Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 The Price of Resolve"

Victor’s eyes were sharp as he stared at Maria. “You’ve got no right to touch her. Not now, not ever.”

Maria’s smirk slipped for a moment, surprise flashed briefly across her face. But she quickly masked it with an indifferent shrug. “Oh? And who’s going to stop me?”

Before Victor could answer, Emma's phone rang loudly. Her hands were shaking as she answered, her face turning ashen with each word she heard. 

"Hello?" Emma's voice was shaky.

"Emma?" The voice on the other end was relentless.

"We need to discuss your daughter’s surgery. Without the necessary funds, we’ll have to remove her oxygen mask."

Emma's breath caught in her throat. "No, please"

"Time is running out. If you don’t come up with the money immediately, her condition will worsen."

Emma’s heart pounded as she looked at Victor, who watched her with growing concern. Her voice was barely a whisper. "They’re threatening to take her off the oxygen."

Victor stepped closer, his face hardening. "Emma, what’s going on?"

The voice on the phone continued, unaffected by Emma’s distress. "You have 24 hours. After that, we cannot guarantee her survival."

Emma’s hands shook uncontrollably as she hung up. Her face was ashen, the weight of the threat sinking in. Victor reached out, trying to steady her.

Victor’s expression softened with determination. "We’ll figure something out. We have to.”

Emma's voice wavered as she turned to Grandpa Ben. “I’ll do anything. Anything you want. Just please, help me save my daughter. I’m ready to spend the night with the manager if that’s what it takes to get an invitation for my family, but I need the money.”

Grandpa Ben’s eyes were cold, dismissive. “Is this some kind of pathetic act? Do you think you can buy sympathy from us? We’re not interested in your theatrics.”

Victor cut in sharply, his voice edged with steel. “Enough. You don’t need to beg. I’ll handle this.”

He pulled out his phone with a determined flick and dialed his secretary. “Get to the hospital right now,” Victor ordered, not waiting for a greeting. “Make sure Emma's daughter gets the surgery she needs. I want the best doctors, no excuses.”

The secretary didn’t hesitate, sensing the urgency in Victor’s tone. “Understood, sir. I’ll handle it immediately.”

Victor wasn’t done. He gripped the phone tighter, his eyes narrowing as he thought quickly. “And one more thing,” he continued, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper. “Bring back a special invitation to the warlord's party with Emma’s name on it. Make sure it’s flawless, she’s not going as some bystander. She’s coming as my guest, and everyone there needs to know it.”

The secretary hesitated for a split second, recognizing the weight of what was being asked. “Yes, sir. I’ll make sure it’s done exactly as you’ve instructed.”

Victor’s jaw clenched, his tone brooking no argument. “Do it quickly. I don’t want any delays. Emma’s already been through enough, and I’m not letting anyone stand in the way of what needs to be done.”

“Yes, sir,” the secretary replied, his voice steady. “I’ll report back as soon as everything’s in place.”

Victor ended the call abruptly, shoving the phone back into his pocket. He could feel the tension coiling in his chest, the gravity of his decisions weighing on him. But there was no time for second-guessing, no room for doubt. He had made his choice, and now he was going to see it through.

Grandpa Ben snorted, his face twisted in scorn. “You think a phone call is going to fix this mess? Don’t waste our time with your grandstanding. We don’t need your charity.”

Victor ’s gaze hardened. “You think you can make demands of me? You’ve underestimated my resolve.”

Grandpa Ben’s voice grew more menacing. “If you’re trying to play games, you’ve picked the wrong people. Leave now before we have to escort you out.”

The guards moved in, their eyes cold and unwavering. Victor ’s own gaze was just as icy, as he locked eyes with Grandpa Ben. “If my secretary manages to get this done, then Emma is free to leave with me. No more games.”

Emma's voice was a desperate whisper, clutching at Victor ’s arm with both hands. “Please, just save her. I’ll do anything. I’ll”

Victor cut her off with a sharp glance. “I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it because it’s the right thing. And because I can.”

Grandpa Ben’s sneer deepened. “You think you’re some kind of hero? Just a man with too much money and not enough sense.”

Victor ’s face was a mask of calm, his voice low and firm. “Maybe. But I know what’s right. And I know how to get it done.”

The room was filled with a tense, heavy silence. Emma stood in the middle of the storm, her heart racing, her mind spinning with a mix of fear and hope. Her eyes darted between Victor and Grandpa Ben, trying to gauge the outcome of this high-stakes confrontation.

As Victor walked towards the door, he threw one last, resolute glance back at Grandpa Ben. “If you think you can intimidate me or play me for a fool, you’re mistaken. I’m not the one you want to mess with.”

Grandpa Ben’s lips curled into a snarl. “You’re making a big mistake, Victor . This isn’t over.”

Victor ’s voice was a low growl. “It is for now. I suggest you take your threats elsewhere.”

With that, Victor strode out of the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway. The tension that had filled the space now seemed to follow him, a lingering reminder of the standoff.

Emma stood frozen, her mind still racing with the hope that Victor would come through. Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched him leave, She felt the heavy burden of her daughter’s fate.

Grandpa Ben’s expression was a mix of anger and contempt. “You’ve made a powerful enemy today, Emma. Don’t think this is over.”

Emma's eyes were resolute, despite the fear and exhaustion. “I don’t care about enemies right now. I care about my daughter.”

Grandpa Ben snorted dismissively. “You’re naive if you think this will end well for you.”

The guards stood silently, their presence a clear reminder of the power dynamics at play. Emma could feel their eyes on her, and judgment felt like a heavy weight.

As Victor ’s car sped through the city streets, he was silent, his mind focused on the task at hand. The seriousness of his promise felt like a heavy weight, but he was determined to keep it.

He knew that failure was not an option, not for Emma, and not for himself.