Love or Business.

Chapter 2

The message on my phone reads, "Please kindly meet me at my office," followed by an address. Sophia turns to me, her eyes wide with excitement. "Men! He's sounding like a perfect gentleman. Awwwn, I'm so happy for you."

I snapped at her, "What do you mean? Sophia, he is a gentleman. He doesn't have to act like that. He is already a gentleman."

Sophia responds, "Well, whatever. But he is into you, girl." I just sigh, opening the glass door of the gallery and stepping out into the cool night air. I hail a cab, while Sophia heads to her car, parked a little way off.

"Bye, girl," she calls out before driving off, leaving me alone with my thoughts. As I climb into the cab, I can't help but feel a strange mix of excitement and apprehension. What does Adrian want to discuss? And why at his office? I guess I'll find out soon enough.

As the cab pulled away, I had to take one last look at the art gallery, its lights twinkling in the darkness.

In the cab, I pull out my phone and type “Adrian Charles Montgomery” into the search bar. As the search results load, I find myself holding my breath. The screen fills with articles about Adrian’s success as an artist and his long history in the art world. I scroll through the pages, my heart pounding with every new piece of information I uncover.

Adrian Charles Montgomery, the renowned artist and billionaire CEO. His work is celebrated worldwide, and his contributions to the art world are immeasurable. I can’t help but feel a sense of awe as I read about his achievements. If he, with all his success, acknowledges that my work is beautiful, then maybe I really do have something special.

I lean back in the cab seat, my mind buzzing with thoughts. This could be a turning point in my life, a chance to finally make a name for myself in the art world. But for now, all I can do is wait and see what tomorrow brings. As the city lights passed by, I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness.

The cab pulls up in front of my house, and I reach into my bag to pull out the fare. As I hand the money to the driver, I notice the redness on my skin. It's one of the symptoms, a sign that the cancer is progressing.

"Take," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. The driver hesitates, his eyes darting to my hand. "It's not contagious," I snapped, a bit harsher than I intended. He takes the money and drives off, leaving me standing alone in the quiet street.

I stare at my hand, the reality of my situation sinking in. The symptoms are becoming more visible, a constant reminder of the battle I'm fighting. With a heavy heart, I rush into my house, slamming the door behind me.

On the table in my room, I looked at my medication lined up, my reality dawning on me. I wonder if I'll ever be free from this disease, if I'll ever get to live a normal life again.

In my depressed state, I had to take out my phone and dial Sophia's number. I need to talk to someone, and Sophia has always been there for me.

Sophia's phone rings for a few minutes before she finally picks up. "Girl, what's up?" she asks, her voice cheerful. But then she hears my sobs on the other end of the line, and her tone changes instantly. "What's up, girl? Why are you crying?

I continued to cry as I said "it's the cancer it is getting more visible".

Sophia doesn't hesitate. "Girl I'm coming right away," she says, determined in her voice.

"But it's dark," I manage to say, my voice barely a whisper.

"Just hold still for me, I'm coming," Sophia reassures me before hanging up the call.

Left alone in my room, I can't help but feel a sense of relief. Sophia is coming. I'm not alone. As I wait for her, I walked to my desk which had all my medications.

I begin to prepare some of my medication, peeling off the foil and mixing a few pills. But as I'm about to take one, I break down in tears. The reality of my situation is too much to bear, and I can't help but cry.

Minutes pass, and I'm still crying when I hear the sound of a car horn outside. I rush to the window and see Sophia's car pulling up. Relief washes over me, and I run outside to meet her.

Seeing Sophia, I break down again, my tears flowing freely. But Sophia, ever the rock, wraps her arms around me and says, "Yo, girl. I'm here now. Stop crying, girl. We're going to fix this, you hear me?"

I look up at Sophia, my best friend in the whole wide world, and nod. “Okay,” I manage to say, my voice barely a whisper. We both head inside, and Sophia’s eyes widen when she sees the amount of medication on my table.

“These aren’t good, girl,” Sophia says, her voice filled with concern.

“I know,” I respond, my voice breaking as I break down into tears again. Sophia quickly racks her brain for an idea.

“Yeah, I get it. I have an idea. I have a way to fix this,” Sophia says, determination in her voice. “What’s the plan? Is it Adrian?”

From the look on her face I got my answer “No, girl,” I say, shaking my head. “Adrian is still a stranger. I don’t know him yet.”

“Yeah, you see, when you get to his office tomorrow, you talk to him, get to know him. And if he makes you a million dollars deal, you treat yourself with it. Look at yourself, you aren’t looking well. You need medication, and from the look of things, you are broke. And I’m broke too,” Sophia says, her voice filled with worry.

“So your only choice is him making a million-dollar deal. You feel me?”

I nod, understanding what Sophia is saying. It’s a long shot, but it’s the only shot I have. For now, all I can do is hope for the best.