The Contract Marriage

CHAPTER TWO

"Hi Miss.Elizabeth how are you doing this morning"

"Very well, thank you doctor" Lizzy said with a forced smile plastered on her face

"Please how's my brother doing" she glanced at her brothers weak body from all the chemotherapy

"He doing great and I happen to have good news for you"

"Really?" Lizzy eyes lit up at the sound of 'goodnews'

"Yes, we found the bone marrow donor for your brother, one who matches his stem cell"

"Oh my God!. That's amazing doctor" Lizzy said with so much joy and excitement while staring at her brother with so much pity for the stress his body has been through these past few weeks.

"Yes, but you'll need to clear outstanding hospital bill and pay for the surgery before it can be carried out" and just like that the joy vanished from Lizzy's body. It was like bucket of ice water was poured on her.

"How much will the surgery cost doctor" her voice was already shaky at this point.

"Three hundred thousand dollars plus your outstanding bill of a hundred thousand"

Lizzy turned back to look at her brother's unconscious body, with so much and pity in her eyes as she burst into tears.

"Where are we going to see that kind of money"

"I'm sorry but you just have to for your brother, so his surgery can be carried out immediately"

"Oh my God!!.." with her hands to her mouth as she couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

Elizabeth spent the rest of the afternoon crying with loss for option, not like she was working to easily request an upfront from her boss. She had spent the most of her time searching for a job the past 3 months after she stopped working at her previous company.

Thinking about her last job made Lizzy curse again at her former boss. If he hadn't tried to molest get, maybe she would have still been able to put up with his demanding attitude. It was a stressful job no doubt but at least it did put food on her table.

'or do I go ask Mr. Raymond for help' Lizzy shook her head 'No I can't. That would be me offering myself on a gold platter to such an old man'

'Ewwww.. gross' Lizzy could taste the disgust in her mouth just from thinking about it. Her options we're really slim as it is but she knew couldn't give in to that, and now she's left with one option, her aunt.

"How much will that cost.." Lizzy walked in on Ms. Marie her long time aunt on a phone call to a client. Apparently Ms. Marie, as she likes to be addressed, runs a fashion line, she could only set up her business after her last divorce.

Ms. Marie's marriage to the famous but aged, wealthy Mr Jack years ago, hadn't even lasted for 6 months before news of their divorce began flying everywhere. It wasn't a shock to Lizzy because she had suspected the only reason her aunt Marie would be in such a marriage would be to cater for her luxurious and lavishing lifestyle.

The divorce had left her with possession of a few of Mr. Jacks assets, enough to set her up and 'fan' her lifestyle.

"Okay I'll quickly make the transfer to you now" Ms. Marie said, signaling Lizzy to take a seat.

After what felt like forever, Ms. Marie finally turned to Lizzy.

"Elizabeth, my beautiful niece. To what do I owe this visit"

"Good afternoon Ms. Marie"

"Good afternoon Lizzy, it's been what, 4-5 years since I last saw you" Ms. Marie noted

"4 Ms.Marie" Lizzy concurred

"And look at you looking all beautiful since the last time. Did u add something to your cream or what" Lizzy chuckled at that, her aunt is well know for her compliment dishing so it wasn't new to Lizzy.

"It's nice to see you too Ms.Maurie"

"The pleasure is all mine"

"Over the phone, you said you had something to say to me, I'm all ears"

"Okay, so its about my younger brother "

"What about him Lizzy "

"He's…. he's sick and he needs urgent treatm...…." before she could finish, she saw herself crying

"Oh Lizzy, surely it can't be that bad" Ms.Marie handed her the paper tissue to wipe her face "Thank you"

Wiping her eye's with a sniffle "it is, it really" this time around, she had to bite back the tears struggling to fall off her eyes.

"Okay, calm down Lizzy and tell me all about it" Lizzy sniffled again and explained everything to her aunt

"Oh..no, same leukemia that cost your mother her life.

"..and now the doctor says he's surgery needs to be carried out immediately so I don't loose him also" hearing about her mother again, was like a cut on an already old wound and Lizzy couldn't help but let the tears all out.

After what seemed like forever, Lizzy finally stopped crying and accepted the tissue for her aunt, making a conscious note not to flood the woman's office with her tears.

Walking home, Lizzy couldn't help but cringe at the response she got from her aunty

'There's not much I can do now cause I just invested lots of my money out but I have $50 thousand dollars for spare I can lease to you..'

'lease?' Lizzy had asked

'yes lease to you, add it to what u have and let your brother commence treatment. You can take your time paying me, say in the next 6 months. I think that's fair enough'

Lizzy had left her office with so much anger and disgust, telling her to keep 'her bloody money's. Not like any of it surprised her though, she was just as she remembered, stingy, greedy and someone who cared for no one else but herself and that was why they were never close even when Lizzy's parents were alive.

Ms. Marie never really cared for family 'maybe that's why she never had any of her own', all her aunt ever cared about was stuffing her pocket and her stomach.

Lizzy can't really tell what she was thinking when she went there. She only hoped and prayer that today's response would have been different?

'Stupid of me to think that way, I mean when has aunt Marie ever been reasonable…. to think that was my last resort, what do I do now?.. I can't let anything happen to Rob, he's all I've got'

If it wasn't raining, her tears will probably be washing the streets off.

'its time to put shame aside and go to Mr. Raymond Liz. Either that or loose your brother forever' talking to no one else but her self before walking into her brother's ward.