MODERN CINDERELLA

CHAPTER - 50

Nick was attempting to concentrate on driving, trying his best not to remember the stressful week he had. He almost broke the traffic laws two times for speeding, but controlled last minute; He couldn't be late again for the speeding ticket. His car was stopped in front of a busy and reputed hospital. Immediately Nick's ears were filled with ambulance's siren, stretchers and wheelchairs' wheel's sound, patients' crying out in pain, Nurses' own terminology while helping the patients. Nick looked towards the busy scene before finding a spot in the visitor's parking lot. He quickly and effortlessly parked his car there before coming out of the car hastily. He carefully passed the patients on his way to the reception and asked the receptionist.

"Excuse me? Can you tell me where they taking the patient named Mr. Jackson Matthew?"

"One minute." The receptionist typed in keyboard quickly and responded, "He is taken to Emergency Operation. Room No 3C, third floor, right side after walking out of elevator."

Nick was so baffled to hear that his father was taken to the operation that he forgot to ask the which way the elevator was; But the receptionist was nice enough to understand and guided him by saying, "Left side of this corridor." He mumbled a 'Thank you' before running towards the guided path.  

    On the way, he couldn't stop thinking about the incidents happened in the morning. 

Today he woke up in rather disturbing mind, though it was nothing new for him. He was disturbed from that day when Amy started her blackmailing. For that reason, he even couldn't fully concentrate on his work and yesterday lost a huge deal from client. He was upset and irritated after waking up and decided to leave for office early. He was walking across the living space while his father called from the dining area, where he was having breakfast with Anne. Nick halted and sighed before turning around. Anne put her hand on her husband's elbow in trying to stop him, but he asked directly without pretending anything. 

"What is the matter with losing the already favorable deal? How did you even lose it?"

Nick's head hung low; he just mumbled a "Sorry."

"I don't want to hear your 'Sorry', I want to know the reason behind it. Do you have any idea how much we worked to grab that deal? How many months we spent on this deal? Our team was trying to catch their attention from last 2 years and finally they came to an arrangement with us and you just lost it in a second! On top of it, our rival company got the deal."

Nick was feeling more guilty as he was hearing his father. He just kept silent.

"Don't be silent, Nick! I'm asking you something." His father yelled and immediately started coughing and panted. Anne came quickly beside her husband's side with a glass of water, as he already stood up from his chair. 

"Jack, calm down please. Have some water."

Jackson grabbed the glass with shaking hands and gulped down all the water. In hastiness, the water entered the wrong tube and he started coughing. Nick got worried and rushed to go to his father, but stopped when he saw Anne slowly patted her husband on back. Nick decided to walk out from there. He might had no hard feelings towards Anne, but it still was hard for him to accept her and his father together. It was not easy to accept after a long feud of misunderstandings. Before he could completely go out of the doorstep, he stopped hearing his father again.

"I was wrong about you. I thought you've changed. You have become more responsible and serious about works, but no.... You still are that moody spoiled brat, who doesn't know the value of hard work and money." 

Nick's fingers turned into a fist in annoyance, anger and hurt.

"Jackson, stop!" Anne scolded and looked towards Nick in concern, but he was already gone. She sighed.