𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 [𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡]

ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ 68

They sat in silence and she watched him pack it all out. She was placing everything and a box and was doing it very carefully and with patience. That was something Alia did not have.

"Where are you going?" She eyed the items he was packing the boxes. "why does it feel like you're leaving?" Him packing everything away was definitely bringing an unwanted feeling.

"Because I am," he replied back dryly, "We have sold this company and are moving forward. I have acquired the one bigger than this. The turnover is great. "

"Oh," she nodded in understanding and they once again fell into an awkward silence. If he was going to go away then who was she going to ask for money?

"Do you really mean it or did you just blurt it out?" He said without looking at her as he continued with the packing.
She gulped. "I did."

He nodded and opened a file, reading the contents, he kept it out. "How much?"

"Uh. . ." Fifty to sixty lakhs? "I-I don't know." She stuttered out instead.

"How much?" He repeated this time giving her a look. He have to know the given amount.

She sighed, aggressively, "I Don't know!" She snapped throwing her hands up into the air.

"How much?" He repeated, again, just as calmly as before.

"Lakhs, Arman!" She spat finally, "I need twenty, thirty or even forty lakhs! I don't know." She closed her eyes and placed her head in her hands.

This was not good. She had no diea about the treatments cost.

"Alia," her hand was gently pulled away and he was sitting down in front of her, " What's wrong?"

Shaan could die, she wanted to say. At the very thought she closed her eyes and sobbed, clinging to his shoulder as he patted her back.

"It. . .ju . ." She was unable to talk as her crying did not cease. "He . . . Mi—"

"Shh," he shushed her gently, " let it all out first. "

She did. She wailed and wailed. The fight had vanished after her mother had died. When pujita left them, Alia had dutifully stepped up and pushed her own needs back but the threat of her brother dying was too scary.

She was powerless here. And it scared her. She could do nothing. Perhaps she should have taken medical science instead of commerce as her career stream. It would have been better.

She cried harder.

She calmed down. Eventually her breathing turned into sobs. Alia knew she had to tell him. Asking for such huge amount of money came with that liability.

"Now," he pulled her away slightly but did not let go, "tell me."

She did, from the phone calls to the emails sent to her, she told and spoke to him about everything. Every detail, she repeated everything over and over to make sure that she missed nothing.

"Oh love," he pulled her back, after wiping her snot away, into his arms as she started to cry again. "I'm so, so sorry."

"H-he," she hiccupped, "she said surgery and then nuero something too, he might die. His brain might die!" She shrieked as she cried loudly. It was all over. Brain meant bad stuff.

"He won't baby," he patted her head, "he won't, I'll make sure of it." He kissed her temple as he calmed her down.

*******

He watched her peacefully sleeping away. Her cheeks had the marks of tears that once did not stop, her red nose was another evidence of her crying relentlessly.

He knew people in Canada and he called them immediately to check on it. Advik would not die if he got the surgery but without it, he would still he able to leave only there would be complications to deal with.

He sighed and leaned back into the chair and lit another cigarette. Another bad habit he had started when she left him. The window was open, so she won't smell the smoke and wake up.

You need help, he looked at her with his mind processing the situation as the nicotine did its take, help that not many would provide and even if they did, they would need something in return. With the money you need now and in the future, it is going to get really difficult for you Alia.

He exhaled the smoke and tipped the cig.   "What to do, Alia?" He titled his head. "What to do?" He wondered as he smiled slightly.

He took his phone out and dialled the number of his assistant who picked up in record time.

"Book two tickets to Canada for tomorrow, I'll have your prepare a passport as well." He hung up, not waiting for the reply and stood up to walk out of the room

He didn't go near her to kiss her goodbye as he smelled smoke. He found his father making himself another drink. The old man loved Jack Daniels.

"She asleep?" He aksed without turning around.

"Yes," Amran replied gruffly, "Should you not be asleep?"

Siddharth tsked, "I do that all day." He turned around with his glass in his hands and took a seat at the couch in front of his son. "And?"

"Canada, her brother had an accident. She needs support, both financial and emotional." Short and straight to the point.

Siddharth nodded and took a sip, "You know that means."

Arman's lip broke out in a slight smile before a fully blown laugh left him. "I do, I won't miss it."

The father laughed too. His shoulders shook silently before he added, "and take Ziagham with you."

"Ah, yes," Arman muttered starting to light another cig, "I'll talk to him too."