A Billionaire's Redemption

Chapter 4 Please Marry Me.

“Please, you can't do this. Just give me one more week, I promise I'll get the money,” Lila begged, her eyes puffy from crying and lack of sleep. She was on her knees, holding onto Doctor Stevens’ coat.

He sighed, looking down at her with pity and frustration. “Lila, I’ve tried to help, but your mom has been here for months, and the bills are adding up. We can’t keep treating her for free. We don’t run a charity organization here. I gave you a week, but you just couldn't raise enough. There is not much I can do. I'm sorry”

“But she needs the surgery!” Lila’s voice broke. “You can’t just give up on her.”

Doctor Stevens looked away, unable to meet her gaze. “I’m sorry, Lila. We have to think of other patients too. I wish there was more I could do.”

. She tightened her grip on his coat, her knuckles white. “Please, just give me a little more time. I’ll find a way, I promise.”

Doctor Steven gently pried her hands away, his eyes softening with a hint of regret. Glancing at the frail woman lying on the hospital bed, her chest rising and falling with labored breaths. Finally, he sighed and nodded. “Alright. I’ll make an exception this last time. But you need to come up with the payment first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll arrange for her to be monitored overnight.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Taking her mother’s hand, she unconsciously squeezed it gently. “We’re going to get through this, Mom. I promise.”

Her father, who had been standing still like a statue all along, had tears rolling freely down his face as he fixed his gaze on his wife's almost lifeless body.

He looked up at his daughter with daggers in his eyes. “If your mother dies, it will be all your fault, and I won’t forgive you,” he said, his voice cold and filled with venom before storming out angrily.

Lila watched her father walk away, her mind racing with worry and fear.

The night seemed to stretch endlessly ahead, each tick of the clock reminded her that she needed to raise 650,000 dollars for the outstanding bill she owed the hospital and 1,664,800 dollars to get a successful heart transplant for her mother before the end of tomorrow and she didn’t have more than a hundred dollar currently in her account.

Her mind raced through all the efforts she and Richmond had put in, in the past week while trying to raise money, they had launched crowdfunding, asked friends, and family, and even visited charity organizations — but none was able to raise any substantial amount.

The more she thought, the more she realized that; Damien indeed was her only hope.

She hadn’t spoken to him since the last time at the restaurant, had he given up on the idea of marriage? He hadn’t bothered reaching out to her since then.

Fresh tears rolled down her face, she wiped them away with the back of her hand, sniffing hard to keep the mucus from running off her nose.

“I am an embarrassment, how do I talk to him? Do I expect him to listen to me after what I said to him?” she cried harder as she squeezed the hem of her mother’s hospital gown against her nose to prevent herself from sniffing so loud.

She couldn’t sleep all night, she spent the night thinking of all possible ways to plead with Damien to help her without getting married to her. She had mentally rehearsed what she would tell him all through the night.

At the first sight of dawn she immediately grabbed her bag and ran out of the hospital, she went home for a quick shower before running off to the ‘Hawaii’s Cooperation’

It was barely 8 a.m. when she arrived at the company. She had intentionally gone there early, hoping to see Damien before he began his workday. She knew that once he was inside the building, gaining access to him would be nearly impossible without a formal appointment.

She sat nervously in a corner of the lobby biting her fingers, her legs were shaking, and she didn’t have control over them.

She wanted to stand up and just walk around, but she knew better than to pace around, the last thing she wanted was to attract the attention of the security guards, who glanced her way occasionally. Her gaze was kept fixed on the entrance, her anxiety mounting with each passing minute.

She noticed an elegant black Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail arriving into the garage at 8:55. “That’s him right? It has to be him” she thought.

Her heart raced as she hurried towards the entrance of the garage, hoping to intercept him before he entered the building. Her heart skipped a beat immediately she saw him step out of the car.

Gathering her courage, she approached him just as he was giving out instructions to his driver. “Mr Kingston,” she called out, her voice trembling slightly but firm.

Damien turned his icy gaze to the direction of the voice and stared daggers at her. “What are you doing here?” he tried hiding his surprise. He knew she would eventually come begging but he wasn’t expecting to see her in his company”

“I need to see you, please,” she struggled to mask the embarrassment on her face. “I wanted to explain…”

“Then book an appointment!” he interrupted her, walking past her without giving her a chance to finish.

For a split second, Lila felt as though her heart had stopped. “No! I can’t let him go in,” she thought desperately, realizing she had to act fast.

In a desperate bid to stop him from walking further, she grabbed him by the arm. “Please, Mr. Kingston, just give me a moment!”

He turned to face her, his gaze even icier than it was, he looked at her tiny fingers wrapped around his arm in rage. “The next time you put your fingers on me, I’ll cut them off, and that’s a promise,” he said between clenched teeth.

Lila’s face went pale as she released his arm “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep”

“You have just a minute to tell me why you’re here, or I’ll have to kick you out of my property,” Damien said, his voice edged with irritation as he struggled to keep his patience in check.

Lila took a deep breath, her mind racing to present her case clearly and urgently. “I’m here because my mother is critically ill, and we need substantial financial help for her treatment. The hospital will discharge her if I don’t make payment before the end of today….. Please can you lend me some amount of money, I promise I’ll pay you back, I promise to also….., ”

“Get her out of here,” Damien instructed, his voice cold and decisive as he turned away.

The security guards moved quickly to escort Lila out when she screamed.

“I’ll marry you! Please marry me!” Tears rolled down her eyes.

He immediately stopped, it was like there was a magnet on the spot where he stood which prevented him from moving.

“Meet me in my office in 15 minutes,” he said without turning back and walked out immediately.