BEHIND THE CURTAINS

The door opened again and this time a young nurse walked in, and along with her was a couple of security personnels.

“Sir? Ma'am? We've been ordered to remove you from the hospital premises. You have not deposited the initial admission fees or even the treatment fees and the hospital cannot condone that.”

Amanda groaned in a tired, torn breath and her head dropped into her hands.

Lawton got up, approaching the nurse. “I don't understand, I'm sure it's been taken care of. Just check again.”

The nurse arched an eyebrow. “Did you already make the payment yourself?”

“No, not me. But the hospital fees have definitely been paid.”

She scoffed. “Please, you can leave by yourself to avoid any complications. The hospital will not continue to give treatment to the patient as you have refused to be cordial in the arrangement.”

Amanda got up. “I thought you said you would have the fees, Lawton?”

Lawton nodded, digging out his phone from his pocket. He would call Smithson and ask if he had forgotten about making the payment to the hospital.

He was dialing the number when the arrogant doctor from the previous night arrived.

“What is going on here?” he asked the nurse and the personnels.

“Doctor, they are the patient’s family that you told me to remove today since they refused to make payment.”

The doctor scowled and immediately faced the nurse. “Me? I never said any such thing? Why would you be so rude as to ask a patient to leave the hospital before they had even finished treatment?”

The nurse looked bewildered and left shocked. “But…bu…Sir…”

“Leave them at once, so you do not disturb the patient.” The doctor ordered much to Lawton and Amanda's shock.

The nurse, still confused, left the room and shut the door behind her.

The doctor turned to Lawton, a greasy smile on his face. “Sir, forgive my staff, sometimes they do get confused on orders given to them. I never asked that they remove you from the hospital premises, why, that is just preposterous.”

Lawton watched the man. The same man that had treated him like some lowly dirt the day before.

“Would you like to upgrade your mother's room to one of the VVIP rooms on the top floor, Sir?”

Lawton now shook his head. It was obvious this was money talking. Smithson had really been to work. He had said something to this man that was now making him see dollar signs whenever

he looked at Lawton. Lawton just hoped he hadn't revealed his true identity.

“Doctor, your nurse just clearly said we were to be thrown out for owing the hospital, and now here you are, asking if we want an upgrade on our room? What exactly is going on?” Lawton asked, even though he could guess. He wanted to know the extent to which Smithson had gone.

The doctor's smarmy grin almost fell. “Erm, Sir? Someone had paid for the hospital bills it

seems. They also left a note saying they would foot the bill if you wanted to move your mother up to the executive floor.”

“Really, now?” Lawton said, a half smirk on his face.

“So, yes, Sir, I thought to personally inform you. You see, our VVIP rooms are most comfortable

for our patients, they come with enough room for all of the family members to sleep the night with the patient. It is most comfortable, and offers a view of the entire hospital grounds—”

Lawton held up a hand. “Enough, doctor. You're rambling. A night ago you couldn't wait to be rid of us.”

Amanda came closer to Lawton and placed a hand on his elbow. “But who paid the doctor?”

Lawton stiffened slightly. He didn't want her to know anything about it.

The doctor's brows furrowed. “They pleaded to remain anonymous, ma'am, they never revealed their identity to me.”

Lawton relaxed. All the greedy doctor knew was that he had received money and now he wanted more.

“We are not going to the VIP room, doctor, we are just fine here.”

Amanda nudged him. “But Lawton, your mother deserves the best you know?”

Lawton still shook his head. “No, and I mean no.” He couldn't go and get used to these things so quickly.

The doctor nodded. “If you say so, Sir. But do let me know if you change your mind. Remember, the bills are already footed.” Then the doctor left and Amanda wearily went to go and see Lawton's mother.

Lawton took out his phone and entered the adjoining restroom in the ward. He dialed Smithsons number.

Smithson answered on the first ring. “Hello Young Master.” He said on the first ring.

Lawton lowered his voice. “There's something I need you to do, Smithson.”

“Anything at all, Young Master.”

“I need you to get Roxanne to agree to work with the Williams company to promote a new product of theirs. Tell her she must do it for me to come back.”

There was a slight pause before Smithson went to answer. “Young Master, is something wrong?”

“No, nothing will happen if she does this. She must only accept the contract from Amanda Williams. Do you understand, Smithson?”

“Yes, noted, young master.”

“I will speak to you again soon, Smithson.” Lawton then disconnected the call.

He went back to the room like nothing happened and sat beside his wife.

Amanda looked at him. “I'm so relieved that someone paid the hospital bills for us. Imagine if we had to pay this and also the house rent.”

Lawton agreed with her. “Yes, I'm so thankful to whoever it was that paid it.”

Amanda then exhaled in a defeated way. “At least we didn't get kicked out of the hospital on the same day I lost my job,”

Lawton turned to her, his palms resting on his knees. “You haven't lost your job, Amanda.”

Amanda gestured to the document again. “It would be impossible to achieve what my mother wants and she only gave me 24 hours. She made damn sure I could never go back to the company.”

Lawton knew how much she loved her job and that she had a backbone. “You should at least try first. You can't just give up so easily.”

Amanda seemed to consider it. “I'll try reaching out to Roxanne's people then. Maybe she won't even agree to a meeting and that will be the end of this.”

She picked up the documents and her bag and after a brief discussion where they decided that

Lawton will spend the night at the hospital so that she could go home and prepare for the meeting, she left.