AUTHOR’S POV
SYDNEY SNUCK OUT OF HER ward despite Doctor Natasha telling her not to. She couldn’t waste a second more, she needed the money urgently.
She limped quickly around the hospital, her eyes glistening as she searched for her husband.
” Mrs. Reed, you aren’t meant to be out of your ward. ” A nurse voiced in concern.
That didn’t make Sydney stop, she limped faster, her breathing sharp as her eyes scanned left, right, and center for her husband. Her heart raced when she saw through an open ward door, a dead woman being covered while her family cried.
Sydney shook her head, tears running down her cheek. ” Gavin, where are you?”
By the corner of her eyes, Sydney saw Gavin by the last floor, heading towards the exit. Ignoring the pains in her body, she ran down the stairs, at the last stair, Sydney lost her balance and nearly fell to the ground but was saved once again by Gabriel.
He looked at her with wide eyes. ” Sydney, what are you doing here, aren’t you supposed to be in your ward?”
Sydney didn’t acknowledge him, she continued looking at Gavin as he left the Hospital. She wrenched free from Gabriel’s grip and tried to run but Gabriel caught her hand, spinning her around.
His voice held worry, ” Are you okay, Sydney? You are crying.”
” I’m sorry, Gabriel, just leave me alone.” She pushed him away and ran after Gavin.
Telling Gabriel wouldn’t matter, he couldn’t help her. He wasn’t that financially blessed.
As Sydney exited the Hospital, she saw Gavin about to enter his car.
” Gavin!” She shouted, grabbing his attention and everyone else’s around him. People gathered around, taking pictures of Gavin.
Sydney halted as he looked into his alluring green eyes. It just hit her that she slapped him right in the cheeks and threatened to kill him hours ago. But, he’d understand as long as it’s related to her mother.
Ignoring the people gloating at her, she limped to Gavin whose heart was racing in his chest.
He looked everywhere but at her when she stood in front of him. ” You are meant to be in your ward Sydney.”
” Gavin, please, we need to talk now; it’s urgent.”
Gavin was too afraid to hear what she had to say. He feared Avery was right. ” I have a meeting to attend to, we’ll talk some other time.”
When he turned to enter the car, she grabbed his arm and walked in front of him, so he could look at her. ” Gavin please, we can talk in the car. I really need to speak to you.”
” I don’t have time Sydney, ” He looked at her and whispered through gritted teeth. ” People are watching, don’t make a fuss.”
Her jaws dropped. She felt the urge to go back into the Hospital, far away from him but she had to do this.
” You are the one making a fuss; just give me five minutes of your time, please.”
She tried to speak calmly but her words came like curses to Gavin’s ear.
He growled. ” Yesterday, you f**king barked at me to stay away from you, and now you are saying I’m making a fuss because I decided to do as you told me.”
Sydney sucked a breath. ” I’m not going to argue with you, Gavin. If you don’t want to get in the car and talk, fine, I’ll say it here.”
” You agreed to put half your assets and money in my name, Gavin; you said anytime I need financial help, I should ask. Please, Gavin, I need it now.”
Gavin couldn’t hear the gasps of the people around him, Sydney’s words deafened him. At that moment, it was only him and her outside the hospital.
Sydney grew tense at his silence. ” Gavin didn’t you hear what I said.”
His self-control snapped. ” I heard you, Sydney. I’m not deaf. I don’t have money to offer you-”
” That’s a lie, Gavin. Please, I need the money; if you want it back, I’ll return it.”
Gavin scowled at her, his jaw tight as he tried to get into his car but Sydney got in the way. She made prayer hands at him. Why was he so hesitant to give her money all of a sudden?
” Get out of my way Sydney.” Gavin hissed.
Sydney was transfixed to the spot. ” Please, Gavin, my mother is dying; she has no time left. I need to pay for her treatment, or else she’ll die. Please, Gavin, that’s why I went to Arizona, my mother had cancer. If I waste any more time, she’d die. Please Gavin, please.”
Gavin stared at her sourly. She is such a good actress. ” How much money do you need?”
Sydney looked hopeful. ” Twenty million Gavin.”
” Great, you should be able to afford it; if it’s too much for you, you can tell your lover to lend you some money.”
Sydney’s shoulder slumped at his words. She stared at him in dismay. ” Gavin, how can you say that at a time like this? I got scammed of my money, I’m broke and I know Gabriel wouldn’t be able to help.”
She doesn’t even deny, she’s having an affair with Gabriel!
Gavin’s blood boiled. ” That’s your business Sydney. Get scammed for all I care, get out of my way.”
Sydney fell to his feet, shaking. She grabbed his legs and begged. ” Please Gavin, my mother is dying. Have mercy; she’s in pain; she won’t survive if she doesn’t get treated. Please.”
She cried the last word out on his pants.
Gavin looked around as people watched them, chattering indistinctly. She must have wanted to make a scene in public, so he’d have no choice but to give her the money. Was that how far she’d go to run away from him?
Gavin looked down at her and uttered heartlessly. ” I never knew you’d go to the extent of using your mother as a pawn to get what you want. You should be ashamed of yourself, Sydney; you are a disgrace to all daughters.”
He pushed her away gently, but due to shock, she fell to the ground. He didn’t spare her a glance when he got into his car and drove away.
His words rang in Sydney’s ears like loud claps of cymbals. You are a disgrace to all daughters. A disgrace. A disgrace!
People looked at her with disgust and gossiped.
“I heard Gavin is cheating on her with her best friend; I won’t blame him; no man would stand being with a woman like her.”
” She has no shame.”
” Wait till Elizabeth Freeman hears this.”
” Social media would be hot tomorrow. I hope they divorce, I need a man like Mr. Reed. ”
Sydney got up and walked. She walked, listening to the criticism of the public. All color of hope in her had washed away from herm
She didn’t realize when she reached the park. She sat on the iron bench, remembering the time she watered the garden back at home in Arizona with her mother. The time Ashley rarely smiled and the time Ashley could barely breathe.
Sydney laughed loudly, her laughter turning into bewailing. For ten minutes, she cried and laughed till she got tired.
She sat and waited for the bad news; when the sun was down, and the wind was blowing fiercely, her phone buzzed continuously.
Her eyes closed as she knew what had happened and then a stranger confirmed it.
” Baby, come look, Mr. Reed’s mother-in-law is dead.”
Sydney got up, tears refusing to come out. She walked again this time, towards her home.
If Gavin hadn’t heard the news, she’d be the first to tell him.