The drive to the hospital was short, but to Daniella, it felt like eternity. She was eager to get the medical tests over with and move on to the final preparations for the wedding. Desmond, as usual, remained calm and focused on getting everything done efficiently. They arrived at the hospital and parked the car in the parking lot. Desmond opened the door for Daniella, and they walked together towards the entrance. It was a private hospital and the best in the city. Only the rich families could afford the hospital. They got to the reception desk, where a nurse attended to them. "Good afternoon. How can I help you two today?" She had a warm smile across her face. "Our wedding is coming soon. We are here for a premarital medical test," Desmond answered. "Alright, sir, Please have a seat in the waiting area. The doctor will call you shortly." They went and took a seat at the waiting area. Only a very few people were sitting there. After a few minutes, a door opened, and a doctor ste
"Let her go!" Anabel looked back and to her greatest shock, it was Sylvester. She was surprised on how he just appeared from nowhere."And who are you to tell me what to do?" The leader asked."The one who can make you regret ever touching her." Sylvester replied."I will give you a chance to leave. This is non of your business man. Unless you want to join her." The leader said."That's my girlfriend and she's coming with me." Sylvester declared. "I won't let you take her.""You called for this young man. I'm not to be blamed." The leader said and turned to his boys. "Waste him." With their weapons on their hands, they began to walk towards Sylvester. Anabel was scared and yelled at Sylvester. "Run! You can't fight them! They will kill you!" She tried to break free from the leader's hand but she couldn't.One of the boys sneered at Sylvester's challenge and launched forward. Sylvester sprang into action and delivered a powerful uppercut as he tried to hit him with an iron rod. The pu
"Hey, what are you still doing there?" She called her driver, who was still hiding, and they helped Sylvester into the car. Anabel got in, and her driver drove them quickly to the nearest hospital. Once they arrived, Sylvester was taken to the emergency room, where a doctor examined his injuries. The cuts and bruises were minor, but the doctor insisted on cleaning and dressing them to prevent infection. Anabel was sitting beside Sylvester, holding his hands, while he was receiving treatment. She couldn't believe the bravery and selflessness he had shown in rescuing her. It went a long way in reinforcing her belief that Sylvester was someone she could trust and rely on. When the doctor was done, Sylvester was given some painkillers for his aches. "You are my hero, Sylvester. I love you so much." She said in the car as they drove to Sylvester's apartment. When they got to his apartment, Anabel helped him inside and made sure he was comfortable. "Do you have any food, or should I co
The next time Anabel visited, she brought food for him. She knew how much he would appreciate her cooking and wanted to brighten his day. She knocked on his door, and when he opened it, she was happy to see his smiling face."My baby is here!" He exclaimed and pulled her into a warm embrace. She smiled and held up the bag of food."I brought this for you," she said, walking into the living room and setting the bag on the table."It's like you knew I would be hungry. Thank you very much." "You are welcome." She replied and began to unpack the food."This smells nice. It must be delicious.""Yeah. Anyway, you are about to find out now." She finished and gave him the spoon. "Only one spoon? There is no way I'm going to eat this alone. You are eating with me." He got up from the couch and headed to the kitchen. Before Anabel could adjust on the seat, he showed up with another spoon and a bottle of water."What are you doing? The food is for you." Anabel said."Well, I won't be eating wh
But as Sylvester's hand moved from her neck down to caress her breasts, she gently pulled away."Not now, baby," Anabel whispered, and Sylvester was disappointed. "I just thought...""I know." Anabel replied, placing her right hand on his cheek. "But I want us to take it slow. I enjoy spending time with you like this, talking and laughing. We will have our moments, but just not tonight."Sylvester nodded, trying to mask his disappointed look. "You are right, baby. I just got carried away."Anabel smiled and gave him a reassuring kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for understanding me. Let's just enjoy each other's company."They continued talking, and the initial tension began to dissipate slowly. After a few minutes, Anabel glanced at the time and realized it was getting late. "I should be going home.""I'm hoping you'd stay over today." Sylvester said."Maybe next time." Anabel replied and stood up."Alright," he said, standing up and walking her to the door.Anabel paused for a moment a
"Please, hear us out." Vanessa interjected. "Our future depends on it. It means everything to us." Dr. Richard shook his head. "I can’t condone any form of medical fraud. I don't know who you guys want to exploit money from, but I can't. It goes against everything I stand for, and the hospital management would never support it." Sylvester leaned forward. "We are not asking you to do this for free. We are prepared to compensate you generously for your cooperation." "No amount of money is worth compromising my ethics and risking my career," Dr. Richard replied. "Please leave my office." "It's not what you are thinking. It won't put you into trouble." Vanessa said. "You don't come here and teach me my job. I can't falsify a medical condition." Dr. Richard insists. Vanessa looked at Sylvester, and he nodded, then reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. He placed it on the desk in front of Dr. Richard. "Five thousand dollars." He said quietly. "Think about what this kind
