The trip to the hospital is uncomfortable.

After twenty minutes of talking in private, we went back to his office room and found out the girlfriend was no longer there. Ashton cussed under his breath, but he didn't do anything about her departure. Instead, he grabbed his phone from his upper drawer —that explains why he didn't respond to my call— and slipped it into his pocket before leaving a short message for Andy.

Now here we are, sitting inside his Mercedes-Benz, heading to the hospital. He doesn't want his driver to drive us for some reason, but I'm too scatterbrained to ask at the moment. After giving him the hospital address, I sank myself into the passenger seat and haven't moved a muscle ever since. Luckily, Ashton doesn't seem to be in the mood of talking either.

It's when I realize that my phone is still on silent. I haven't changed it back to ring mode since I left the observation room. Thinking that Sophie might have called me for some important update about Chloe, I retract my phone from my blazer pocket. There is one text from her, saying that Mom and Dad have arrived, and a few missed calls from Ethan.

Ethan. Shit! I totally forgot that I'm supposed to meet him for lunch at the coffee shop. I instantly hit the call button and he picks up on the second ring.

"Char?" Ethan greets, his voice is as calculated as ever.

"Ethan, I'm so, so sorry I stood you up. I completely forgot about our lunch," I squeak.

I can hear him sigh, but it's hard to decide if it's a disappointed sigh. "I was getting worried because you didn't answer my calls. Is everything okay?"

"No." I take a deep breath. Do not cry. Do not cry. Do not cry. "It's Chloe..."

"What about her? Is she alright?"

"No. She's in the hospital now. She got into an accident." Tears are pooling in the corners of my eyes. Damn it. "She's lucky that there are no serious injuries."

"I'm sorry, Char. But I know Chloe is a strong kid," Ethan says. "Is there anything I can do? Should I come to you?"

I shake my head even though I know he can't see me. "No, no need. She's getting the help she needs," I reply, glancing at Ashton who is driving with his gaze fixed on the road. "I'll let you know when she's able to have visitors."

"Okay. Hey, you got this, you hear me? Let me know if you need anything. I mean it, Char. Call me. Anytime."

"Okay. Thank you, Ethan. I'll keep you updated. Bye."

After hanging up the phone call and replying to Sophie's text, I slip my phone back into my pocket and revert my eyes to the road. Another thick silence blankets the air inside my boss's car, but it doesn't bother me a bit. I'm just too exhausted and thirsty. I haven't had anything since my breakfast with Chloe this morning.

"What kind of accident was that?" Ashton's voice pulls me back to the current moment.

"A drunk driver almost hit Chloe's school bus. The bus was trying to avoid it but then it lost control."

"What happened to the drunk driver? Did he escape?"

"No. She hit the tree and died on the spot."

"Good," he mutters under his breath.

"One kid didn't make it, though." I whimper as I rub my forehead. "It was so heartbreaking and terrifying. What if it was Chloe? I just can't lose her."

Tears escape my eyes again. I turn my head to the passenger's window, not wanting him to see me crying. I just can't help myself from being an emotional wreck right now. Ashton says nothing but he reaches out to give my shoulder a soft squeeze, and it's enough for me. Having emotional support from Chloe's father, regardless of how weird our situation is, makes me feel somehow braver.

"Thank you for doing this. For Chloe," I mumble as I grab a pack of tissue from my bag to blow my nose.

"Don't mention it. I will do it for her even if we're not related." Ashton taps his finger against the steering wheels, his face frowning. "You said they don't have enough supply for her blood type. What kind of hospital is that?" A grim coats Ashton's voice.

"It's a small hospital in town, just the closest they can get for the emergency, I guess." I shrug. "They said they are calling around now, but they don't know how fast the supply arrives. Meanwhile, if someone can give direct transfusion, it would cut off the waiting time."

"After she's released from the ER, you should transfer her to a better hospital. My family doctor will take care of the transfer."

"Please, sir. Let's just focus on what we're doing now," I reply, feeling annoyed all of a sudden. I know he means well, but his impulse to take control of everything pokes my nerves.

"Alright. And call me Ashton when we're not at work."

"Okay."

"And I want to take a DNA test."

Of course he's going to ask for this, and I'm not against it at all. He has a right to demand one after I dropped the bomb. "Sure."

"Right now, it's still hard for me to stomach this information." We stop at a traffic light, and he uses the chance to give me his full attention. "It's not that I don't believe you. I do. And I'm not blind to see our resemblance. But I need to have proper evidence that Chloe really is my daughter, for a legal purpose."

"You don't have to explain. I understand completely."

