Health issues.

Vanessa didn't want to continue having the discussion about her fallen company because it'd make her depressed, so she moved onto making breakfast for herself, Eric and Derek. Actually, since Eric and Derek had nowhere to go except the villa, Vanessa pitied them and suggested that they live with her for the meantime.

“Here you go, little scoundrels”. Vanessa said as she served the tea and snacks on the dining table. Later on, she went and sat down on her own chair before she added, “I made breakfast, so to earn your keep in this house, you two are going to wash the dishes”.

“Sure”. Eric and Derek easily agreed as they began munching the meals in front of them.

“Tsk”. Vanessa slightly shook her head when she saw the way Eric and Derek were eating like fugitives who hadn't eaten for days. “Eat slowly. I'll make more if it's not enough”. Vanessa announced and didn't mind when Eric and Derek continued munching the meals.

It took only a few minutes, and Eric and Derek were done eating. They waited for Vanessa to finish eating and after they saw she had finished eating, they also took her plates and cup to the kitchen.

“Derek I have an idea, let's play rock, paper, scissors. Whoever loses will wash everything”. Eric suggested after putting all the utensils in the washing sink. Actually, he was aware that he would beat Derek in this game since he always wins.

“Alright, I'm in”. Derek agreed.

“One, two, three…. Rock, paper, scissors!”. Eric and Derek recited as they played the game.

After like a second of playing rock, paper, scissors, Eric stood still in confusion because he lost.

“I won! Good luck doing the dishes, Eric”. Derek patted Eric's shoulder before leaving the kitchen immediately.

“Damn. If I knew I'd be the one to lose, then I wouldn't have suggested playing rock, paper, scissors”. Eric frowned his face as he admitted. And since he lost the game, he had no other choice but to wash the dishes himself.

It was finally afternoon, and Vanessa locked herself inside her room because of the endless noises Eric and Derek were making while playing video games.

Vanessa got a phone call from her ex manager, but she declined since she was already certain that it was going to be bad news.

“You guys won't just leave me alone”. Vanessa sighed as her phone rang and distracted her again. This time around, she wanted to decline the call, but when she saw the name Id of the caller, she immediately answered. “Mom? What's up?”.

“Mom? Are you there?”. Vanessa asked when she didn't receive any reply from her Mom who called.

The sudden wailing caused Vanessa's heart to skip a beat. “Mom, what's going on?! Please, speak to me!”. Vanessa's loud voice attracted both Eric and Derek who rushed into her room.

“What's going on, big sis?”.

“Yeah, why the loud voice?”. Eric asked.

Although Vanessa heard both of her twin brothers' questions, she didn't reply to them because she was still anxiously waiting to hear her mom's voice.

“Mom…. Please speak to me”. Vanessa pleaded.

“Nessa, it- it's my- my husband”.

“What happened to Dad, mom?”. Vanessa quickly asked as her heart was already beating really fast.

“Your father collapsed!”. Vanessa's mom announced before wailing even more.

“Father collapsed?! Calm down, Mom…. Just stay where you are, I'll come to you right now”. Although Vanessa was shocked by this news, she tried to encourage her mom as the elder sibling.

After Eric noticed that Vanessa had hung up the call, he asked her, “Our father collapsed? How did it happen?”.

“I don't know”. Vanessa admitted before turning to face Derek who was already busy shedding tears. “Seriously? Stop behaving like a weakling, Derek. Nothing is going to happen to our father! I know this might sound stupid, but I'll say it anyway. Our father is just 46 years old, so he's strong”. “Right now, I want you to just believe that nothing is going to happen to him”. Vanessa added and smiled when she saw Derek nod at her and even cleaned up his tears.

“Alright, enough wasting time, let's go to Mom and Dad. I'll drive us”. Vanessa concluded.

The hospital,

It was half an hour ride and Vanessa arrived with the twins at the villa. When they entered the Villa, they saw their Mom who later took them to the hospital where their father was at the moment.

“Doctor, how's my father? Is his situation something serious I should be worried about?”. Vanessa asked and when the doctor didn't reply to her immediately, she was certain that something indeed was wrong somewhere.

“I’m sorry to inform you of this, but Mr Williams needs an immediate surgery. There's an empty surgery spot available by tomorrow afternoon, and if you're able to come up with the money by morning time tomorrow, we'll perform the surgery for him”.

“Is that all?”. Vanessa asked the doctor, because to her, it didn't look like a big deal since she felt she could come up with the money.

“Yes. That's right, as for the other news, if we don't perform the surgery for Mr Williams as early as tomorrow, his life would be in great danger because the emergency treatment isn't working well for him”. The male doctor announced. “You can meet the secretary for the bill inquiry”. He added.

“I understand”. Vanessa simply stated before she got up from the chair and left the doctor's office.

Derek was keeping his asleep mom company while Eric was pacing back and forth.

When Eric saw that Vanessa finally came out from the doctor's office, he confronted her and questioned, “What did the doctor say? Is our father going to be alright?”.

“Of course, our father will be alright. I'll take care of everything. Just wait here with Derek and Mom while I meet the secretary”. Vanessa announced before she made her way to meet the secretary.

After a while of standing among the queue, it was finally Vanessa's turn.

“Please, I'd like to request for my father's bill, Mr Williams”.

“Just a sec”. The secretary said as she carefully searched for the bill. It didn't take that long and she found it. Later on, she handed it to Vanessa who collected it from her.

“Thanks”. Vanessa greeted before she came out from the line as there were others behind her who were also waiting for it to be their turn.

Vanessa went and stood at a corner as she reviewed the bill. When her eyes met with the huge amount of money she was going to pay for her father's surgery, she instantly lost hope.

“18 million dollars, just for a surgery?”. Vanessa muttered before rubbing her palm on her face. “Assuming it was before, this money is no big deal for me. But now, I don't have this much. I wasted all my money when I was trying to save my company”. Vanessa added, and thinking about how she was to pay this sum by tomorrow, just weakened her completely.

“I pray to come up with something before tomorrow”. Vanessa muttered to herself before hiding the bill document as she didn't want her brothers and Mom to be bothered by it.

“You're back already?”. Eric said with a smile when he saw Vanessa approaching.

“Yeah”. Vanessa replied and forced a smile on her face.

“Nessa darling, Eric told me you went to meet the secretary. Is everything alright?”.

“Oh, you're awake Mom. And yes, everything is alright”. “The doctors are going to perform a surgery tomorrow afternoon for Dad, and after the surgery, he'll be healthy”. Vanessa added.

“That's really good to hear, Nessa. About the bill….”.

Vanessa didn't let her Mom finish talking and she immediately interrupted by saying, “Don't worry about the bill, Mom. I'll handle it”. Soon, Vanessa turned to face Eric and said to him, “Eric, you're the eldest twins, so I'm counting on you to take care of Mom and Derek”.

“Huh? Are you planning on going somewhere?”. Eric got curious and asked.

“Don't worry, I'll be back by morning time with the bill money. Just wait for me until then, alright?”. Vanessa said and smiled when Eric nodded at her. “I'll be back tomorrow, Mom, Derek. So, until then….”. Vanessa concluded and left afterwards