Page 131 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol 4
"Of course there is. I don't even understand what happened. Everything seemed fine over winter break. And there's tons of people out there right now. It doesn't add up. We should be cash flow positive."
"We are. I've...been using the money."
"For what?"
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I didn't want you to find out like this."
"Find out what?"
"All the money has been going to my chemo treatments."
My whole body suddenly felt cold. "Chemo? What are you talking about?"
His eyes looked slightly teary. He clasped his hands together on the top of his desk, like this was just a normal business meeting. "I have lung cancer."
I shook my head. "No. Dad. You can't..." I put my hand over my mouth.
"I do."
"No. We have to go get a second opinion. That's impossible. You've never even smoked."
He shook his head. "I've gotten a second opinion."
"Okay, so what can we do next?"
"Nothing. I'm dying, Hails."
"But can't you get treatment? Can't..."
"We can't afford to try anything else."
"Of course we can. We can figure it out. Just like we always have."
"I borrowed money against the bar. Against our house. Against my car. There's nothing left."
I shook my head.
"And we have your college loans to think about now."
"Screw that. There has to be something else we can do."
"Insurance won't cover any of the experimental treatments that my doctor has recommended. There is nothing else. Chemo didn't work. Radiation didn't work. It's the end of the road for me. We just have to use the time we've been given."
I tried to blink away the tears. "How much time?" My voice came out as a whisper.
"Four months."
I shook my head as the tears started to spill down my cheeks. "You can't just give up."
"I'm not giving up." He stood up and put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm choosing to enjoy my last few months with my girl."
"Dad." My voice cracked. I couldn't lose him. He was the only family I had.
"Chin up," he said and lightly tapped under my chin. He used to do that whenever I was upset growing up. It reminded me to be brave. It reminded me to be strong.
And I needed to be brave for the next thing I had to say to him. "What about Elena?"
He sighed. "She won't help us. And I don't want her to."
