"Advika!"
Sylvia's voice cut through the quiet of the mansion, pulling Advika from the depths of her troubled thoughts. She rose from the plush couch, her eyes following Advika as she slowly entered, her movements heavy, her gaze distant.
"What happened? Shouldn't you be at the academy?" Sylvia asked, a thread of worry weaving into her tone.
She noticed the pallor of her sister's face, the furrow in her brow, and her concern deepened.
"Oh... No. The academy gave us a day's holiday. Today, specifically," Advika replied, her voice flat, her eyes scanning the opulent sitting room as if searching for something.
"Where are Mum and Dad?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"Upstairs," Sylvia answered, her eyes never leaving her sister's face.
"Alright... I need to talk to you about some things. I'll be back," Advika said, her words clipped, she walked inside and slowly ascends the grand staircase, her footsteps echoing in the silence.
Sylvia watched her sister's retreating figure, a knot of anxiety tightening in her chest.
'Why is she so worried? What happened?' she wondered, her gaze lingering on the empty space Advika had just occupied.
__
[Upstairs.]
Advika paused before the master bedroom door, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She raised her hand and knocked, the sound sharp and insistent in the quiet hallway.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
She waited, the silence stretching into an eternity, before a soft click broke the tension. The door opened, revealing Anna's weary face.
"Advika?"
Anna's voice was a mixture of surprise and concern.
"Mum, how is Dad doing?" Advika asked, her voice tight with anxiety.
"Well..." Anna hesitated, her eyes filled with a deep sadness. She opened the door wider, gesturing for Advika to enter.
Inside, the room was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of medicine and worry. Advika walked towards the large bed where her father lay pale and still.
She placed her hand on his forehead, her touch gentle.
"His fever is much worse," she said, her voice filled with a quiet shock.
"Yes, it started this morning," Anna replied, her voice barely a whisper. She turned to Advika, her eyes pleading.
"Child, what about Christopher? Maybe he can help us call for a good doctor? I know he's already done so much for us, but please, ask him this last time. We'll do anything."
Advika's face tightened, a flicker of pain crossing her eyes. She remembered Christopher's words in the car, a stark reminder of their situation.
'Only you can save your father, no doctor on earth can cure him...'
She sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping slightly.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Mum. Christopher has already given us this mansion and hired me as his secretary. If I ask him for another favor, he might think we're taking advantage of him. And I don't want that."
"But..." Anna began, her voice filled with desperation.
"No, Mum. I'll find a way to treat Dad. Nothing will happen to him," Advika said, her voice firm, her eyes filled with a resolute determination.
Anna sighed, her head drooping, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. She didn't know what else to say, what else to do.
Unbeknownst to them, Sylvia stood outside the door, her ear pressed against the wood, listening intently to the conversation.
"Mum," Advika called out, breaking the silence.
"Yes?" Anna looked up, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and despair.
"This is my card," Advika said, holding out her old bank card.
"What are you doing, dear?" Anna asked, her voice laced with confusion.
"Please take it, Mum," Advika said, a small, reassuring smile playing on her lips.
Anna looked at her daughter, her eyes searching for an explanation, before slowly taking the card.
"Mum, as I said, I'm now Christopher's personal secretary, and this card contains this month's salary! Please use it to take care of Dad's medication and the household," Advika revealed.
"Salary? When did you start this job?" Anna asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
"Today."
"Eh?"
Anna's eyes widened in shock.
"You started today and received your salary today? Are you sure about this?"
"Yes, Mum," Advika nodded, her eyes unwavering.
"Okay... I trust you. So, how much is here?"
"Fifty million."
Anna's hand recoiled as if the card had burned her. Her eyes widened, her mouth agape.
'Fifty... Fifty million?!! Does master Christopher need another assistant?' Sylvia wondered, her ear still pressed against the door.
"What did you say?" Anna asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"Fifty million, Mum. That can cover Dad's medication for months," Advika repeated, her voice gentle.
Advika picked up the card, opened her mother's trembling hand, and placed the card within it.
"Keep it, Mum. Please," she pleaded.
Anna, who had never held such a large sum of money in her life, slowly closed her hand around the card, her fingers trembling. Tears began to stream down her cheeks.
"Why are you crying, Mum?" Advika asked, her voice filled with confusion.
Anna looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with a mixture of love and guilt. She stood up, wrapped her arms around Advika, and sobbed.
"Your father and I should be the ones taking care of you girls, but here we are, useless, while you two take care of us," she said, her voice choked with tears.
Advika exhaled softly, returning her mother's embrace.
"What are children for? You and Dad aren't getting younger. It's our job to take care of you both. I promise, I'll work hard and find a way to cure Dad and strengthen our family."
Her words were meant to reassure both her mother and herself.
"Don't stress yourself, dear," Anna said, wiping her tears. "Take one step and look around before taking another, okay? Always be careful."
Advika separated from the hug and nodded. "I will, Mum. I promise you... In one month, Dad will be healed." She wiped the remaining tears from Anna's face.
Anna nodded, and they both turned to Evander, who lay still and pale on the bed.
'I need to move,' Sylvia thought, quickly tiptoeing away from the door.
"Where are you going?"
Sylvia froze, hearing Advika's voice behind her. She turned around, her face flushed.
"Uh... to the bathroom," she stammered.
Advika closed the bedroom door and gestured to the other end of the hallway. "The upstairs bathroom is that way."
"Oh?" Sylvia looked in the indicated direction and laughed nervously. "You were eavesdropping, right?"
"Well..."
Sylvia lowered her gaze, her cheeks burning.
"Forget it," Advika said, walking past her. She stopped and looked over her shoulder.
"I'll be going to the auction tomorrow morning."
"Come again?" Sylvia asked, her eyes wide with surprise.
"Yes, Christopher invited me," Advika replied. "So, take care of Mum and Dad while I'm away."
Sylvia slowly nodded, her mind reeling. "But... Do you have money for that?"
"Nope, I'm a spectator," Advika answered, turning away. "I'll be in my room. Knock if you need anything."
With that, she entered her room and closed the door, leaving Sylvia standing in the hallway, her mind filled with questions.
'Going to an auction without money? Just being a spectator? Wait, what auction?'
Sylvia sighed.
"Forget it. I'll find out later." She turned and walked towards the stairs.
'Lani... come out and help me prepare dinner,' she said, rubbing the ring on her finger.
*
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More thanks to Name_Not_Listed, Shdel, Zoe_Bagley_6567, Brasinger and everyone for gifting the Book Golden tickets and Power stones