2 | I’m Alex Sterling!

Leaning on the counter, heartbroken Alex thought back on his marriage. He did a delivery job when he was very young before he was able to successfully get admitted into the university.

Even after the admission, he had to get different jobs in order to keep paying his university fees and his mother’s medical fees.

He and Bella were close friends. He loved her, and he decided to propose to her after he graduated. Luckily, Bella accepted but the marriage was not accepted by her family until Bella pleaded with them.

Afterward, the marriage was filled with thorns. Bella’s parents, Mr and Mrs. Vanderbilt kept embarrassing Alex as they never thought of him as a part of their family. Even Bella started despising him too.

To keep his marriage intact, Alex went through hell and back, as he also tried to be a good son-in-law to Bella's parents.

He borrowed money from loan sharks to buy Bella and Bella’s parents lavish gifts, which left him at the loan shark’s mercy and at risk of physical harm. Despite his efforts, Bella’s parents still despised him, and he felt like a dead man walking.

Luckily, Bella had paid for his mother's medical bills, but it was always with an ulterior motive - to gain more popularity and followers.

Alex was nothing more than a prop in her game, and she would never be seen with him at any party or social event. She preferred the company of wealthy men who could shower her with gifts and money.

Despite all this, Alex was still adamant about keeping his marriage intact, and he loved his wife deeply. But as he wiped away his tears, he knew that he would need to find a way to change his fate and regain the love and respect he deserved.

Alex’s Nokia phone rang loudly, shattering the silence in the neat, spacious kitchen. He pulled out his Nokia phone which had been packaged with threads tied around the phone to keep the battery from falling off.

Glaring at the phone, he realized that it was an unknown caller. He answered it immediately, hoping it was his mother.

Lately, his mother's phone battery had been malfunctioning, so she would sometimes use a neighbor's phone to call him for urgent matters or medicine.

"Hello, is this Mr. Alex?" A woman's voice spoke.

Alex paused, as only his mother cared enough to call him. His heart thumped loudly as he wondered if it was one of the loan sharks. They would often trick him with fake job offers, and then threaten him and steal his clothes until he was left with only his underwear.

"Yes, I'm Alex," he replied slowly, bracing himself for any of the loan sharks' voices.

"Your mother is at the hospital," the woman added and Alex's heart raced even faster.

"What?! Where?! And how?!" Alex shouted.

The woman explained, “She mentioned your name before losing consciousness, and we found her phone with your number as the last dialed. She is now at Kingston Hospital.”

Alex sighed with relief at the mention of the hospital's name since he knew the hospital's location.

“Please, why is she at the hospital?” He asked, sweat dripping from his forehead as he became anxious.

“Sir, can you come to this hospital right now?” The woman spoke quickly and Alex retorted. “I will be there.”

The call ended, and without hesitation, Alex ran out of the kitchen, barging through the crowds as his worn-out shoes tore apart. He couldn't afford a cab, so he ran barefoot at some point until he finally arrived at Kingston Hospital, exhausted and panicked.

He dashed into the hospital, his wobbly legs managing to carry him inside. The faint scent of medicine and antiseptics filled his nostrils as he scanned the big hospital.

The reception area was large and brightly lit with fluorescent lights, and the atmosphere was bustling with people coming and going. The hospital had a clean, white, and sterile appearance, with tiled floors and walls, and bright overhead lights.

Alex walked further into the hospital, and he saw doctors and nurses hurrying from one room to another, pushing carts of medical supplies and equipment. Patients and visitors were sitting in waiting rooms, some looking anxious or in pain, while others were reading magazines or chatting quietly.

He rushed towards the reception area and spotted a young woman with long, dark hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. She had a warm smile and wore a navy blue blouse tucked into a knee-length black skirt. Her black stockings and sensible black pumps completed the professional look.

“Excuse me, where is my mother?” Alex spoke, breathing heavily as he faced the female receptionist.

“Your mother? What is your name?” The receptionist asked him calmly.

“I’m Alexander Sterling. My mother’s name is Irene.” Alex spoke quickly and the receptionist exclaimed as she recalled his familiar voice. “You are the one I spoke to just now!”

“Yes, yes. Can you please tell me what's wrong? You said my mother is here. What happened, and why is she here?” Alex spoke quickly as his heart raced.

“Calm down, sir. The doctor will be out soon. He will explain everything to you.” The female receptionist spoke, and Alex nodded quickly.

He paced back and forth, his mind preoccupied. He didn't know what to do other than to pray silently for his mother while he continued to pace.

A male doctor wearing a lab coat, with a stethoscope draped around his neck approached the receptionist as he questioned her. “Is that Alex here?”

“Yes, Mr. Alex is here.” She answered quickly, before turning to Alex.

“I’m Alex Sterling! Irene‘s son!” Alex spoke hesitantly as he gazed at the doctor.

“Finally..” The doctor sighed.

“How is my mother? Is she alright? Can I see her now?” Alex questioned.

“Mr. Alex, I'm sorry to inform you that your mother's condition is quite serious. We have run some tests, and it appears that she has advanced cancer. It has already spread to other organs, and unfortunately, it has also affected her heart.”

“What? Cancer in her heart? Is that even possible?!”

“Sir, I understand that it's a rare condition, but it does happen. At this stage, we need to start aggressive treatment as soon as possible...However, I must warn you that the treatment can be quite expensive.”

Alex sighed, before responding calmly. “How much are we talking about here?”

"It's difficult to estimate the exact cost, but we're looking at potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars. I'm sorry to have to say this, but your mother's life is at risk, and time is of the essence. We need to start treatment as soon as possible to give her the best chance of recovery," the doctor explained before leaving Alex in shock.

"Hundreds of thousands?!"