As the car is moving again, I glance at the outside mirror, looking at my reflection. A miserable woman with a pallid face and swollen eyes is staring back at me. I can't remember when was the last time I cried this hard. Probably it was when I learned that Ethan left for good.

"You should close your eyes and rest a bit. We still have fifteen minutes until we reach the hospital."

Mom and Sophie are sitting at the far corner of the ER waiting room, while Dad is nowhere in sight. He's probably getting Diana from school. Once I reach them, Mom pulls me into her warm embrace.

"She survived the accident. She's such a strong girl," she croaks. Judging from her throaty voice, she must have cried for some time.

I nod quietly against her hair because I'm afraid if I open my mouth, I will be breaking into tears again. It's when I see Sophie freeze on her seat, gaping in the direction behind me.

At the same time, I hear my mom shriek, "Oh my god. Isn't he..."

When I pull out from Mom, the two ladies are gawking at Ashton as if they are looking at Saint Claus in summer. I know they noticed who he is at once. Chloe's biological father.

I clear my throat. "Mom, Soph, this is Mist...Ashton, um, he's going to help out with the direct blood transfusion," I say, deliberately skipping the 'he's Chloe's dad' part since there is no official evidence just yet. I turn my head to Ashton. "These are my mom, Sofia, and my sister, Sophie."

"Mmm, about that," Sophie murmurs, biting her lower lip and glancing at me and Ashton, "we just got notified that the blood supply for Chloe has arrived. They are now waiting for you to sign the consent form."

"Oh." I blink.

So, the blood supply for Chloe is here, while the living source of supply is standing behind me, for nothing. I should have known that the hospital would get it faster from the bank donor instead of dragging Chloe's father here. At least it would have saved my energy from dealing with the Ashton Knight.

"That's very good news," says a deep voice behind me before his hand gives me a gentle push on my lower back. "Let's go." Of course. He will have this urge to push people forward, figuratively and literally, even when he knows damn well that he isn't in charge of this situation.

Before I sign the form, the doctor informs us of the pros and cons of the blood transfusion, along with the risks that might follow. Ashton can't have a say or decide anything since he's practically not a family member, but I can see how his lips twitch and how restless he becomes during the process. Thank god he knows what he needs to do, which is shut his mouth.

As soon as the blood transfusion is done, Chloe is ready to be transferred to a patient room. Mom and Sophie leave for their late lunch at the hospital cafeteria while I stay put in the waiting room. Ashton decides to go with them to grab something for me to eat, which makes me wonder if I dragged the same Ashton as the one I knew last month.

I've been thinking about his idea of moving Chloe to a better hospital, but then it will be farther from home. I'm not sure if it's practical for all of us. Despite not being awake yet, Chloe's condition is progressing well. Maybe I should see first what happens in the next twenty-four hours before making the important decision.

My train of thought is disrupted when someone nudges my shoulder before plopping down on the seat next to me. I don't have to turn my head to find out, his scent is enough to announce his presence. Well, with all this rush and stress in the past few hours, he smells a bit different. It's more masculine with a pinch of woody scent, nothing like the expensive Armani perfume he wears every day. Secretly, I inhaled him in, and I know I'm damned because instead of keeping him at an arm's length, I'm pulled deeper into his charm. Yes, I'm in a shit-load of mess.

"Try to eat something." He hands me a salmon sandwich.

"Thanks," I mumble as I open the plastic wrap.

After making sure I eat, he unwraps his bread roll and silently takes a bite before scrunching his nose. "Hospital food sucks."

I can't help chuckling at his remark. "Better than an empty tummy," I say, earning a shrug from him.

"That is true," he says. "I can't stay long though. I need to go back soon."

I nod. "Thank you for staying, and I'm sorry for what happened between you and your girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" He raises an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean Diandra."

"Isn't she your girlfriend?"

Ashton purses his lips before taking another bite. "It's complicated," he answers after he swallows.

Of course he will pick a vague answer. He's not the kind who talks about his personal life after all. "Well, anyway, sorry for creating the drama between you two. And knowing that it could've been avoided, now I do feel bad."

"It could've been avoided?"

"Well, apparently, Chloe got the supply before we arrived here. So, I could have just waited here and saved us all the office drama."

"And continue to keep me in the dark?" A deep frown is forming on Ashton's face. "You should have told me this months ago, Charlotte, not waited until she needed something from me. I have to say, I'm not very happy with this situation."

I gulp. "Right. I'm sorry about that." I wish I had the energy to have a real talk with him, but right now, I'm so close to crumbling down. "I owe you an explanation. I will tell you everything when Chloe is in the clear. I promise."

He fixes his gaze on me for a few seconds longer than needed. "I'm holding you to it."

⭐⭐⭐