CHAPTER 2: AN UNWANTED REALITY.

In less than twenty minutes since Tracy got the news, she was already about five minutes away from the first class hospital where her father , James Hall, was being taken care of. It made no sense. 

Why would her father be in the hospital?

Damn it. When she saw him the previous day, the man was in perfect health. So, it was very odd for him to be in the hospital by now. In their family, it was a sort of custom for everyone to get medical check-ups at very good intervals . It had been so from the time she was little. As a matter of fact, her father had had his check-up just the previous week and his health had been said to be very fine. 

Or could it be that the doctor had lied to them? 

Could he have made a mistake ?

Perhaps, her father might have had a health challenge without letting any of his family members know. There were just the three of them. Her father and mother in addition to her. There was definitely no one else . Driving with one hand, she scrolled through her phone with the other. She found the contact. 

" Dad, please. " She muttered as she hit the contact. 

One ring….two rings….three rings. 

The call connected. 

" Hello, Tracy.  Where are you?" A desperate voice asked her. 

" Mom, what is going on? What happened to dad?" She asked , her voice trying as much as possible to be calm. 

" Your … your father. " 

" What happened to my father? Mom! " 

" Come to the hospital. He suddenly collapsed . " 

" Good lord. What the hell is this? I will be there soon. " 

Her hand hit the decline icon. Her anxiety was already on the increase. The conference that she had been invited to was one she really looked forward to . Tracy was always passionate about anything that had to do with the younger ones. In fact, she was still young . By virtue of that, she always tried to make sure that more young people learn the way. Her schedule had been very busy . But she still did well to be there. And in what seemed like a twinkle of an eye, everything had gone under the bridge. Her phone began to vibrate. Multiple vibrations at a time. Notifications were pouring in. 

" What the…?" She muttered , glancing at the screen of her phone. 

The top notification read, " Founder and chairman of Hall group of companies, Mr James Hall, feared dead as he collapses ." 

" Oh my God. " She muttered. 

The media had a way of always painting everything to look terrible. Though she knew this, she still wouldn't deny the fact that this one got to her . In the next couple of minutes, the tires of her car were screeching in the premises of the hospital. Speeding further to the main complex, she hit the brake pads without warning , releasing the screeching sound. People cursed at her but she was less concerned. She got out and dashed into the building. 

When she got to the doctor's office, she could see her mother , Kathryn , seated there alone. 

" Mom!" She called out, walking to her. 

" Tracy. " Kathryn rose from the chair and turned to her daughter. 

" What happened to dad?" 

" I was at home when I got the call . He collapsed. " 

" What the hell is that? How is that even possible? Our doctor checked his system just last week . How is it that he collapsed?" 

" I have no idea. " The woman replied with her hands rubbing against each other. " The doctor will be here soon. " 

" I think I have to go and see father right this instant. Where is he?" 

" The doctor said he doesn't need to be bothered. He has to be left to get as much rest as he can get. " 

" Damn it. " She muttered and let out a very long sigh. 

Her thoughts were already running around . 

What if her father really had a very terrible health challenge that no one knew about? 

If it was just a mere case of collapsing, by now, he would have been able to see his family. But this was a different case . Tracy drew out the chair and sat down , dropping her phone right on the table. Just in time, the door opened and a man wearing a doctor's suit walked in. It was the doctor. 

" Doctor." 

" Doctor." 

Both ladies said almost at the same time. 

" Good afternoon." The doctor said, " You must be Miss Tracy Hall. " 

Tracy nodded her head. " Yes, I am. The man you are treating is my father. What is going on?" 

" What happened to my husband!" Kathryn asked, worried, showing very well in her voice. 

"  Please, calm down." The doctor said, taking a walk around the table to assume his seat. 

" What is wrong with my father?" Tracy asked again. 

" Hmm." The doctor exhaled. " He has no health challenges. Nothing is actually wrong with him." 

" Can you listen to yourself, doctor?" Kathryn asked, anger coursing through her tone. " How can a very normal person just collapse?" 

" Mr James Hall, like I said, is very okay. He just needs rest. From what I can say as his doctor at the moment, he reacted to shock. He has refused to say what it is to anyone. " 

" I need to see my husband now. " Kathryn said. 

" I'm sorry, ma. However, he just requested to see his daughter first. He has something to say. " 

" He has something to say to me. " Tracy said calmly. 

" Yes. " 

" Mom, please hold on . Get yourself together. I will see him first. " She turned to the doctor. " Where is he right now?" 

