Audrey, a timid, beautiful and plus sized young lady accidentally gets herself implicated in a complicated murder case and unfortunately for her Alexander, a rich man and son of multiple large oil conglomerate business man witnesses the scene. Alexander being an egotistic and a bully, uses the situation to his advantage by instructing Audrey to marry and give him a child as a result of his father's huge proposition and her refusal to do so, he would expose her crime and have her jailed. Audrey gets intertwined between her freedom and getting married to this 'bully of a man' and considering the state of her mother's health, She has no choice but to accept his proposition. However, she feels frustrated and depressed in her marriage as Alexander maltreats her, body shames her and treats her with no affection, he makes it very obvious that she is useless to him and he only needs a child from her. However, Audrey gets lucky when she becomes a model for a top designers brand in the country. She becomes more confident, bold and looks more beautiful as the day passes by and to Alexander's surprise, She changes and starts to challenge him creating an impression that she doesn't give a damn what he does to her regarding the murder case. Alexander, to his bewilderment finds himself falling in love with her and becomes insecure when Audrey starts to get close to his step brother, Oscar. Soon enough Audrey gets pregnant and decides she will not keep the baby leaving Alexander disturbed and quite defeated Will Alexander bring himself to confess his feelings to Audrey and will she reciprocate and overlook how he had been unfair to her? That and a lot more get revealed in the story.
Chapter 1 The Tragedy
Audrey folded the envelope in her hands and tucked it in her bag. She quickly wiped the tears on her face with a tissue and looked around to make sure no one sees this pitiful side of her as she stepped out from the hospital's last floor. She accidentally stumbled onto a lady, and her handbag fell to the floor with her make up kits and brushes splashing to the ground alongside it.
"Oh Goodness! I am sorry. "Audrey said regretfully as she started to pick the Lady's items on the floor.
"Can't you watch where you are going? You nasty idiot! Is it your robust body that isn't allowing you to walk carefully in a public place?! " The lady, who looked so much like "a badass" dressed in skimpy wears with jewelleries dangling all over her body uttered in anger
"But I said I am sorry", Audrey said wondering why she still has to talk to her rudely. But this isn't the first time Audrey would get body shamed and called Fat. She has been quite used to that
"Keep your sorry to yourself! Now get out of my way. Don't touch my items with your filthy hands. I doubt you can even afford them! "
Audrey swallowed hard trying to fight her tears, she dropped the brushes she had picked back to the ground and walked away
"You...stu....you dropped my things on the floor. How dare you?! Do you even know how much they are?!" She but Audrey was already gone, some steps away. She was in no mood to entertain foul words from anyone. Not this day of all days!
Audrey got outside and sat on a chair beside the hospital Gate. She sighed in sadness and frustration as she remembered what the doctor had told her in his office some minutes ago regarding her mother's health.
"As you know Audrey. Your mother is hypersensitive. She has been nursing High blood pressure for the past five years. But now it's complicated. I am afraid to tell you this...but her heart is failing. She has a coronary heart disease. She needs to be operated on as soon as possible. She also has to be admitted here today. She can't go back home with you. She needs close monitoring for now till her surgery" The doctor, Dr. Rogers explained handing over the test result to Audrey.
Audrey looked worried and terrified. She felt no need to even open the envelope. She has just been informed that her mother is dying. She felt ache in her belly and scary thoughts squirmed at the back of her mind. She tried so hard to fight her tears but it ended up dropping down her face.
"How bad is it, doctor? " She asked.
"Ahm...Well..."
"On a scale of 1-10. Tell me please. I don't want to be deceived"
" Let's put it this way. If I am to rate the wellness of her heart on a scale of 1-10.....It's 3/10" The doctor said feeling sad to relay such news. He was a neighbour to Mrs. Evans Audrey's mother and her family ten years ago. She was a nice woman to him and people around her which is why anytime she is brought into the hospital he works, he makes sure her file is brought to his table and handles her case with extra care.
"I can't lose her, Dr. Rogers. Please do anything possible to make sure she is alive. Please" She said crying as she held the doctor's arm on the table with her hands
"We will Audrey. Trust me. But as for the surgery, like I said, it has to be done without delay"
"How much is going to be needed?"
"About Thirty five thousand pounds. For now"
Audrey got more worried. She wondered where and how she would get that. That amount in total is her Salary for a year and a half
"However, we have placed her on some drips and beta blocker drugs Which I have administered to her this morning," Dr. Rogers said. Mrs Evans was brought in unconscious by her neighbours after she slumped when plucking plants outside her house. Audrey was at work then and she received a call and came rushing to the hospital
"Okay. Thank you Dr. Rogers", Audrey said sniffing. She asked when latest the surgery should take place and Dr. Rogers said it shouldn't exceed two weeks.
"I am sorry, but it's just that, her health has gotten so bad. I found out She has not been using her drugs and many times she skips check up days."
" You are right. She said the BP control drug makes her throw up, so she just....she stopped using it"
"She told me and I told her she would just come here and have another one given to her. It's not that difficult"
"I told her! But she told me She will be fine without the drugs. She told me she doesn't need to go to the hospital anymore as she has stopped thinking about Dad. She is saying sort of "she doesn't want to bother me with medication bills now isn't this more bothersome?!" Audrey cried
"I am really sorry Audrey. I wish there was something I could do to help. But as you know I am a resident doctor here. Not the owner."Dr. Rogers said
Audrey nodded and said she understood. She further asked the costs of the new medications that has been administered to her and Dr. Rogers said he has settled the treatment bill for that day
"Oh. Thank you Dr. Rogers. That's kind of you"
"You are welcome". Dr. Rogers said closing Mrs Evans' file. "She will now be moved to a Ward in the Cardiology Unit and another doctor will be assigned to her. But I will make sure to always check up on her and follow up on her treatment"
Audrey nodded and thanked him once again. She stood up to leave.
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Audrey was still thinking about what the doctor had said to her while sitting at the hospital Gate when she heard her phone rang. It has actually been ringing for the second time and she has been lost in thoughts. Her best friend, Morgana was calling and asking about her mother's health. She had come to visit her at work when Audrey was informed about what happened. They were both coming together to the hospital when Morgana received an urgent call from her boss at the office. Morgana works as an accountant in a food production industry.
"Morgana, her state is terrible. I cried looking at her on that bed" Audrey said sniffing and she started crying all over again.
"Calm down Audrey. You are scaring me. What exactly happened?" Morgana asked worriedly as she dropped the bottle of water she was holding to the table, and sat on her swivel chair
"Her heart is failing and she needs surgery"
"Oh God! " Morgana exclaimed
"We need thirty five thousand for the surgery. Where are we even supposed to get it from? I earn just One hundred pounds in a day. Mom's teaching wage
is what I make in a day. Is it my nagging boss who is always irritable I would go meet for an advance?!"
"Be calm Audrey, Where are you? I am coming over. Just. Don't be hard on yourself... please"
"About to leave the hospital. I am on my way home. I will check back on her tomorrow. The doctor says she needs some rest" Audrey said getting up from the chair hanging her bags on her shoulders
Morgana replied that she would come to check on her in an hour.
Audrey stood up and started crying so hard, she feels like she is in a dilemma with no way out .Her irresponsible father is the cause of their troubles and for a moment she feels like pointing a gun to his head. She grumbled as she finally walked down to catch a bus.