Chapter 4: Race Against Time
1132 Words
Sienna burst back into Veridian Elite Hospital, her heart pounding, tears threatening but held back by strong will. One hour. That’s all the doctor had given her—less than an hour before they’d stop her grandma’s surgery and risk losing her forever. No time for distractions, no time for tears. She had to focus. Aunt Maya was in the lobby, pale and shaky.
“Sienna,” Maya croaked, eyes wide with worry.
“I tried to hold them off, but they’re relentless. Your grandma’s slipping. You look awful. Come sit, catch your breath.”
Sienna shook her head, gripping Maya’s arm gently.
“No, Maya, you sit. You’re not strong enough to worry about me. I’ll handle this. Just pray.”
Maya nodded, sinking into a chair, her hands trembling.
“The Doctor has been asking for you. Please hurry.”
Sienna’s chest tightened. Her grandma, the kindest soul, was fighting for her life, and here she was, broke and alone. She pulled out her phone, dialing Kate again. No answer. Mark, Kate’s boyfriend, didn’t pick up either.
“Come on,” she muttered, pacing.
The hospital staff glared, their impatience thick. A nurse passed, muttering, “Payment or she’s out. We can’t wait.”
Sienna’s stomach churned, but an idea struck. Her game. She was a very talented software engineer and had been working on a mobile strategy game for months—something fun, addictive, hers. She couldn’t sell it yet, but now? Now was life or death. She spotted an old laptop on a receptionist’s desk, momentarily unguarded. Heart racing, she murmured, “Sorry,” and logged in fast. Her fingers flew, pulling up the files. She hit online forums, posting,
“Urgent sale: unique mobile game. Serious buyers only. Price slightly negotiable.”
Replies trickled in, but one stood out: a user named “TechBaron” offered ten million in ten minutes if she sent the code now. Sienna hesitated. It seemed too good to be true . She knew her game was good but this was fast. She didn't have the luxury of time to play games so she reluctantly typed, “Deal,” emailing the files with shaking hands while praying silently. This buyer will be back to look for her anyways. This was her last hope. Nine minutes later, the money pinged her account...a lifeline. Without stopping to think She bolted to the finance office, nearly tripping, and shoved her phone at Dr. Patel, who was waiting with a stern look.
“Here’s the payment,” Sienna gasped, holding out her phone to show the transfer.
“Start the surgery now! Please Doctor” Dr. Patel checked the screen, his frown easing slightly.
“This just came through? It’s cutting it close. Your grandmother’s vitals are crashing—she’s on the brink. Surgery’s riskier now, but we’ll try.”
Sienna nodded, relief and fear mixing as they wheeled her grandma toward the theater. She stood there, heart pounding, feeling the weight of every second wasted, every betrayal from her family. Pressure and ashes filled her—fear she’d been too late, anger she’d had to sell her dream to save a life. It was worth it. For her grandma's life?? What's a mere dream. They'll always be another. Just then, Kate burst through the doors, breathless, eyes wide.
“Sienna!Oh my Goodness I’m so sorry. Mark and I were in a car accident. I still can't wrap my head around it and our phones died, and I couldn’t call. I was gathering money, asking everyone, but it wasn’t enough. I got here as fast as I could. I'm so...” she kept rambling. Sienna hugged her tight, tears spilling.
“It’s okay, Kate. I got the money. But God, I was so alone. So scared.”
Kate’s eyes filled with guilt.
“I should’ve been here. Those Fredericks—they’re monsters, Sienna. No offense. You deserve better.” Sienna wiped her eyes, nodding.
“Later we'll talk about everything. Right now, it’s just about Grandma.”
Meanwhile, across Veridian, Lucien Lewis sat in his sleek office at Lewis Enterprises, jaw tight. His team had just dug deeper into Sienna Frederick and her family. “The Fredericks are bad news, sir,” his assistant said, flipping through files. “They’ve been manipulating assets, including her grandmother’s house. Looks like they blocked her from mortgaging it and a lots of other shady moves in business. Sienna’s been working for them unpaid for years but she doesn't seem to know about this side of the business, and they’re draining her dry.”
Lucien’s fist clenched. He’d thought she was just reckless, but now? Now he saw her as trapped.
Such a pity.
His phone buzzed—Harold, his grandfather, again.
Lucien answered, voice cold while signalling his assistant to be dismissed. “What now? Do you want me to go to the court now to register the marriage?”
Harold’s voice was sharp ignoring his words.
“You’re stalling, Lucien. Marry the Sinclair girl, or you’re out. No grandson of mine runs my company into the ground out of stubbornness.”
Lucien’s eyes flashed. “You need me, Grandpa. Without me, this company drowns. I’m not your pawn, and I’m not marrying for power. We both know that so look for a better means to blackmail me.” He hung up, furious, throwing the phone down. But his mind kept circling back to Sienna. Why did her fight feel so familiar? He picked up the phone again, dialing his assistant. “Keep watching her. I need to know every move. Make sure her family doesn't find out that we're investigating them.”
Sienna paced outside the surgery wing, praying. Kate sat beside her, offering quiet support.
“You did it, Sienna, She's gonna be okay” Kate whispered. “You’re stronger than they’ll ever be.”
Sienna managed a weak smile, but her mind raced. The Fredericks’ betrayal stung deeper now—blocking her loan, using her, discarding her. And that driver’s warning about a family secret at the warehouse on Sussex Street still haunted her. What did it mean? What did they know? Was her family’s greed even worse than she thought? The clock ticked louder, each second a hammer on her nerves.
Dr. Patel emerged, face grim. “We’ve started, but it’s touch and go. She’s stable for now, but the delay made it riskier. We’ll know more in a few hours.”
Sienna’s legs buckled, but Kate caught her.
“Thank you,” Sienna whispered, voice raw. She sat, staring at the floor, exhausted but resolute. She’d saved her grandma—for now. But the fight wasn’t over.
Lucien sat, piecing together her story, feeling a strange pull toward this woman he’d never fully known.
- Writer
