CHAPTER TWO

Hurt and with his thoughts running wild, Leon left his home, away from his nagging wife in an attempt to find some semblance of peace. That led him far away from home and soon, it was nightfall. Still wandering the streets, he recalled what the doctor had held him after handing him the test results. He needed over a million dollars to get surgery. He wondered if indeed his life was going to end because of the tumor because he knew he could not come up with such an amount of money, especially not after he'd been fired merely minutes after being told about the money. 

"I guess this is the end," Leon whispered to himself as he walked down the street, his head cast down in shame and hopelessness. He'd always known that Helen was very unsupportive financially but he'd known how much she did not care about him at all. Her last words still haunted him as he felt the cold evening on his face. The sky was cloudy, promising rain in a short while. It was a perfect mirror of his emotions. 

Leon knew that Helen had no idea what her words had done to him, but he knew all too well that she'd been right, he might as well just die and never return home to her, to her scorn and toxicity. Leon sighed, he knew he could not afford the money, he was now jobless and so was his wife, Helen was good at nothing but spending the little money he had, she had no interest in financial management and he knew that there was no way she could help him. Moreover, his health insurance was not enough to cover the treatment and he was left helpless. 

Just then, his phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. His teeth bared in anger as he looked at the caller ID, it was the last person he wanted to talk to, especially with how shitty his day had already been. It was his brother and he was arrogant as he spoke to him. 

"What do you want?" He asked sharply and the man replied, "Grandfather wants you back to the family." He said plainly. 

Leon was irritated at his impolite tone. His brother, Alfred knew his stance on anything about the family, he was never back there. "You of all people should know that I am never returning to that godforsaken family! It's a dirty place!" He snapped angrily. 

"When will you get over this? It happened a long time ago and we have to move on, Leon." Alfred retorted, frustrated with having to reach him all the time to give the same explanation. 

"Move on? How do you expect me to move on from the fact that my grandfather killed our parents?" Leon asked, his tone cold and firm. 

"He didn't kill our parent and you know it, it wasn't him__" 

"He didn't have to do it personally, his decision led to their death and I will never forgive him." Leon cut him before he could say anything else. 

"That's not what it is and you know it, Leon, you have to come back to the family, everyone wants you back," Alfred said, his tone a little lower. 

"That's not happening," Leon replied firmly. Alfred was getting upset, tired of negotiating with him, "This has got to end! You can't keep being away from your own family because of a mistake in the past, grandfather had asked for__" 

"And I have clearly said I will not be a part of that family, Alfred, do well never to call me again on this matter." He said and ended the call abruptly. Breathing hard and still upset from the phone call, he hissed as he remembered what had happened to his parents and the role that his grandfather had to play. Even though he knew that his return to the company would bring him more than enough money to settle his treatment and take care of himself and Helen, he still didn't want to go back. 

Leon detested that family with every fiber of his being and he would rather take a chance with the tumor himself than get back to the family and look for help, after all, what was the assurance that he would survive the tumor even after the surgery? He wasn't going back, he decided firmly, even if it would save his life. Soon, it began to rain but Leon walked under the rain like it was not a problem, he did not care anymore, after all, there was nothing that could make his day any worse than it was already. 

"Help me!" A tiny voice came from behind him and he turned to the source of that melodious voice, it was a very beautiful lady behind him, she was begging him to help. 

"Please help me, there are some gangsters after me, they want to hurt me." She said, her eyes wide with panic, her entire frame shaking in fright. 

Leon was surprised, he looked at the direction she had emerged but couldn't see anyone yet. He didn't want to get mixed up in any trouble, but as he recalled his condition, he realized that he was going to die anyway so there was no point in playing safe anymore. 

"Please, you need to help me..." She begged as he looked at her and then decided he should help. 

"Come on." He said to her as he led her down to the dark alley on the other side of the street. 

It would be the perfect hiding spot for her but it was so narrow and dark, with the rain having wet both their clothes, Leon was soaked wet and he could feel every inch of his body and on end, as he stood, pressed against the beautiful lady, Leon could feel her skin next to his and his hair stood on end, a shiver running down his spine as he felt her breath on his skin.