It's been almost a year since a tragic incident happened causing two important people from Leni and Natalia's life to be taken, yet, the despair brought by the accident to them is still fresh.
It was their family's habit to go out of the house and eat at a fancy restaurant every Friday evening after Leni and Natalia's classes. They had this practice ever since they were young that it was a part of their system already until one tragic Friday evening came.
As they were on their way to the fancy restaurant they planned to visit, the bus that her family were riding on got caught in a tremendous accident by hitting a ten wheeler truck causing a lot of the passengers' lives.
Including Leni and Natalia's parents.
The people immediately responded to the accident bringing all the passengers to the nearest hospitals for an abrupt medication.
Leni struggled from bearing the pain from her lacerations and from watching her father soaked in his own blood, struggling to survive.
Leni lost consciousness right after she heard the dull sound from the machine indicating her mom's last breath.
Her eyes solemnly closed as tears filled her eye sockets as she slept.
As soon as Leni woke up, she immediately asked the nurse about her little sister's condition.
"Kamusta po yung kapatid ko? Natalia Robredo? Okay na ba siya?" She pleaded to the nurse.
The nurse came to the next room and assisted Natalia to visit her sister at the next room. She was the same nurse who took over Natalia and so she was able to quickly give Leni and update about her.
"Nat!" Leni uttered in intoxication upon seeing her little sister. Natalia, despite of being a bit dizzy with her forehead wrapped in gauze, ran towards Leni for a hug.
"Okay ka lang ba? May masakit ba sa'yo? Sabihin mo kay ate." She worried.
"Okay lang ako, ate." Natalia replied making Leni feel largely relieved. "Nasaan si mama at papa? Okay narin ba sila?" She asked slowly crushing Leni's heart into pieces. Her eyes turned teary as she hugged Natalia back to her chest.
"Maayos na sila mama at papa ngayon..." She retorted. "Pwede ko ba sila makita?" Natalia asked. Leni held her face and looked at her in the eye.
"Nat... Hindi na kase e... Pero wag ka mag-alala. Okay na sila mama at papa ngayon. Kasama na nila yung mga angels." She suppressed her tears as she strived to explain it well to her little sister's young mind.
"Simula ngayon ang ate Leni mo na ang mag-aalaga sa'yo ha?" The nurse joined in and smiled at them. "Oo Natalia, ang ate Leni mo na ang mag-aalaga sa'yo." Leni told her little sister, Natalia nodded as she started to cry as well.
Leni surrendered some valuables to the hospital as she tried to contact her aunts for some financial help. She gasped as she viewed the total bill of statement that the hospital released for her family's medications.
P35,500 for her, P56,000 for Natalia, P37,000 for both of her parents
Saan ako kukuha ng P128,500?!
She complained at the back of her mind.
Leni is still on her 2nd year in college, she's just nineteen and about to turn to twenty, Natalia was just seven. She felt hopeless to be able to earn enough for her self and for her sister in the future. Anxiety swarmed her chest, she felt like she was carrying the world at her back with such responsibilities — she wasn't ready.
She continued reaching out for her aunts in order to ask for some assistance but they were nowhere to be found. Their grandparents are long gone and their relatives are so far away to even bother to help them. She worried about Natalia. She worried about herself. She doesn't have enough money to continue for the both of them. The P196,000 she got from her parents' safe is all she had for them. She had to stop schooling and find some source of income before they completely ran out of finance and in order for Natalia to continue to school.
Leni dropped out from the institution right away and began looking for side jobs. She was a clerk at a small office near their place but her salary wasn't enough to sustain their living. She was earning about P600/day, she started paying her debts at the hospital and give her little sister her daily allowance.
It's been almost two weeks that Natalia has been sick. Leni felt worried because her vomiting and fever were consistent for the past weeks. Despite of their financial dearth, Leni didn't think twice of bringing her little sister to the hospital for a check up to make sure of her condition.
Tests were performed to Natalia to diagnose the cause of her sudden malaise. Natalia continued to be bed ridden for the next days.
The doctor called Leni over to the office to discuss to her her sister's condition after a couple of days.
"Good afternoon po, dr. Yu." She greeted him before sitting. "Good afternoon." The doctor greeted back before proceeding.
