Luliyah kept the black business card in her bag, trying not to think that Kelvin was looking for her. She didn't have time to think about that man.
She immediately got ready and went to to the hospital to visit her mother.
Her mother has been in coma for three years and has been staying in the hospital all through. During those three years, Luliyah struggled alone. Struggling to finish college and also to earn money for mother's hospital bills.
Her mother used to be a perfumer, a famous perfume creator. Since childhood, Luliyah often heard about her mother's work. With her perfume, her mother made women feel much more confident.
Luliyah's mother stories gradually became part of her dream, leading her to major in chemistry during her college days. She hoped that one day she can become a professional perfumer like her mother.
Because of her job, her mother owned a small piece of land which she used for farming. Every weekend, her mother often invited her to plant various kinds of flowers and told her about the world of perfume.
By relying on that knowledge and sharpness of smell, Luliyah used her abilities to earn money. She made perfume and aromatherapy for sale in small shops.
That was all she could do right now to survive. Unfortunately, that alone was not enough to pay for her enormous necessities of life.
While she rode her bicycle to the hospital, she kept on thinking about how life had been so unfair to her mother and herself.
The hospital was like a second home for her. The free time she had was spent visiting the hospital, checking on her mother's condition. Every trip to the hospital, she always prayed and hoped that her mother would wake up and greet her with a smile like when she came home from school. But unfortunately, everyday she had to be strong to accept her hopes that kept falling apart.
Today was the same as the previous days, Luliyah saw the figure of her mother who was still fast asleep and showed no sign of waking up.
As time went on, her mother's appearance began to change. Her shoulder length black hair was graying. Her once smooth face started to wrinkle and her body looked very thin, as if time had eaten up her youth.
"Mother... Luliyah misses you." She said softly, "Come on, wake up, Mom. Luliyah needs mother."
That day, it felt like all the feelings that were buried in her heart was pouring out. The incident that happened to her today seemed to add to the burden that had accumulated in her heart, making everything she felt to overflow out of control.
The tears came down one after another. Luliyah could not hold back her tears.
She really missed her mother. The place where she leaned and complained. The place she shared laughter and stories. The only person who loved her sincerely and was willing to do anything for her sake.
However, Luliyah knew there was no point crying. The crying couldn't wake her mother.
Her sadness could not make her mother recover right away. She must must survive and keep fighting for her mother!
"Mom, Luliyah will continue to fight for you, so get well soon...." she said while wiping her tears.
Only silence greeted those words. There was no reply or warm smile. However, that did not discourage Luliyah. She knew that one day her mother would come back to her.
Luliyah was about to leave the hospital when one of the hospital administrators called her. It has been three years since her mother has been in the hospital so that all the hospital staffs even recognized her.
"Luliyah, the deposit you gave to the hospital is only enough to pay for your mother's medical expenses until next week." she said, looking at Luliyah sympathetically. She knew that she was fighting alone for her mother. It was only Luliyah who kept visiting Diana.
Luliyah's face immediately looked changed when she heard the news. Her savings has been used to pay for her daily expenses. She still had to pay for her mother's hospital bills, not to mention her tuition fee for the next semester. Where will she get that kind of money?
She was just determined to keep fighting, but the problems kept her falling as if it didn't give her room to get back up.
What will she do now?
She could not rely on her income from making perfume alone. She also did not have any jewelry or items to sell.
The only thing that Luliyah and her mother had was the flower garden. Should she sell the land? But if the land was sold, she would lose the only job to make ends meet. In addition, the ownership of the land was in the name of her mother. Only her mother could sell the land.
Luliyah also had time to ask her father for assistance, but her father refused on the grounds that his own family was also having a difficult time. However, when Luliyah went to her father's house, she saw luxury cars still lined up. Mona was still wearing fancy clothes and her cellphone was also the latest model.
Should she try to ask her father for help again?
But Luliyah realized that actually her father had an excuse. Her father did not want to help her mother because they had separated. Even though they were together, her father felt that they had lived separate lives so he did not want to be burdened with other people's problems. Even to pay for her college tuition fees, her father was not willing to do so.
Suddenly, Luliyah remembered the black business card she received before heading out to the hospital. The business card was still in her bag. She took out the business card and looked at it as if all her hopes was hinged on the black little card.
Kelvin Williams. CEO of Williams Group.
Should she meet this man? Luliyah did not know what Kelvin really wanted from her and the purpose he wanted to meet with her.
But Luliyah knew that the Williams Family was one of the ruling families in the city. Maybe she will ask Kelvin for assistance and borrow money. Or maybe she will beg Kelvin to give her a job. Even as a servant, Luliyah was willing to do anything, so she can pay for her mother's hospital bill.
It sounded absurd to ask a stranger for help. Moreover, the previous night was the first time she met Kelvin. But she had no other choice. She really was desperate.
'Should I ask him for help?'