Chapter 9 - What if?

"Yes, you are right. Now answer me my dear...what the hell did you do?" Mr. Rashed asked Lisa. However,  his tone was sharp this time.

"What do you mean uncle? What did I do?" Lisa had an ominous feeling.  She already had a guess who this person was.

She was desperately praying that her guess was wrong.

"The person who contacted me specifically instructed me not to associate myself with you. He didn't mention LiCorp, he didn't mention your father's name, he mentioned you name. He said, 'If you even think of helping Lisa Akter, you can forget about your happy family. '

Clearly the person he has grudge against is you."

Lisa was silent. She didn't know what to say.

"Did you offend someone you shouldn't have?" Mr. Rashed continued to probe. He was also aware of Lisa's character. Although Lisa has changed a lot in these years, still one can not change his core character. He can only hide it well.

It was really possible for Lisa to offend someone powerful in a fit of anger.

"Uncle....thank you for your information.  I will hang up now." Lisa didn't want to continue this topic.

Afterall she couldn't tell him that the mighty Ruhan Ahmed was targeting LiCorp because he wanted to get laid. Could she?

Mr. Rashed sighed. It wasn't his place to force her.

"Listen to me carefully Lisa. Stop wasting your time behind the clients and think very hard who you have offended. And think of ways to convince that person to stop coming after you.

A sensible person knows when to retreat."

"Ok", Lisa gave a wry smile.

She knew very well who she had offended and what he wanted.

But it was impossible to agree to his request.

If he had asked for her life then she would have agreed without any hesitation.  But there are somethings that could be sacrificed, and somethings that couldn't.

Before hanging up, Mr. Rashed decided to give her one last advice, "And dear, if there is anything that is bothering you then share with your parents. You are too young to carry all the burden yourself. They have experience. May be they will be able to provide a solution."

Lisa blinked her eyes to prevent her tears from falling.

She didn't want to tell her parents about the demand that Ruhan made. It would really break their heart if they had to choose between one of their children.

Also there is another fear that she had buried deep in her heart.

What if... What if her parents choose Liton? What if they decide that life was more important than honour?

What if they begin to resent Lisa if she refuses to help Liton?

Her parents never discriminated between their two children.

But what if their love for their firstborn son triumphs hers?

If her parents choose Liton then the consequence will begun unthinkable. And if they choose Lisa then wouldn't that mean that they indirectly caused their son's death?

Either way they would be devastated.

*

As Lisa stared at the dark sky, the memories of her life flashed before her eyes.

Their sweet family interactions, their carefree childhood....the memories with her brother.

After contemplating for a period of time that seemed like eternity, Lisa hardened her heart and took a decision that could change all of their lives.

Lisa dialled their family doctor. "Uncle,  earlier at the report doctor said that Liton was not responding well to drug treatment. He needed bone marrow transplant.

Is it possible to delay the operation for couple of months?"

The doctor was surprised.  But he was aware of their problems.  So he replied,  "According to the reports you could afford to delay. But I would advise against it. You might need to confirm with a hematologist. As it is not my area of expertise. "

"Thank you uncle." Lisa smiled. This family doctor is really going out of their ways to help them. Lisa was grateful to him. 

But as he said it was not his area of expertise.  There is a limit to his help. Otherwise Lisa would not have to turn to Ruhan's hospital for help. That goddamn hospital was the only one in this country that performed bone marrow transplantation.

"Two months...", Lisa smiled wryly,  " I still have two more months".

Then Lisa fished out another phone. Lisa's family would be very surprised if they see this cellphone. As long as they knew, Lisa used only one cellphone.

Besides, this phone is far from normal. This one can not be tracked, can not be hacked, it is not registered,  the caller id is also restricted. What was she doing with this phone?

Lisa dialled the number she thought she would never had to use.

Lisa sighed inwardly. 

Situation can really compel a person to take decisions they never thought they would make.

Just yesterday when that person contacted her with a crazy proposal, she didn't even bother to reply him. She directly hung up the phone. She thought she would never associate herself with his crazy idea.

Now here she is, using her special phone to contact him herself. Once she dials this number, everything that she was taught in her family; about morals, values, bottom lines would not have any meaning in her life.

"To hell with morals," Lisa mumbled. If she wants to survive in a world that is ruled by people like Ruhan Ahmed, moral is a thing she can not afford to have.

"It's me. The crazy plan you told me about, I am in".

Lisa disconnected the call.

She continued to stare at the sky. She always thought that the sky filled with stars were very beautiful. Why didn't she notice that it was so dark?

It seemed that the darkness was gradually engulfing her.

" Never mind,"

Lisa smiled, after a very long time. But it was not her usual sincere smile that could make anyone around her like her. Instead this smile can creep anyone out.

"If I am really going to hell then the least I can do is to make sure to drag you down with me."