Chapter 13

"Goddamn it! How can I kiss such a filthy thing! I practically kissed a rod! Ayyy! I think the money has gotten into my head! But no worries, I will surely kiss the real thing soon" George said, scratching his head.

It was already shining brightly from an opening in the basement. George quickly went up to his room to freshen up. He needs to do a lot of tracking today.

Not just that, he also needs to come up with the perfect plan on how to get Mona and present her to Mr Santiago as soon as possible. His mind drifted to the conversation with Greg last night.

If he can get Mona by next week, he would be able to play that stake Greg told him about. Surely, he would become a billionaire overnight instead of just having a measly fifty million dollars. He chuckled to himself and with a face beaming with happiness, he went into the bathroom to shower.

After freshening up and getting dressed, George sat down to think of his next strategy on how to get Mona. What would make Mona willing to come back to him?

He had already taken the half payment so he needs to find all the means to bring Mona to Mr Santiago.

"What if I feign being sick? I still need to give Greg a thousand bucks. I think if I pretend to be sick with a terminal disease, I am sure she would come rushing back. I might even get a few thousand bucks from her" George thought out loud.

"I think I should go and meet with Doctor Vijay. We were once classmates and I know he would do it for a little amount of money. I think I need to go and see him now"

George, finally arriving at a decision, decided to push through with it by visiting his doctor friend.

It wasn't a big clinic. It was located in their vicinity. People rarely visit the clinic because the owner, Doctor Vijay, was a very greedy person. He charges triple what the General hospital takes for every consultation or treatment.

Unless the case was critical, no one dares admit themselves to that clinic.

George had already called his friend, so he just walked to his office after directions from the receptionist.

"Long time, buddy. You have grown fatter since I last saw you" George exclaimed when he saw his friend.

Doctor Vijay was an extremely chubby man with a bald head. He always wears large round spectacles which he hangs on his nose. Everything about him was extra large. He had a mountain of a nose and lips as wide as a stretch of a rubber band.

When he smiles or laughs, he looks crooked. It seems he used all the beauty he had in exchange for his brain. Though he has a worse outward appearance, Doctor Vijay was one of the best surgeons in the country.

But due to his greed and lack of manners, he lost his position as head the surgeon at the highly reputed General Hospital. After losing his job, he opened this small clinic.

"And my God! George, you look skinnier. What happened to you? Are you starved? Are you no longer being taken care of by your daughter?" Doctor Vijay exclaimed.

"Ayyy! You don't have to rub it on my face, Vijay. You don't have to mock me for being poor. Not everyone has a skill like you"

"You started it. You called me fat! You know how much I hate that word. You didn't even just call me fat, it was… fatter! Hmph!" Doctor Vijay sneered.

"Okay, sorry buddy. I won't do that again, okay? I have a business transaction with you" George quickly apologized. He needs the help of Vijay for his plan to work, so this was not the time to go against him.

"So tell me why you are here"

"You see, my daughter ran away from home and I want to bring her back but I need your help"

"My help, how?"

George briefly explained what he needed the doctor to do for him. After the explanation, doctor Vijay reluctantly agreed after George promised to split the money they would get from Mona fifty per cent each.

"Alright. I can give you a diagnosis of lung or liver infection. Or should I make it a heart failure? I think that would be better. I know what to say to her after that. Leave everything to me. Come back in three days to be admitted to the hospital"

"Three days? Why three days?"

"By then I would have prepared everything including your test results and diagnosis. Just leave everything to me" Doctor Vijay said smiling.

George happily shook his friend and bade him farewell. He knew he could rely on him.

*******

Three days later, George went to the clinic as per their plan. Though he wasn't comfortable at all, he had to do it.

They had to lure Mona back to him as soon as possible.

"I have been having another thought. I think we have to make the act real" Doctor Vijay proposed.

"How?" George asked.

"Do you know where she stays presently?"

"Yes, I do. She lives with her friend" George replied.

"That's even better. You have to play a sympathy game with them for some days before luring her home"

"How is that?"

"You have to appear before her friend looking frail and sick for some days. Her friend has to see you sick so she can convince her to return to you when we finally tell her of your illness" Doctor Vijay replied.

George nodded at his suggestion. That was a good idea. That would surely bring Mona running straight to him in the hospital.

"You are truly a genius, Vijay! How did you come up with such an idea?" George gushed over his friend's words.

"As you said I am a genius," Doctor Vijay smiled.

"But how are you going to make me frail-looking?" George asked.

"Did you forget I am a doctor? I will just give you some pills to make you look weak and a makeup artist can do the rest" Doctor Vijay said.

George looked at his friend in surprise." How did you become a doctor in the first place?"

"I am a genius," Doctor Vijay said.

They burst out laughing as Doctor Vijay prepares to take the plan a little further.