CHAPTER 3

Olivia and Natasha anxiously sat in the sterile waiting room of Dr. Andrew's office, their fingers entwined as they exchanged worried glances. The air hung heavy with tension, and the low hum of the fluorescent seemed to echo their growing apprehensive,

As the door swung open, Dr. Andrew entered with a composed demeanor that offered a stark contrast to the observable anxiety in the room. He greeted them, his eyes reflecting a mixture of sympathy and professionalism.

"Olivia, Natasha thank you for coming and I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting."

"No offense taken Dr," Natasha said while taking a quick look at me. The only response I could give was a nod as I was too anxious to talk.

"I understand this is a tough time for both of you." he began motioning them to take a seat.

After a brief moment, Dr Andrew took a seat behind his desk, carefully choosing his words.

"I have carefully reviewed Lyra's test results, and I'm afraid the need isn't what any of us hoped for. Lyra has leukemia."

A heavy silence engulfed the room as the weight of the diagnosis settled on Olivia and Natasha. Natasha's grip on Olivia's hand tightened and Olivia's eyes welled up with tears.

"Leukemia?" Olivia whispered, her voice fragile and full of disbelief.

"But she is so young. How….how did this happen?"

Dr. Andrew leaned forward explaining,

"Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. It's characterized by the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells, which crowds out healthy cells. In Lyra's case, it was particularly aggressive.

Natasha's voice trembled as she asked,

"What are our options, doctor? Is there a treatment plan? Chemotherapy, maybe?

Dr. Andrew sighed, his expression showing us the gravity of the situation on the ground.

"I wish it were that simple. Unfortunately, Lyra's leukemia is resistant to standard chemotherapy. We need to explore other options.

Olivia, her emotions a turbulent mix of fear and determination spoke up,

"What can we do, Doctor? we will do whatever it takes to help Lyra."

Dr. Andrew nodded explaining,

"The best choice for Lyra is a bone marrow transplant. It is a procedure where healthy blood-forming cells are infused into the patient to replace the diseased cells. Given the urgency of Lyra's condition, we need to move quickly. Without the transplant, her time is very limited, perhaps months.

Natasha's eyes widened with concern,

"How urgent are we talking about, doctor?"

Dr. Andrew's gaze held a sense of urgency as he replied,

"Lyra's case is deteriorating rapidly. We need to find a suitable donor for her as soon as possible to increase her chance of a successful surgery.

Olivia's mind raced, and a sense of determination filed her voice,

"What do we have to do? Where do we start from."

"We would start by testing family members for compatibility. If none match, we will explore the national registry. Time is of the essence, we need to act fast to give your sister the best possible result."

Dr. Andrew provided information about the bone marrow donor registry and the process of finding a perfect match. He also discussed various factors that could affect the success of the transplant. Olivia and Natasha listened intently, absorbing the details and feeling a newfound sense of hope.

As they left Dr. Andrew's office, Olivia turned to Natasha. Tears glistened in her eyes, but there was also a determination burning within her,

"We have to find a donor for Lyra Nat, we can't lose her."

Natasha nodded, her voice filled with resolve,

"Olivia, we would find that donor, and Lyra would get through this."

...

The search for a donor became their top priority. Olivia and Natasha embarked on a journey to find someone willing to offer the precious gift of life. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months.

Olivia was already having a rough day and her boss, Cade, wasn't making it easy for her. The fact that she can't find a donor for her sister for two months and she doesn't even know how much this surgery will cost is already too much for her.

I got to work on a Monday morning. It's already been two months of working for Cade Stone as his assistant and it hasn't been easy. Today wasn't different as my boss had been on the verge of letting me drop my resignation letter on this desk. As my intercom rang, I picked it up and placed it on my ear,

"Hello," I said with my voice filled with irritation and anger.

"Come to my office immediately," his stern voice echoed throughout the phone,causing Olivia's heart to race.

I stood up from my seat, took a few steps toward his office, knocked on his door, and waited for a response.

"Come in."

"You called for me sir." I said with a voice filled with fear.

"I asked you to send an official response to Summit innovation, right?" He asked as he looked up from this computer and fixed his gaze on me.

I sensed his eyes lingering on my skin, a palpable scrutiny that seemed to intensify as the day unfolded. It became apparent that his mood has taken a downturn ever since he arrived at the office earlier this morning.

"Olivia,I just received a call from Summit innovation. They are upset that we haven't responded to their email regarding the meeting details. This is crucial for our partnership, and they are concerned about our commitment," Mr Cade stated, his disappointment palpable.

Panic surged through Olivia as she frantically searched her inbox, realizing that she hadn't seen a confirmation email from Summit innovation. The weight of the situation bore on her shoulders, as she felt a knot forming in her stomach.

The realization hit Olivia like a tidal wave. The consequences of this oversight could jeopardize significant business patterns. She took a deep breath, trying to maintain composure as she replied,

"Oh, no sir, I'm so so..sorry sir, I totally forgot.i got caught up in the task you assigned to and some meeting I had to take for you."

"I pleaded with you to send that crucial email to them more than two hours ago, and here you are, feeding me excuses."

The atmosphere in the office thickened with frustrating as he sternly instructed,

"Leave my office before I act on impulse we'll both regret." gesturing vehemently towards the door. His eyes, usually clear, now glowed with an unsettle shade of red revealing a level of intensity I have never seen before."

I hurriedly left his office, I berated myself internally for the oversight of not sending the email as instructed. The weight of self-criticism hung over me.

With a sense of urgency, I quickly retrieved my laptop, and with a surge of determination, began crafting the email to Summit innovation. Emotions of remorse and determination intertwined as I type, driven by the desire to rectify the earlier lapses and meet the expectations set before me.

As I delved halfway into composing the email destined for Summit innovation, a sudden jolt interrupted my focus, the insistent ringing of my phone.An ominous sense of foreboding crept over me as I answered, the caller id promptly snapped me back to the reality I was actually in. Fear and worry coursed through my vein, casting shadows over the initial task at hand, as the unforeseen call hinted at a potential shift in the trajectory of my day.

"Hello, Olivia Dawson on the line." waiting to hear the other person on the other side speak.

"I'm calling from Weill Cornell medical center and it's regarding your sister."