Love's Cure

PROLOGUE Nine days. Less than two weeks! In the space of less than two weeks the life I thought I could have has been blown apart. What the actual f**k? I swear to God people are the worst! Nine days ago I ran, well actually flew, from Halifax to London fleeing a forced marriage, ready to grab on to the promise of a residency in one of the best teaching hospitals in the world. I should have known better than to believe this golden opportunity was real. Golden my foot. More like tarnished brass. I should have realized that there would be strings attached. Strings that would tie me up in knots. Strings that would turn into chains. Chains that would bind me, drag me down, imprison me in a cycle of life I had no desire to endure. Maybe I misunderstood the gossip I overheard. Maybe the gossipers were talking about someone else? Unlikely, seeing as everything they said seems to point directly at me and my situation. All I know is that I need to contact Alexander and see if he will represent me as the hospital HR team meet with me to discuss their contract offer. I quickly sent him a text and prayed for a speedy response. I am so thankful that I was sitting in the hospital's outdoor cafe area, soaking up the sun as I enjoyed a hot cup of tea. My table was partially screened by some huge potted plants, effectively giving me the privacy I craved. Out of the eyes of the people I had felt staring at me, whispering about me, all morning as I had been given a tour of the hospital. What the heck was their problem I had wondered. And now? I believe I know why the stares, why the whispers. And I was having none of it. My meeting with HR isn't for another two and a half hours, which gave me the time I needed to text Alexander and ask him to meet me at the park across from the hospital. I needed his help. I needed his skills as a lawyer specializing in contract law. I needed him to protect me if what I had just overheard was true. My phone buzzed with a notification. After reading the message I stood up and unobtrusively slipped out of the cafe. As I passed the table where the two gossipers were seated I met the wise eyes of the older one. She gave me a slight nod and a ghost of a smile, letting me know she intended me to overhear what they discussed. Thank God for good-hearted people. People with ethics. Because from what I had just learned, I had been head-hunted not for my knowledge and skills. No I was sought out for my blood, my bone marrow, and possibly my organs. F**k that sh*t! I made it to the park entrance at the same time as Alexander. We took a seat in the little gazebo that looked out over a small duck pond. The setting was peaceful. The rippling of the water from the small brook that fed the pond was soothing, helping me to calm my nerves. "What's going on, Beautiful?" Alexander asked in his deep, mellow voice. A voice I had come to love listening to in the short time I had known him. "I want to hire you as my lawyer. I need you with me when I talk to HR this afternoon. I think, no, I know, they are trying to put one over on me. They are pushing me to sign the residency contract far faster than they should be. I need you to look over the documents. Really study them indepth before I make a decision." My voice carried a hint of panic. "Done, and done. But can I ask why this sudden concern? Did something happen? Tell me what's got you upset." His professional persona came to the forefront, ready to get as much information as he could in order to protect his client. Before I could answer, the creaking of a stair tread interrupted. My head whipped around, my eyes locking onto the intruder in shock. It was the older lady from the cafe, dressed in her nurse's uniform. She held up her hand in a 'calm down' motion, then walked over and joined us in the little seating area. "Cecilia, I met you this morning on your tour." She pointed to her name tag, "I'm Julia Hanson, Dr. Chalmers nurse. We need to talk, but here isn't good. Not private enough. What I have to say is too important to discuss where anyone can hear." I exchanged glances with Alexander, a questioning look in my eyes. I didn't want to take her to my home. But I didn't know where else to take her. Alexander came up with the solution. "My office building is just across the park. Let's go there for our talk." The three of us got up and swiftly made our way down the gravel path, exited the park, crossed the street, then entered the building where Alexander was currently working. He took us to his office, locking the door behind him then directed us to sit. "Ms. Hanson, my name is Alexander Webster and I am Cecilia's lawyer. Anything you have to say will be kept in the strictest confidence. Would you be kind enough to explain why you wanted to meet with Cecilia in private?" Julia looked apprehensive, then gave a nod as if she had come to a decision. "I felt I needed to talk to you. Because what they have planned is just not right! They plan to take advantage of Cecilia, and I just can't allow that. I need