Chapter 1 Ayla

I walked through the long corridor of the hospital, my steps tired, my shoulders were drooped in exhaustion and my face held worry unconcealed. I hated hospitals but I had to be here, for her sake. She was family. My family and a little girl. She did not deserve to be alone.

I had just returned from work and had come down here as soon as I had finished for the day. I opened the door to the room she was put in, I watched her small frame lying on the bed, ridden by tubes and IVs.

Oh, Hailey. Tears blurred my vision.

I walked quietly and took my position by her side, holding her still hands. "Hello, Hailey."

The steady beeping of her heart was the only response I got. The evidence that she was still alive. Barely.

My eyes trailed the lines of transparent wires infused into her skin, the liquid treatment trickling from the bag that held the drug into her veins. "Please find a way to fight this, Hailey. Please come back to us alive. Come back to me alive."

I paused to comport myself, I did not want her to hear the tears. The doctor had said she could hear us but she was unable to respond. I wiped my eyes. "I miss you, Hailey." I whispered, gently caressing her hair, careful not to upset the position she'd been put in. "You're strong, Hailey. You can fight through this. Please, fight through, okay?"

I leaned in to place a kiss on her right brow, a shaky, watery smile leaving my lips as I remembered how sweet she used to be. Oh God, let her survive this. She was too young to be going through this pain.

The door opened' I cast my eyes to see who had come in. It was the doctor. Sitting up straight and fully giving him my attention, I waited with bated breath for him to give me any kind of update concerning her health status.

"Good evening, doctor." I mustered a confident smile to outweigh the fear that was choking my insides.

"Good day, Ayla." He responded with a professional smile of his.

"Uhm.." I glanced at Hailey, and stared back at him. "H-how is she?"

"Still the same."

I could not continue the smile, it turned pallid instantly. Still the same. No improvement, and I could guess why. "Is it because of the surgery, doctor?"

"Yes, Ayla. She needs the surgery as soon as possible. Also, her bills are increasing. We will need some deposit to continue to keep her here, Ayla."

Some deposit. My heart dropped from its natural position to my stomach. I was fraught with nerves and fear. I did not have the money.

"Okay doctor. I'll try to get some."

He nodded, checked Hailey's vitals and left the room. After he was gone, I sighed and slumped on the chair. I took her small hands. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you, okay? Just please, try to fight. Don't let it win." I stood up after gently placing her hand back on the bed beside her. "I'll be back." I gave her a small kiss on her cheek and left the room in tears.

By the time I got home, I was dead tired. I walked into the living room to see my aunt and uncle, they were my foster parents too and Hailey's biological parents, coming down the stairs laughing and being all merry, anger and disbelief trembled my exhausted frame. The irresponsibility of these people!

"Good evening." I greeted them.

"Evening Ayla." My aunt greeted.

"Anything the matter?" My uncle who had noticed my sour feature asked.

"Where are you going all dressed?" I asked.

"And who fed you doses of audacity?" My aunt eyed me in annoyance.

"This is not about the issue of being audacious. Your daughter is in the hospital, does that not mean anything to you?" I was trying to control my anger. Even though they were not the nicest persons on earth, they had taken me in, they deserved some respect.

"And so? She's in the best medical hands, we're not doctors, Ayla." My uncle responded nonchalantly.

"Exactly." His wife supported.

My jaw dropped. Were these people for real?

"What are you both saying? Hailey is your daughter and she's just fourteen. Fourteen!" I emphasized, in case they had forgotten.

"Your point is?" My aunt inquired, looking quite irritated.

"That girl needs you. She needs her parents." I could not believe they were saying this.

"But you always go to visit her." The tone in my uncle's voice was angry.

"Yes, I do. But the doctor said she needs to be spoken to, I can speak to her but she needs her parents." I insisted. I was getting aggravated by their I-don't-care attitude.

"We have somewhere to be, Ayla. Make sure to do the dishes and prepare dinner before we return."

I sighed. "The doctor said the bills are increasing, and the surgery needs to be done." It was futile trying to talk to both of them. If they would not see her, the least they could do was contribute financially to her medical bills.

"And where do you want us to get the money from, Ayla?" That question came from my aunt.

I could only stare at both of them in disbelief.

"So she should remain in that critical situation?" My voice broke, the image of Hailey lying on that bed looking so vulnerable flashed in my mind.

They exchanged stares. Then they looked at me, mischievous smiles playing on both their lips, I frowned, instantly suspicious.

"If you really love Hailey, you can help her." My aunt said.

"I don't understand. How do you mean?" Something told me I was not going to like what was coming.

"You can get married to CEO of XM company, I hear he's open to marriage."

"What?!" I knew of the CEO of XM company. Everyone knew the man, and the power and wealth his family wielded.

"Yes, Ayla. If you truly love Hailey and want to save her, please marry him." My aunt's face morphed into a placating one.

"No, I won't." I out rightly rejected. "I can not believe you two. I'd rather work to pay her medical bills." I spat and angrily stormed out of their sight.