Chapter 12

MADDIE

"Mom, what happened?" I asked as soon as I found my mother outside the ICU. I rushed to the hospital as soon as I got her call.

"The doctor said he had another seizure. And the next few hours will be critical. He had to undergo the surgery as soon as possible," she explained.

"Then, why haven't they done anything? Shouldn't they start preparing dad for surgery?" I asked in confusion.

"They wouldn't perform it without the money," she answered.

"What?! This is an emergency! They can't do this to us!" I exclaimed. I don't care if I'm making a scene in the hallway of the hospital. "How about the insurance, mom? I'm sure they can at least cover half of the cost, right?" I asked her.

She remained silent, deliberately avoiding eye contact. My frustration boiled over, and I shouted, "Mom, answer me!"

"There's no more insurance money, okay?" she finally admitted, her voice breaking. 

I felt as though the ground had shifted beneath me. "What do you mean there's no insurance money? How could this happen?"

Mom's eyes filled with tears, and she explained, "We were desperate. The company was failing, and we needed the funds to try and save it. We thought we could turn things around, but it didn't work. We lost everything."

I stood there, stunned, unable to comprehend the full extent of our dire situation. "So what now?" I whispered, feeling a sense of hopelessness creeping in. "What are we supposed to do?"

She shook her head, her face etched with despair. "I don't know, Maddie. I just don't know."

The weight of her words settled heavily on my shoulders. I felt a mix of anger, frustration, and a deep, aching sadness. First, the wedding. Now, my father. Everything turned into a nightmare.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I tried to save my pride, only to find myself crawling back to him. "I'll find a way, Mom," I said, my voice trembling but determined. "I promise. I'll find a way to save Dad."

I made my way out of the hospital. I thought I could still hold on to my pride for a little while. But it turns out I was wrong.

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. He was my only hope. My father’s life depended on it, and there was no room for pride or hesitation anymore. I took a deep breath, trying to steady the trembling in my hands, and gathered all my courage.

The ride back to Hades' hotel felt endless. The cab's familiar hum did nothing to calm the storm of thoughts and emotions in my head. I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur past. There was no turning back now.

When the cab finally pulled up in front of the hotel, I paid the driver and stepped out, my heart pounding. The grand facade of the building looked even more intimidating, knowing what was waiting inside. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and walked through the revolving doors into the fancy lobby.

The interior was just as luxurious as I remembered, but this time, it felt suffocating. The chandeliers sparkled overhead, casting a golden glow on the marble floors. I ignored the curious glances from the staff and other guests as I made my way to the elevator. However, no matter how many times I pressed the button that Hades pressed the first time we came here, the elevator wasn't moving. It turns out I needed an access card before I'd be able to go up.

I let out a loud sigh before stepping out of the elevator and heading towards the lobby.

"I'm here for Hades Grant," I told the receptionist.

"Good evening, ma'am. Do you have an appointment?" She asked, her tone polite but firm.

I forced a smile before replying. "I don't, but if you call him and tell him it was Maddie—"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. But we don't entertain guests without an appointment with Mr. Grant."

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "I understand, but he knows me. If you just call him and let him know that I'm here to see him, everything will be sorted out," I insisted, keeping my voice steady.

She responded with a professional smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "If you really know Mr. Grant like you claim, why don't you call him yourself and ask him to notify us here in the lobby?"

Frustration simmered beneath my calm facade. "Please, just give him a call. It will only take a moment, and I promise you, he will want to see me."

Her smile remained unchanged. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but those are our rules. Without an appointment, I can't make the call."

I clenched my jaw, realizing she wasn't going to budge. However, even if I wanted to call him, I couldn't. I don't have his number. I'm desperate, and time wasn't in my favor. I need to talk to Hades, no matter what. 

I went to the corner and picked up my phone. There's only one person I know who has Hades' number. I ended up dialing Wyatt's number. It took a few rings before he answered.

"Wyatt..."

"If it isn't the ex-girlfriend," It was Lizzie who answered.