The next day, Sylvester and Vanessa got prepared and headed to the hospital. The doctor had arranged their room for them. They got to the hospital, and the doctor took them to the room. Each day costs five hundred dollars, and Sylvester paid for four days. Vanessa changed into a gown and lay on the bed. The doctor connected the ICU systems, making it look like she was battling between life and death. "I will call Anabel now." Sylvester said and took a deep breath, then dialed Anabel's number. "Hello, babe." Sylvester greeted just as Anabel picked up the call. "Hi, babe. Good morning." She answered. "How are you doing?" "I....…I'm fine, but." He paused. "But what? Is there any problem?" Anabel asked, concerned. "I don't want to talk about it. I can find a way and handle it." Sylvester said. "Find a way and handle what?" Anabel asked. "Don't worry yourself. I said I will handle it." "You can still tell me. Maybe I can be of help." Anabel insists. "I don't want to be a burden
"Ohhhhh! I understand." Anabel shook her head. "You are really going through a lot.""It's my responsibility. I can't let her die. I will do everything possible to make sure she survives." Sylvester said. As they were talking, Dr. Richard walked in and greeted Anabel."Is he the doctor?" Anabel asked Sylvester."Yeah, he is the one in charge of her." Sylvester replied, and Anabel turned to the doctor and asked. "What is really happening to her?" “Vanessa’s liver is failing, and she needs a transplant as soon as possible. We will replace Vanessa’s failing liver with a healthy donor liver. The procedure is complex and costly, but it’s her only chance. I've told Sylvester what it will cost. If he continues to waste more time, he may lose her.” The doctor said, and she looked at Vanessa. She felt pity for her, then turned to the doctor.“I will cover the cost, whatever it takes. I don't want anything to happen to her.” Anabel said and Sylvester smiled, seeing that everything was going sm
"Then what are we going to do now?" Jethro asked. "I will call an ambulance to take him to the hospital." The doctor said and picked up his phone. He called the hospital for an ambulance and turned to Anabel and Jethro. "I have called for the ambulance. It will be here soon, and your dad will be taken care of." Anabel’s breath shuddered as fresh fear consumed her. Her greatest nightmare—the thought of losing her father—was tightening its grip around her chest. She couldn’t lose him. She wouldn’t lose him. But right now, it felt like she had no control over that fate. Every second felt like an eternity until the ambulance finally arrived. The flashing lights reflecting off the smooth pavement. The paramedics moved with urgency, but their presence only heightened Anabel’s anxiety. Jethro, her brother, immediately rushed forward to assist Dr. Maxwell in lifting their father from the bed. Anabel stood back, frozen, her hands trembling as she watched them carefully maneuver Sir Orton
Without wasting a second, Anabel called her brother, Jethro. The moment he picked up, she repeated the same panicked message.“Dad collapsed! You have to come home!”“I’ll be there, Anabel! Just hang on!” Jethro replied.After ending the call, she knelt beside her father again, gripping his hand as she watched his shallow breathing. “Daddy, stay with me,” she whispered through her tears. “Don’t leave me. Help is coming. Nothing will happen to you. You are going to be fine.”A few minutes later, she heard a car pull up. She was expecting the doctor, but when the door opened, it was her brother, Jethro. He had to speed up immediately after he answered the call."We need to take him to the hospital," Jethro said just as he entered the room."I've called the doctor. He said he's coming.""You have called the doctor, and he's yet to come?" Jethro asked."I don't know what is delaying him. He said he's coming already.""I don't think I'm going to have that patience. Come on, let's carry him
At this point, she could barely breathe. She was confused and didn’t know what to do. Her dad had been struggling on his own until he went weak. Her dad had been fighting with asthma for a very long time, though he always controlled it. But today, she couldn't tell what triggered it. And she was so startled to see that his inhaler was empty. He always bought dozens of it. But since he started taking his drugs, he has found the inhaler unnecessary. These days, he barely uses it. She tried to wake him up, but it all went futile. At this point, she doesn't need any prophet to tell her that her dad needed urgent medical attention. Anabel zipped down her handbag. Her hands trembled as she fumbled with her phone. Her fingers were slicked with sweat as she scrolled through her contacts. Her breath was uneven, her heart hammering in her chest. She struggled to keep her thoughts straight, but the sight of her father lying motionless on the floor had shattered any semblance of calm she
