Chapter 2 - The Shattered Hope
Chloe ran through the sliding glass doors of Memorial Hospital, her lungs burning.
She had barely slept, her scrubs were wrinkled, and her heart was pounding in her ears.
She rushed straight to the intensive care unit where her mother had been transferred just hours ago.
Dr. Evans met her in the hallway, his expression grim and exhausted.
"Chloe, I'm so glad you made it, but there's a serious complication," the doctor said softly.
Chloe's blood ran cold, her grip tightening on the strap of her bag.
"The charity fund that was supposed to cover your mother's experimental surgery just declared bankruptcy this morning."
The world seemed to tilt on its axis as Chloe leaned against the cold hospital wall for support.
"Without the funds, the hospital board won't authorize the use of the surgical suite for the procedure," Dr. Evans explained, clearly pained.
"How much do we need?" Chloe whispered, tears stinging her eyes.
"Two million dollars, paid upfront by midnight tonight."
It was a death sentence.
Chloe sank into a plastic waiting room chair, burying her face in her hands.
She had exactly four hundred dollars in her checking account and maxed-out credit cards.
Across the street, parked in a sleek black SUV, Tariq's head of security was relaying every detail of the conversation back to his boss.
"Pay it," Tariq's voice came through the earpiece, cold and decisive.
May you like
"Sir? All of it?" the bodyguard asked in surprise.
"Transfer the two million to the hospital immediately, and buy the entire medical wing while you're at it."
