CEO's Woman & His Hidden Child

The world is as silent as if it ended in the night. The sun is still resolutely below the horizon and the street is as dark as some old-school black and white movie. 

Crystal's eyes snapped open from a long restlessness. She had fought for too many hours to stay dreaming, and there was nothing left to do but get up. She pulled herself up, turned off the alarm. and with that, she walked into the living room, where she stood beside the window for several minutes.

It was still dark. She couldn't remember the last morning, she woke up in the darkness. Behind the bare trees, The street lamps were shimmering the dew-wet road vaguely like the stars in the sky, wrapped with clouds.

She didn't think twice before making her way to outside. The cold wasn't biting but it had the slow seeping manner. She didn't bother the cold weather, It was like doing nothing, yet something very important, surveying the nature, taking in something she saw many years ago: the darkness before dawn. 

She slumped on the bench in front of the tree when she felt her knees buckled with her pinching heart which was getting heavier for her to carry every second. She has everything, yet nothing. Emptiness flocked around her like the mists.

Inhaling a deep breath, she closed her eyes. The heady pull of her broken dreams, beckoning her back to go back to the past days and resolve all the mistakes.

"Mistakes? Was it just mistakes? I was drawn to the lies of a person. But he was never a lie. I was a lie to him, Just a ridiculous lie. A bet!" Crystal let out a weak, painful laugh at herself.

Even after seven years it still gives her pain, the uncured wound is still there inside her heart. He is the person she can't forgive, yet can't forget. His memories were the soul torturer for her, biting every corner it could reach. She couldn't escape them, or hide from them; they were the worst kind of monster.

She clenched her hands into fists and looked at the empty dewy wet road.

She didn't know how many hours she was sitting there, but when she rolled her eyes around, the rising sun already cast a rosy hue across the morning sky.

"So, it's time to go back to reality." Crystal got herself up and With her slow steps, she entered her house and saw the maid already there in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. 

"Good morning, aunt." She gave the maid a soft smile.

The maid stopped washing the dishes and turned to her. "Good morning, Ms You wake up so early today. I saw you sitting there, but thought you want to be alone."

"Thank you." Crystal smiled again. She was right, I wanted to be alone. 

Taking a soft breath, She walked into the kitchen. And not after a long time they felt someone came in.

"Good morning. Ms Crystal Kelly. The queen of witches."

Crystal's face curled up with a smile when she heard the familiar voice. She turned to look at the person who just came into the house. "Good morning, Mr Alex." She paused and glanced up at the clock which was ticking at 7.15 am. "You're early today."

Alex nodded. "I missed my Princess so much. I think it's time for me to shift here." He winked at her.

The smile on her face faded instantly. "Shift here?" She gulped.

Seeing Crystal's nervous expression, Alex let out a smirk. "You look prettier when you're nervous." He paused and pinched her nose. "I was kidding. By the way, are you sure you will not be a lesbo soon? You and Yejin look really close." He joked.

Crystal slapped him on his arm while glaring at him murderously. "You better keep quiet." She warned.

Alex didn't seem like he bothered. Chaining his mouth for a while, he looked around with a 360-degree angle, when he didn't see the person he was expecting. He frowned and looked back at Crystal. "Where is the young lady? She supposed to wake up when I'm here."

Crystal's face beamed with a grin when he reminded her of her silly daughter. "Must be in her room. She said yesterday that she can sleep alone now because she is a big girl now."

Alex let out a chuckle. "That's right. She isn't a kid anymore. But I'm just worried about her mother. She is still a kid."

"Yah. Alex." I glared at him. "You..."

"Good Morning, Mom."

The sudden voice chimed in and made Crystal stopped saying further.

"Good Morning, Alex Uncle."

The voice was chirping, sweet to hear, seemed like the baby bird's twittering

Both of Crystal and Alex turned to catch the beautiful little girl in our vision who was coming downstairs by the stairs with her tiny footsteps.

Alex's face instantly lit. He didn't waste even a second before he made his way to walk to her. 

When she reached downstairs, he gently carried her up. "Good morning, princess. How does Anne know her uncle is here again?" 

Anne bestowed a sweet smile. "I heard your voice. You're going to my sports with me, right?"

Alex nodded his head vigorously. "Of course. I promised you. That's why I wake up so early today and rush here." 

Crystal couldn't help but smile. "Actually, I don't know anyone who is as lucky as me for having a best friend like Alex. It's more like a blessing." She thought inside.

Anne kissed Alex's cheek happily. "That's why I love my uncle so much." With that, she glanced at her mother. "Mom should marry uncle." She giggled, teasing her.

"Yah, Anne." She scolded and glared at her daughter dangerously. Ugh! really. This silly girl. She really knows how to piss me off.

Alex smirked as he put Anne down and stroked her nose. "You know your mom doesn't want to forget your dad just like the heroin of old school days movies."

Heaving a deep sigh, Crystal looked at him. "You're the one who doesn't give me a chance to forget him. You always bring his topic for seven years."

Alex sighed. "I just bring the topic. But you miss the person alone, you cry alone. Even your daughter knows. And about bringing his topic? It is a kind of reminder for me."

Crystal furrowed her brows confusingly. "What reminder?"

"That my best friend is crazy. She wants to be mother Teresa."

