Chapter 2

Scarlett’s POV

It was the hospital. My heart skipped a beat as I answered.

"Hello?" My voice trembled as I spoke.

"Is this Scarlett?" a nurse asked.

"Yes, it is. What's going on?"

"Your sister's condition has taken a turn for the worse. You need to come to the hospital right away," the nurse said.

I felt tears welling up in my eyes. My sister was my world, and the thought of losing her was too much to bear.

"I'm on my way," I said, my voice shaking.

I hailed a cab and gave the driver the address of the hospital. I prayed that my sister would be okay.

When I arrived at the hospital, I rushed to my sister's room. Mitchell was hooked up to machines and looked pale and frail.

"Scarlett, you made it," Mitchell said weakly, smiling.

I took her hand and squeezed it. "I'm here. I'm not leaving your side."

We talked for a while, reminiscing about our childhood and the good times we had together. Mitchell seemed to be getting stronger, and I felt hopeful.

But then the doctor came in and requested to speak with me.

"I'm sorry, Scarlett," the doctor said, "we've done all we can for your sister, but her body is not responding to the treatment as we had hoped."

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. "What does that mean?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"It means that we need to prepare for the surgery fast," the doctor said gently.

"Is there anything we can do?" I asked, desperate for a solution.

The doctor looked at me with sympathy. "I'm afraid the hospital can't cover the cost of the surgery. You will need to arrange for the funds yourself."

I felt a wave of frustration and anger wash over me. It was unfair that my sister's life was at stake because of a lack of funds.

"What are our options?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

The doctor explained that we could apply for financial assistance from various organizations or seek help from family and friends. He also suggested starting a fundraising campaign to gather the necessary funds.

I nodded, feeling overwhelmed with the amount of work that lay ahead of me. But I knew that I had to do everything in my power to save Mitchell’s life.

"I'll do whatever it takes," I said firmly.

The doctor nodded in approval. "I'll do my best to keep her stable until we can perform the surgery. In the meantime, please start exploring your options for funding."

I thanked the doctor and sat by Mitchell’s side, holding her hand tightly. The weight of the situation was heavy, but I refused to give up. I would fight for my sister's life with every ounce of strength I had.

*****

Scarlett stood outside the clubhouse, gathering the courage to face Tom again. She knew that she had made a mistake and she needed to apologize. She had to make things right with Tom and get her job back. She took a deep breath and walked inside.

Tom was sitting at his desk, engrossed in some papers. He looked up as Scarlett walked in. He didn't say anything at first, just looked at her with a blank expression.

Scarlett cleared her throat. "Tom, I need to talk to you," she said, her voice quavering.

Tom nodded, still not saying anything.

"I know I messed up, and I'm sorry," Scarlett continued. "I should have apologized before, but I was too ashamed. I know I was wrong, and I want to make things right. Please, Tom, can you give me my job back? My sister's life is on the line, and I need that job to take care of her."

Tom leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Scarlett, I'm sorry, but it's too late. I can't give you your job back."

Scarlett felt her heart sink. She couldn't believe it. "But Tom, please, I need this job," she pleaded.

Tom shook his head. "I understand that you need the job, Scarlett, but I can't give it to you. You betrayed our trust, and we can't have that kind of behavior on our team."

Scarlett could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. "But Tom, I'm begging you. Please, just give me a chance to prove myself again," she said, her voice shaking.

Tom stood up and walked around his desk. He put a hand on Scarlett's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Scarlett. I wish things could be different, but they're not. You need to move on."

Scarlett felt a lump in her throat. She couldn't believe that Tom was being so cold-hearted. She had always respected him and looked up to him, but now she felt betrayed. She turned around and walked out of the clubhouse, tears streaming down her face.

Damian’s POV

With a deep breath, I approached a group of strangers at the bar and showed them the picture. "Excuse me, do any of you know this woman?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual.

Most of them looked at the picture and shook their heads. "Sorry man, don't recognize her," one of them said before taking a swig of his drink.

But one man looked at the picture more closely before nodding slowly. "Yeah, I think I've seen her around. She used to work here, but not anymore," he said before turning back to his drink.

My heart sank a little at the news that she no longer worked at the bar. But at least I had some lead on her whereabouts.

As I waited for my assistant to return, I couldn't help but wonder why this woman had left her job at the bar. Was it because she had found a better opportunity elsewhere, or was it something more sinister?

*******

Days turned into weeks and I had come to this club almost every night since my last encounter. My search for the mystery woman had become an obsession, and I couldn't rest until I found her.

Despite my best efforts, I was unable to track her down. My assistant had tried everything from calling the bar to searching through social media, but all leads were dead ends.

But tonight was different. As I sat at the bar, nursing a drink, one of the workers I had met before approached me. "Hey, I remember you," he said with a smile. "You were asking about that girl in the picture, right?"

My heart skipped a beat. "Yes, that's right. Do you know where I can find her?"

The worker hesitated for a moment before leaning in closer. "I do, but it's not good news," he said in a low voice. "The woman's sister is sick and needs urgent treatment. She's been running around trying to get money for the treatment, and that's why she's not working at the bar anymore."

My heart sank at the news. I couldn't imagine what the woman must be going through, trying to take care of her sick sister while also trying to make ends meet. But I was determined to help her in any way I could.

"Do you have her number?" I asked the worker, hoping he could help me get in touch with her.

He nodded and scribbled down a number on a napkin before handing it to me. "She's still in the city, so you might be able to help her out," he said before walking away.

I nodded eagerly, trying to keep my excitement in check. Finally, I had a lead on the woman I had been searching for. The worker scribbled down a number on a napkin and handed it to me before walking away.

My hands trembled as I held the napkin with the woman's number on it. I couldn't believe my luck. After weeks of searching, I had finally found a way to reach her.I thanked the worker and left the club, eager to call her and unravel the mystery of the woman in the picture.

But suddenly an idea struck me…..