Chapter 1-The Contract

Anna hated hospitals for one reason; the smell of drugs. It made her want to puke.

The fluorescent lights were too bright. The silence between the beeping machines echoed within her head. Her cold feet grasping the floor like that of a lizard.

Every step felt like walking deeper into a place where hope slowly died.

Tonight, Anna had no choice.

Her mother was dying.

Out of fear, her hands started shaking as she opened that white envelope that held her mother's result.

It read, “End-stage kidney failure. She needs a transplant immediately.”

“Immediately???”

That word had destroyed whatever fragile calm she had left. 

Inside the ward, her mother lay on the bed, small and under the stiff white sheets. Her gleaming brown skin had almost turned gray and her breathing came in shallow, uneven bursts. 

“Mom”, Anna said while forcing a smile as she entered the ward. Her mother turned her head weakly and smiled. Even now, she tried to look strong. 

“You're back”. She whispered. “Did the doctor say when I can go home?” Anna seized her throat.

“Home?”

The tiny apartment they shared suddenly felt like an instant dream.

“Soon, mum. Very soon”. Anna lied gently pulling a chair beside her bed. “You just need a little treatment first…that's all.” She said as she chuckled nervously.

Her mother stared carefully at her for a while as if searching for the hidden truth behind her words. 

“You're lying” she said quietly.

Anna froze. 

“This isn't new, Mothers know these things.” her mother continued while squeezing her hand weakly. “Come on Anna, tell me. How bad is it?” 

Anna tried to speak but the truth was too heavy to come out. 

Two million dollars. That was the total cost for the planned surgery. 

Two million dollars for a woman who spent her entire life working as a high school cleaner. 

Two million dollars for a daughter who barely earned enough to survive.

“T…Two million dollars” she said while bursting into tears.

Her mother sighed softly. 

“Where would I get this kind of money?” She thought to herself.

  

One thing was certain. There must be a way to prevent her mother from dying.

Three days later, a doctor requested Anna's presence. She went to the hospital and the hospital attendant directed her to the doctor's office. The man in the office didn't look cheap at all.

 His suit was ash coloured, his hair was combed neatly and he had a very stern smile which looked very professional. 

He gave her a document across the desk. “Miss Anna,” he said smoothly. “We understand that your mother requires urgent assistance.”  

Anna nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

“Our hospital offers a special program for patients in….tight financial situations.

“Special program??....wha..what kind??”….Anna asked confusingly 

He leaned back slightly

“A donation program.”

Anna frowned.

“You mean organ donation?”

“Exactly.”

He tapped on the document. 

“You would donate one kidney. In return the hospital will cover all medical expenses for your mother’s transplant and recovery.”

Anna continued to stare at the paper with doubt. 

“Is it safe?” she asked.

“Perfectly” he replied without hesitation.

“Thousands of people would live normally with one kidney.”

That part was true. Even as a medical student she knew that. 

“B..but why me?” she asked.

The man smiled faintly. 

“You’re perfect for this”

The words tightened her chest instantly. Perfect? 

She flipped the contract. The pages were full of legal languages she could barely understand.  

“Why so many confidentiality clauses?” she asked.

“It’s a private medical arrangement,” he said calmly. “We protect our patients’ identities.”

“Patients?” “Plural?” she hesitated.

She felt something was off when she heard the words “patients”. She then remembered her mother who was struggling to breathe.

Two million dollars.

Was the small price for a life. 

Her mother had given her everything. This was the least she could do. 

“Where do I sign?” she asked quietly.

The man handed her a pen. 

“Right here.”

                          ***

The operating room was colder than Anna expected.

Bright lights shone directly above her as nurses moved around preparing surgical instruments. Her heart pounded over ribs nervously.

“It will be over soon.” she comforted herself.

She began to imagine how things would look if the surgery became successful. This thought alone calmed her.

The nurse then gave her a dose of sedatives.

“You will feel sleepy soon,” the nurse said calmly.

Anna nodded her head.

But before she fell asleep,something strange caught her attention.

She could see another surgical theater through the glass wall separating the operating rooms.

More doctors.

More machines.

And a man lying unconscious on the table. He looked young. Probably in his early thirties. 

Tall, broad shoulders. Even under the surgical lights, his face carried a strange authority.

“Who is that?” Anna asked weakly.

The nurse answered accordingly. “Oh,” she said quietly. “That’s Mr. Wolfe”. 

“Wolfe?”

“Adrian Wolfe” the nurse whispered. “The CEO of Wolfe industries.”

Even as the anesthesia was taking effect, Anna still recognized the name. Everyone would.

Adrian Wolfe was one of the richest men in the country. 

“What happened to him?” she asked.

“Heart failure.” the nurse answered 

Anna blinked slowly.

“He needs a transplant.”

Her vision was starting to blur now. 

The room felt heavier, quieter. 

Doctors moved quickly around her. One of them said quietly. “Vitals stable, begin preparation.” 

Another surgeon glanced towards the other operating room.

“Mr. Wolfe doesn't have much time.” The lead surgeon nodded.

“Then we proceed as planned.”

Anna struggled to be conscious of her environment, but the sedative's effect was so strong at this point.

Her last clear thought was simple. 

Mom will live. 

The surgery began. Scalpels move with practiced precision. Machines hummed. Monitors beeped steadily. The lead surgeon spoke calmly.

“Prepare the artificial heart device.” 

One of the assistants hesitated slightly. 

“Doctor…are we really…” 

“ I said do it!” The surgeon snapped quietly.

Meanwhile,at the other operating room, Adrian Wolfe's condition began to worsen rapidly. His heart rate had already decreased.

If nothing was done now, he would die in an hour's time. 

The hospital had already decided.

The surgeons already opened Anna's chest. They found her heart beating healthily. This is exactly what Adrian Wolfe needs.

The surgeon nodded.

“Begin extraction.”

In a matter of time, the heart that kept Anna alive throughout her life was going to be removed from her body and it will be replaced by a mechanical device.

A total artificial heart.

After installation, the machine made a soft sound as it activated. 

Whirr…click…whirr…

The rhythm was cold. Mechanical. Unnatural.

Across the hall, Adrian's chest was opened with Anna's heart inside him. 

For some time nothing happened. Then…

Beep…beep…beep

The monitor lit up with impulses from his heart. His new heart started beating.

Strong. Powerful. Alive.

After a few hours, the operation was complete. 

Adrian was stable. The hospital’s most valuable patient had survived. 

But in another recovery room, Anna lay motionless. Her chest slowly rose and fell at regular intervals inside her body.

Whir…click…whir…

She was barely alive.

Anna woke up hours later. She felt a sharp pain in her chest. Something felt wrong. Her heartbeat felt strange. Too steady. Too mechanical. 

“My goodness…you're awake.” The nurse said as she barged into the room.

Anna forced a smile. “My mom, where is she?” she whispered. “Is…is the surgery done?”

The nurse looked down. “ There were complications.”

The world in Anna’s head began to spin

“Complications? Is my mom alright?”

“Anna,” the nurse said as she sat on her bed. “ Your mother couldn't make it.” 

Anna felt broken inside her. Her chest gave

her a strong pain. The artificial heart skipped once

whirr…..whirr…

Anna did not know the truth yet. She didn't know that what was in her chest was something mechanical. She didn't know that her heart was beating inside someone in this hospital.