Dr. Yu began by telling the results they gathered after the examinations performed with Natalia. Her chest started to pound hard as the doctor elaborated the details of the results.
"She has a liver failure and we recommend for her to be admitted in the hospital as soon as possible so we could monitor her well." The doctor stated.
Leni felt like she lost her mind upon hearing the news. Her chest felt constricted and tears filled up her eyes.
"Doc, ano pong gagawin ko...?" Her voice cracked in despair.
"We'll monitor her condition upon admission and we'll advise right away for the best treatment for her. More likely it'll lead to a liver transplant." The doctor replied.
Leni tried to deal with the devastating news she just received. She immediately went home and brought Natalia back to the hospital to get her admitted.
She was under observation for the next days and she was eventually advised to undergo certain treatments. Leni had to leave her job for the mean time to take care of her sick sister.
One Saturday morning, the doctor gave Leni and update about Natalia's condition.
"She has to undergo liver transplant. Okay naman siya ngayon but we're informing you about this as early as now because you might need to sign up for the liver transplant list to find a donor for your sister."
"Liver transplant...?" Leni couldn't get anymore devastated.
She looked at her little sister who's peacefully sleeping at the bed. Her skin is turning yellow, she knew she needed to be treated right away.
She immediately went to the donor's list to sign up and then she went to the treasury to ask for some cost advices making her largely scourged as she viewed the estimated cost of the operations.
She almost lost her knees as she checked on the bill.
P570,000 for the total bill of the liver transplant including the pre and post check ups, admissions and liver transplant operation.
Saang lupalop ako kukuha ng ganito kalaking pera?!
She sat down at the waiting's area as she cried in anxiety.
Bongbong visited his hospital with his best buddy, Martin, to check on the existing facilities and to monitor the things to improve in the firm.
Leni took some of her personal savings and added it to her cash in hand from her parents as she went to the treasury to give P8,000 as her downpayment hoping the hospital would accept it for her sister's operation to be scheduled right away.
"Hindi po pwede ma'am. Dapat po kase at least 10% ng total bill-"
"Please naman! Yan lang meron ako ngayon. Please..." Leni ranted upon hearing the news.
Martin stopped for a while as he heard the woman ranting over the treasury booth of the clinic. Bongbong walked closer to Martin and wondered why he stopped walking.
He looked at Bongbong and saw the question in his gesture. "Sorry." He chuckled. "Isa nanamang desperadang babae oh." He added. Bongbong trailed to where Martin was looking at until he saw a young woman arguing with the clerk over her hospital issues
"...ito lang yung meron ako ate. Please tanggapin niyo naman. Kailangan ko na makapirma sa liver donation list para sa kapatid ko! Nag-aagaw buhay na siya oh. Parang awa niyo na. Babayaran ko naman yung natitirang bill kapag nagkapera na ako ulit. Please." She pleaded.
Bongbong walked towards them, Martin was surprised with his sudden interference.
"Take her money for the downpayment. Put her on the priority list for the liver donor recipients." Bongbong ordered the clerk. "Oh... Okay po, sir." The clerk immediately obliged.
Leni was surprised with the sudden happening.
Leni exhaled in extreme gratefulness. "Salamat! Jusko! Salamat talaga." Bongbong smirked before he reached out his hand to her.
"Bongbong Marcos. CEO of MedMission, board member of Rocos Insurances, vice president of Hatchel Corp. and... The owner of this hospital." She felt overwhelmed as he introduced himself to her. She shook his hand lightly, her other hand wiping her cheeks drenched with her tears.
The clerk handed Leni the receipt and inputted Natalia's name to the scheduled operations under the priority list.
Leni felt immensely relieved upon reviewing the receipt.
"Thank you!" She found it hard to believe. Bongbong made a side smile upon feeling her sincere gratefulness.
"From what I've heard you're... Financially unstable?" Bongbong brought up respectfully.
"Opo e, kailangan ng kapatid ko ng liver transplant. Nasa piligro po yung buhay niya ngayon kaya po medyo malaki yung gastos sa mga pampaospital niya, clerk lang naman po ako... Hindi ganon kalaki ang sweldo." She shared diffidently.
"Well. I have an offer for you..." He took a piece of paper from the clerk and wrote down something in it before handing it to Leni.
