"No Lisa, you don't have to follow me. You should stay here, in case they find a match for her, so you can immediately inform me!"
"Okay, but do you know where you're going? Do you have the address?" Lisa asked with concern towards the obviously disoriented Cora who was walking in hurried steps.
Cora stopped mid strides when she remembered she had no idea where she was going. She sighed in frustration and looked pitifully at Lisa ``No I don't know where I'm going... You have it right?"
Lisa nodded and gave Cora a quick, reassuring hug. "Everything will be okay, Corazon! Everything will be okay, so don't worry too much!" She pulled away from their hug and looked into Cora's eyes "Alright?" She asked and Cora nodded in reply
"Okay go ahead, I'll send the address to your phone by the time you arrive at your car... Oh, the car keys!" She remembered she still had the keys and handed it over to Cora.
"On second thought, I think it would be better if you take a taxi since they know about shortcuts and routes to follow to avoid traffic that you aren't conversant with yet?" She suggested
"Yes, a taxi would be better" Cora agreed and toss the car keys back to Lisa before entering the elevator
Twenty minutes later, the taxi slowed to a park in front of Platinum & Silver's head office. She got out and looked at the towering building. Any other day, she might be impressed and think of it as grand and imposing but right then it looked to her like a huge monster that she must strive to overcome.
She searched inside her large tote bag for her sunshade to hide her eyes that had become red and swollen from crying. Taking a deep breath, she entered the building.
"Thank god!" She murmured under her breath when she saw the receptionist was busy looking through the computer in front of her. She quickly made a beeline for the elevator, passed the distracted security man, and entered into the elevator that had just opened to let some people out.
She rode the elevator to the top floor where the executive floor was located. When the door slid open, the passageway she stepped into was wide, refreshingly cool, and quiet as if there was no one around.
She turned to her right side, looking both left and right as she walked down the passage. She was glad to see that all the doors she passed were closed and properly indicated as to who it belonged to.
She soon finds the one that had 'CEO's office' written on it. Softly, she knocked on the door and braised herself as she pushed it open. She was expecting to see the face of the man she had hoped to never see again in her life but instead, she entered another large reception area. The woman behind the desk looked up from the computer she was working on when she heard the door open.
Her eyes widened with surprise when she saw Cora enter. She looked at Cora as if she was an alien that just invaded her world. The receptionist downstairs was supposed to inform her before any visitor was allowed to enter the CEO's office.
"Excuse me, who are you looking for? Where is your visitor's pass? How did you manage to enter without an appointment and a visitor's pass? How did you evade the security?..." She asked Cora in rapid succession
"I'm sorry, I wish I had the time to answer your questions but I don't. I already called earlier, I don't know if you were the woman that picked my call... I-I just want to see Zachary, it's very urgent!" Cora answered in a rush
The Secretary looked at the beautiful woman in front of her with disdain, taking into account her tight ripped jeans and white shirt. She was sure Cora was one of the many models and actresses harboring the idea of being the next Mrs. King when they heard the CEO had gone back to being a bachelor.
"The CEO is in an important meeting, I'm afraid you cannot see him right now!" The secretary said with a smug look she didn't bother to hide on her face.
Cora rolled her eyes heavenward. God knows she's had enough of the woman's attitude to last her an entire lifetime. She couldn't just stand and trade words with her when her daughter's life depended on every precious minute she wasted.
"Fine. I'll go find him myself then" Cora said and immediately turned around, towards the door
"Hey, what do you mean you'll go find him yourself, come back here!" The secretary screamed but Cora ignored her and walked out the door, down the direction she came from, passed the elevator till she found the door that had 'conference room' written on it.
"Hey, are you crazy!? What do you think you're doing!?" The secretary said forcefully as she ran after Cora, tottering in her ridiculously high heels until she was able to catch up with her.
"Stop right there! Are you out of your mind!?" She pulled at Cora's arms to prevent her from entering the door that had already been opened halfway.
Cora forcefully wrenched her arm away from the secretary's grip...
"Bitch! Touch me again, and I will show you the real meaning of crazy!" She said with frustration coupled with anger that was already boiling over.
The secretary was shocked with her mouth half-opened. She watched as Cora pushed the door wide open, not knowing what else to do. Cora was almost halfway to where the CEO was sitting before was able to regain herself and found her voice
Cora's voice was pretty loud before so all heads inside the conference room were already turned towards the door. Their eyes followed her as she entered and walked straight to the head of the table where an old man was seated, looking at her with disapproval. Right beside the old man sat a more mature version of the Zachary King that she knew.
"I'm so sorry sir, I tried to stop her..." The secretary's voice rang out behind Cora. "I don't know how she managed to evade the security downstairs but I'll alert them immediately to come to throw her out." She finished talking and rushed out of the room.
The conference room was abuzz with voices whispering about her but Cora paid no heed to them. She only focused on Zach as she walked towards him, her heart doing a staccato that she could hear clearly inside her head
He was surprised to see her, Cora knew from the way his body tensed and how his hand froze midair over a file he was signing. Then his features immediately became hard and cold, she felt chilling sensations all over her body. She didn't need to be told that he wasn't happy to see her.
Well, the feeling was mutual. She wasn't happy to see him either. What they both felt towards each other doesn't matter to Cora. At that moment, all that mattered to her was her daughter and the blood she needed from him.
She knew It was just a matter of seconds before the security men would arrive to throw her out. That's why she had to be quick with whatever she came to say.
"Mr. King," She said in a small voice as she came to stand in front of him. She attempted to smile but it came out as a grimace.
"I'm... I-I" She stammered. All the right words that could move the most heartless of men she had rehearsed inside the taxi earlier now failed her. She took in a deep breath and removed her sunshade to reveal her eyes.
"I'm sorry to burst in on you like this... and... I know I might probably be that one person you hope to never see again in your life... Please know that I wouldn't have appeared in front of you if it wasn't urgent...
I– I need your help please..." She removed her wallet from inside her bag, opened it, and brought out a picture of Isabella and herself that she always carries around with her. She placed the picture on the table right in front of him.
"I'm sure you don't need a DNA test to convince you about who she is... Right now she's in the hospital and needs a blood transfusion. We couldn't get a match for her because her blood type is rare just like yours... That's my reason for coming to see you... Please help me! Help me please I beg you! We have less than thirty minutes to save her life.