.

"Great, that is means it is effective to you." Dr. Thompson examines my arms, checking my wounds that are not yet healed. "Dr. Bateman was right about that drug."

I just let him finish his chit chat while looking at him.

"You know, I didn't know that you and Dr. Bateman used to be ex lovers?"

Huh? My head turns to him in a swift. He said what?!

"Who would thought that, that man still has time for his own happiness? Even before? I bet everything in his mind is work." He continued blabbering then noticed me glancing at him with an unreadable expression. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

I rolled my eyes and turn my head away from his direction. I don't have the mood to argue with him. I will just talk to Dr. Bateman directly...if I got the chance to see him again because he doesn't visits me in the first place, anyway.

"Oh, and I have something for you, Ms. Campbell." Dr. Thompson reached out something in his coat then handed it to me. "Here, my son gave it to me this morning but I don't like sweets."

"You have a son?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"Yep. But I'm single and ready to mingle." He gave me s thumbs up.

I looked down at what he handed at me in my hand. "A candy?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "Seriously?"

"Come on, turn it over." He signalled me using his finger.

I turn the candy and there is something written on it so I read it. "Smile?"

"Yep." Dr. Thompson give me a wide grin, his teeth showing up and he pushed the side of his mouth wider using his fingers. Trying to look funny. "Smile!"

A soft chuckle escaped from me. "You look ridiculous."

"I don't care. As long as that smile trying to escape from you will come out." He returns to his usual jolly mood then pats the top of my head before burying them back inside his coat pockets. "Smile and laugh more, Shanaya. It helps a lot in cheering oneself. Like what they say, smile is the best medicine." With that last statement, he winked at me then turns to leave.

"You mean laughter is the best medicine." I corrected.

"Oh." He scratched his head then just laughed it off then closes the door as he leaves.

Dr. Thompson is not bad. I mean, he always tries to cheer me up would check on me. Even though I pushed him a lot, he doesn't listen and stays despite my annoying and lonely attitude most of the time.

And I can feel his effort. I just can't appreciate it at a state like this.

Inhaling deeply, I leaned my back deeper in my bed then rests my head on my pillow. After my leg heals, I wonder what will happen to me again. Earlier, Dr. Thompson also discussed something about my pelvic fracture. And like what Dr. Bateman also said, I will encounter difficulty in walking for the time being. But it can be restore if I go to therapy.

And I also have one problem.

I do not know how will I pay my bill here in the hospital. This means I need to go back home. Damn, I don't know how will I don

I'm sure this is expensive.

Damn, I totally forgot about my job. What will Mr. Smith, our CEO, will do? Will he give me back my job when I come back? Damn. I have so many problems that I need fix.

I guess my leg is getting better as well. My wounds are slowly healing and to that person who stitched me up, is good. I can't hardly see them though.

"What's behind that smile on your face?"

I flinched in surprise to see Dr. Bateman standing by the door. I didn't hear that one opened.

"D-Dr. Bateman..." I called, suddenly became conscious of what I look like. Damn, I must have look like crap.

He was leaning on the side of the doorframe, watching me intently. "I just saw Dr. Thompson coming from here and he had the same look. I guess he is bringing out that light inside you." Then he started walking closer.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, removing any emotions in my face as I arrange how I sit o the bed because my butt hurts.

"Just paying you a visit." He answered, his voice toned down. "I'm not going to ask you those 'what are you feeling' and crap things because I know Dr. Thompson already asked that."

"Oh?" I shrugged, then looked at him questioningly. "Then, what are you here for then, if you're not going to ask those crap?"

A small smirk formed from his lips. "I didn't come here as a doctor, Shanaya."

"Oh, so we are first name basis now?"

"Maybe. You can call me Caius to erase the formalities and so you could be more comfortable around me."

"Comfortable?" My head tilted on one side. "I guess you haven't heard that I hate to get comfortable." I told him, inhaling deeply. "Besides, I am more comfortable when I'm alone. So please, leave me."

Caius chuckled huskily. "Mocking around won't bring Gale back to you."

The tension went rise again as I feel it envelope us. Why does he need to bring that up again? "I don't know why you are mentioning this again but it has nothing to do with bringing my fiancé back to me."

"Ex-fiancé."

"Whatever." I snapped, facing my back from him because I don't want to speak about this topic.

