Chapter 6: Heart attack

Violet

“Come work for me.”

“Excuse me?”

“That’s my proposition. You need a job. I’m offering you one.”

“Really?” I said. “Does it look like I’m that desperate?”

He pulled out a card from his pocket and handed it to me.

I reluctantly took it from his hand, stared at it, then back at him.

Donovan Einstein, CEO of Einstein’s Real Estate.

He nodded.

“Wow,” I whispered, more to myself than to him.

Then I handed the card back to him. “I don’t need it.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want anything from you.”

He chuckled. “I am a Lancaster and we do not take handouts.”

He laughed. “You do realize your family is broke, right?”

I clenched my fists. “How dare you?”

“I promise you, I’m not trying to spite you, but it’s a known fact. Your family no longer has money, and I’m going to pay you really well.”

“I don’t want your money. And I don’t need a job from you. Take your card and stay away from me.”

“You know what? Keep the card. I have a feeling you’ll call me soon.”

He didn’t say another word to me. He just walked away, leaving me standing there.

He is so full of himself. Jesus Christ.

I got into my car and drove off.

When I got back home, I went straight to my room and lay on my bed, fighting back the tears. I was way too strong to be crying. No.

I pulled out my laptop and sent my résumé to another company. For sure, I was going to be hired. I was really good when it came to business strategy and had never used my certificates before. This was the perfect time.

I stared at the card on my bed for a split second before looking away. He was way too proud, telling me my family didn’t have money—son of a bitch.

I kept scrolling on the internet when a call popped in on my phone.

It was my dad’s lawyer.

Wait… why the hell was he calling me?

I picked up the call. “Hello?”

“Violet, I need to see you in my office now.”

“Is something wrong?” I asked, but there was no reply. The line just went dead.

I got out of bed quickly. The urgency in his voice had scared me.

I made my way to his office, only to find him outside. I got out of the car quickly.

“What’s wrong?”

He didn’t reply immediately. He just stared at me in a strange way.

“I am so sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” I asked, confused.

“Your father…”

“What’s wrong with my father?”

“You didn’t hear?”

“Hear what?” I said, my voice a little louder and harsher than I intended.

“I thought someone had called you.”

“What happened to my father?”

“He had a heart attack.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “That’s impossible. I saw my dad this morning before I left the house. How?”

“No…” I let out a small, disbelieving laugh. “No, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m so sorry, Violet. He left my office not long ago… in a paramedics van. I asked my assistants to call you, but…”

“You’re lying, right? This has to be a prank. My dad… he’s perfectly healthy. If this is some kind of prank you both planned, I am really not in the mood, and I need to rest I've had a really long day and frankly I'm not in the mood for any of this.”

I began walking back to my car when he grabbed my hand.

“This isn’t a prank. Your dad is at the hospital.”

I stared at him, and every indication on his face showed me that he wasn’t lying. He was serious.

I felt a sharp pain in my chest. This wasn’t happening. Not today.

“Which hospital?” I asked slowly.

“St. Peter’s—”

I didn’t wait for him to finish. I got into my car and drove there at full speed. I didn’t care if I hit anyone or if anyone was in my way.

No. My father couldn’t have had a heart attack. He looked perfectly fine when I left the house this morning. Or did I miss something?

No, no, no, no, no.

I placed a hand on my chest. Calm down. Calm down. Maybe it was a mild heart attack. I had read somewhere in college that not all heart attacks were deadly.

I drove faster than I ever had in my entire life.

When I got to the hospital, I ran to the receptionist’s desk.

“My father was just brought here,” I said, urgency in my voice.

“Name?” the nurse at the reception desk asked.

“George Lancaster.”

“Come with me.”

And immediately, I followed behind her.

My heart was racing so fast as I followed behind the nurse. Every step I took felt heavy. I just wanted to hear that it was something small, nothing to panic about. My hands were shaking. My legs felt like they were going to give out at any moment.

“Where is he?” I asked, my voice panicked.

“He’s in the emergency unit,” she replied calmly. “The doctors are attending to him.”

“Wait… emergency unit?”

“Yes, he had a serious heart attack, and he was really lucky he was brought in when he was. If not, he would have died.”

“You can wait here,” she said when we got to the front of a massive double door.

“No.” I shook my head. “I need to see him now.”

“I’m sorry, but you can’t. You just need to sit tight and wait for the doctors, okay?”

I didn’t respond. I wasn’t even sure I was hearing clearly anymore.

The nurse walked away, and I began pacing restlessly.

This was all my fault.

I never should have left. I should have stayed home with him. I should have been there.

After what felt like hours, the door opened, and the doctor stepped out. He took off his face mask and gloves, and he looked familiar in a strange way.

I stared at him for a brief moment, trying to remember where exactly I had seen his face before. It felt familiar, but I couldn’t place it. And he looked at me awkwardly as well.

I took a shaky step forward. “Are you… are you my father’s doctor?” I asked, sounding as calm as I possibly could.

He nodded. “Yes. I’m really sorry about what happened to your father.”

“Can I see him?”

“Not yet. The nurses are attending to him. You just have to wait a bit.”

My eyes moved to the name tag on his chest.

Alistair Einstein.

Wow.

It was the same name on the card I had gotten today.

Einstein.

What a weird coincidence.

“But… we need to talk.”

My heart dropped.

“Talk?”

“Your father had a major heart attack and…” he paused slightly, “he slipped into a coma.”

“What?”