Chapter 3: Shock

"By the way, you sounded like you needed to speak with me. Come on now, let's have a good chat." Cathy then said, suspending all she was doing to focus on Lily.

Remembering what happened at Olympia restaurant, Lily didn't know what to say anymore, as she was still in shock.

Gathering enough courage, she looked up at Cathy.

"To be honest, I don't understand at all. Like, who does that?" she said as she folded her arms.

"What is it, Sis? Tell me!" Cathy said, sounding curious.

Lily then started telling Cathy everything that had happened at Olympia restaurant. From the manager's harassment to how he was fired, then Master Chris and his overwhelming offer.

After she was done, she placed her head on Cathy's lap to catch her breath back. "I feel a headache," she then said to Cathy.

"Hold on then." Cathy replied, taking Lily's head away from her laps so she could stand. After that, she walked in and came out with medicine and a cup of water.

"Thanks dear!" Cathy said, taking it and drinking it.

Cathy then sat as she thought about what Lily had just told her. Marriage for an exchange of two billion dollars?

She too, had never heard of that.

It was indeed a huge sum of money.

"Sis! I don't think the man is a bad person. I think he's in pursuit of something really important. He could get any woman of his choice. He probably likes you, and that's the reason he wants it with you," she then said to Lily.

That's the only idea she could think of.

"That makes sense too, Cathy, but I'm scared. He is nothing but a stranger." Lily stated her concerns.

"Sis, you have to be brave. It's not like you're a kid anymore."

"How long has mom been sleeping?" Lily asked, expressing concerns.

She knew her mother does not sleep for too long. She was surprised her mother had not woken up to make any statement ever since she came back from work.

"For a while now, like two hours, I think." Cathy answered, not feeling anything.

Standing up, she walked into the room to feel her mother's palm. "Come inside, Cathy," she said, bending down to touch her mother. Cathy then stood up and went inside.

"How come mom isn't responding to anything?" Cathy said as she touched their mother. It was unlike her at all. A single touch or even a move could make her open her eyes.

"Hold on for a sec. Mom isn't breathing. Jesus!" Lily screamed as she started shaking their mother.

"Mom what? Mom! Mom!" Cathy called out loudly in panic.

They then stood up, quickly picked her up, and rushed her to the hospital.

It was already 10 p.m. by the time Lily's mother could wake up. "How are you doing, Mom?" Lily asked, cleaning up her tears.

"I'm fine now, dear. I hope you both are good," she asked back. "We are good, Mom!" they answered at once.

"I don't want to be here; take me home." She then requested and laid her head on the bed to catch some rest.

"We will go home soon, Mom. Just a bit more time." Lily responded as she looked at her younger sister, Cathy.

The next day, Lily went to work earlier than she should have.

When she got there, the first thing that caught her eye was Master Chris. He had come early that morning to have a conversation with her.

"Good morning! I'm not ready for any kind of talk today. You can come tomorrow," she said immediately after she saw him.

"I just came to watch you work. What is it that bothers you? You look worried this morning."

"Nothing actually. I'm fine," she replied and walked in.

As soon as she finished speaking, her phone rang. Looking at it, it was Cathy. So she stretched her hand and picked up the phone to answer.

"Sis! Sis! Please hurry! Mom is dying." Cathy screamed immediately Lily answered. Lily and Master Chris froze.

It was so loud and clear that anyone could hear it.

In panic, Lily picked up her bag and dashed out of the office.

Tears found their way out of her eyes. She could not bear losing her mother.

"Wait. Lily, please wait." Master Chris said as he ran after her and grabbed her by the arms.

"Let go of me, please!" Lily replied in tears, trying to take his hands off her.

"I'll drive you. Come over here." Master Chris offered. He too, was worried for her. Lily froze upon his statement.

Immediately, she followed him.

Not long after, they got to her house.

Master Chris couldn't wait for her to step down as he ran into the small building and carried Lily's mother, placing her in his car.

Cathy froze when she saw Master Chris. Where did this man come from? She thought.

The moment she saw how he carried her mother and placed her in his car, she could already see that he meant well for them.

Grateful, she joined them.

Lily was able to set her eyes on her mother in the car. Blood was all over her mother's face and neck.

Her mother was spitting blood.

Tears streamed down her face as she tried to avoid the sight.

Master Chris was so quick that in no time, they were able to arrive at a good hospital in time.

The nurses present immediately rushed to attend to Lily's mother the moment they saw her condition as one of them also ran to inform the doctors.

The main doctor left the hospital room to update Lily.

When he walked into the passage, he looked at the three of them.

Master Chris stood at an angle. His back was placed on the wall with his left hand in his pocket as he watched them from a distance.

Cathy was sobbing as she looked to the doctor for some important information. Lily was almost breaking down as she walked all over the passage.

When she spotted the doctor, she ran to him.

"Doctor, I hope everything is okay." She asked without hesitation.

When she saw the doctor's facial expression, she froze. Lily staggered backwards like she was about to fall.

Looking at the doctor's face, her eyes sought answers.