"You know, I can help you." He suddenly mentioned, walking towards the window. He opens up the closed curtains and the room was filled with brightness. The dark lonely room now looks so well. "Keeping it in won't help, Shanaya. Sometimes, the goodness inside you will only come out if someone appreciates it. A room with light is better than a room without, no?"

My eyebrows touched as our eyes meet. "Get to the point, Dr. Bateman."

He slowly walks over towards me, stops next to the bed then gave me an assuring smile but something hidden behind it. And it gives me chills that he is planning something that is very mysterious. Does this guy knows me even before?

"I know you didn't deserve what those people did to you. So, I will be giving you a helping hand to make them have a taste of their own medicine." The seriousness and coldness in Caius' eyes is unbelievable. I know there is something hidden and scary about this doctor.

Wait, if I can just recall the day that I caught Gale and Lau on the act, she mentioned Caius name. Like they also know about him. Why is everything seems too cloudy and confusing.

"Why do you know them?" I asked.

"Let's just say that I used to be in your position because of them." Caius replied, burying his hands inside his pockets. "I wanted to destroy Gale Archibald's life ever since before. And you came in just came on right time, Shanaya."

Wait, everything is still processing inside my head. "You want a revenge? Is that what you are trying to imply?"

Caius just smiled and gave me that find it out on your own kind of life. "Revenge is not enough for what they did to me." He murmured, dangerously. "So, answer me honestly. Are you just going to let those creature who made you look like a fool have the happiest days of their lives?"

"I'm not an evil person." I told him, straight in the face.

"You will not be the evil person in here, baby." He replied, with a scoff. "Especially now that, Gale got the girl pregnant."

My eyes widen, my ears thumb as my chest clenches like there are tons of bricks on top of me.

"What makes you so sure?" My voice starts to crack, trying too sound emotionless as possible. Like it's not affecting me at all.

"He told me himself and now, he is suggesting an abortion so they could continue to keep up the act." Caius announces, "and now, they think that you are dead. I'm sure, Gale is ripping all of his hair out because his hard work to get you will be nonsense."

"You sure do know a lot about my ex fiancé." I muttered, doubtfully. "Don't tell me you like Gale."

His blue shade of eyes suddenly became blank with darkness. "I will throw you out of that bed brutally if you doubt my sexuality ever again. Damn, I am even going to ask you for marriage."

Wait, what...

Ask me for marriage?

My ears became deaf all of a sudden. Not sure if I heard right.

"Marriage?"

"Yes, I will marry you, Shanaya Campbell. If you want Gale to beg for your forgiveness and make him regret that he chose her over you, we will work together."

"That doesn't make any sense. Gale never lowers his pride and ask for forgiveness." I told him. Knowing my fiancé, Gale never apologises to me we though it was his fault, he won't make the first move to say sorry.

"Not when he sees you." He smirks, mischievously then crossed his arms. "Oh Shanaya, you don't know the power that you have to make them pay for what they did. You do not deserve this."

I bit my lower lip and fighting myself not to cry. Caius was right. I do not deserve this. I did everything that I can just to make our relationship strong even though it's starting to break apart from the very beginning.

I do not deserve to let him control my life. All he did was make me do things that are not me.

And I never failed to be a friend to Lau. She was a sister that I never had and we've been through so many things together. But I didn't expect that she will do this to me. I really thought she was real and my best friend. And now, she's pregnant with my fiancé's child. How cool was that?

"So, will you agree with me?"

"Can you please just let me think about it?" I told him, scratching my head.

Caius bows his head in agreement then turns to leave the room. He was already holding the door knob when he speaks again. "I will give you three days to think." That was the last thing he said before he leaves.

Great, now that man is offering me an alliance.

What could be the reason why Caius wants revenge. And I can see clearly the hate in his eyes when he mentions his name.

But I don't think marriage is the answer to his plan.

Yes, it's like thousands of stab hits me at the reality that my fiancé cheated on me but it's like a million times more painful when you found out more that your best friend did it.

Tears started streaming down again. The pain is really aching and I hate it so much.

If I could just drink a pill that will make my heart go numb, I will drink a whole box of it.

I was thinking about it all day and trying to come up with a decision. Should I trust Caius?

Damn.

I was cheated, I was betrayed, I just got from an accident, I had a pelvic fracture, I can't walk, I look like shit and now I just got a proposal from a doctor who wants to use me.

I just got the luckiest fate ever.

To be continued.