Echoes Beneath.

ARIA “Is he up yet?” I asked the reception nurse as I walked past her that afternoon. For some reason, that question had become a routine in my life for the past year. Rushing through the hallway, I was eager to see him—the only reason I kept waking up every day with renewed hope. I hoped that someday, I could walk hand in hand with him out of this doom-filled place. I was never afraid of hospitals while growing up. Back then, I saw them as places where relatives came to visit their sick ones, and within a few weeks, those sick ones went home again. But recently, I discovered the darker truth: not all patients made it home. And that, exactly, was my present predicament. Room 308. I had memorized it long ago. It had stuck to me like a second skin. The same way the smell of antiseptic had clung to me—so strong that no matter how many showers I took, my hair and clothes still reeked of it. I turned the knob and pushed the door open, peering inside, hoping—just for a moment—that I might see my father moving around the room instead of lying there, almost lifeless. He stirred slightly in his sleep, and I held my breath while watching from the doorway, praying I wouldn’t wake him. I sauntered down the room, pulling out the worn envelope I always carried with me. I fiddled with it constantly in my alone time, as if touching it might reduce its weight—the cost of being happy. Monthly Bills/Debts, it read. A sigh escaped my lips before I could stop it. Over the past few months, the cost of keeping my father alive kept rising. My tuition, my food, my rent—all of it piled into one messy debt I wasn’t sure I would ever crawl out of. The sudden jangle of my ringtone made my heart skip. Scrambling quickly for my phone so as not to disturb my father’s sleep, I saw my boss’s name flash across the screen. “Hi Aria, ” Jules shrieked in her usual high-pitched voice. “About the shifts you asked for—I’ll need you to come in this evening for an extra hour. Your meal’s on me, and I’ll add it to next month’s salary. Is that okay with you?”“Ermmm, yes, ” I stuttered. quickly. “Uh—Jules, I’ll be there shortly. Thanks, girl. ” I ended the call Jules was always coming through for me, even though she couldn’t spare any money from her own skinny paycheck. She always offered me extra shifts whenever I asked—which was often. I leaned back, my gaze fixed on the ceiling, until my father’s frail hand brushed against mine. Only then did I realize I wasn’t alone. Quickly, I tried to shove the envelope out of sight, but he had already caught hold of it. “Aria, ” he called weakly. “I already told you—no more extra shifts. ” “But Dad— ” I began. “You can’t keep toiling away your youth for an old man who isn’t going to survive, Aria, ” he said. I couldn’t tell if he was joking or if he was quietly accepting his fate. When he noticed I was staring too long, he broke into laughter—a rattling laugh that ended in a harsh coughing fit. “Sorry, Dad, ” I murmured, lifting his lean figure against the bed. Once, he had been so full of life, so strong and bulky that he could raise me in a single swing. Now, he was so weak he couldn’t even sit up without help. That is what Stage-Four lung cancer does to you, I thought bitterly. “Dad, ” I whispered, watching his lashes rest against his pale skin as his breath evened out. “I’ll be getting my paycheck today from the bar, so tomorrow, I should be able to make the part payment for your chemotherapy. ” He looked at me, and I knew in my heart he was thinking he had failed as a father. He was meant to be the one paying my bills, but the roles had reversed. “Okay, Aria, ” he said faintly. I glanced at the time. I needed to rush home for a quick shower so I could make it to the library before it closed. I had too much schoolwork to catch up on, and I wasn’t going to slack. “Dad, ” I said, leaning forward to hug what was left of him, I’ll be back soon. ” “I’ll be leaving now, but I promise He gave a faint reply, one I couldn’t quite catch. “Miss Lane, ” a nurse burst through the door, panting as though she had been chased here. “This is for you. ” She held up a black envelope.But it wasn’t an ordinary black. It glistened faintly, as if specks of diamonds had been pressed into it. From afar, it reeked of wealth and power. My chest tightened. I fiddled with my fingers, thinking it was yet another bill piling up. I could barely cover the ones I had. My father was now fully awake, his expression tense. He dreaded new bills as much as I did. Eventually, I forced myself to step forward and take the envelope. “Nurse, who is this from?” I asked, my voice shy. For some reason, she wouldn’t meet my eyes. She quickly backed out of the room without answering. I didn’t return to my seat. Instead, I stood in the center of the room, clutching the envelope, torn between opening it or ignoring it. A sinking feeling curled in my stomach. This wasn’t an ordinary bill. It wasn’t an eviction notice either. “Aria, ” my dad whispered, a knowing look in his eyes, his sad smile haunting me. “Dad, ” I swallowed really hard. “I thought your chemotherapy treatment was put on hold. Did you continue it again, knowing our financial capacity?” The words spilled out, but deep down, I knew I was only trying to distract myself. “Aria… read the letter, ” my dad urged softly. Letter? My heart skipped. Was it a notice of withdrawal from college? My hands shook as I flipped the envelope. The back carried a name stamped in pure gold: DAMIEN BLACKWELL. The name was unmistakable. Everyone in town knew him—the cold-hearted billionaire who didn’t believe in love. He had flings at every corner but never let any woman get too close. His empire had been built on blood and sweat. His father had died, leaving everything to Damien and his mother. It had taken ruthless discipline to maintain it. But what could a man like him possibly want with me? That uneasy feeling inside me deepened, twisting until I could barely breathe.