Chapter 4 A ray of hope ....or not

Cordelia was overwhelmed. She couldn't believe it. Ten pieces of her painting was the biggest contract she had ever had since she started painting. It felt like a dream.

Surprised and overjoyed, she placed a call to Leah to relay the good news to her.

"Leah, you won't believe it" Cordelia exclaimed as soon as Leah answered the call. She couldn't believe it.

That her painting was that good to attract someone as opulent as the Watson's, was surreal.

"Believe what?" Leah's tired voice sounded through the phone.

Cordelia, who was impatient, jumped right into the news. "I just got a call from the Watsons, they ordered TEN of my painting" She screamed out loud, emphasizing every word. This was it, a breakthrough for her brother's treatment.

Leah, who had sounded so tired when she picked up the call, was now squealing out loud, even more than Cordelia herself.

"Oh my God, Cordelia, I'm so happy for you" She cried.

"Thank you so much Leah" Cordelia cried too. She was so pleased with everything.

Cordelia appreciated her profusely. Leah was such a good friend, if she hadn't forced her to go to that party she wouldn't have gotten this kind of order.

She blessed the day that she met Leah. Then went ahead to prepare herself for the painting and delivery of the order.

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The day of delivery had finally arrived. She made sure to paint each work as unique as possible. She added her passion, and enough emotions, just to get the message across.

Midnight Bloom had never made such a huge order before, at a point she didn't think it was good enough.

Cordelia stepped out of the Uber with 10 different canvases in her hands, her bag hung freely on her shoulder. She was dressed very modestly in jean trousers, paired with a sky blue round neck that brought out her hazel eyes.

She huffed and puffed, lost for breath at the heavy pieces on her arm. Sweat bead around her forehead, as she turned in the direction of the house. she gaped at the huge empire in her sight. It was very big and beautiful for a family home.

What was she expecting from an empire owned by the most influential family in the state of Florida? She should have expected it.

With each step she took towards the building, she faltered. Nervousness embraced her and her heartbeat increased in pace so much that she was sure it could be heard from miles away.

Cordelia proceeded to the gate, and the security guards at the door processed her entry. They had been expecting her.

She entered through the single door beside the gate, carrying her loads with her.

The honking of a car horn behind her, made her look at the direction of the sound. She couldn't believe who she saw behind the car wheel, her saviour.

Cordelia gasped aloud, her mouth opened in astonishment. The person who saved her was a Watson? She refused to believe it.

She gawked at him, watching how he walked into the building in a tuxedo with a briefcase in his hands. She was intrigued by him, she felt it was a perfect time to thank him for his help.

She stirred immediately in that direction, calling on him to wait up, but he didn't seem to hear her.

After numerous failed attempts to get his attention, Cordelia sighed and gave up on following him, she hoped she would see him again. She walked back to where she came from, confused about what building to enter.

It was indeed an empire, with two buildings, each one having a door and looked very similar. The official mail that was sent after the call didn't specify the building it should be delivered to. If she hadn't entered the house, she wouldn't have noticed that there were two inside the empire.

Just as she was about to take the leap of faith on the first building instead of walking back to the security guards at the gate, her phone rang.

She checked the caller ID and it was her brother's doctor. A chill ran down her spine at the name on the screen, it was as if an invisible frost demon had wrapped its icy claws around her neck.

As she picked up the call, she was filled with apprehension about what she was going to hear.

"Good morning Miss Cordelia" The doctor greeted her

"Good morning doctor," Cordelia replied ever so slowly.

"I'd like to discuss something important with you. Are you in a safe space?" he asked. Cordelia put her phone between her shoulder and her ear to carry her painting like she did earlier on.

She then walked off to the passage of the first building that the familiar man had walked into.

"I'm listening. '' She bit her lips nervously, unsure of what she was going to hear.

"Ok. The good news is that we've found a donor for your brother's heart transplant" Cordelia let out a breath at the news, they had been looking for a donor since he was diagnosed when he was younger.

It was very hard to get a heart transplant donor around the world. And she didn't even have enough money to look for one. She wondered how much it would cost for the surgery, then she realized her joy would be limited if she didn't have the money to help her brother.

"Thank you so much doctor" Cordelia cried in appreciation.

"You are welcome, Miss Cordelia. But that is not all" Cordelia inhaled shakily, this was it, the bad news was about to be said.

"ok?" she questioned reluctantly.

"The surgery would cost you a sum of $100,000" He dropped the bomb.

Cordelia leaned on the nearby wall to support herself, tears pooling in her eyes. She knew she shouldn't have rejoiced too soon. Now this was the limiting factor to her joy.

She cut the call and bawled her eyes out for her brother. Where was she supposed to get that kind of money from, it was an exorbitant price. Oh! Her poor brother.

She dropped to her knees on the floor, her hands covering her mouth to muffle her cry. Tears streamed down her face, and she allowed it, not making any effort to clean them.

"Is everything ok?" Nathaniel Watson asked the lady crying in his passage.

He was just walking past when he saw someone rolled up into a ball on the floor. Naturally, he would have snapped at the individual for being in his private space.

He was about to go and lash out when he heard her sniff. That was when he noticed the tears on her face. Though her face was swollen and puffy, he recognized her as the lady from the other night. He was confused about her presence in his house.

Cordelia looked up to see him. The person she had been looking for all the while, was beside her again, it was as if he was the angel that always appeared anytime she was in danger or sad.

"No, I'm not ok" Cordelia croaked, sniffing while still wailing. The tears just wouldn't stop coming down.

"I'm just so..so.. frustrated about my life right now. It's as if I'm not even making attempts at all.

My brother is at the hospital.After I got the contract to deliver this painting, I was so happy that finally, he would get the treatment he deserved. But the doctor just called me now that he had found a donor" She hiccuped " And.....and.....and I need a sum of $100,000 for his treatment" She wailed louder at the end of her words.

"Where am I supposed to get that kind of money from?" She cried harder as the thought streamed into her mind again.

Nathaniel wasn't one to pity anyone. He hated it. He was a give-and-take kind of person, he would never give something when he wouldn't be gaining anything in return.

"Be my wife and I'll help you with his treatment" Cordelia heard him grunt.

"What?" she exclaimed, not sure she heard him right.