Chapter 16: Justin

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I couldn't focus on work. I couldn't focus on anything at all. My mind was somewhere else, a matter more troubling than anything I had been through in a while.

Cancer? How could she be sick with cancer for so long and say nothing about it? How could she hide something so serious from me? If she hasn't collapse today I wouldn't have known.

She fucking kept quite until it got so serious.

After her argument with my sister that Friday over a small fight at school, she suddenly look really sick but even then she refused to tell me what was wrong and when I suggested taking her to the hospital, she refused.

I thought she was just feeling overwhelmed after her fight with Sarah but it turned out she was sick. She fucking had cancer all this time and she didn't bother telling me.

"Justin" I glance at Ria who was now looking worriedly at me from her desk. "Are you okay?"

I forced a smile and nodded not wanting her to ask any more questions.

"Are you sure? You don't seem okay"

"I'm okay Ria, there's no need for you to worry"

She stared at me for a few seconds and it was quite obvious on her face that she doesn't believe me. "This won't do" she stood up and walk over to my desk picking up the massive pile of files "I don't have much to do today, I'll help you with this"

"Ria you really don't have to"

"But I want to" she retorted stubbornly and walk back to her desk. "You need a break Justin, seriously"

I sighed knowing she was right. I'm physically and mentally drained of energy. The news about my mom's illness made it worse.

"You do know you can talk to me about anything right?"

I nodded feebly. Ria was really the only one in this entire company who doesn't hate me. A lot of the other employees dislike me after witnessing the incident that occurred at Oliver's wedding party. Maybe Oliver also doesn't hate me for it but I'm not sure. I haven't seen him since the wedding.

Ria's sympathetic eyes stared at me with expectations and concern but I couldn't bring myself to tell her what I was going through. I didn't want to burden her with my problems.

After a while she gave up trying to get an answer out of me. "I'll get you some coffee, after that you absolutely need to rest. The president won't need me for the rest of the day so I'll help take care of half your job"

The heaviness in my chest lifted a bit and I suddenly felt very emotional at her kindness. It was something I rarely receive after my dad died. "Why are you so nice to me Ria? You know I don't deserve it"

For a second she looked shy and embarrassed, an expression I've never seen on her confident personality before. "You're a good person Justin no matter what others think about you. There ate people out there who have done worst thing than you and are still being treated like humans"

I gulp down a huge lump of air and looked down at my shaking hands. They have been shaking since the morning. "Thank you Ria, I really mean it"

She smiled. "Sure. I'll go get you some coffee now" she flash me one last smile and was gone in a second.

My phone interrupted the silence and my heart instantly stopped beating as the name on the screen.

Doc Vincent.

"Hello doctor"

"Mr Newton your mother's condition is getting worst, if the surgery is not done soon it might get to a point when surgery won't be able to help"

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