CHAPTER ONE: A LEAP IN THE HEART.

Lucian stared at the hospital's white walls that smelt like bleach for a long time. He was tired, yet he tried to ignore the blinding pain in his insides as he tightened his grip around his younger sister's small, frail hands.

She was in so much pain and he knew that, yet the doctor had refused to start treatment until he deposited $150,000. Gosh, that was a freaking huge amount, his part-time jobs were not even enough to pull out such amount.

The LED heart monitor was beeping slowly. It made his heart lurch painfully against his chest and he sighed, how many minutes were left before he lost his sister?

"Lu…cian..." Rose coughed harshly.

"Yes, sister"

"Be strong for me, despite the storm, okay? You're my only brother and I'm so sorry that I'm not strong enough to take care of you…"

Lucian swallowed.

"Wh…what are you talking about? You've always been my support system and with you gone, I'm nothing. I promise to save up enough money for your treatment, okay? just please hang in there!"

Rose smiled a smile that barely reached her cheeks. "I just had a chat with Dr Arrel. The inflammation of my lungs is getting worse which means I have to commence surgical treatment within three days or lose my life.'

"You'll not die, okay? I'll gather the money, I promise…" Lucian trembled, reaching into his worn out cardigan to hurriedly bring out his phone.

He dialed his wife's number and waited for it to ring. Betty had promised to pay for the surgery, too bad she hadn't done anything concerning it since last week. He had to remind her to keep to her promise, especially now when Rose's condition was getting worse.

He heard the line ring without response. He called again yet no answer. What was happening? Why wasn't she picking up her calls? On the seventh try and still no response, he kissed his sleeping sister on the forehead and headed to work.

"You're late again!" A senior worker yelled at him as he entered the restaurant where he worked.

"I'm…sorry, an emergency came up"

The man scoffed. "Emergency indeed, consider yourself lucky that the boss doesn't knows about you,"

Lucian nodded briefly and made to hurry to the kitchen when an apron flying towards his direction stopped him in his tracks. Before he could protest, a tray was pushed into his hands.

"Table 22," the senior worker said.

Lucian forced a smile. "Alright."

"Be careful." The man warned. "Those plates costs $40,000 each."

"What?! $40,000?" Lucian gasped as his heart thumped in fear.

"You had better not be clumsy with those," the man winked and walked away.

Lucian sighed and adjusted his collar with one hand before heading to do his job. As he spotted table 22, he relaxed a muscle and forced a smile.

"Hi ma, hi Sir, here's your order…"

What the hell?!

The smile on his face dried up quickly like a stagnant pool when the occupants of the table turned to look at him. It was Betty and a rich man. She was smiling sheepishly at some jokes he made. Lucian paused in dread, noting the way the man's hands rolled expertly beneath Betty's blouse.

The tray in his hands trembled a bit as he stared at them in shock.

"Why are you here?" Betty was the first to speak, a sour note in her voice. She was dressed like a model. Her black curls was tied up in a ponytail. Her skin was radiating, but her heart was as black as the devil.

"I'm… I'm…I…" he fumbled with his words.

Betty was sitting with some strange man, enjoying his jokes, dining with him, flirting and yet she still asked him questions? If anything, she ought to be interrogated by him.

Anger flushed through his veins. Was this the reason why she didn't pick up her calls?

"Speak up, you idiot! Are you trailing me now?" She attacked him with questions.

"You didn't pick up my calls, Betty, why? My sister is dying and needs help. I called to remind you of your promise to foot the bills," Lucian wheeled his head around, his eyes flashing anger.

Betty was silent for a moment, then she broke into a loud sarcastic laugh. "Really? We talked about this last week, didn't we? I told you I might choose to help you or not depending on my mood, but right now, I don't have a freaking dime for you or your sister!"

"Betty, please… I know you launched a new product for your company three days ago. I know you have the money, help me… Rose is dying,"

"How the heck is that my business? Is she my sister? Hell no, so tell me why I should spend money on something that wouldn't profit me?! Leave my face this moment and go and beg elsewhere!"

Lucian gritted his teeth as his fingers curled into a fist. This was the height of insensitivity and Lucian felt a burn in his muscles.

"Who's this beggar, baby," the man said in scorn.

Betty turned to him with a smile. "John, honey, please ignore him. He's not worth your attention,"

"Wait, Betty, who's this man and why are you so casual with him? Are… are you cheating on me?" As he said the words, Lucian hoped they were not true.

John chuckled, frowning with disgust at Lucian's shabby clothes. "This is the useless husband you told me about …?"

"Isn't he more pitiful than expected?" Betty sneered dryly.

"I bet he is, he looks like a typical idiot,"

Betty turned to look at him. "See? Everybody knows how useless you are!"

Lucian gritted his teeth. "You're calling me useless? How about calling yourself a slut for cheating on me! How dare you cheat on me?!"

"How dare I? How dare a useless man like you tell me what to do with my life?! As for your sister, I just changed my mind, she'll have to die because of an unfortunate brother like you!"

"How about she come tend to one of my gardens, I bet she's as pathetic as her loser of a brother," John laughed, locking his lips with Betty. He kissed her with a passion that disgusted Lucian.

"How about you stay the hell out of this and away from my wife!" Lucian yelled, but a powerful leg kicked him forcefully from behind and he fell, heads on to the ground, the plates crashing, causing commotion.