"Meet me 7pm tonight in that cafe and there's my contact number." He informed her shortly. "I'll be waiting for you." He added before walking away giving her no chance of further asking questions.
Leni watched over her sister the whole day and bought her some fruits to eat.
"Ate, mamatay na ba ako?" Natalia asked her as she took a bit on the apple.
"Ha?! Anong sinasabi mo, Nat?! Hindi. Magiging magaling ka, gagamutin ka ng mga doctor." She replied trying to cheer her little sister up from a sudden break down.
"Pero mahal magpagamot diba? Saan tayo kukuha ng pera?" She asked. "Nat, ano ka ba? Wag mo isipin yan. Gagawa si ate ng paraan, akong bahala basta magpagaling ka lang." She retorted and stroked her forehead.
"Gagawin lahat ni ate para gumaling ka basta pangako mong magiging okay ka." Natalia nodded and smiled.
Leni checked on the wall clock and knew she had to go to the cafe already as it was quarter to seven already.
"Nat, may pupuntahan lang si ateng kaibigan ha? Kung may kailangan ka pindutin mo lang 'to para puntahan ka ng nurse. Babalik ako agad." She informed her before she left.
She spotted the cafe and hoped that Bongbong would give her a nice offer or some stable job. She entered the cafe and immediately saw Bongbong sitting on a booth. He looked at her and pointed her to a seat opposite to him.
Bongbong looked at her as she settled down. She placed her clutch bag at her side and hanged her jacket over her chair.
He could sniff her scent from his seat, he found it enticing. He took some stolen glimpse on her shoulders as she removed her jacket and had his sight to quickly pass by her chest that flashed after her plunging neckline.
He asked her to order a drink before he began discussing his offer; the waiter served her drink in a few minutes.
"Well. Hindi ba ako nagpapaligoy ligoy pa. I heard you need money for your sister's operation... You're sister has a...?"
"Liver failure po." She continued. "Okay. Liver failure. I told you that I own the hospital, di ba?" He assured. "Opo."
"Okay..." He uttered and seemed to think of something deeply.
"Matutulungan niyo po ba ako?" She asked. He looked at her, pleased with her desperation for help.
"Do you really need money?" He asked. "Opo, sir. Para po sa pag-aaral ng kapatid ko, pangkain namin... Ano po ba yung offer niyo?" She asked again.
This time, he was sure that she was badly in need. He observed her for a split second before he dropped his offer.
"One night, Leni." He began making her hype turn into a doubt. "One night?" She asked for clarifications.
"Yes. One night of fun. You'll be doing everything I tell you to do, no questions asked..." He continued.
As it began to sink into her what his point was, she started to feel offended. She looked away and held her breath.
"...for... I don't know? Name your price." He proceeded. Her rage turned into reconsideration.
She asked at the back of her mind. "How much do you need for your sister's operation?" He asked. "570,000..." She said hesitantly.
"How about P600,000?" He offered. She felt blinded by the amount he's willing to pay for one night with her.
She gulped. She didn't know whether to accept his offer or not. She was raised modestly, she was just nineteen and unexperienced. She felt extremely uncomfortable receiving such offer from a stranger.
"P700,000?" He counter offered as he felt her doubts. Bongbong closed his eyes as he felt like she wouldn't accept it.
Leni wanted to slam his face in offense. She wasn't that kind of woman, she's not a whore but then on the other side of her head, she knew she needs the money for Natalia and their future.
"Osige..." She uttered. Bongbong opened his eyes and started to feel the thrill in his nerves.
"Great." He pulled out a cheque from his bag and issued P500,000 under Leni's name.
"There. The remaining will be given afterwards." He expounded. She couldn't believe she was holding a P500,000 cheque on her hands that quick. She felt relieved yet, she felt disturbed.
"I can't stay any longer. Friday evening, same time." He handed his business card with his house address. "My address is right there. I'll be waiting for you." He grabbed his bag and placed the payment for their drinks' bill. She remained seated as it slowly sank to her what she just entered.
"Make sure you take in some pills for the next days because I am not a còndöm type of guy. I like it skin to skin." He smirked before he left.
She remained speechless. Her breaths turned heavy as she stared at the business card he had left.
I have to do it. I have no choice. I have to do it for Natalia.
