MARRIED TO MY BOSS

As the alarm blasted to life at 5:00 am, Mariana slightly opened her eyes, sluggishly reaching over to silence the ringing. She lay in bed for a moment, stretching her arms above her head, straightening her posture and extending her legs, trying to shake off the haze of sleep. Mariana, a young secretary who had recently started working for a multi-millionaire company, Golden Empire Company, a job she secured barely a month ago after her parent’s sudden passing. Their death had left Mariana and her younger brother with a huge, empty mansion, a continuous remainder of their bereavement. But it was also an encumbrance, a symbol of the affluence and entitlement they no longer had. Mariana was determined to make a good life for herself and her brother, in spite of the tough times they experienced. As she sat up in bed, her glance strayed around the sumptuous room, the grandiose furnishings a striking difference to the emptiness she felt inside. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, her thoughts already jumping to the challenges to come. Just as she was about to stand up, her phone rang, shattering the peaceful morning calm. Mariana’s heart missed a beat as she hovered in indecision, hoping against hope that it was her lover, Jordan, calling to wish her a good morning. But as she picked up the phone, her voice croaky from sleep as she heard a different voice on the other end. “Hello?” She said, trying to hide her disappointment. “Good morning, am I on to Miss Mariana?” The voice from the other end said “Good morning. Yes, you are. May I know you, please?” Mariana asked politely “I’m Doctor Wesley from Heritage Hospital, calling regarding Mr. Jordan,” The doctor said, raising Mariana to her feet. “What!!... What do you mean by hospital, what is he doing there, doctor?” Mariana's heart sank immediately, reminding her of the call she had a few months ago about her parents' accident that resulted in their untimely death. “He got involved in a very serious car accident, and we need you here as soon as possible ‘ma,” The doctor said in a sharp but calm tone. Mariana’s pupils enlarged in fright as she held the phone to her ear, her mind racing with the doctor’s words. She felt like she was given a punch in the gut as her breath knocked out of her. She sat back on the bed, her knee wobbled with instability. Her mind was a battleground of bleak ideas as recalled the scenario that led to her parent's death, but one phrase kept repeating itself. “Relax Mari, Relax Mari.” She felt a wave of panic wash over her, her heart racing with fear. She quickly composed her jumbled thoughts, asking the doctor for more information. “What happened? How bad is it? Is he going to be okay?” the questions flooded out of her mouth in a rush. “This is not something we can discuss on the phone madam, I need to see you in person” the doctor answered in a sharp but polite tone. “Okay..okay doctor, please text me the address, i will be there right away,” she said as she hurried to the bathroom, hanging up the call before the doctor could even respond. After receiving the call, her morning routine unfolded like a well-rehearsed play, but her mind was elsewhere. The shower's warmth was a blur, her hands trembled as she fastened her dress as she forced herself to focus. She was about to leave the room when she received the message for the address from doctor Wesley as she grabbed her bag and rushed out the door, her heart heavy with worry. The drive to the hospital was a blur, her mind racing with thoughts of her lover's condition. As she arrived at the hospital, she rushed to the parking lot, her eyes scanning the crowded space for a spot. She finally found one and quickly parked, then sprinted towards the hospital entrance. As she burst through the hospital doors, her heart racing with anticipation and fear, she rushed to the reception desk. “I’m here to see my man, he was involved in an accident,” she exclaimed, her voice trembling. The receptionist looked up, tactful, and nodded. “Let me check. Can you please tell me his name?" “Nicholas Jordan,” she said, still trembling on her feet as the receptionist nodded. “He's in the ICU. Please, follow me.” The receptionist said as she followed her through the winding hospital corridors, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. “What had happened to him? How badly was he hurt?” she whispered to herself as they found their way to the ICU. As they reached the ICU, she saw a team of doctors and nurses gathering around the bedside, their countenances serious. She pushed her way through the crowd, her eyes scanning the bed for a glimpse of her lover. And then she saw him, lying stationary, his face pale and bruised. She sat at an empty chair that was beside where her man was lying motionlessly and felt a sob rise up in her throat as she moved to his side, taking his hand in hers. Before she could utter a question, a doctor addressed her, saying; “You must be Miss Mariana right?” “Please, come to my office. I need to discuss something very important with you.” The doctor said in a gentle but firm tone before Mariana could answer his question. Her gaze ascended to the doctor's face, her heart missing a beat as she sensed the gravity of his tone. A tentative nod was all she could manage, as trepidation settled in. She stood, her legs quivering slightly, and followed him down the entrance hall. The soft beeps and murmurs of the hospital faded into the background as they walked. The doctor's office door stood ominously ahead, a growing sense of anxiety churning in her stomach As they entered the office, the doctor closed the door behind them, the quiet tick of the mechanism feeling like the clock starting to tick away her time. He pointed to a chair, and she sat, her hands rested gently in her lap, bolstering herself for what was to come. The doctor settled into the chair behind the desk, his gaze fixed on hers, his expression serious. She felt like she was on the edge of a boundless abyss, and the doctor’s words were on the verge of shattering her composure. “Miss, I’m afraid the news is more bad than good. He sustained extremely severe injuries from the accident, and saving his life will come at a significant cost. The sum comes out to be $1 million.” He paused, watching her closely, as she felt the words hit her like a ton of bricks. Her eyes widened in shock, her face ashened as she struggled to process the immensity of the amount. “What!!!... That’s a huge sum of money. Where do I get that from?” Mariana said with heart racing. “No, that’s unbelievable” she murmured softly, her voice trembling with emotions “There must be another option to this.” The doctor shook his head sympathetically. “I'm afraid not. This is the best option we have, but I understand it’s a hefty financial strain” She sank back into her seat, feeling winded, like she'd been hit hard. Her mind raced with thoughts of how they would ever come up with such a huge sum. A crushing weight of defeat settled upon her, but then a fiery determination ignited within “We'll find a way, Jordan will survive this” she said, her voice firm, though her eyes still welled up with tears. “You have to find a way to save my man’s life, please doctor,” she added, as tears streamed down her cheeks. “We’ll do everything we can to help” the doctor nodded, his expression softening then turned grave as he leaned forward, his hands clasped together on the desk. “But I want to be sincere with you, ma’am. Given the extremity of your man’s condition, time is of the essence. We need to act quickly to ensure the best possible outcome.” He paused, his gaze fixed on hers, before continuing. “However, due to the extraordinary costs involved, I’m afraid we need a substantial deposit initially before we can commence treatment." He held back for a moment before landing the punch. “We need 50 percent of the total amount, which is $500,000, within the next 72 hours. If we don’t receive the payment, I’m afraid we can’t promise that the necessary treatment will be administered quickly enough.” “What!!!!..50 percent.. $500,000... 72 hours… Where do I get that from in a limited time” she whispered, her voice barely audible. The doctor nodded tactfully, but his expression remained firm. “I understand this is a huge responsibility, but I assure you, ma’am, every minute counts. We need to act quickly to save Jordan’s life.” Her forehead grew damp with nervous sweat as she muddled to think of a solution, her heart racing with the weight of the deadline. The clock was ticking, and her lover teetered between life and death.