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It takes me a minute as we walk inside for her face to really penetrate my mind. She looks exhausted and her eyes are puffy, as if she was recently weeping in the few minutes since I saw her last.

I feel the impulse to engulf her in my arms. But I resist, frowning at her with concern instead. We stop just outside the door of the shop, and I study her face for answers.

“What is wrong? Are you alright?”

She wipes her face roughly, then speaks, tears rising to the surface again.

“I will take your deal, Aiden…my mother is sick and needs emergency surgery. It needs to be done right now, though.”

Josephine cannot meet my eyes, but I move to action, anyway. I touch her wrist, which only makes her tears come harder.

“Give me the hospital number and your mother’s name. I will have it done.”

She nods, starting to go through her phone for the hospital. She tells me her mother’s name and the hospital number. I make a note into a text for my secretary, sending it off.

I then call my secretary, explaining the bizarre message. I tell her I will be calling back in just a moment with specific payment instructions, but ask her to start moving money between my accounts to prepare.

There is a bench outside the shop, and I encourage Josephine to take a seat. I walk a distance away to talk to the hospital. They won’t reveal any information on the surgery so all I can do is make a downpayment, telling them to go ahead with the surgery. Whatever bill remains, I instruct them to send it to me.

I can’t fault them for not discussing her mother’s medical condition, of course. Still, not knowing exactly what is happening makes it hard to give many directions. But I make it clear that I am paying, and I expect only the best. Even a rich man understands how they can cut corners for a bill they think may never be collected.

There will be none of that, not on my watch. I want every accommodation, every pain reliever, everything that can make her healing just a little bit smoother. And I don’t hesitate to tell them so.

The entire time that I am doing it, I feel good. Josephine watches me with big, nervous eyes. I want to embrace her, to comfort her, but I don’t want to push my limits. She looks torn apart, and I want to help her put herself back together.

I finish the phone call when everything is squared away and quickly fire off one last message to my secretary, directing her to make the payment as promised. I hang up and walk to sit beside Josephine, placing a hand on her knee.

Her shoulders are quivering, and her gaze is fixated on the ground. I give her leg a light squeeze.

“Your mother is going into surgery. Everything is going to be okay.”

Her eyes slowly rise up to mine. I feel my heart skip a beat as I start to lose myself into their sea breeze.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

We are alone in the lot as customers come in and out of the shop. She does not look at them. I can feel my chest aching, wanting to do even more for her.

I have no clue how to respond to her without falling apart myself. So I nod and give her a pat. It is a very platonic gesture.

“I want to help, Josephine. Just know that everything will be okay.”

She slowly starts to smile, her eyes beginning to sparkle. I take my hand off her leg and stare off into the parking lot. I don’t know what it is I’m feeling. All I know is that it may complicate our potential deal.

I see her wipe her face with her forearm, and I search for my handkerchief. I cannot find it, and it makes her chuckle.

“I’m okay, Aiden. Thank you. How can I ever repay you?”

I feel my heart drop when our eyes meet and we realize at the same time what we are about to do. The repayment is already determined, a component of our deal.

A part of me feels guilty about it, but I know I am in dire straits. I don’t want her to think I would let her mother die if I didn’t need something from her. Still, I do need something from her. That part remains the truth, whether I like it or not.

I try to smile anyway, though I notice that hers is starting to fade. She has been through trauma, and I want to heal it.

“We can talk about the deal at another time. For now, maybe you can find some time to rest?”

She surprises me by shaking her head back and forth, eyes continually downcast.

“You have already done so much for me, Aiden. We can talk about the engagement. I’m ready for it.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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