The next morning, as the soft beams of sunlight filtered through the windows in Anabel’s room, Anabel was busy at her desk, clicking away on her system. Her fingers were moving rapidly over her computer keyboard as she worked through tasks with total focus. Even though she seemed focused, her mind was restless. She had been debating whether or not to visit Sylvester and Vanessa that morning. Desmond’s words had burrowed deep into her thoughts, creating an unsettling doubt that she couldn’t shake. She needed answers. She needed to confirm what was true. She wasn't ready for another heartbreak. Not when she hasn't even recovered from the first heartbreak. Hours passed, and finally, she leaned back in her chair, exhaling sharply as she finished her work. She closed her laptop and rubbed her temples as she tried to clear her thoughts. With a quiet sigh, she got up and stretched before heading to the bathroom for a quick shower. As the warm water cascaded down her skin, her thoughts
Without wasting any time, the dad asked, “Why did you reject Reuben? You can't tell me you are not ready for marriage because that is what you need now. A man that will take good care of you and your child.” Anabel let out a sigh and leaned back against the headboard. “I don’t like him," she said flatly. “I’m not just interested in him.” She answered, and her father crossed his arms as he gazed at her. “That doesn’t matter much. What matters is that he loves you. Reuben is a good man. Ever since I knew him, he never caused trouble. All you need is a man that will love and take good care of you. You can start loving him after marriage. You think all those successful marriages started with love? No—commitment comes first, and love follows.” Anabel shook her head, standing her ground. “That’s not how it works for me, Dad. My heart isn’t in it.” Sir Orton exhaled slowly as he sensed frustration creeping into him. He wasn’t angry—not yet—but he was growing weary of Anabel's choices.
Her father continued. “I’ve told him everything. About your first marriage and your divorce. I also told her about your pregnancy, and he still accepted.” Anabel’s lips parted slightly in surprise, but she quickly composed herself. Reuben was a very cute guy, but looking at him, she doesn't see herself gisting with someone like him. She shifted in her seat before speaking. “I appreciate you looking out for me, Father. And I thank the Johnsons for coming.” Sir Johnson smiled faintly, observing her with an unreadable expression. Reuben remained unmoved as he continued to watch her with silent interest. Anabel took a breath and continued, “Under normal circumstances, I might have asked for time to think it over because we have never talked about it. But there is no need for that.” Her father leaned forward slightly and asked. “And why is that?” "I don't know how this will sound, but I am not interested in marriage now.” She answered, and the room went silent. No one was expecting
Anabel got back home and stepped out of her car. Her mind was still occupied with thoughts about her hospital visit. The conversation with Desmond had stirred something in her—an unease she had tried to push aside but couldn't fully ignore. As she walked toward her father’s grand villa, she noticed two luxurious cars parked neatly in the driveway. She slowed her pace slightly, and her brows knitted together as she took in the unfamiliar, expensive cars. She tried to recall if they were expecting visitors, but nothing came to mind. She tried to recognize the cars, but she couldn't. One was a gold Bugatti, and the other one was a gray Rolls Royce. The latest and the most expensive car in the country. Even though her father was known to have high-profile associates, these cars weren’t ones she recognized. The insignias, the vip plate number. They belonged to people of significant wealth, people who rarely made unexpected visits. Anabel straightened her posture and entered through
Desmond glanced away, knowing that it wasn't even his problem at the moment. His main problem was that someone was about to extort a big amount of money from her. He couldn't stand it. "Yeah, I know, but that’s not my problem right now." He said with a weak voice. Bella raised an eyebrow in curiosity and asked. "What do you mean it’s not your problem? What’s going on? Which other problem do we have here than winning her back?" Desmond hesitated for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. "There’s a man. Her so-called new boyfriend." "Does she have a boyfriend?' Bella asked. "Yeah, but the problem is that he's deceiving her. He’s about to extort a huge amount of money from her." Mrs. Elizabeth and Bella both stared at him in shock, but Bella was the first to speak. "A huge amount of money?" "How much money are we talking about?" His mom asked with a voice tinged with disbelief. "I know you guys won't believe this, but this man is about to extort three million dollars from her.
Desmond's mom let out a long sigh and let her shoulders sag slightly. "I don’t blame her, though. She has every right to be angry. After everything we did, after how we treated her... I wouldn’t stop to listen either." Bella, who was standing a few steps away, folded her arms tightly across her chest. "But she should at least hear us out," Bella muttered. "Why would she do that? I mean, we are trying to apologize. We are trying to make amends, aren’t we? It’s not like we are asking for much. She could have rolled down the window for a second. Just a second." Mrs. Elizabeth shook her head gently and glanced at her daughter. "Bella, don't say that. She's angry, and she should be. This is not about what we think she should do. We pushed her away. We hurt her. She doesn’t owe us her time, not after the way we treated her." Bella huffed in response and said,. "Yeah, okay, we were wrong. But if she doesn’t let us talk, how are we supposed to make it right? She should have just let us tal