5. HOPE

How was Zara going to save Kelvin?

How was she going to arrange the money?

Zara stepped out of the hospital. Traces of dried tears were evident on her cheeks. The cold air hit her body and she felt an involuntary shiver run down her spine.

She suddenly felt so alone. She felt like she was losing the one person who had always been with her through the hardships that she had faced. She wanted support. She wanted a shoulder to cry on.

Zara did not want to go to her mother or father. She had no idea what condition they were in. They were probably still shaken by what happened to her father earlier that day. If she told them what had happened, it could get her mother sick. The last thing she wanted was another sick person on her.

Zara took in a deep breath. Wearing the pity like it was a garment, was not going to help her. She had promised Kelvin that she would find a way to save him. If it meant begging on the streets then she was going to do it.

She checked her bank balance on her phone and found that she had just three hundred dollars. If she could atleast raise the money to two thousand dollars, then it would be enough to begin his treatment for this month.

This was the time to cry out for help from all the people that she knew. She was counting on them to help raise the money needed.

She took out her phone and began to make the calls. Most of the calls ended up in disappointment. They refused to help the daughter of a  supposed thief. Others donated little amounts of money to her account. The money ranged from twenty dollars to fifty dollars. Fifty dollars was the highest amount she got and it happened only once. The rest paid no attention.

After she had managed to call half of the people living downtown, she found that she was only able to raise five hundred dollars; this was including the money she had before. At this rate, she had no idea how she was going to get the money to two thousand dollars.

What hurt Zara the most was the fact that the people whom she thought were actually going to help Kelvin— these were the same people who Kelvin had helped before— were the ones who refused to help. Those who decided to help dropped the lowest amount of money. This broke Zara's heart. How was she supposed to raise the money at this rate? How was she supposed to save Kelvin?

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks as she walked aimlessly down the streets of Oakwood. All Zara hoped for was to save Kelvin but she was beginning to lose hope. The energy and strength that she had begun her task with had left her already. Zara had become weak. Weak and broken. There was only pain for her.

Zara looked down at her phone and stared at her bank balance. The Five hundred dollars stared back at her. If this had been a normal day then she would have been overwhelmed to find this much money in her account. But it was no normal day. 

It was one of the darkest day in Zara's life.

Thoughts of Kelvin ran through her mind as she walked. She saw his smile, his laughter and she also saw all that happiness fade away. If she allowed that happiness to fade away then she doubted if she was going to ever find happiness again.

As Zara got lost in the depths of her thoughts, she did not realize it when she left the pavements and was now on the main road where cars were moving at fast speed. Before she realized what she was doing, it was already too late. She heard a car horn blast in her ears and when she turned; she saw a black car coming in fast for her. She froze in shock.

Death had come for her and this time, she did not think she would escape it.

The car driver hit his brakes so hard that if it was not made of good materials then it would have broken. Even though he tried so hard to avoid the accident, he still hit Zara but the impact was not so dangerous.

Zara who got hit fell to the ground. She was still too shocked to move. She kept thinking she was dead. Sounds echoed and seemed to get very distant from her.

"Are you okay, Miss?" Zara heard a voice so close to her. It was so assuring and soothing, so much so that she wanted to lean on it. She wanted to hold on to that voice.

She tried opening her eyes. Her vision was unstable. It kept blurring and shaking. But when they finally came back into focus, she was met with the deepest green eyes she had ever seen.

"Does it hurt too much?" he asked again. He was kneeling by her side as he watched her.

"We should take her to the hospital," another man said as he came to stand beside her.

The moment he mentioned the hospital, Zara was reminded that someone was dying there and the only way to save him was find money. Also, she did not want to worry Kelvin by getting admitted into the hospital too.

"I'm fine," Zara muttered and began to get on her feet.

The man saw her struggling and helped her up. "You don't look fine to me," he told her as he helped her up.

"We need to be sure you're okay," the other man said.

Zara could not tell who it was that had been driving but she had to commend him, he was able to stop the accident even when it had been entirely her fault.

Zara felt herself go weak. She felt as if she would faint at any minute but it was not because she had been hit but because she was thinking about Kelvin's condition.

"It's okay. I'm fine, I don't need the hospital," Zara said as she tried to walk away.

She did not even successfully make her fourth step when her legs gave way. The green eyed man was quick to catch her. Zara gasped as she saw how weak she had become. She did not know it when she broke into tears.

