Kaia sat on a stool beside her dying mother whom laid on the hospital bed, tears filled her eyes as she watched the steady rise and fall of her mother's chest, it was so damn suffocating.
Seeing her mother laying down there on the bed with so many instruments connected to her, Kaia didn't know what to do, she wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, but she knew all those efforts were futile in reviving her mother, she was just confused.
"Miss Kaia, someone came to see you," the voice of the nice nurse who had been tending to her mother rung out.
"Do you know who it is?" Kaia's raspy and tired voice questioned, her eyes were like that of a panda as she had not slept well in the past two weeks, her skin was pale and her cheeks were sunken, it was evident that she needed a break.
The nurse felt Kaia's pain and could not help but pity her, having to go through such a situation at a young age like this must be draining and she only hoped that a miracle could happen in the young girl's life.
"I don't know who it is but the person identified herself as your stepsister," the nurse replied and Kaia's face changed immediately, but it was only for a swift second before she had a blank look on.
"Please take care of my mom, I will be back soon," she said and she left, not before giving her mom another look.
"What are you doing here?" Her cold voice rung out as she saw who it was. It was Madison, her stepsister.
"You should even be happy I stepped foot into this disgusting place," Madison bit back as she looked around the place with a disgusted look on her face.
"I asked you what you are doing here, I didn't ask for you to tell me how much you hate the hospital," Kaia stared at her with cold eyes as she watched Madison's face change.
"Even in the face of troubles, you are still so proud," Madison scoffed.
"Do you believe I have the authority to tell the doctors to stop your mother's treatment, after all, my dad pays for it," Madison said to her in an arrogant voice. This caused her face to change drastically.
"You wouldn't dare," Kaia said, her voice sounding raspy due to the anger which was building up within her.
"Oh I dare, remember father favours me much more than he does to you," Madison snorted as she felt very pleased seeing her trying to restrain her anger.
"Why are you doing this to me, what wrong have I ever done to you, why do you and father hate me and my mom so much?" Kaia questioned in tears.
She tried to fight them back but they just kept falling. She couldn't understand why her own dad hates her. Growing up, she had never truly felt what a fatherly love entailed and it would be a lie if she says she is not hurt.
"That's because you were born, why were you born, why did you have to come into this world? I wish you were dead and never come back to haunt me," Madison shouted in anger. This was one of the reasons she hated her. She felt that Kaia came to steal her place.
Hearing what Madison had to stay, Kaia's heart felt stifled. She understood that Madison had always hated her but she would never have thought that she wanted her dead.
"I understand the hatred you have for me, I left the house with my mom so you won't have to worry about seeing us, then why are you here now?" This was the most pressing issue at the moment. She would never give Madison the opportunity to see her when she felt down.
"I admire your attitude, but anyways that's not why I am here, with the permission of father, I want you to take my place in getting married to my fiance," she said arrogantly and Kaia froze immediately.
Kaia stared at her straight in the eyes as she wondered what she was spitting from that mouth of hers. Everyone was well aware of who Madison's fiance was.
It was rumored that he was old, disabled and about to die. She had not paid much attention when they had come for Madison's hand in marriage as she was busy thinking of her mom.
But to think that she can be vicious enough to allow her take her place, what was she thinking?
"I won't do it, no matter what, I won't do it, why should I get married in your stead?" Kaia decisively rejected it. Why should she get married to someone who she had never met and a sickly person at that.
"I figured out you would be stubborn," Madison said with a sly smirk and immediately she snapped her fingers, eight to ten burly men appeared and Kaia felt a premonition and a bad one at that.
"What are you trying to do?" She asked as she took few steps back ready to protect her mom if anything bad were to happen.
"Nothing, just making sure you cooperate," she replied innocently while gesturing to the men who nodded on receiving her signal.
The men walked towards the ward's door which she was guarding. They looked at her and didn't hesitate to throw her to the floor and they marched into the ward.
"No!" She shouted once they made their way in.
"You don't need to shout yet, they won't do anything to your sick mom but they might destroy the equipments after all my father is the one paying for it," Madison said and a satisfied smile escaped from her lips seeing how devastated she looked.
"You can save your mom by actually agreeing to my terms, else she won't be treated and worse, she might end up dying," Madison threatened feeling pleased within herself.
"Stop making things difficult for me and also yourself and stop making things difficult for your mom," Madison said impatiently as she looked down at her.
She actually enjoyed the feeling of looking down at her as that gave her a sense of superiority.
Tears fell from Kaia's eyes as she tried to stand up. Successfully standing up, she looked into her mom's ward and saw that the men were about to make their move and she had never felt so powerless in her life.
"Fine, I will marry him in your stead," Kaia whispered while gritting her teeth.
"I didn't hear what you said," Madison said with a smirk. Oh, she was loving this.
"I said I will marry him in your stead, I am willing to be your substitute," Kaia shouted as she glared at Madison who didn't even care about her glaring at her.
"Good, you just made a good decision, don't worry, I will ask my dad to take good care of your mom," Madison said with a smile as she signaled for the men to leave the room.
They did as she said and they came to stand right behind her forming a protective shield and Kaia stared at her with hatred but she had to conceal it since there was nothing she could do.
"Bye sister," she waved and left with the men leaving a defeated Kaia who slumped to the floor once more with tears in her eyes.
Never in her life has she ever felt this weak. But it was all worth it. As long as her mom was okay, then e
verything would be fine. She whispered these words of encouragement to herself.