Moving Out.

 Her gaze shifted to her father, who was looking at her contemptuously. Her lonely heart grew colder, this is the man she calls father, the man who is supposed to protect her.

 Every other person has a doting father, but heaven gave her a scumbag, spineless, and selfish wastrel as a father. A father who is eager to marry her to someone older than himself, a father who wants to make her someone's mistress.

 She did not mind her stepmother's constant abusive words, but her father's actions and words pierced her heart like a knife through butter.

 She clenched and unclenched her fist so many times that it was starting to hurt. After wiping away her tears, she stood up and went upstairs, but Lucas continued to stare at the stairs even though she was no longer present.

 "Calm down honey, I am sure she understands now, she will marry Jared sooner than you expected. Joe's illness happened at the perfect time," Mary said, convincing him to sit on the sofa so they could continue watching the movie.

 Two hours later, the sound of something hitting the stairs drew their attention. To Lucas's surprise and Mary's horror, Ali was coming down with her luggage accompanied by two maids who were also carrying a big traveling box.

 "Where do you think you are going," Mary shrieked, moving to block Ali's way, "Do you think you can stop your marriage to Jared by simply running off, your brother will die?"

Ali wanted to laugh at Mary's ugly expression. If she had known Mary would be so scared and shaken by her departure, she would have left long ago. 

 She stared at the woman's face and said, "My brother will not die. I will gather the money needed for his treatment in a week, and get his surgery done. If you both want to relive your glamorous days, you can ask Cheyenne to marry Jared instead."

 Mary's expression alternated between black and white, and her pale face brought comfort to Ali's heart. 

 "Cheyenne can not marry Jared, Ali. She is still too young and is pursuing a career to restore your father's company. She is doing her part. If you can be a little more responsible and cooperative, you should make this sacrifice for the family," Mary tried to reason with Ali. She couldn't allow her daughter's future to be ruined. Her daughter is only meant to marry the elites from the younger generations.

 HAHA

 Ali's laugh boomed in the room. Family? She didn't have a family and the only one she had was currently in the hospital fighting for his life. Her heart had long grown cold when it came to her father and his wife. Her father was glaring at her intensely, almost as if he wanted to kill her with his gaze.

 She pulled her bag to walk away, but Mary refused to move from her way.

 "Move away from my way, Mary. My patience for you has run out, you wouldn't want me to leave scars on your face.''

 But Mary wouldn't move. How could she? She knew the consequences if Ali left the house now. Her beloved daughter would become the sacrificial lamb Lucas would use to regain his position. No, she would not let it happen.

 "No! You are not going anywhere, you there, take those bags back upstairs, or else I will fire you right now," Mary roared at the maids, scaring them.

 Ali dropped her bag and fetched her taser from her bag. She brandished it in front of Mary and scoffed when the woman bolted from her way. Dragging her luggage, she left the mansion.

 Before now, she had already called a cab and as soon as she walked out of the house she saw the man waiting by the road. After loading her luggage into the trunk of the car, she got in and the car drove away.

 Mary watched Ali leave, and she began to wail, begging Lucas to bring her back. She claimed that Lucas was mean to Ali, resulting in the latter leaving the house out of rage.

 Lucas wasn't happy that she accused him when she was the one always making life difficult for Ali. He looked at her condescendingly and said, "You had better quit the drama. I am not interested in your nonsense, Ali will come back and if, eventually, she doesn't, Cheyenne will have to marry Jared."

 "No! my daughter will not marry that man," Mary refused. 

 "Whether you like it or not, that is what will happen. You should pray that Ali doesn't get the money. She doesn't know that Joe doesn't even have up to a week. Hopefully, she will come," Jared said and left.

 His words brought a lot of ideas to Mary's mind as to how to get Ali to come back and choose to marry Jared. She couldn't afford to fail.

After moving her luggage to her aunt's small apartment, Ali went to the hospital to see her brother. He was admitted to the hospital last year after they discovered the growth, and for the past few months has been frequently visiting the hospital.

 His seizure today was a sign that his surgery can not be delayed further. She could only hope that she still had more time.

 On her way to the emergency ward, she bumped into the doctor who is in charge of her brother's treatment.

 Dr. Wood was a close acquaintance of her late mother and has been looking after her brother since the incident. Her mother had once asked if anything could happen between her and the doctor, but she didn't give a reply. She never thought of the man in that way. 

 He was a fine young man, a head taller than Ali and looked gentle in his demeanor. 

  "Good evening, doctor Wood," Ali smiled at the man.

  "Good evening Ali, how have you been," Dr. Wood replied and walked beside her. He had a serious look today unlike the other days she had seen him.

 "Alright, I guess. How is my brother?" 

 The nervousness in her voice didn't go unnoticed by him. He patted her shoulder softly and sighed.

  ''I must say his condition is very critical, Ali. We can't delay his surgery any longer, or he'll die." It looked like it was what weighed him down, and he stared at Ali with sympathy.