You Need Saving, River Cortez

RIVER'S POV

3 DAYS LATER

“You said you were on holiday, River, but the company seems to be running fine. Now tell me what’s going on. Did you get fired? Ever since that night, you became distant — you won’t tell me shit, you won’t tell me why you weren’t picking my calls… I am sick and worried.”

I held the phone a bit far from my ear when Helen’s voice got louder with every word. My sleepy jobless ass coiled up on my couch.

“Can’t a girl choose to be idle?” I slurred.

“Did you quit, River? Oh shit, tell me you didn’t.”

I had been a terrible friend. This was the time I chose isolation as a cure. I hadn’t told her what had transpired in the last five days — how I let myself to a man like a whore and how I let myself be seen like one. My boss, who clearly needed a 24-hour therapy session, had asked me to be his baby mama… no strings attached.

He thinks his billion-dollar company fazes me. All I cared about was my salary — earned with the effort I had put into my work.

“Is this because of Peter?” Her voice dropped, and my eyes became moist with tears again.

“Everything has been terrible here, Helen, and I don’t feel I can take any of this anymore,” I choked, my chest tightening, my lips trembling as I sucked in fast air into my straining lungs.

“Oh shit…” I could hear the panic in her voice. “You need to calm down now, baby. Deep breaths for me, River… I’m taking the first flight back tomorrow morning.”

If she was in Vegas, she would have been in my hair all through. I had to assure her that I would be fine before hanging up. Just as I was about to drop my phone, another call came in from my elder sister, Sky.

They could have been worried that I hadn’t come to visit Grandma in the hospital. I never wanted her to know I had broken up with Peter and that the wedding would no longer be taking place, I could just lie that it had been postponed.

“River…”

“Hey, Sky, I am re—”

“I know what happened, Sis. This is no time to be sorry. The doctors wouldn’t continue Grandmother’s treatment due to unsettled payment…”

“What?!” A deep frown settled on my face as I went from lying to sitting up on the bed. “I made full payment last week and extra for her feeding…”

“They keep saying the payment didn’t reflect. I don’t get that much pay at work to be able to afford that. I have kids to take care of,” her voice strained as confusion danced in circles around me.

“I… I made the payment myself, Sky… I’ll be there.”

---

I was done yelling at the doctors like a mad dog. I tried to find the receipt of payment on my phone, but it wasn’t there. I really paid!! I did make the payment!! I was going insane. I felt like a scammer… my hair was a mess as I stood in the hospital corridor like a crazy woman.

I shocked myself when an uncontrollable laugh tore from my lips. “Am I going insane, Sky?” I asked my sister, unable to control the laughter as she pulled me close, patting my back softly.

“No.”

“I can’t find the receipt on my phone… I made the payment,” I continued to whisper. My savings couldn’t help with the bill now. I was out of a job; I had made her treatment my priority. She had been our parent when our mother left and father died… How could I do this to her?

“We’ll find a less expensive hospital, River. We still have two days…”

Getting a job now felt too late. What do I do? I couldn’t even promise Sky that everything would be fine. I had no hope.

***

I stayed with Grandmother 'til dusk as Sky needed to be with her kids. I felt bitter and broken for feeding her more lies — she doesn’t deserve any of this. I tried not to show any sign of tearing up in front of her, but she noticed, asking what was wrong every time I subconsciously zoned out while I chose to laugh it off.

I was getting her worried. “I need to take a call outside, Mima.” I was running out of the hospital in no time; I wasn’t taking any calls. It just got too hard to feign that I was okay.

Goosebumps was all over my skin due to the cold night wind, my arms folded tightly around myself trying to rub the chill off. No more tears — all you have to do is think. My thumb caught between my teeth as I strolled the outer of the hospital.

The sudden screech of a Mercedes almost sweeping me off the road had my heart stumble into my throat. The headlight flashed into my eyes, daring to throw shades on how wretched and poor I am. After the light went off, I was able to see clearly again. I walked to the driver's window, ready to give him a piece of my mind, just as the window winds down, Mr. Storm, now my Ex-boss was staring back at me.

“What are you doing here?” I gave my self no chance to act surprised. “Are you stalking me? Oh… were you planning to kill me?” I leaned into the window as he stared back at me, expressionless not saying a word “You leave me no ch—”

“Get into the car, River.” It was dominant, calm yet commanding as always. That voice of his brought my heart to a frenzy. Had he just called me by my name?

“What? So you’d get your desired fantasy and breed me to death?” His hand slammed onto the steering wheel; his head fell back into the seat as he lets out a sigh.

I was done with this shit from him… shit from men. I turned around, ready to walk away. “So much energy from a woman who can’t raise a hospital bill, who doesn’t even know her sister is drowning in debt.”

“You need saving, River Cortez…” I halted before storming back to the car, holding my finger out pointedly. “Lies, lies — that’s all you do… you are the one who needs saving.”

He laughed it off before pulling open the car door on the other side. His massive, tall frame popped came into view; his gaze met mine as he straightened his sleeve cuff, walking up to me. “And I am not proud to hide that fact… I need saving, River.” He stood just an inch away, all composed, his cologne filling the air. “That’s why I need you, River — and you need me.” His tone was husky before he closed the gap between us, warm breath lashing on my face. My pulse betrayed me, and I wondered why he had this effect on me.

“If this is your way of—”

“You paid the medical bills, huh? Where is the receipt? Where is the proof that you told the hospital finance team?” The knowing, sarcastic smile on his face showed that he knew something. “You are behind this!”

“It was just to get your attention, Ms. Cortez.”

“How dare you toy with someone’s life?” My voice shook. The sarcastic smile disappeared from his face before he caught me harshly by the wrist, slamming my back into the car. “You started it, River… gambling with my life. I can't continue without a child. I don’t care how far I have to go or how many strings I get to pull before I get to fill you up with my seed.”

His grip tightened on my wrist, his breathing coming out rugged, face red and pulsing with anger — anger that I didn’t want his shitty proposal? What was going on in this man’s head? “There are other women out there,” my voice softened, my head tilted slightly. “What we had was just a fling. I am not ready to be a mother, Mr. Storm.”

“My body craves only you. I don’t want you to be its mother either — I just need the child.” Like a commodity that he could buy with money. “And I am not ready for a baby Mr. Storm.”

“You were about getting married; you would have let the cheat touch you and get you pregnant…” Wow. He had even dug deep into my relationship with Peter. At least I know Peter was a cheat; I know nothing about this man except for him being my new boss and Old Mr. Storm’s grandson.

“Peter knows about my tokophobia, and he was ready to wait…” I caught my gaze away from him, remembering that bitter lie Peter told "You could just go for other medical procedure."

He cupped my face gently "I want the process natural, once you get pregnant, I would make sure you get comfortable and you don't get scared...Doctors would be around you 24/7...You don't have to work for me but with me, your grandmother's medical bills would be settled and your won't have to go through any financial difficulties." Emotional blackmail is it? Hitting at my weakness, I couldn't help back the bitter laughter...This man was broken and stripped to Insanity "You would try to ruin I and my family if I don't accept right?"

"I would go miles for what I want Ms. Cortez."

"You left me with no choice Mr. Storm... Fine, I'll do it."