The Manipulated Villainess

The sun was already high up in the sky. Nicole briefly went home to get changed so that she would be able to go to work after she checked Aston\'s condition.

Though the actor doesn\'t have anyone to look after him for now, she cannot just skip work because many important meetings were already scheduled for the day. Besides, he was in the VVIP room where nurses and doctors keenly monitored him. But still, she was a bit reluctant to leave him alone.

She entered her apartment through the secret passage but left from the normal route. That way, the devil\'s men won\'t know that she was out all night.

Even last night, she left through the secret passage because she didn\'t want to make the devil suspicious of her. She was tired of Garcia Han\'s doubtful nature.

She reached the hospital and then make her way to the actor\'s room. She opened the door thinking that the lying form of Aston would be the one welcoming her but... why was the bed empty?

Feeling perplexed, she walked inside with her eyes scanning the room which was big enough to be a hotel room. She then saw him bending on one corner, rummaging through the drawer. He was too occupied that he doesn\'t even know her presence in the room.

Was he searching for something? How come he was still very unpredictable even in this situation? She slowly walked to him and stood just steps away behind him.

"Are you searching for something?" She asked.

"My phone."

He simply continued the search again.

She opened her handbag and take out the phone in question. "You mean, this one?" She held up the phone for him to see.

All at once, Aston\'s stopped his movement. He was too occupied in finding his phone, so he didn\'t even realize that someone was behind him! Even just now, he unconsciously answered the question without paying any attention!

But... why did the voice felt so familiar? His eyes widened when he matched the voice with one woman who had a special place in his heart.

No way! Why would she be here?! He stood frozen, wondering if this was his hallucination. He was too nervous to turn around. What if this was real?!

"Are you okay?" Nicole asked as she lowered the phone on her hands. He stood still even after hearing her and that made her anxious. Was this an aftereffect of his injury?!

Her voice acted as a confirmation for the confused celebrity. He closed his eyes as he squeezed his hospital gown. Realizing that he doesn\'t have another choice, he took a deep breath and gradually turned around to face her.

"Are you feeling alright?" Nicole asked again with a worried look on her face.

"Why are you here?" He muttered as he hung his head low. He felt embarrassed that she needs to saw him in such a condition. Not to mention that his whole body was full of injuries.

"I\'m the one who brought you here. How are you feeling? When did you wake up?" She scanned him with her eyes, trying to figure out if there was something wrong. She had no idea about what\'s going on in his mind.

Hearing her words, Aston\'s embarrassment was levelled up to tenfolds! Not only did she know that he was hospitalized, but she was also the one who brought him to the hospital! How did this happen?

He had no time to think about such things when he woke up just minutes ago. He instantly gets up as soon as he regained his consciousness and started searching for his phone to ask about the address given to him. He must find his sister and that\'s the only thing on his mind!

He remembered arguing with Rion before he lost his consciousness. Wait! Didn\'t Rion answer his phone after that? Was that the call from the Chairwoman?

If he was in a different situation, he would surely be leaping with joy learning that she was the first to call him. But it was not the case this time.

They only started to know each other but she already saw the side of him which he was desperate to hide, not only once but twice! How will she think of him now?!

He stood still with his eyes glued to the floor. He was so embarrassed to look at her face. "I\'m fine." He muttered when he realized that she was still waiting for his response.

"That\'s great to hear." She took a step towards him and placed his phone on his hands. "Here it is." She calmly said to him.

He looked at the phone on his hand without saying anything. He was desperate to find this just a minute ago, but why was he not even feeling glad? A feeling of embarrassment still flooded him.

"Please return to your bed. I will tell the doctor to take a look at you." She calmly said again and turned her back at him.

"Why?" His voice made her stopped her movement. She turned around and faced him once again.

"Why didn\'t you ask me anything?" He asked her as he finally lifted his head.

"It\'s not that I\'m not curious. I also wish to know why a top celebrity was there very late at night with wounds all over his body. But not now. You can tell me later. You must still be startled by the horrendous experience."

Being at a disposal of someone? She would be the one who knows the best how scary the feeling was! She lived 15 long years being trampled, tormented and bounded. She knows very well just how much it could affect a person, mentally.

She finds it strange but when she looked at him, she always saw herself in him. The quiet pleas, the silent cry and the fake smile; why did she have a feeling that these three dreadful traits were the things that they had in common?

Not wanting to be carried away by her emotions, she quickly left the room without saying any more words.

What\'s with that gaze? Aston doesn\'t understand. He was afraid that she would pity him but... why did she seem like she was pitying herself? Feeling lost, he slowly walked towards the bed and sit down.

Only a minute had passed when Nicole returned with the female doctor from before. The doctor thoroughly checked Aston and asked him how he was feeling. Fortunately, he doesn\'t have any internal injuries so he would recover soon.

"The Doctor told me that this is not an accident but violence. Your medical record can also serve as evidence. So, we wait for you to wake up. If you want to case a file -"

"No." Aston interrupted Nicole before she could even finish talking. He seemed to be very firm in his response.

Nicole instantly asked the doctor to leave them alone so that she could talk with him.

"Why?" She asked him right after the doctor left.

"Because I agreed to this. Everything happened with my permission."

It\'s really true! He himself said to her but still, she finds it hard to believe. Was he not in his normal mind? If not, then why would he allow himself to be beaten up to this extent?!