Crystal scowled. "Then what about you? Why don't you find a girl and get married? You..." She instantly stopped as a girl crossed her mind. "Yah. What about Rose? She seems to like you a lot."

Alex hunched on the couch with Anne. "Who is that?" He asked, tilting his head.

Crystal shook her head with disbelief. "Just tell me your ideal type. I'll find a girl for you."

"I'm too handsome to match with a girl." Alex shrugged proudly.

"Then marry a boy." Crystal let out through my gritted teeth. Arrogant jerk.

"Mom. I'll marry uncle. When I'll grow up " Anne chimed in. She just wants to stop them before they start fighting.

"Oh no! I feel bad for my daughter." Crystal sighed pretentiously as she took the knife and started to dice the potato, teasing Alex.

"Aish! I will teach you a lesson later. But..." Alex paused. "Why aren't you going to her sports?"

A soft sigh escaped her lips. "Too many appointments. How will you go with her? Don't you have any work?"

Alex pursed his lips and nodded. "I have. At evening. Brain tumour surgery."

Anne widened her eyes. "Will, you cut her head?" Every time she hears about surgery, she gets frightened. She wonders how people survive if the surgeon cut the part of their bodies.

"Yeah." Alex replied. He loves to answer her endless questions. It has become his habit.

"uncle, they don't die when you cut their head?" asked Anne anxiously. She asks this question almost every day.

Letting out a soft laugh, Crystal ambled across her daughter. "Anne. Stop talking already and eat breakfast with uncle. I'll go to my room and get freshen up. I need to rush to the hospital."

"Alex is here. Don't worry about Anne." Alex assured her with a smile.

He is always there for her.

------

Parking the car beside a fellow doctor's car, Crystal stepped into the hospital and reached to the reception desk. The receptionist bowed to her like always. "Good morning, Dr Kelly." She greeted with a smile.

"Good morning, Call resident Mickhel and tell him that I'll go to the morning round." With that, Crystal headed to the second floor.

She checked up on the hospitalized patients' progress and issues from the previous day and night are discussed on by one. If needed she made suggestions for further care.

After talking with the call team, she started the morning round with the nurse Elita following her there.

"Can you move your fingers?" Crystal asked the patient. His face twisted in pain as he tried to move his fingers. When his fingers moved a little bit, 

She gave him a warm smile. "Congratulations. You're improving." With that, she turned to his guardian. "There is no need to keep him here now. He will improve day by day. You can take him home if you want. Meet me after one weak. He'll be on full rest for 4 months. No pressure on his feet. He should take the medicines regularly."

Finishing the responsibility of her morning rounds, she got rid of the ward. Actually, she got rid of the pain. The pain of hundreds of people in that ward. Anyway, she came to her office room and sprawled on her chair. 

Her gaze halted at the nameplate on the table. Dr Crystal kelly. Orthopaedic.

Becoming a successful doctor was the aim of my life. I was born to be a doctor. Though I am from a middle-class family, I have enough of everything now. But happiness? The happy woman whom I used to be. Where is that happy Crystal? Yes, Anne is my biggest happiness. But when I think about her happiness I feel like I am the worst mother. Whenever Anne asks me about her father, I just find a way out to ignore her.

How unlucky a child is who doesn't even know her father's name since birth! Anne is on the list of most unlucky children in the world.

The concentration on her deep thoughts was shaken off as a knock on the door was heard. "Come in."

"Dr Crystal. Here is your today's schedule." Mickhel handed the reports to her with a wide smile on his face. He is one of the residents in the hospital under Crystal.

"Thanks, Mickhel." She took the reports from him and placed them on the table.

"Today is going to be a long day. Should I call the first patient?" Mickhel asked.

When She nodded, gave him permission, Mickhel went outside. And a moment later, a middle-aged woman and a boy around 16 came and bowed.

She smiled and also bowed, "Please take a seat."

They sat in front of Crystal and her gaze landed on the first report to read the name before she glanced at them again. "You are Jomin Gu, right? You came yesterday. Feeling better after wearing the belt?" She asked the patient.

"Yes." He nodded.

Crystal turned to his mother. "I saw his MRI report. His ACL is injured. I'll show you on the computer." 

When they moved their gaze at the computer screen. Crystal clicked the mouse on an image. "The anterior cruciate ligament or ACL runs diagonally through the middle of the knee and serves to support and stabilize the three bones that meet in the knee joint: the tibia, femur, and patella. An ACL injury or tear is known as a "sprain"; sprained knee symptoms caused by minor ACL injuries may include tenderness and swelling, while more serious, complete tears will cause instability, a reduced range of motion, and a high degree of pain and swelling."

Moving her gaze from the computer screen, she looked at his mother. "Surgery is typically only recommended if the ligament is torn. Your MRI report shows that it's grade III that's mean it's torn. But don't worry."

When the patient relaxed, she continued with a smile. "You'll have minor surgery. This process usually involves reattaching the torn ligament or replacing it with a piece of healthy tendon. We will make a few small incisions and drill little holes in your calf and thigh bones. The graft is attached to the bones, which will grow around it. It will take several weeks or even months before you're able to resume your normal activities, and you'll need a program of progressive physical therapy to restore your range of motion."