The Billionaire's Mistaken Wife.

Anna "You stupid, worthless girl!" My boss and stepmom roared, advancing on me. I staggered back, eyes wide in shock. "I d-don't understand. What have I done?" "The question should be what have you not done? Do you think I brought you here to be a liability? To ruin my business and reputation? Do you know how many girls want to be in your place? But I decided to give this job to you out of the kindness of my heart." I stared at her in surprise. In the first place, my step mother didn't even pay me a single dime even though I worked from sun up till sun down. She was always quick to remind me that living in her house was enough payment for me. I had been nothing but a slave since my father landed in the hospital. I cleaned, cooked, and did everything she could think of, and also had to work for free in her house cleaning business. What choice did I have though? "I'm not trying to ruin anything." I argued. Helena's eyes flashed in rage, and before I knew it, her palm had come down in a deafening c***k against my face. "Are you stupid? Look around you. Look at this filth, and you dare to say that you've cleaned this house?" I glanced around slowly. I had scrubbed every inch of this house, and it was sparkling. But then again, Helena and her spoilt daughter always had to have something to say. "I'm sorry ma'am." I dropped my head. "I'll start all over again." "You better do that." She snapped. "And you better be careful about getting on my nerves, because the next time you do, I can't guarantee you that I won't end your father's miserable life." Even though I had heard the threat a thousand times, I still jolted in fright. " Please, don't. I'll b-behave." She shot me one last dark glare, before walking away, leaving a trail of muddy footprints all over the floor I'd just cleaned. Tears burned the back of my eyes as I realized that there wouldn't be any time left to see my father before visiting hours ended. I checked the ancient wrist watch on my hand, and saw that I had three hours to go. Jumping into action, I grabbed the mop bucket and rag, determined to finish on time. Just then, my phone began to buzz. "Hello?" I picked the call. "Is this miss Richards? We need you at the hospital right now?" My heart jumped in my chest. "What happened? Is my father alright?" "Yes, he's alright." The woman on the line assured me. "But you have to come to the hospital, we need to speak to you urgently." "Okay. I'll be there shortly." "The consultant will be leaving in an hour, and he won't be available for the next week. Miss Richards, please get here as soon as possible." And then the call hung up. I glanced around at the muddy footprints that trailed all over the house, torn. The hospital was almost an hour away from here. If I didn't leave now, I'd miss my chance with the consultant. Pulling out a note pad from my apron, I scribbled an apology note on it, placed it on the kitchen island and rushed out. By the time I got to the hospital, I was a sweaty mess, but I didn't care. I hurried to the receptionist. "Hello, my name is Anna Richards and I was called about seeing a consultant and_ "You're miss Richards?," a voice asked from behind. I whirled around and saw an older man with a suitcase. "Yes. Who are you?" "I'm the consultant and I have some good and bad news for you. I'll tell you the good one first. Your father has woken up from his coma." I gasped, tears filling my eyes and running down my cheeks instantaneously. "That's amazing. Can I go see him? Oh my God." After six months in a coma, my father had finally woken up everything would finally go back to normal. "The bad news is that we discovered that his lung has almost completely failed" my heart dropped into my stomach. "It wasn't apparent when he was still connected to the breathing tubes, but when he woke up this afternoon, we detected it. I'm sorry, miss Richards." I wiped my face with the back of my hands. "So what's next? Please you can't let him die. He's all I have left." "The only solution is a lung transplant unfortunately. We will look into finding a match immediately, but I'm afraid you will have to make a deposit first." I swallow past the lump in my throat. "A deposit." The consultant sighed. "You are already owing the hospital more than two hundred thousand in debt. We haven't received a deposit for more than five months." "What! " I cried in shock. I couldn't believe this. My step mother had been leading me to believe that my salary was going toward paying my father's medical bills. How cruel could she really be to let my father rot away here? After all he had done for her. "I'll sort it out, I promise. Just don't let him die." "A transplant is an expensive process, miss richards." "I can donate!" I argued. He shook his head. "Unfortunately, Miss Richards, we've already determined that you're not a match to your father. You'll habe to clear your old debt and make an additional deposit of hundred thousand for us to begin the process." I felt Like I couldn't breathe. Where would I even get such a sum from? But I had to try. "I'll get the money." "Your father doesn't have time, miss Richards. If the transplant is not done within the next three days, he will die. And he can't stay much longer under breathing support. The ball is in your court." With those final words, he turned around and walked away, leaving me standing there feeling helpless.