************
CHAPTER 3
~The day of the deadline~
At the office, Alexa is going about her duties, running errands when she gets a call from a number she does not recognize, she stops and picks up and it was from the hospital where her mother takes her treatment.
"Hello Miss Williams good morning, this is Dr. Afonso, am calling in response to the payment you are supposed to make your mom's surgery which is due tomorrow so we can quickly carry out her surgery, there is no time and you are not here making payment. So may I ask what is the problem, would we not be performing the surgery again?" Asked the doctor.
"Morning doctor, am sorry I have not been to the hospital yet, I am having serious financial issues but trust me I am working on something but I need more time please," replied Alexa.
There is no time again Miss. We have to operate on her soon, if you are not here with the money on the 15th, then your mom's health is not in our hands again, do you understand me miss?"
"Yes I do Dr. I understand."
"Very well miss, have a good day," he said as he ended the call.
Feeling so frustrated and sad, knowing fully well that she did not have any money and still yet not ask her office for an advance because she is still new and pay day is not around the corner.
Dialing her phone to put across a call to her boyfriend Richie, she needed to talk to someone and maybe hopefully he could help her.
She opens her recent Call logs and dials Richie still standing at a corner in her office space, looking around hoping no one was her and prevents her from having this short moment she needed to process all that is happening and a possibily a solution. Richie picks up the phone.
"Hello sugar, how is your day going?"
"Not good Richie" Alexa replies sadly.
"What is the matter?".
"I just got a call from the Dr. In charge of mom's treatment and he is asking me when would I pay? The payment is long overdue and mom needs her surgery soonest, I am so worried," she said.
"First it is treatment money and then it is your house bills or your brother's school fees. That is all what you say. You complain alot and now again you are calling me for financial assistance!"
"Richie I just wanted to plead with you if you can lend me the money, I will pay you from m salary but please I will need it now"
"I am sorry girl, I can not help you this time around, you owe me alot that your one year's salary would not be able to pay up. I am becoming tired of you. I am not your bank account," he said.
"Upon all the cash I give as your boyfriend, you do not play your path as girlfriend. You do not want to go clubbing with me or traveling or partying. You do not want to even have sex with me or allow me to kiss my own girlfriend. It is always an issue like it is some kind of crime. All you do is to hold hands and cuddle and yet you always need something from me", Richie angrily poured out all he held up anger.
"Why are you doing this right now? My mom is ill and all you are doing right now is to complain Richie?"
"Look here Alexa, I am tired of this relationship, it is boring, I am a man and i need to have fun."
"Then please do so, I am not stopping you but do not treat me like that," she said.
"No problem, we are done. Stay the hell away from me. I do not want anything to do with you," he said.
"Fine then." And that call marked the end of their relationship.
'I will definitely have a better life without you complaining and being so insensitive,' sh thought to herself.
Alexa got stepped into the elevator and heads straight to her floor her supervisor had sent her to deliver a message. Thinking of all that has happened, she could not help but cry. Why does everything have to be so... bad?
Just then the elevator dinged and someone got in. Bryan was having a headache at the constant nagging of his grandfather for him to get wife. To make things even worse, today was the supposed deadline that old man had given him to bring the girl he chose for himself. He had not really taken things seriously as he busied himself with work. But today, his grandfather not only reminded him if tg deadline but also threatened him using his inheritance.
As Bryan was busy with his thoughts, the sound of silent sobs from behind him. Then he remembered that someone was in the elevator when he stepped in. He turned slightly to see the person. It was that girl that bumped into him the other day. He sighed as he dipped his hands into his pocket, brought out his nearly folded white handkerchief and passed it to her.
Alexa looked up at the stretched holding a handkerchief towards her. She trailed the hands up to see a cold yet dashing face of her boss staring at her. She hesitated at first before accepting the handkerchief from.
"Thank you sir," she said with a bow. "I will return-"
"You can keep it," he cut her short. The the elevator dinged once again. Alexa saw it was the floor she was going so she quickly stepped out and dipped her head in
"Thank you sir," she thanked again before leaving.