to give a bit of background first so that you understand what's really going on." She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and seemed to gather her thoughts. Then, opening her eyes she stared at me, that ghost of a smile on her face. "I have worked for Dr. Chalmers for going on twenty-five years, ever since he came to work at the hospital as the head of our Heamatology Oncology department. I have great respect for his skill and dedication as a doctor. As a man, not so much." She hesitated, looking at me before she continued. "Shortly after I started working as his nurse, I learned he was from a very wealthy and influential family, which is how he became department head at such a young age. His family is all about carrying on the family line. He was married, and according to his wife, they were trying for a baby. After many months of no success it was discovered that Mrs. Chalmers was infertile. Dr. Chalmers was adamant that he needed a child." Julia's voice dripped with disdain and contempt. "He and his wife looked for a surogate and they found one. She was working as a ward clerk in our department. She too, was married, and had been trying for a baby with no success. After testing she learned her husband was sterile after having mumps as an adult. The Chalmers family offered her an obscene sum of money to carry a child for their family. The only proviso was that she had to go on fertility medication to ensure she could get pregnant, and that if more than one child was conceived, she would have to carry both to term." "That woman soon became pregnant, with twins. When she gave birth, six weeks early, Dr. Chalmers claimed the older twin, and the surogate kept the other one. Her husband's family were furious as the twin claimed by the doctor was a boy, leaving the Clowater's with the girl." My jaw dropped at the surogate's last name. "Clowater?" I struggled to speak. "Do you know her first name?" I was finding it hard to breathe. This can't be happening. Alexander reached out and squeezed my hand, trying to give me strength. "I do," Julia sighed. "Candace, Candace Clowater. She and her husband, Eric were from Canada. He was a graduate student at the London School of Economics. Candace was working in the hospital as a ward clerk." "When did all of this happen?" Alexander questioned. Julia looked me in the eyes as she responded. "The children were born on February seventeenth, twenty-three years ago. Cecilia, that complete physical exam you had done last Friday? That was all at Dr. Chalmers request. Part of it was for DNA testing. The results came back this morning. You are his biological daughter." I felt myself go numb. 'This couldn't be true, this couldn't be happening', But the worst wasn't over. "Your twin brother, Ethan has a blood disorder which requires frequent blood transfusions. If he is going to survive long-term he needs a bone marrow transplant. He also requires a kidney transplant. You are his exact match. Meaning they want you to donate your blood, your bone marrow, and for now, your kidney, to keep him alive. Unfortunately that may not be all he will need to survive. His liver is also affected, though for now, not critically. Ideally he would have a better chance of recovery with a cord blood donation from a blood relative." 'What the actual f**k?' I thought just before I passed out. When I regained consciousness I was laying on the couch in Alexander's office with him kneeling on the floor holding my hand. Julia was perched beside me on the couch, taking my pulse, telling him I would be fine. I had just fainted from shock. Shock? Well no freaking wonder! I felt like a ton of bricks had just landed on me. I struggled to sit up and get my bearings. "I need to call my grandfather! I need to talk to him! I can't even!" Julia continued to pile on the bad news. "Before you do that I have to tell you this. Dr. Chalmers wants to sneak a clause into your contract that will make it so you can't refuse any request to donate whatever they request, as long as it isn't life threatening to you." "Well, how very humane of him," I sneered. "I can't possibly meet with HR today. I need to go home. I need to talk to my grandfather. Alexander, can you please take me home?" Words were spewing out of my mouth like vomit, My mind was going in a thousand different directions. Thank God that Alexander was able to maintain his calm, professional demeanor. "Ms. Hanson, Julia. Thank you for bringing this to our attention today. Do you have documented proof of anything you have told us?" She hesitated, then nodded her head. "I do. Dr. Chalmers actually had me sit in on many of the early meetings with Candace Clowater. Though perhaps I shouldn't have, I secretely recorded their meetings after the first one. Especially when he mentioned that any 'spare' children could be required to be used as 'spare parts' for his child, should the need arise." Good heavens! And I thought my meeting with Kaden Jones eleven days ago was bad. That was child's play compared to this.