" VIP room number ten. " The doctor replied. " Take the elevator at the extreme on your left and move to the ninth floor. " 

Tracy's phone began to ring. She snatched it from the table and strode out of the office , not looking back as she took the call, her feet and gaze trudging closer to the elevator. . 

" Fiona, this is a bad time to call me. " 

" Sorry, ma'am. " Fiona apologized over the phone. " But—" 

She was cut short by a weary Tracy. 

" Cancel every other appointment I have for today. I won't be available. " 

" Okay, ma'am. " 

" Fine. " Tracy replied and was about to put an end to the call when Fiona spoke again. 

" Ma'am. " 

" What is it , Fiona?" 

" The stock value has dropped drastically in the market. "

Tracy felt a chain lock her feet together. Her motion at this point was completely ceased by what she had heard. No way ! There was definitely no damn way she had heard the correct thing. 

" What..what did you just say?" She managed to ask. " What did you say happened to our stock value in the market?" 

" Ma'am, it has dropped drastically." 

" Be specific with your words. " She said , trying to calm her nerves. It was probably a small issue. " By drastically, " she asked slowly," what do you mean?" 

There was a little pause before Fiona dropped the bomb. 

" Forty-five percent. " 

" What?!!!" Tracy shouted in the hallway, drawing the attention of people to her. 

Damn it. She began her stride again towards the elevator. 

" What do you mean by that?" 

" Yes, ma'am.  It just happened. " 

" Damn it. " 

" What do I do , ma'am? So many calls are coming to your office line. " 

" Hmm." She exhaled and stopped in her tracks. " Send out a letter to the board members. We have a meeting tomorrow. " 

" Okay, ma'am. I will do that now. " 

" And one more thing." 

" I'm listening." 

" Keep your eyes on the market . Keep your eyes everywhere. Find out all you need to find out about this mess. Have I made myself clear?" 

" Yes, ma'am." 

The call came to an end . She walked to the elevator and entered. Luckily for her, she was the only one in it. Her heart began to beat faster and faster. The group was at stake here. Her father had made her the Chief Executive Officer of the group of companies while he still retained the position of the chairman. But at the moment, everything seemed to be going south. 

Forty-five percent? 

That was too much. Everything could easily go down in a split second at this rate. At this point, she could beat her chest and say that the only reason her father who did not test positive for any health check just the previous week would have to collapse all of a sudden. From what he had heard from her father, it took him sweat and blood to build the business the way it was already. Now, it is going down. The elevator clicked and she strode into the floor space before her. She walked into a hallway right ahead of her with her eyes scanning the numbers on every door her eyes could reach. 

" Number ten." She muttered. " Yes. " 

She walked to the door and pressed the bell button. Almost at the same time she pressed the button, the door clicked and slid open. It was digitally controlled. Her father must have seen her through the camera . She walked into the supposed hospital room which looked more like an exquisite suite . Her father sat on a couch just in another part of the room , his eyes rightly fixed on the large television screen hung on the wall. 

" Dad!" Tracy called ,walking briskly to that part of the room . 

" Have a seat , Tracy. " Mr James Hall said softly , gesturing that she should sit down . 

Tracy took her seat on one of the couches . Her attention was yet to reach the television. 

" What happened to you ? I heard you collapsed. " 

" Have you seen the news?" 

It was at this moment that her focus got to the television screen. Right there was the news about the status of their group. 

"... The stock market of the Hall group of companies according to reports has been plummeting since a couple of moments ago. And at the moment, as can be shown on the screen, through the chart , it has gone way down and is at fifty-one percent currently."

" What?" Tracy rose to her feet. " Four percent extra has gone just now. What the hell is going on?" 

Mr James Hall sighed and exhaled tiredly, dropping the remote in his hand. 

" I have a favor to ask, Tracy. I made an error. " 

Tracy turned to her father. " What do you mean by an error?" 

" I signed a contract with Holt . " 

" Holt empire?" 

" Yes. I am sorry to be telling you this. But that contract is the reason what's happening to our group is happening." 

" What are you talking about? We have nothing to do with the Holt Empire . " 

" Tracy, I need you to sort this out. " His voice turned shaky. " 

" What's this , dad? Holt Empire is merely six months old. What contract are you talking about?" 

" No, Tracy. " He smiled. " Holt Empire didn't change its owner. It only resurrected from the ruins of its predecessor, Knox incorporations." 

Tracy staggered back. The name registered somewhere. There was only one person in her mind…

Greg. Gregory Knox.