Tears streamed down my face as I squeezed my eyes shut. My heart clenched and intense fear filled mg system.
"I-I'm on my way. Please wait for me there, Lea," I said before ending the call.
I was gasping for air, and my tears kept flowing. I turned to Errol, and held on his arms, unable to stop crying.
"I-I need to go, Seya..."
"Shh... Zehra, calm down," Errol said softly.
I noticed his friends approaching us. Lianna and Thauce were among them. Sir Jio came over to ask what was happening.
"What happened, Zehra?"
"Sir, I-I need to leave now. P-Please just deduct my pay for tonight. Seya... m-my sister needs me. She was t-taken to the hospital again. She had an attack and is in the ICU."
Please, God. P-Please... don't take my sister f-from me. She's the only reason that I-I am living... please...
"Don't worry about your salary, Zehra. Go to your sister now," Sir Jio told me.
I nodded and was about to turn away to leave when Errol stopped me, still holding my hand.
"I'll go with you," he said, glancing at his friends.
"Guys, let's continue this party another time. It's an emergency."
After saying that, Errol started walking ahead while holding my hand. But before we could leave the bar, Lianna called out to him.
"Errol."
He turned and smiled at Lianna. I looked over at Thauce, who was staring at the hand of Errol who was holding mine.
"Thauce, can you please bring her home," Errol said and turned to look at Lianna.
"We'll talk next time, Lianna."
I couldn't speak anymore. Errol pulled me to leave, and we headed to his car. I got in crying while he drove to the hospital where Seya was taken.
"Zehra, your sister is a fighter. She will fight for you, hmm?"
"I-I'm so scared, Errol... I- I can't live without my sister."
When we arrived at the hospital, I rushed to the ICU. I saw Lea and immediately called out to her, hugging her tightly.
"Zehra!" she cried.
"There's a-a lot of blood... I was so scared," she said, crying.
I couldn't hold back my tears either. I was terrified for my sister's safety. I know her condition was getting worse as day passed by but I'm still holding on. I'm still praying hoping that m-miracle will happen and she will get better.
"She's been in the ICU for half an hour."
As soon as Lea finished speaking, the doctor came out to talk to me. I felt like I was about to faint when I heard about my sister's condition. Stage 3 cancer. T-The cancer already spreading in her lungs.
It had progressed so quickly. The doctor also told me that she needed surgery as soon as possible.
When I learned how much it would cost, I wanted to kneel down.
Two m-million...
Where would I get two million pesos? W-Where could I possibly find that much money when I know I can't even make a hundred thousan in a year?
Why a-are you making life so hard for me, L-Lord? Why?
"I will wait for your decision, Miss. Mineses," the doctor said and leave.
We couldn't take Seya home that night. She still needed to be examined by the doctors. Lea and her dad went home. I thanked them for staying with Seya while I was away.
"Zehra..." I looked at Errol, a bit surprised realizing that he was still here.
"A-Ahm, Errol, could you please keep an eye on Seya? I-I just need to buy some medicine—"
I couldn't finish my sentence as he approached me and hugged me.
"You can cry and you can be weak right now, Zehra."
When I felt how comforting his hugged and words, that's when my tears pooled down. I sobbed and cried hard in his arms.
T-This is just too much. I had already gone through so much... and now my sister?
"I-I don't know what to do, Errol. I-I don't know if I can handle the coming days..."
"I'm so tired... so tired of everything—my mind... my body."
"W-Why is this happening to us, S-Seya is so young..."
Errol let me cry, and when I finally calmed down, I thanked him. I felt a little better after letting out my pain to him.
"Don't worry, I will not leave your sister," he said.
I thanked him and headed outside the hospital, leaving Seya in Errol's care while I went to buy her medicines.
But, as I walked through the dimly lit area of the hospital towards the pharmacy, I stopped when someone suddenly blocked my way.
"W-What..." I gasped when I saw who it was.
His eyes were serious as he looked at me.
"What are you... doing?"
I glanced at Thauce.
"What are you doing here?" I asked again. I don't have the energy to deal with him.
"I-If you want to insult me, can you it next time? I don't—"
"You need money, right?"
I tightly shut my eyes, trying to get past him, but he forcefully grabbed my arm and I gasped when he held me on mg waist.
"Thauce!" I glared at him trying to pushed him but he was holding me so tight.
"I. am. talking. to. you, Zehra Clarabelle. Don't just turn your back on me."
"Yes! I need money! I-I fckng need it for my sister! And why, Thauce? Huh? Are you going to insult me again? Accuse me of using my body to get Errol for money? No! That—"
"I have a proposal."
I stopped at his words. P-Proposal?
"You need two million for your sister's surgery."
H-How did he know that? Where did he heard about it?
My brows furrowed at what he said.
"I know you need money. You're desperate now. But you can't earn that two million in just a month, Zehra Clarabelle."
My eyes tightly closed. If dealing with the devil was the only c-choice to save my sister then I-I will do it.
Seya... it's for Seya...
"W-What do I need to do?"
I saw Thauce smile wickedly.
"In three months, just stay with Errol. Make him fall in love with you... hard and deeply."
What?
But Suddenly, I remembered what I witnessed earlier. His conversation with Lianna. Was he doing this to win Lianna over?
"F-For those three months?" I asked.
"Yes. I can see that Errol is already interested in you. Make him fall hard. Who knows, it might benefit you too. Errol isn't that hard to love..."
I swallowed hard. My heart beat was fast while I was looking at him. He was really close to me and he's still holding me in my waist.
"Make him fall for you so that Lianna can move on from her feelings for Errol. Once Lianna sees that Errol loves someone else, she will definitely start to forget him."
Love really does change a person.
"I can give you five to ten million for this three-month agreement."
Thauce looked at my face, trying to see how determined I was.
"Just focus on making Errol fall for you. I will give you the money tomorrow, and more importantly, you sister will get the treatment she needs from an exclusive hospital owned by my brother where great doctors will handle her," he said, his tone more serious now.
"Your sister's life is in your hands..." he whispered.
I took a deep breath, my mind racing. I w-will do anything for Seya...
This is for Seya.
"A-Alright," I replied, my voice shake.
"I'll do it."