Chapter 4 He Will Wait and See
- Darius fixed his gaze on Charlotte. If he assumed right, she had climbed to his bed with a purpose that night, or how could she have so coincidentally left her phone in his room? Then again, based on how she rejected his offer with no uncertain terms, he now thought better of her. Of course, he would belittle her even more if she reneged. After all, playing hard to get was an old trick in the book, and she'd only be embarrassing herself if she used it on him.
- "Alright, you may leave then," he replied, shooing her out plainly.
- After returning to her desk, Charlotte discovered she wasn't upset; she was just feeling disappointed.
- Since she had rejected Darius' offer, she shouldn't dwell on it anymore.
- The pressing matter now was to remain in NeoEast. After all, the benefits given here were second to none in Wimbourn.
- Just when she was in a mental tug-of-war, she got a text from her brother. 'Charlotte, the doctor said to take a trip to the hospital at 4.00PM today.'
- 'I'd still be at work at 4.00PM.' She was vexed.
- 'Tell that to the doctor yourself.'
- Charlotte knew it was pointless to argue against her brother. It was already 3.00PM now. If she were to arrive at the hospital by 4.00PM, she'd have to leave at 3.30PM. Alas, she'd have to ask for leave from the finance director again.
- As the thought crossed her mind, her scalp tingled. In actuality, she was rather outstanding. She was a top student in school, and she even received praise from her higher-ups after using a new bookkeeping method in her work. However, it left a bad taste in her records when she kept asking for leaves, especially since this was a critical time when the company decided which intern to keep.
- Sure enough, when she asked for leave, the finance director, Bennett Sibbell, said, "Charlotte, though your work is commendable, how can I write your intern evaluation when you keep asking for leaves? I'm sure you want to stay in NeoEast, don't you?"
- "I want to stay in a great company like this, director, but I really have an emergency. I'll come back and make up for lost time after I'm done dealing with it," answered Charlotte as she pleaded subserviently.
- Finally, after Bennett approved her leave reluctantly, she headed straight to the bus stop and boarded the bus that would take her to Wimbourn No. 1 Hospital.
- Charlotte's mother, Audrey, had been hospitalized in the Neurology Department for two years.
- "Charlotte, it's time to pay for your mother's hospital bills. Have you brought the money?" Dr. Frost was Audrey's attending physician, and he had gotten acquainted with Charlotte over the years. Hence, he knew who to look for in the family. Aiden, the older brother, couldn't care less about his mother's bills, and it was Charlotte who did everything all these years.
- "No, I didn't. I'll only get my paycheck in a couple of days." The distress of not having money made Charlotte keep her head low.
- "Well, you better get to it fast. If this happens again, the hospital will start taking measures."
- "I know, I know." She bowed and scraped.
- Following that, she went to check up on her mother. Audrey had always been on oxygen therapy, and in the last two years, Charlotte had constantly been talking to her mother. However, she never once responded.
- Charlotte's late father, Charles, was a construction project manager, and their family of four lived merrily until six years ago when he accidentally fell to his death from twenty-plus floors of a construction site he had been managing. It was a heavy blow to Audrey, and it later led to her getting into a car crash from constantly spacing out. Charles' and the car owner's compensation supported her mother's hospital bills for five-plus years. However, spending without earning would empty their bank accounts eventually.
- When they began running out of money later on, Charlotte would earn her mother's hospital bills by becoming a private tutor or working as her teacher's assistant.
- If it were up to her brother, it would be a hell lot easier if they just pulled the plug on their mother, but Charlotte thought Aiden was heartless. They still had this woman to call their mother; even if she wouldn't respond to them, it was still better than not having her.
- At that moment, Charlotte held Audrey's hand as she spoke to her mother. "Mom, I'm in the middle of preparing for my Certified Public Accountant exams. You'll pray for me, won't you? After I pass the exams, my wage will rise a few good folds. An annual income of millions might even be possible. By then, I won't have to worry about not being able to pay your hospital bills."
- She even smiled at Audrey, but as usual, she didn't respond.
- In the last six years, Charlotte had wished her mother would suddenly open her eyes and talk to her like when she was a child, calling her 'Lottie' while stroking her hair.
- "I have to go back to work now. Before getting my license, the most important thing now is to make sure I stay in NeoEast." Charlotte gave herself a pep talk.
- Staying in NeoEast meant that she would have a paycheck every month, and she'd be able to use it to pay rent and her mother's hospital bills at the very least.
- However, the problem was that she kept asking for leave. It'd be questionable if she could even pass her internship.