Chapter 1: The Bitter Truth

“I never asked for your goddamn love, all I needed was your fucking signature on that piece of paper. We both know you're here for the money, so just stop acting like you care. You can suck up your filthy love down your throat” Jasper shouted as he flung and smashed the plate of food Luna just served him against the wall, turned, and left the room.

His bloodshot eyes held a cold detachment, they narrowed into slits, boring her with a look that could cut metal.

Luna should have gotten used to this attitude by now but his words always cut deeper than any sword could. Luna swallowed hard, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to keep her emotions in check. Of course, she was here for the money, but she had hoped that love would set in just like in movies and fairy tale stories.

Sitting helplessly at the far end of the room below the window frame, Luna clenched her fists at her sides, fighting back tears that formed in her eyes, with regret she recalled how it all started.

Flashback: 3 months earlier

Luna walked into the quiet hospital room, she could perceive the scent of antiseptic that lingered in the air, it was so intense that it made her stomach twist. At the far end of the room stood a single bed where her unconscious mother lay. At the bedside, she could see an IV drip, she traced the clear plastic tube down to her mother's arm with her eyes. The monitor at the head of the bed flashed with a steady, rhythmic pulse. Beep. Beep. Beep. As she took a step closer to the bed, her heart sank and her whole body went pale.

“She's gotten so lean. How could she have gotten so lean just within a few days?"

Luna wiped the tears that fell from the corner of her eye as she stood and stared at her sick mother who lay on the hospital bed, sick and lean, fear was written all over Luna's face and she looked as though she just lost a priceless jewel.

Although she got no answer to her endless questions, she felt that the gentle breeze from the hospital window flapped the sky-blue curtains in agreement with her observation.

Her mother who was usually vibrant was all of a sudden looking like a shadow of herself.

“Ms. Luna” a nurse called out as Luna stood looking into space.

"Uhm…" Luna stuttered

“Doctor Mark would like to see you in his office" the nurse mentioned bringing her back from the mystery world or whatever world she had traveled to.

"Ohh.. Okay. I'll be there in a minute" she managed to respond weakly as she adjusted her face with her palms not letting anyone see the tears that kept falling on her soft cheeks.

Luna walked towards her mother and kissed her on her forehead.

“I'll be back mum, let me go and see the doctor" she whispered into her unconscious mother's

ears.

“Please, where's doctor Mark's office?" Luna asked a fair tender lady who sat face down on a piece of paper on the desk, she supposed it was the receptionist.

“It's right over there by your right" came a soft tender voice, the lady smiled as she directed Luna, pointing to the door that stood 10 meters away from them.

“Thank you Ma'am" Luna forced a smile as she turned to walk towards the door.

“You're welcome"

As Luna approached the office, she suddenly felt uneasy, fear gripped her and her legs felt a bit heavy and at the same time, they grew weaker.

“This is strange, why am I feeling so weak" she pondered.

“Come in" a calm masculine voice beckoned as she managed to knock on the office door.

“Phew" Luna exhaled as she pushed open the door to the office and walked in.

The city skyline shone like flashes of diamonds through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Mark's office. The setting Sun that flashed through the window slightly illuminated the room. Mark, who leaned backward on his chair suddenly leaned forward as he adjusted the sheets that were neatly placed on the table in front of him.

On a normal day, Luna would have paused to analyze and appreciate the carefully crafted painting of the Egyptian pyramid that gorgeously hung on the wall of Mark's office, but today was not close to normal.

“What's she? 16 or what?" Mark stared at the lady standing before him that he forgot to offer her a seat

“Can I sit down?" Luna's tiny soft voice brought him back to his senses

"Yeah, sure, have a seat. Please forgive my manners," Mark apologized as he gestured to her to sit.

Luna, who had felt uneasy even before walking in, became uncomfortable, it seemed the room was stocked up with a lot of tension. She sat down and looked straight into the doctor's eyes as she tried to search for every slight clue of what was wrong with her mother, but the doctor's blank expression gave her no clues. Her heart continued to race as she clenched her fist trying so hard to hide her fears.

“Ms. Luna right?" Mark finally broke the silence

Luna agreed with a nod, her gaze still fixed on the doctor.

"Who else is here with you, your father, your siblings?”

"No one, just me" came the cold reply

“Hmmmm…" Mark sighed not knowing what to do next.

“How in the world am I going to tell her this, can she cope with the news? I just hope we don't admit two sick people at the end of the day” Mark frowned as he pondered and raised an eyebrow.

“Urgh.. urgh..” Mark cleared his throat"

“Hey Luna, I don't really know how to say this to you, but ….” Mark paused as his worried eyes scrolled down the piece of paper in his hands.

“Oh my God" Luna's thought deepened as her face went pale, she couldn't hide the fear, it was written all over her face. Mark's words made her scared and anxious and his facial expression now only meant danger.

“Please talk to me doctor, what's the problem? What's wrong with my mum? Don't worry, I can handle it, just tell me please” Luna anxiously replied as her body gripped with fear, she knew she would have to face whatever was coming.

Mark dropped the piece of paper on the table, looked Luna in the eyes, and said calmly,

“Your mum has stage IV cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, it's a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, she's currently unconscious but will be revived soon. She needs urgent medical attention in order to curtail the cancer from spreading further to other parts of her organ”. Mark dropped the bombshell as he bit his lips and looked Luna in the eyes.

Luna's eyes flashed at Mark immediately the words fell out of his mouth, her mouth fell open but she couldn't speak as the words were trapped in her throat.

“Phew… I'm sorry Luna” Mark sighed as he added in a consoling tone.

The room fell silent, it was so quiet that if a pin dropped at that moment, you would hear every sound that it made, it was as though the world vanished for a moment. Luna couldn't move an inch, and even though the AC in the room was on, sweat could be seen running down her face, she visibly shook right where she sat.

“What?!" A word finally forced itself out of Luna's mouth, her heart actually skipped a beat, her eyes bulged out and her body suddenly became cold. She couldn't believe what he just heard.

“Cancer? Can…cer? Did you just say….” the words varnished. Luna's head spun as she froze on

the spot.

“Please, please calm down" Mark managed to mutter as he tried to console Luna, he had been

scared she might not be strong enough to handle the news.

"No. No. No” Luna shouted "This… this… this can't be true, this… this can't be happening” she stammered, feeling more depressed.

“Please check again, please doctor I beg of you” she wept as she convinced Mark to check again. Her chest was so heavy, it was as though it was pierced with a sword.

"Please calm down Luna, I beg of you" Mark walked towards her and patted her back.

“I've double-checked, but the results came out the same. I know how you feel, but….”

“You don't know how I feel doctor, don't say that “ Luna snapped as her whole body vibrated.

“Wait a minute,” Luna turned slowly and raised her eyebrows as she set her piercing eyes on Mark

"Will my mother die?”