"It's Wyatt that I need to talk to. Where is he?" 

"He's in the shower. We just actually finished making love. We couldn't get our hands.

"Ew! I'm not interested in knowing the details. I need to talk to Wyatt. There's something I need from him. Give him the phone," I snapped at her.

"I don't follow any orders from you, Maddie," she replied before hanging up the phone.

"Lizzie--fck!" I'm getting more desperate every minute. "Fck! Fck! Fck!" 

I leaned against the wall, feeling overwhelmed by sadness and regret. If only I had agreed to his offer earlier, none of this would be happening now. My mind was filled with swirling thoughts, and I couldn't focus on anything else.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching. Two big men in black suits stood in front of me.

"Miss Phillips?" one of them asked in a serious tone.

I lifted my head slowly, looking at them with a puzzled expression. "Yes?" I said, feeling tired and curious.

"We're Mr. Grant's security team. Please come with us," the other man said firmly, motioning for me to follow them.

Reluctantly, I got up from the floor, feeling unsure and a bit scared. I took a deep breath to calm myself and followed the security guards down the hotel corridors. 

As we walked through the fancy hotel hallways, I felt both nervous and hopeful. Despite my earlier hesitation, I clung to the chance that Hades Grant might still help me out of my tough spot.

The security guards led me to a private elevator at the end of the hall. One of them pressed a button, and the doors opened smoothly. We entered the small space, and I stood between the guards.

The elevator went up silently. I glanced at the guards, but their faces stayed serious and unreadable. They knew what was happening, but I had no idea what to expect when we reached Hades Grant's floor.

Finally, the elevator chimed softly, and the doors opened to a luxurious hallway with modern art and soft lights. The guards escorted me to the double doors and motioned for me to go in.

I took a deep breath and entered. Hades Grant stood by the window, looking out at the city skyline thoughtfully.

He turned as I came in, his green eyes locking onto mine intensely. "I knew you'd be back, but I wasn't expecting you to come back this soon," he said calmly.

I swallowed hard, gathering my courage. "Well, now I'm here. I'll accept your offer."

He remained quiet, his expression unreadable. Then he stepped closer, commanding the room with his presence. "Sit down, Maddie," he directed, pointing to a comfortable chair nearby.

I hesitated briefly before sitting down. Hades stayed standing, watching me closely as if assessing my every move. It took a few minutes of agonizing silence before he handed me a paper.

"Read it," he commanded.

"I don't have to. I need the money now. Where do I sign?" I said.

He smirked. "One lesson that you have to remember when doing business, Maddie. Is that you don't sign anything without reading what's in it?"

"I don't care, even if I'm selling my soul to the devil. I need the money for my father, and I need it now. We'll talk about the terms once my father gets into surgery," I demanded.

"Fine, as you wish," he replied before fishing out his phone from his pocket.

I just watched him painfully as he made a few calls. I couldn't hear what he was saying over the phone. I can only pick up a few words like "bank,"  "hospital,"  and "doctors." After what seemed like an eternity, he finally ended the call. He then took a glass of whiskey from the bar before sitting on the single couch across mine. He leaned against the backrest as he took a sip from the glass.

"Now, shall we talk about our terms?" he started.

"What about the money? I told you, my father needs"

"The money was already transferred to your bank. If you don't believe me, you can check your bank account." He cut me off.

How the hell did he know my bank account?

"And about your father, I already called the doctor and ordered them to do everything they can to save your father," he added, answering all my unspoken questions. "Do you still have anything to add?"

All my worries vanished when I received a text from my mom. They are already preparing my dad for surgery. It seems like Hades was telling the truth after all.

I grabbed the pen from the center table and signed the contract without a warning. I dropped the pen on the table and pushed the paper toward him.

"Now, let's talk about the terms of this contract," I said, crossing my arm in front of my chest as I leaned against the backrest.

"Shouldn't we do that before you sign the contract?" His lips curled as a playful grin played on his lips.

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