Seven

The next day, Dylan just sat on a bench in the hospital as he patiently waited for the surgery to be over. He wasn't sure he has ever been so anxious or scared. He didn't feel this way when his parents died because their death was unexpected. It just happened so there was nothing to feel anxious or scared about. He only felt pain and that's it.

But with his aunt, the fear in him pierced his heart like a sword. He could only wait and pray the surgery is successful like the doctor promised. She's the only family he's got. The only one who showed him love and took him in when everyone insulted him and turned their back on him.

He looked and saw the door of the ward open making him stand up to see Dr. Lydia taking off the mask on her face, still wearing the blue scrubs. He gulped as he anxiously expected something good.

"How's she?" He asked her.

Dr. Lydia smiled. "I told you it was going to be successful, so chill, Mr. Dylan. The surgery was successful."

Dylan let out a breath of relief. "Wow. Thanks. When is she gonna wake up then?"

"That's…" Dr. Lydia trailed, her countenance suddenly changing. "Um, that's something you're gonna have to be patient about. The thing is, the surgery started late and although it was successful, things…bad things can happen.

"Bad things?" Dylan asked with a frown.

"There might be side effects and also, as I said, the surgery started late so we can only hope it's not too late."

Dr. Lydia saw the sad expression and confusion on his face so she decided to say more, probably something that'll calm him down. "You see, as a doctor, we can only do what we can do and only pray for the patient to accept the healing the body needs. Truly, it was successful but she might be unconscious for more than two weeks and even more than a month, it depends. All we can do is check to make sure there wasn't a mistake somewhere and her vitals. We'll keep checking her status and make sure she fully survives."

Dylan sighed and nodded, still relieved by the fact that his aunt is not dead and there was a huge chance of her survival.

He looked at the door and saw Rita leaving the ward. She just gave him a disgusted frown and left.

"You must hate her, right?" Dr. Lydia asked noticing his annoyed gaze.

Dylan looked at her. "I don't give a damn about her."

Dr. Lydia just nodded. "Anyway, we are going to be taking your aunt back to the ICU, you can see her after that."

Dylan also nodded and she left.

Relief to see his aunt will get better, Dylan left the hospital in the evening and boarded a taxi to go to Avant-Garde.

Avant-Garde was the premier jewelry store in Melrovia and there was only one store so it was easy to locate.

Even though it was late when he got there, the store was still open as quite a few customers were browsing inside.

The store was tremendous, with a total of three stories. They were stuck to the brim with all kinds of expensive and exclusive jewelry. It was difficult to estimate the total value of their goods, even the security measurements were absolutely topnotch.

He spotted one of the store assistants but as he was about to walk toward the lady, a voice stopped him in his track.

"Oh, my God! My my my. I didn't know I could be so unfortunate to see you twice in a day, Dylan. Did I step on a poop today?"

Dylan turned and saw Rita wearing a contorted face. She was not wearing a nurse uniform but a beautiful blue gown that brought out her alluring shape. She was standing beside a fat man in a suit and leather shoes and holding onto him as if she were a part of his body.

"Maybe you should just mind your business." He dismissed.

Rita scoffed. "My business? Do you know how irking it is just seeing you?"

Dylan chuckled lowly and said, "Humor me, then."

She frowned and said, "What are you even doing in a store like this? I can't believe even a scumbag like you is allowed to enter. So impossible! This is not a place that welcomes a pauper like you."

Dylan couldn't help it but frown at her. He could take all sorts of insults from his mother-in-law and wife but not from a f**king bitch like Rita. 'Who the hell does she think she is that she can talk to me in that manner?' He thought to himself and he smirked, knowing he's gonna have to teach her a lesson.

"What if I prove you wrong, Rita?" Then he looked around and saw a billboard with a necklace named 'love in a city' with a price tag of thirty million dollars. "What if I make a deal with you and big 'ol fatty here?"

Rita glanced at the fatty and frowned at Dylan. "What the hell are you talking about? What are you trying to insinuate?"

"Would you believe I can buy that?" He questioned while pointing at the billboard.

Rita looked at it and a sudden laugh of mockery escaped from her. "Oh, God, Dylan. I didn't know you could be this funny. Are you daydreaming or what? If 'you' can afford that, I'll go on my knees and lick your feet."

Dylan shook his head and said, "Unfortunately, you're not qualified to do that. You can go home and lick this fattie's feet and if you make him happy, he can try to buy you at least two million dollars worth of rubbish."

Rita scowled, her anger so intense like someone ticking like a time bomb about to go off. She was about to slap Dylan but the fattie stopped her and coaxed her to calm down which she did.

Then the fatty looked at him. "How dare you lay an insult at me, you penniless bastard?! What kind of joke are you playing, ah? Go look at the mirror and take a petty look at yourself and ask yourself if you can truly afford a necklace with a price tag of thirty million dollars. Do you think it's three million they wrote there or do you not know your numbers?"

Dylan shoved his hands in his pockets. "Hmm. Then if I can afford to buy it, will you buy one too?"

The fatty snapped and said angrily, "Where did this fool come from?" He looked at Rita. "What kind of person is this, where did you know him from? It demotes me every time he opens his malodorous mouth."

"I'm sorry baby. He's just an arrogant fool who still doesn't know his place in this world."

Dylan chuckled and muttered under his breath. "Ridiculous."

Rita frowned at him as she heard it. "What?"

"I said you're ridiculous. You know, foolish, absurd, outrageous…"

"I know what ridiculous means, damn it!!" She yelled angrily at him.

Dylan shrugged. "It seems your fattie does not have balls as big as him. Tell me if you don't have money, no need for lame excuses. There is only one 'love in the city' though so no need to fret, you can just buy the one beside it. The one worth three million dollars, what do you think?"

The fatty shook his head in anger. "I have been insulted by someone who I can order to clean my shoes. How dare you insult me?" Then he chuckled and nodded. "Okay then, but if you can't afford the necklace?"

Dylan narrowed his eyes in thought. "Hmm."

Rita immediately chimed in. "Well, if you can't afford the necklace, you'll kneel and kowtow to me twenty times."

Dylan looked at her and nodded. "Deal."