Sad Reality

"I think I have done everything as you instructed, you can go check-

Lucy got startled as madam Theresa presented a file before her. "Sign it," madam Theresa said.

Lucy quickly grabbed the file and read through the lines. "What? Not just that I will marry Mr Blackwood, but all these precautions? This is so unfair Mum!

"It must not sit well with you, but these are the conditions by Mr Blackwood. Accepted or not?

It was really a tough decision for Lucy at the moment. She bent her head in pain and cried bitterly. As she raised her face, her eyes glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, she saw that time was no longer on her side.

"Alright, no problem. I will do it. I mean.. I accept," she said in a pathetic tone.

Madam Theresa brought out a cheque and a biro. "I'm giving you seven hundred million, I'm sure it will foot your father's medical expenses."

She signed the cheque and gave it to Lucy. "Thank you so much ma'am," Lucy said as she collected the cheque and left immediately. Her mind racing with a spin of emotions.

Since it was a check and she had the hospital's account details, she decided to head to the bank to deposit the money and get the proof of payment to the hospital.

She had no money on her anymore and she trekked down to the nearest bank. She was lucky to be attended to immediately when she got there. 

"Ma'am, I need to make a large deposit," Lucy said to the teller, her voice shaking slightly.

"Of course, ma'am. How can I assist you today?" the teller replied politely.

Lucy handed over the cheque and provided the hospital's account details. "I need to make a full payment for my father's medical expenses. He's in critical condition and needs immediate attention."

The teller carefully processed the transaction, her fingers moving deftly across the keyboard. "Alright, ma'am, the payment has been made. Here's the receipt for your records."

Lucy took the receipt, her heart pounding with relief. "Thank you so much. This means the world to me."

She made the complete payment and also withdrew some cash for her transportation. 

"Ma'am, I've made the payments. This is the receipt," she said to the hospital account she met at the entrance.

She waited for the accountant to confirm the payment. "So, when is the treatment starting? I mean, the surgery? Lucy asked curiously.

"Calm down ma'am, we'll prepare him for the surgery tomorrow morning," the accountant responded.

"You wretched girl, why are you still here? Remember you are to do your job for two days. Or are you pleading for mercy already," the head nurse blurted, walking up to Lucy.

Oh, I forgot to tell you, I will no longer be doing the job again. As for my father's bills, I've cleared it all."

The nurse's eyes widened in surprise. "What? How did you manage to clear the bills so quickly?"

Lucy offered a small smile. "Let's just say I had a little help from a very generous benefactor."

The nurse, seemingly at a loss for words, simply turned and walked away, muttering under her breath.

Lucy rushed into her father's hospital room to check on him.

It turned out that her dad was asleep when she entered. She watched her dad sleep so peacefully. She didn't want to disturb his sleep, so she decided to wait for him to wake up. 

Each time she looked at him, she went close and put her finger close to his nose just to make sure he was still breathing since she didn't hear him snore as usual.

She was filled with so much anxiety. From the doctor's report the previous day, her dad really needs immediate medical attention. The thought of her marriage with Mr Blackwood in place of Martha crossed her mind. She was anxiously waiting for her father to wake to tell him the good news of clearing his bills.

Her attention was called off by a bird that flew past the window. She walked closer to the window and admired how the bird punched on the flowers.

She was enjoying the heat of the sun until the doctor came in to check her dad.

"Hello miss, how are you doing? He asked.

"I'm fine doctor but you need to check on my dad to be sure if he is okay", Lucy responded immediately racing from the eye of the window to pay attention to her dad.

They went close to Mr Edward's bed and the doctor forced open his eyes and pointed a torchlight into his eyes. The shock from the doctor got Lucy scared and she paid more attention to know what was happening.

The doctor went ahead and checked her dad's heartbeat with his stethoscope, he gave her a weird look before going ahead to check for a pulse but he found none. He raised her father's hand and it just dropped on its own. He checked for the pulse again but found none. 

At this point, Lucy lost hope because it was written all over the doctor's face.

"I'm sorry miss," the doctor said, covering Mr Edward's face. "He's dead."

Lucy couldn't imagine that someone she was chatting with the previous day had just died. She was confused about how to feel exactly. She cried and groaned bitterly, called her dad but unfortunately he wasn't hearing her.

She was so devastated, her fears had come true, what would I do without my parents with me?". She asked herself.

Lucy's world shattered in that moment. Her father, the only person she has always counted on, is gone. She cried and groaned bitterly, calling out to him, but receiving no response. The sad reality of his passing away overwhelmed her, and she struggled to comprehend how she would manage to cope with her stepmother and stepsister.

She couldn't even find the voice to cry. All that was going through her mind was her marriage with the ruthless billionaire. Immediately, he phone began to ring.

"Why is she calling now? She sighed, wiping away her tears as she reached for her phone.

She picked the call and placed the phone on her ear.