Chapter 6

• THREE DAYS LATER
• Jade left her office, stopped by her house to pick up the clothes she would wear to work the next day, personal hygiene items, and some things for her father. She showered, prepared some food, and went to the hospital, as she had been doing because her father's condition, despite being discharged the day after she started working in the vice presidency, became complicated again during the next dialysis session.
• Upon arrival, she was informed of her father's health status and once again told that it was necessary to expedite the operation. She left the doctor's office worried, she had to find that money, but it was too soon to talk to her boss and ask for a loan, besides that amount was too much and he would most likely deny it.
• Apart from the fact that this man had not a single ounce of humanity within him, he was cruel, insensitive, rude, mean, despotic, and any negative adjective that could be applied to him, that was the only side she had known of him. He never missed an opportunity to humiliate and mistreat her, and that was causing a deep hatred to grow within her. She sighed deeply feeling frustrated, no good idea came to mind.
• She entered the room assigned to her father, she saw him lying down, asleep with his haggard face, his condition was not good, his blood pressure had risen again during dialysis, it had happened to him on two occasions. She approached him and kissed his forehead tenderly, wanting to infuse him with life, health, at that moment she wanted so much to be the bearer of some power that would take away all his sufferings, she was crazy to think that way, she knew it, but those assumptions gave her courage and a little peace to her soul, because she was so afraid of losing him, she had no one else, if that happened she would be completely alone in the world, she could not imagine the world without him.
• Tears immediately rolled down her cheeks as she begged heaven not to take away the only good thing in her life, it was so painful to feel that she was not important to anyone and that the only person who would be willing to give everything for her was in that situation. She knew she was in a state of self"pity and that was not good, but she really could not find a way to avoid it. She could not stop the sobs that began to emerge from her throat and although she tried to stifle them, her efforts were in vain. She was about to move away from her father to avoid waking him up, but one of her tears fell on the man's face, causing him to immediately open his eyes."
• "Why are you crying, my child?" She tried to disguise it, but it was too late, her father had seen the sad and worried expression on her face.
• "I'm sorry, father! I'm sad because I don't want anything to harm you, I'm terrified of losing you," she declared sincerely.
• " My little one " he said while wiping away the tears that were streaming down the young girl's face " don't suffer before things happen. If that is my destiny, we must accept it with resignation. I never want to be away from you, but I was not born to be a seed " he said, trying to laugh. Someday I will no longer be by your side, and you must find the strength that I know is inside you. You should never have changed when you found out the truth. You should have remained that rebellious, strong"willed girl who always got what she wanted and didn't let anyone impose on her. I need you to be that strong and determined girl again. Stop being timid. I would never leave you, even if you became grumpy or misbehaved, because I love you with all my heart, my girl."
• " Face life and conquer it, Jade, because if I ever leave your side, I want no one to hurt you or make you a doormat. Show the extraordinary and strong woman that you are " her father stated. And although he tried to say those words without his voice breaking, he couldn't do it and ended up crying. Not because he feared death, but because he didn't want to leave behind that beautiful treasure that life had given him, his little precious stone. She was a beautiful jewel, his jade, his strength, and his weakness. They embraced for a long time, finding peace in the contact. Her father fell asleep, and she went to lie down on the couch. That night, she couldn't sleep either, as the tragedy in her life loomed large.