CHAPTER TWO
Calista wasn't only wet, she stunk.
She had been baptized by the water from the roadside and it was dripping from her hair and clothes, some of it even slid down her collarbone and into her clothes.
"Shit! Hey! Mr.!" she yelled, running after the car while still dripping wet. She was determined not to let this person go today.
But the people in the car didn't hear her, so they didn't stop. Instead, the car picked up speed.
Calista who was feeling vengeful ran after it with all her strength.
Luckily for her, the car slowed down at a fancy-looking restaurant and then drove into the parking lot.
Calista bent in a corner, watching the luxurious-looking car drive into the parking lot while seriously jotting down the colour, model, and plate number in her head.
She bent down there, waiting patiently, unaware of the red blinking light of the CCTV camera behind her which was capturing her.
A few minutes later, Calista stood up from her hiding place and walked into the parking lot. As soon as she spotted the car, she hurried toward it and knelt beside it, but not before looking around to make sure no one was watching.
She brought out her house keys, popping out the small key holder knife.
With precise ease, Calista slid down the blades through the tires, watching with a satisfied smirk as the tires deflated slowly.
Calista did this to the other remaining three tires before she went to the side of the car and scratched out in bold letters, "Payback".
After doing all this, she ran out of the parking lot, unaware that the CCTV camera had captured everything she had done.
….
"Nice doing business with you Mr. Don"
Orion firmly shook the palm of the Chinese businessman opposite him.
The Asian man was so full of smiles on his face as he reciprocated the handshake.
"Can we have dinner together?" Mr. Don asked in Chinese.
Orion was about to say yes but one glare from his assistant who tapped heavily on his wristwatch watch reminded him that he was running out of time.
"I don't think it would be today Mr. Don, but my secretary would take my place" Orion offered with a polite smile, pushing forward the beautiful and smart-looking lady who also smiled sweetly.
Though the man was unhappy because of the way Orion had declined his offer, he had no other choice but to agree still wearing a smile.
After bidding each other goodbye.
Orion and his assistant hurried out.
"How many hours do I have left?" Orion asked, putting on his suit jacket.
"Hours? You barely have 30 minutes left" Jaxon whispered.
Orion was amused at his assistant's reaction "And so? Is that why you have been such a drama queen?"
Jaxon glared hatefully at Orion "Of course yes I have to be a drama queen, this is the most important group of suppliers, coming all the way to India, without mica, your plans with the Chinese won't be able to be pushed forward" Jaxon reminded.
Orion frowned "Hope they are trustworthy. Did you investigate them?" He asked.
"Of course, yes I did" Jaxon replied, pulling out a bound bundle of papers and giving them to Orion.
Orion didn't go through them, he just got into the car and relaxed, planning to do so in the car.
"Uhm, we have a problem boss" Jaxon' doubtful voice came from outside of the car.
"What's going on Jaxon, still being a drama queen?" Orion asked with an eye roll.
"I think you need to come out and see this"
Orion sighed and got down from the car "What is it this time, I don't know why you keep on acting like this…" He trailed off, his eyes widened in shock.
"Damn, who the fuck did this!" He screeched.
Jaxon who was standing nearby shrugged "I don't know, but it seems that you really will be late for your meeting"
…
"How have you been feeling all this while, hope you are getting better?" Calista asked, carelessly dropping the bag of groceries she was carrying on the table.
Lyra sat up weakly from the hospital bed and frowned at the sight of Calista "Why are you here, shouldn't you be in school by now?"
Calista frowned slowly before shaking her head "I have no classes today"
She opened the bag and brought out the plate of delicious-looking fruit salad.
Because of her sickness, the doctor had placed Lyra on light food so all she usually had was either fruits or infusions.
"I told you to stop bringing this" Lyra admonished but Calista rolled her eyes.
"If I don't bring it then who would do so for you?" She asked
She opened the plate and fed Lyra the fruits slowly.
Lyra chewed the fruit thoughtfully, after a few bites, she pushed the plate away.
"I'm full"
"Full! But you have only eaten at most 5 spoons" Calista replied with a frown. She looked at the plate of fruit again and frowned heavily when she saw that it looked untouched. Lyra hadn't eaten even a quarter of it.
"I know but I can't eat anymore, my stomach hurts so badly," Lyra said. Calista looked up in a panic and indeed, Lyra's face was squeezed in pain and tiny beads of sweat were already gathering on her pale forehead signifying that she was in pain.
"Damn!" Calista cussed loudly, she pressed the red button by the bedside and a few moments later, the doctor rushed in with his troop of nurses.
Calista was asked to leave the ward by the nurses while Lyra was being tended to.
Calista sat on the chair outside, her face tucked in her palms as she sobbed.
"Are you the relative of the patient?" A voice asked.
Calista raised her head with blurry eyes and stared at the nurse, nodding her head.
"The doctor wants to see you now," she said
Calista stood up, following the nurse to the doctor's office.
…
"The patient's condition has gotten critical"
This was the first thing the doctor said immediately Calista was comfortably seated on the chair.
Calista tensed up, her fists clenched as she stared at the doctor "What do you mean sir?" She asked.
"The cancer has spread rapidly throughout her stomach. The speed is much faster than any I have ever seen"
"Oh my God!" A sob escaped from Calista's lips, she covered her mouth with her palms and tears rolled down my cheeks.
"Doctor, can you please do something about it? Please save her life" Calista cried. She was almost kneeling for him at the end of her sentence.
The doctor shook his head pitifully, "There's nothing else we can do right now apart from what I mentioned earlier. To sustain her life, she needs to undergo chemotherapy every week to reduce the number of cancerous cells" he explained.
Calista whimpered painfully, she was sad about the situation and glad at the same time that there was a way to help her friend. All hope was not lost.
"So, how much does the weekly chemotherapy cost?" she asked expectantly.
"3000 dollars per week"
"What?"