Lilly hadn't slept for even one second since yesterday. The hours at the hospital had drained every ounce of strength she had, but the moment she walked out into the gray morning, she knew she couldn't stop moving. If she did, she would collapse.
Nathan's pale face haunted her with every step she took. The numbers echoed louder still. Twenty-seven thousand. Half due in a week. She had tried to push them away, but they pressed in from all sides, relentless, as if the world itself whispered the figure against her ear.
By the time she reached the company building, her hands were shaking so badly she could hardly smooth her blouse. Her hair was tied back hastily, the strands frizzed from the night's vigil, and her eyes were ringed with shadows she couldn't disguise. She looked like a woman stripped raw, and she knew it, but she had no choice.
Inside, the lobby moved with its usual rhythm. People crossed with files tucked under their arms, coffee in hand, laughter spilling in brief bursts as though life were untouched by catastrophe. Lilly drifted through them like a ghost, her world fractured while theirs went on intact.
Maria was the first to spot her. The older woman's brows shot up at the sight of her, and in the next moment, Maria was out from behind her desk.
"Lilly?" Her voice was both sharp and gentle, cutting through the noise around them, "Oh my God, you look—child, how is your brother?"
The words broke her thin composure. Lilly's throat tightened, but she managed, her voice trembling, "They rushed him into surgery. He's still in the hospital."
The office around them slowed. Conversations faltered, eyes turned discreetly, colleagues pretending not to listen but failing. Someone gasped softly. Maria laid a hand on Lilly's arm, steadying her.
"Is he…?" Maria didn't finish the sentence. She didn't have to.
"He's stable now," Lilly whispered, though the word caught in her throat, fragile and uncertain, "But… the bills…" She shook her head, unable to say more, eyes darting downward.
Maria squeezed her arm, "I'm so sorry, darling. I can't imagine what you're going through."
They guided her to a quieter corner, away from the eyes that followed. Maria lowered her voice, "You need time off. Don't worry about the office. Your brother comes first. I'll talk to HR."
Lilly nodded faintly, though the weight in her chest didn't shift. Time wasn't her enemy. Money was.
It took her several minutes before she found the courage. She swallowed hard, looked Maria straight in the eyes, and whispered, "Maria… do you think… there's any way the company could help? Maybe an advance. A loan against my salary."
Maria blinked, taken aback. Her hand stilled on Lilly's arm, "An advance?"
"Yes," Lilly forced the word out, her voice breaking. "I'll pay it back, every cent. I swear it. I just… I don't have another option. They want thirteen thousand in a week. Thirteen thousand." The number itself was a knife to her ribs.
Maria's eyes softened with pity, but beneath it, hesitation flickered. She knew the figure was steep, far beyond the usual requests she fielded for travel allowances or modest bonuses.
"Lilly…" Maria exhaled, thoughtful, troubled, "That's not a small amount. I don't know if the company authorizes advances that high."
"Please?" Lilly's voice trembled, her hands twisting together in front of her. She was past pride, past shame.
Maria looked at her for a long moment, as though weighing more than just policy. Then she nodded slowly, though her eyes betrayed doubt, "I'll see what I can do, but you know this isn't my decision."
"I know," Lilly clutched her own arms, grounding herself. "Just… ask, please..."
The rest of the day passed in a haze. Lilly sat at her desk, barely aware of the keys beneath her fingers, the voices around her. She couldn't focus, couldn't think. All she could do was wait. Wait, and pray, Maria would come back with an answer.
It was late afternoon when Maria finally straightened from her desk, file in hand, and walked with deliberate steps toward the lift to the top floor. The quiet click of her heels was steady, but inside, she carried the weight of Lilly's desperation. She knocked once before stepping inside.
Mark sat at his desk, dark suit crisp, eyes locked on his screen until she spoke.
"Mr. Bergen."
He looked up immediately, his sharp gaze landing on her, "Yes, Maria?"
Maria hesitated only a fraction before speaking, "It's about Lilly. She's… asked if the company could extend her a loan, or an advance. Her brother is in the hospital, and the medical bills are…" she exhaled, "…significant."
Mark leaned back, steepling his fingers. His expression gave nothing away, "How significant?"
"Twenty-seven thousand in total," Maria answered carefully, "They want half in a week. She's asking for thirteen five."
The silence that followed was heavy. Mark's eyes sharpened, but his voice, when it came, was calm, deliberate, "And you think the company should pay her."
"I think she's desperate, sir." Maria's tone was respectful, though the truth edged through, "In my opinion, she wouldn't ask if she had another option."
Mark's jaw flexed once. His eyes flicked briefly toward the window, then back to Maria, "Is she here today?"
Maria nodded, "Yes. She came in this morning."
Something in his face shifted. He leaned forward, elbows on the desk, his tone final, "Then I'll meet her myself."