CHAPTER ONE

Sitting on the black rocking chair is Dr. Ray with a report in his hands. 

Ashely, on the other hand, was sweating profusely despite the air conditioning in the office. She just knew that the report in his hand was bad news considering the look on his face.

She had come to meet him today because she felt her mom was hiding something about her health from her and she needed to know the truth.

Dr.Ray's cough brought her back to reality and these were his exact words "Your mom is in her last stage of cancer and has only two months to live, requiring surgery and a bone marrow implant for a chance of survival".

At first, she couldn't believe her ears but with the reports in her hands, the only thing going through her mind was how her mom successfully hid this from her and how in the hell did she not know.

"My life seems completely off track from what I had planned and it looks like it's going to crumble right in front of me" Ashely wailed as she sat on the hospital bench just outside the doctor's consulting room, tears dropping from her eyes as she couldn't stop thinking about her conversation with Dr. Ray regarding her mom's medical report. 

It's hard to believe in any savior now, considering all the trials and pains she is going through. 

Losing her dad and now facing the possibility of losing her mom is too much to bear. 

She had recently lost her job because her boss was being too demanding and she is determined to do everything possible to save her, but she doesn't know where to begin.

 Ashely certainly do not want to bear the thoughts of selling her body to make money, but how is it possible to get such a huge amount of money for surgery in a short period?

 she is angry at her life and also at her mom for not telling her about her health condition earlier. 

She headed to the exit and hailed a taxi not knowing where to go because she needed to cool her mind before speaking to her mom.

"The day has just begun".

*********************************************************Across the office in a Black fitted tux that looked like a famous designer had made it for him, was the most attractive man you would ever come across.

Raw and has this aura that seemed to emanate from him. He was fair and handsome, had strong and chiseled Jawed with neatly shaved bares, the sleeve of his suit hugging his broad, sculpted shoulders. His posture was both aloof and confident.

His brown eyes looked terse, ambitious, so striking it would light up a grate. He is no other than Alan Anderson. The CEO of Anderson's company. 

The ambiance of the office could wake the dead.

What is the meaning of this, " Alan said as he slammed the documents in his hands on the table.

 Standing in front of his table is his fidgeting secretary who is looking everywhere but him.

"When am talking, you look the fuck at me" He groaned.

He wondered why everyone was pissing him off today, first it was his mom telling him how it was important for him to get married since he was already an established man and now this!!.

He have always wanted to work with the European groups but they seem to be a hard nut to crack and their criteria are really at their peak. 

"I have to be a married man before I can collaborate with them, Who does that?" He groaned again at the thought of it.

"Leave my office and get me a cup of black coffee" Alan spoke coldly to his secretary.

"Why can't she look at me, am I that scary? Well good for her, I have always been someone who likes to command authority and keep everyone on their toes that is how I get the job done," Alan thought to himself.

The only thing on his mind now is how to get a contract wife because he has to strike a deal with the European groups.

While in the taxi, Ashely picked up her phone and called Andrea, She has been her friend since high school. Andrea answered the phone on the second ring.

"Hey girl," Andrea said to her as the call connected. Andrea had always been the life of the party, the total opposite of Ashely.

"What's good, are you home?" She asked her.

"Yeah, I'm home. It is my day off, you need me for something?" she answered Ashely.

"Yeah, I need a shoulder to cry on" Ashely answered her as she let out a sob.

"OMG baby, what's wrong!! You know what where are you? I will come to pick you" she said to her panicking.

"I am 10 minutes away from your place " she answered sobbing, she just couldn't control the tears dropping down her chin.

"Alright I will be waiting and please stop crying, So long as no one dies there is hope Ash," she said consoling to her.

"Ash" has always been a name she loved calling Ashely.

How does she tell her that her mom might die if she don't act fast? Holding her tears she said to her "alright" and hung up.

"Miss we are here" the driver's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Oh"she said wiping her tears off, paid the driver and alighted from the taxi, heading towards the driveway leading to Andrea's house.

The door pushed open before she could reach the doorbell.

"Girl, you got me worried, if you had a boyfriend I would have said you broke up and that is the reason you are crying". Andrea said as she headed to the fridge at the side of the kitchen to get her a glass of water.

She rolled her eyes at her as she spoke.

They got settled on the couch, and then Ashely proceeded to tell andrea about her mom's medical report and the money involved.

Andrea scooted close to her and engulfed me in a bear hug. Just what she needed.

She sobbed hard, relieving all her pains.

Drea pulled her face and looked down on her with her bright brown eyes " Ash, this is just a phase that you're going to get over real quick. What we need to do right now is to look for a way to raise the money as soon as possible."

Sitting up, she asked her how they would go about it.

"Come on Ash you have an excellent degree and every company needs someone like you in their establishment," she said to her.

She proceeded to explain "I have a few companies who might need your services so all we need to do is submit your CV and await a result"

"Drea, are you sure about this?" Ash asked her with a tinge of uncertainty.

"Girl imma need you to be positive," she said to Ashely smiling.

She returned the smile, Drea has always been a source of encouragement to her.

After applying for the jobs with Drea. She headed straight to her mom's place to speak to her.

She had moved out to live alone when she got into college and now she is beginning to regret it because had she stayed with her mom she would have noticed something was off.

She headed to the door and rang the doorbell but no one answered.

 "Where could she be" she pondered. She rang it again and still no response. She clicked on the door knob and it opened.

"Mom was never this careless to leave the door open," she said to herself as she walked in, the living room was sparkling clean but no one was there.

"Mom! Mom!!" She called as she headed to the kitchen which happens to be her mom's favorite place, but she was nowhere to be found.

Her heart began to quicken, and what she had feared the most started running through her mind. She held her breath as she climbed the stairs leading to her mom's room.

Mom! Mom!! She called out as she pushed the room door open.

 The bed caught her attention.

Her mom was always all about keeping the house clean but her bed was looking messy, the duvet almost reaching the ground.

She rushed out of the door and ran down the stairs her mind traveling to many places.

"Where could she be, was she rushed to the hospital" she lamented as she searched through her purse fishing out her phone to see if she had gotten a call or if she had missed out on something.

"Thud!!" What was that

Mom! Mom!!