Nora rushed to her grandmother's side, her hands trembling as she checked for a pulse.
"No, God please... No!" Her voice cracked as she touched her grandmother's hand and realized they were cold.
"No, Grandma. You can't leave me like this. Not like Mom and Dad. Please!"
Tears blurred her vision as she searched for her phone.
"I can't be alone. Please God..." Nora sobbed bitterly as she dialed 911 with shaky fingers.
The following hour passed in a blur of paramedics' arrival, questions, and terror.
At the hospital, Nora paced the waiting room, jumping up every time the doors opened.
"Miss Hayes?" Finally, the doctor attending to her Grandma emerged.
"Yes. How is she? Is my grandma okay?" Nora asked urgently.
The doctor's expression was grim as he began to speak.
"Your grandmother's condition has severely deteriorated. Her heart is failing. Haven't you been giving her the prescribed medications?" He asked.
Nora shook her head vehemently.
"Of course I have! I pick up her prescriptions every month. I make sure she takes them on time." She rushed out.
"I sincerely doubt that. The tests show otherwise. Her blood pressure is dangerously high, and there is significant damage to her heart." The doctor explained.
"That is impossible. I have been so careful with her medications—" Nora insisted, not wanting to believe the bad news but the doctor interrupted her.
"Miss Hayes, your grandmother needs immediate intervention. We will have to admit her to the cardiac unit."
"Okay, yes, whatever she needs." Nora reluctantly agreed.
"The initial deposit for the treatment will be fifty thousand dollars." The doctor announced and Nora felt the floor sway beneath her feet.
"Fifty... thousand?" She repeated unsurely.
"This includes the specialized cardiac care, medications, and the procedure she will need. Without immediate treatment..." The doctor paused and Nora dreaded what he would say.
"If you want to save your grandmother's life, we need that deposit as soon as possible." He added the bombshell.
Nora collapsed into a nearby chair, her legs wobbling.
"I don't... I can't..." She sobbed quietly.
An hour later, Diana arrived at the hospital, practically running through the doors.
"Nora!" She called out and Nora fell into her friend's embrace, finally letting her tears flow freely.
"Oh honey, I got your message." Diana said, holding her tight.
"What am I going to do, Di? She is all I have left. I can't lose her too." Nora sobbed.
"Hey, hey, calm down. We are not losing her. We will figure something out." Diana assured her, stroking her hair.
"How? You saw what happened with Mom and Dad. The insurance barely covered anything." Nora said.
"If I had the money, you know..." Diana trailed off and sniffled.
"I know. Of course, I know you would help." Nora said firmly. Then she had finally stopped crying.
Diana pulled back from the hug, studying her face.
"When is the last time you ate something?" Diana questioned gently.
"I'm not hungry." Nora responded curtly.
"Nora—"
"How can I think about food right now?" Nora gritted out.
"You need to keep your strength up. Let me get you something from the cafeteria." Diana insisted but then her phone buzzed. She checked it and frowned.
"It is work. They need me to come in." She mumbled more to herself.
"Go, I will be fine." Nora pushed her friend gently.
"Are you sure? I can tell them—" Diana wanted to stay but Nora shook her head firmly.
"Okay, I will keep in touch and come join you as soon as I have time." Diana told her. Nora nodded gratefully.
~~~~~~~~
After Diana left, Nora wandered the streets near the hospital, thinking.
"How do I get money?"
She was so lost in thought that she almost missed the happening on the bridge.
A middle-aged man was climbing over the railing.
"Wait! Please!" Nora shouted, running toward him, momentarily forgetting her own situation.
The man turned, his expression was sullen.
"Stay back! You don't understand!" He yelled.
"Then help me understand. Trust me, whatever it is, it is not worth your life." Nora said softly.
"You don't know what I did." The man choked out.
"No, I don't. But whatever it is, I am sure it isn't worth suicide." Nora maintained firmly but persuasively.
"Do you have a family?" She blurted out and the question seemed to startle the man.
"Yes, a daughter..." He replied, his voice softening slightly at the mention of his daughter.
"What is her name?" Nora questioned further as she realized she was gradually achieving her aim.
"Lucy... She is six." He replied. At that, Nora sighed deeply.
"I lost my parents when I was young. And right now, my grandmother—the only family I have left—is fighting for her life in that hospital. Trust me, your daughter needs you alive." Nora said.
The man became weakened and he climbed down voluntarily, then slumped onto the ground. Nora sat beside him, observing he was about to share his story too.
"I stole from Ethan Black." He started to divulge and she listened on.
"Important documents. I thought I could sell them. He finds out and now his men are after me."
"We will talk to him. Beg. You are obviously sorry for what you did." Nora said simply.
The man shook his head.
"You don't know him or what he does to people who crossed him. He is ruthless, cold and unforgiving. He is going to kill me." He explained further, clenching his fists.
Nora exhaled deeply.
"Well, I will still implore you to face this. For Lucy." She maintained.
Then footsteps approached on the bridge. Men in dark suits appeared, running toward them.
But before they could rough-handle the man, Nora stepped between them and the man.
"Please, calm down. He is going to return everything. He is sorry." Nora pleaded. Before the men could process what she was saying, a sleek white car pulled up. The back door opened, and a tall, handsome figure emerged.
Nora's heart nearly stopped as Ethan Black approached them. His expression was stoic. Cold.
Without being told, Nora knew he was Ethan Black.
"Please sir..." She had just begun when he shut her up with a wave of his hand.
He moved toward her with predatory grace, and Nora fought the urge to step back.
"Who are you? Would you prefer to die in his stead?" Ethan asked coldly.