Ready to sign the contract?

Chapter 5:Ready to sign the contract?

BELLA’s POV

I was just kidding. He wasn’t dead or anything. 

There, on the bed, lay Ryan, half naked, entangled with another woman—a stranger with wild red hair.

Yeah,very cliche.

Just like scenes I had watched in movies a hundred times and now it was happening to me.

 I was shocked to my bones and a strangled cry tore itself from my lips.

The naked girl, unfazed by my presence, casually lifted a cigarette to her lips and took a leisurely drag. Her indifference only fueled the anger and hurt bubbling within me. 

Ryan, roused by my screams, groggily woke up, confusion visible across his face.

He looked lost for a moment and then his eyes met mine, widening with realization and panic as he saw me standing there.

My tears were threatening to spill down my face and my body shaking with a mix of rage and heartbreak as I watched him get out of the bed,the only sign of clothing the boxer briefs on his waist.

"Bella, I can explain!" he pleaded,as he rushed over to me."It was a mistake, a one-time thing. I was drunk last night, and I—"

His words were cut off abruptly as my fists connected with his cheek.

"You disgust me," I spat.”How could you do this to me?”

“Listen I..” he winced at the pain on his cheek.”Fuck. It wasn’t planned. She basically dragged my ass to that party last night,I got drunk and somehow forgot about everything and..”

“And then you slept with her?” I scoffed.”You left me there all alone and the first thing you thought of was to run into the arms of another woman? You didn’t stop to think about my well being? What if I was killed? Or jailed?”

“I’m sorry baby. I made a stupid decision and I have no excuse for it. I guess I just got scared and chickened out. I told you the whole plan was a terrible idea from the start.”

“Are you kidding me right now? You said if things go south we would abort the mission!” I pushed him hard on his chest.”It was supposed to be a “We” thing. You are such an asshole.”

“Listen baby,I swear that it really wasn’t planned. Everything just happened so fast and then..”

He tried to touch my arm and I flinched. 

“You try to touch me again and I kick you in the nuts. I’m not even playing. “ I said darkly. 

“Listen baby,—-“

“I am not your baby you scumbag,” I said icily.”You didn’t think I was your baby when you left me alone for some other chick? Ryan you knew me,you knew why I have been this way all my life. You knew how I hated men for basically all my life because of the shitty way my dad treated my mother before he left. And my mom is still suffering till today while he is probably out there enjoying his life to the fullest. But then I let you into my space and chose to love you and give you the chance that I hadn’t given anyone else and this is how you fuck things up?”

“I swear I never meant to hurt you. Just hear me out please,”

“I was gonna give my V card to you because I trusted you. I guess you couldn’t wait huh?” I chuckled bitterly.

“I love you,Bella. I really do. And I promise that I wouldn’t ever do this again.Just give me a chance to make things right.”

I shook my head vigorously.”There wouldn’t be a next time because we are done Ryan. You are dead to me.And don’t you dare come after me.”

Without looking back, I stormed out of the room with my heavy heart and slammed the door shut behind me. 

Tears were beginning to blur my vision.

“Bella,you are a strong woman,” I told myself,sniffling.”Don’t you dare cry over that mother fucker.”

I needed to be somewhere. Anywhere other than here so I hailed a car that took me straight to my mother’s hospital.

I rushed through the doors of the hospital, my eyes stinging with tears that threatened to overflow. 

The hallway felt like a blurry maze as I navigated through the hospital's sterile corridors. I wasn’t even thinking straight and ran into a figure with a white coat.It was the doctor—a tall, middle-aged man with kind eyes.

"Miss Morgan?" he said gently, his voice evident with compassion.

“Hello Dr Stevens,” I replied,wiping my face.”How’s my Mom doing? Any better?”

My heart skipped a beat as I braced myself for what he was about to say. 

"Ah yes. I wanted to speak with you about your mother's condition. It's been worsening rapidly, and we've reached a critical stage. The only viable option at this point is surgery. I mentioned it to you few days ago.”

"What are the risks?" I managed to ask, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and determination.

Dr. Stevens sighed, "I won't sugarcoat it, Miss Johnson. The surgery carries significant risks. There's a chance of complications, and the recovery process will be long and arduous. However, without the surgery, her chances of survival are minimal."

My heart sank and I fought to keep my composure 

"What do we need to do?" I asked, determination laced with a thread of desperation in my voice.

The doctor's gaze softened. "We need to prepare for the surgery immediately. It's scheduled for three days from now. We will do everything in our power to give your mother the best chance of recovery.The longer we wait,the worse her condition would become. We need to act very fast Miss Morgan.”

I gave a stiff nod."Thank you, Doctor.Please, do everything you can for her. I won't let her down. I would try to come up with the required amount as soon as possible.”

Dr. Stevens offered a reassuring smile, his empathy visible."We will do our best, Miss Johnson. Take care of yourself too. Your mother needs you now more than ever."

With that, he left me standing in the hallway, my mind spinning.

Finding my way through the corridors, I finally reached my mother's room. My heart constricted at the sight before me. She lay in the hospital bed, still and silent, hooked up to various machines that monitored her fragile state. Her eyes were closed, her face peaceful, but I knew the battle raging within her body.

I collapsed beside her and lay on her chest.

"Oh, Mom," I choked out. "Please, fight. You can't leave me like this. I need you.You’re all I’ve got left and if you leave me now I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

The room remained silent, save for the rhythmic beeping of the machines.

My mother's coma was a cruel barrier that separated us now and I longed to hear her soft comforting voice at that moment.

I clung to her,holding her hand tightly.

“We gotta fight through this. You have to stay with me.”

My mind raced. How was I supposed to raise that huge amount in the space of three days? 

Even if I robbed all the houses in the neighborhood,it wouldn’t be enough. 

And the wealthy ones like Aaron Davis was risky. Even riskier now that I had no partner. 

I was all on my own.

Wait. Aaron Davis. He could be the ticket to the end of my misery.

But that was such a crazy offer!

Or was there another way I could find some money? 

I had to figure out what to do and do it fast. 

“Think Bella,” I rubbed on my temple.”Come on,think!”

******

The following morning,I woke up to the sound of my phone vibrating on the nightstand next to me. Rubbing my eyes and pushing back the tangled strands of hair that had fallen across my face, I reached for the device. As I unlocked the screen, a text message from an unknown number caught my attention. The message read:

 ”Hope you made up your mind because 24 hours elapsed already.”

Before I could even consider responding, a loud banging on the front door startled me. I quickly put on my flip flops and rushed out of the bedroom, my disheveled hair and rumpled skimpy nightgown hardly appropriate for unexpected visitors.

I swung the front door open, my heart pounding in my chest, only to find Aaron standing there, a smug expression on his face. My eyes widened, and I almost stumbled backward, taken aback by his presence. "Aaron... How did you find me?" I stammered, searching his face for answers.

He didn't waste a second, pushing past me and striding into my house as if he owned the place. I hurriedly closed the door and followed him, my mind racing with questions. "Aaron, wait! You can't just barge in like this!" I protested, struggling to keep up with his determined pace.

He ignored my protests, making himself comfortable in my living room. His eyes roamed around the modest space, and a sly smile played on his lips. "I knew it.You are poor.”

My face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger. "How dare you say that?" I shot back,"I haven't even had a chance to clean up the house yet. This is temporary!"

Aaron chuckled dismissively and reached into his briefcase, pulling out a document. He unfolded it and presented it to me. "Cleaning doesn’t change poverty.” he said, his eyes fixed on mine.”Now let’s get down to business. Ready to sign the contract?”