Chapter 52

Ariana clutched Lisa as they drove back home. She had not expected Ethan to do something as stupid as proposing to her. When he had offered to help her she thought it was too good to be true.

All she wanted was to help her dad, Ethan gave her hope that was why she rushed to the venue. She thought she was going to help her.

What was she even thinking about asking Ethan for help? How could she blindly trust him?

What pissed Ariana more was the fact that he said To help her she had to marry him first, and he placed a condition. Even a child would not accept such an offer.

It was as if she was trading herself for money.

Lisa ran her hands through Ariana's hair as they stayed in silence, Lisa felt the urge to tell her that she said so, but this was not the moment to reproach her about the huge mistake she just made. She wasn't really aware of what happened in there but the way she looked when she arrives was enough to ask questions.

Lisa had warned her not to go and meet him, but she refused to listen to her. How could she think Ethan would help her for free. She felt stupid and disguised by her own acts.

The car stopped in front of Ariana's house, Ariana came out first before Lisa settled the driver and followed behind.

Ariana sat on the floor defeated, at this point she was unsure of what to do. Alice was one of the cold hearted people she had ever met. She refused to allow her to go to see her father, she also refused to give her an advance salary claiming she would run away and never come back.

"You don't have to think too much," Lisa said as she stared at her friend if the floor.

She walked towards her and helped her up to a seat on the couch.

"Yeah I guess I don't have to, thinking too much wouldn't change the fact that my dad is laying on his sickbed," Ariana said before she palmed her face.

She didn't want the cry or think too much about it. The more she thought the more stressed out she became. She didn't want to fall sick too.

"I'll help with what I can provide, at least so they would be able to continue the treatment," Lisa added as she spoke softly.

"Your voice is soothing," Ariana said before she rest on her shoulders.

"I think I should apply for the work loan," Ariana said before she snuffed.

"I don't think that would be a good option, do you know how many people have acquired for that loan, and nothing ended well?" Lisa questioned.

"Do I have a choice at this moment?" Ariana said wryly.

Lisa tucked the side of her hair that fell on her face before she straightened up and sat right with Ariana still on her shoulders.

"Don't you think a bank loan would be more convenient?" Lisa still questioned accepting that suggestion.

"Okay...I take a bank loan...they decide to cut fifteen percent of my salary.... the first month they cut it, the second month Alice delays my payment to the fourth month, I get arrested before the third month," Ariana concluded.

"Really, I don't think it works that way," Lisa said as she nodded her head.

"Well it doesn't work that way but what if the system changes at the last minute?" Ariana said before she stood up.

"I'll be back, let me get us something to drink or eat," She said before she heaved a sigh.

Ariana walked to the kitchen to get them something to eat, she got herself a box of orange juice, and she got Lisa simple soda. She checked her fridge for real food. All she found were cans of Pringles and a box of pizza she warmed before she left.

She bought out everything she could find that will be enough for the both of them.

Lisa smiled at her as she saw the loads of junk food she held in her hands. The only medicine that could cure a stressed-out Ariana.

Lisa helped her get the things to the table before they started eating them up bag by bag. Lisa was not worried about staying outside late, tomorrow is going to be Sunday so she had all the free time she wanted.

"Where's my phone," Ariana asked as she searched for the bag she held earlier.

She found it hanging on the doorknob and she grabbed it. Ariana didn't bother to start searching one by one. She just poured the contents of the bag onto the glass table in front of her.

Everything that was in the bag poured on the floor including her phone and some papers. Ariana put the phone aside as she looked at the papers. Some of them were bus tickets, some were transaction receipts and some were business cards of the many company owners that came to see Alice. But there was a certain one that caught her attention.

The black and purple card that was handed to her by the classy lady the other day. Ariana squinted her eyes as she tried to remember the name of the woman. The card the not have her name on it, it was probably the name of her company.

"Lisa, what was the name of the lady I asked about the other day?" Ariana asked Lisa.

"Tara? What about her again?" Lisa replied with a mouth full of chips.

Tara. She had asked Ariana to call her the other day but it slipped past her.

"Nothing much she just handed me her number, I'll call her tomorrow afternoon," Ariana said before she returned to eating.

"So we are going for the work loan I guess?" Lisa asked as she dropped her second can of Pringles.

"If that's the only available option, then I don't have a choice but to choose it," Ariana replied as she packed her hair in a messy bun.