"Okay. . .I think you need to sit," the man suggested and began to lead her to the nearest chair. Luckily for him, there was a park nearby. He spotted it and started to head in that direction. "Jeff? Get this lady some water," the man instructed.

Jeff nodded and walked away. Zara figured that he was probably the driver and the casually dressed green eyed man was the boss or of a higher position.

They reached the park and the man helped her to a chair. He sat her down and he took a seat beside her. Since Zara was still crying, he offered her his handkerchief.

"Here," he whispered.

Zara quietly took the clothe from him and wiped her tears. She also cleaned away the mucus that had started to run down her nose. "I'm so sorry for bothering you this much. Today is really not my day," Zara managed to say in a breaking voice. The tears resumed and she could not stop the sobs.

"I'm Oliver Russell. You can call me Oliver," Oliver began, not sure of what to say or do. He found himself in a quite awkward situation.

Zara only nodded her head. She could not bring herself to speak. Oliver saw that introducing himself was a wrong move. So he searched his pocket for something. He smiled when he found it and revealed it. It was a little roll of candy. He offered it to her. Zara stared at the candy in confusion.

"I heard that eating something sweet when one is sad can heighten one's mood. Then again, I think you'll need more candy," Oliver explained, hesitantly.

This caused a smile to creep up Zara's face. His attempt was quite stupid but the intentions behind it warmed her heart. She accepted the candy from him and tore the nylon away. Then she shoved it into her mouth.

"Did it help?" Oliver asked.

As Zara rolled the sweet in her mouth, memories of Kelvin getting her candy entered her head. She started to blink hard as she tried to stop tears from escaping her eyes. The candy was sweet but the thought of losing Kelvin was more painful.

"A little," Zara muttered and looked away. Tears finally escaped her eyes. "I'm Zara, Zara Lawman," she managed to say.

Oliver wanted to remain quiet and not poke his nose further into her business. He was good at staying out of people's lives yet today, he found it very difficult to do just that. He could not understand why he was very bothered by this woman's sadness. Not only was he bothered but he wanted to help her. He wanted to put an end to her suffering.

"Zara, I know this would sound rude but I can't help it. I have been trying to figure it out the entire time I have been with you. What is the cause of your tears? Who made you cry?" Oliver demanded.

Zara looked up at Oliver with teary eyes. She contemplated on whether to tell him or not. Then she saw that she had nothing to lose. She had not progressed in anyway all day.

"The one person who makes me smile everyday has been admitted to the hospital. The one person who makes my life worth living, is dying. . ." she paused and tried to get her voice back. "Kelvin is sick with lung cancer and the doctors say he's going to die if we do not begin his treatment immediately," Zara blurted out. More tears flowed down her cheeks.

Oliver knew that he had to stop here but he was filled with the urge to know more. He was determined to stop her tears and solve her problem. Just because he was in trouble did not mean that he could not help someone else.

"So why haven't you started his treatment?" Oliver asked but the answer was obvious.

Zara looked away. "His treatment costs twelve thousand US dollars for the first six months. I need to pay two thousand US dollars so that they can begin with his treatment. I tried to raise the money and all I have managed to get is five hundred dollars. Now I'm going to lose Kelvin because I can not arrange the money that is needed for his treatment. He's dying there and I'm helpless," Zara cried. She broke into more sobs.

Oliver had to stop himself from enveloping Zara in a big hug. He understood her problem and he had everything necessary to solve her problem. He could give her the money she needed now but if he decided to pay all the bills, it would make no sense because he was not entitled to do so.

Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. He needed a fake wife. Zara already had a boyfriend that she was willing to die for judging from the accident. She had no reason to try double cross him because she also needed the money. What if he killed two birds with one stone?

"Zara?" Oliver called to her. Zara stared up at him in response. "What if I told you that I have the solution to your problem? What if I told you that I could pay for Kelvin's hospital bills?"

Zara widened her eyes at him. She stopped crying immediately and almost smiled, then the obvious dawned on her. "But at what cost?"

Oliver exhaled sharply. "My company is dying. The only way to save it is to get married and I do not want to do that right now. My friends suggested I get a fake wife in order to save my company. Zara, I am willing to pay the bills you need if you become my fake wife. So the question is, will you, Zara Lawman, accept to be my fake wife?"