C5 The Proxy Bride -Chapter 5-

WHEN Rossana arrived at the hospital, she was immediately greeted by her two siblings.

"Sis, what happened to father?" Rosemary immediately asked

"What else? He's in jail now, Rosemary."

"My gosh, he made your problem even worse, sister."

"Leave it, what else can we do when he's in prison already?"

"Yeah, but he didn't even think that his problem was going worse," Rosemary said with disappointment.

"Alright, go home first. I'll take care mother." Rossana her took wallet from her bag, she take 500 bill," Here's the money, Rose. Buy some food to cook for us."

"What do you want me to cook, sister?"

"Chicken adobo. Sister Rosemary, " answered their youngest brother.

"Hmp, is it not you that I'm asking?" Rosemary replied with a smile to her brother.

"That's what I like to eat, sister."

"Oh, the youngest's request, do it, Rosemary, so adobo what you'll cook," Rossana also smiled.

"Yes!" their brother is happy.

Even though she has a problem, Rossana smiles when she sees her brother's happiness. At least with food, she can make him happy.

"Okay sister, we're leaving," Rosemary said goodbye to her.

"Be careful and take care of him, Rosemary. And you, Rowell, don't be stubborn; listen to your sister Rosemary, okay. "

"Yes, sister Rossana," the two answered at the same time.

After the siblings left, Rossana turned to her mother. She was sorry for what she saw in her condition. She was only one day in the hospital that she lost weight already. "You'll get better, mother, I promise you that." She patted her mother's palm. While she was staring at her mother, the couple that she had talked in bay walk just entered her mind.

Maybe they are not scammers. One hundred fifty thousand, according to the woman, is a small amount for her. She sighed and caressed her mother's cheek, which was a little wrinkled. The mother is not very old, but maybe because of the hardships she went through, that's why she looks like this and maybe because of her illness.

Seeing the mother's suffering, Rossana decided to call the woman. It's up to her now. What's important to her is the mother get recovers immediately. She grabbed the calling card from her pocket, the woman handed it to her.

When a nurse came in to see her mother, she asked her to stay with her mother for awhile because she was going to nurse information to make a call.

"Miss nurse, just for a moment please," she said.

"Alright, ma'am, I'll take care of your mother first go now."

"Thank you very much you're so kind," she hurriedly said, leaving the room and quickly walking towards to the nurse's station to make a call.

When Rossana was reaching for the information, "Miss, nurse, can I make a call for a moment?" she begged immediately.

"Okay, ma'am, you can."

Rossana's hand was shaking while dialing the number of the person being called.

When it rang, her chest was pounding. She looked at the people passing by to realize her tension.

Sherry looked at the cellphone when it rang. "I'm sure it's Edward," she thought as she looked at it, but it had a private number on it. "Hmmm, who could it be?" She remembered the woman she had talked to earlier and quickly pressed the call button. "Hello, who is this?" she answered.

Rossana was so nervously. That why she didn't answer her.

Sherry immediately spoke to the person on the other line. "Rossana, is that you?" she said.

Rossana breathed a sigh of relief when she mentioned her name. "Yes, it's me."

Sherry already knew what she wanted, and she was correct in telling Felix that she would not refuse her offer because she desperately needed it.

Rossana swallowed before answering. She was really nervous. "Oh...yes. Alright, I'm willing to do it what you want me to do, " she said fast.

"Good, call me again tomorrow, so I can tell you where to meet, Rossana."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye." Sherry smiled when they finished talking. "Hmmm, this is it," she was happy because she had a plan.

The nervousness in Rossana's chest still didn't disappear as she returned to the mother's ward. "Am I doing the right thing?" she asked herself. "Ah, it doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's not bad what that woman will make me do, I'm on in it" she replied to her own question.

When Rossana entered the ward, "Miss nurse, thank you very much," she said.

"It's okay, Miss, my shift is about to end. I'll leave you and take good care of your mother. "

Rossana smiled to the nurse."Yes and thank you so much!"

The nurse nodded to Rossana and left.

That night, Rossana's two siblings returned to the hospital to bring her some food.

"Have you two eaten?" she asked.

"Yes, sister, but Rowell, can't wait to eat."

"Sis, I'm so hungry, that way I eat first" he replied.

"Alright, go home right away, so you can rest early. Tomorrow after you take Rowell to his school, Rosemary, come see me right away because I'll be looking for money," she told her sister.

"Yes sis, but first I'll stop by to my school for a while to give my excuse that I cannot come for a few days."

"Alright, go so you don't cough traffic on the road."

"Sister, how is father?" Rosemary was concerned about him, despite the fact that he had done wrong.

"He's probably okay there, Rosemary. The police probably won't ignore him."

"I hope so. Let's go, Rowell." Before they left, Rosemary approached her mother first."Mother, rest well okay. I'll be back tomorrow so I can be with you," she still said, even though she couldn't hear her because she was sleeping already.

Rossana seems to want to cry again at what she sees. She turned her back on her sister. "Alright, Rosemary, go," she said.

Rosemary didn't answer, but she looked at her sister. She knew what she was feeling right now. She felt sorry for her because she couldn't help her now financially. She signed, then took her brother's hand and went out.

When Rossana knew that the siblings were gone, she looked up to prevent the tears that she had been holding back from falling.

The next day, after her sister come to the hospital. Rossana went home to their house to clean herself first before she meet Sherry.

When she finished taking a shower and got dressed, she immediately left the house. Head straight to the store nearby to call Sherry.

"Auntie Mameng, I'm making a call," she said. The woman nodded at her.

At that moment, Sherry was still asleep, but she was jolted awake by the sound of her mobile phone.

"Ahhh, who could it be this earlier?" She answered the call with her eyes closed. "Hello," he replied sleepily.

"Hello, Sherry, this is Rossana. I'm sorry if I disturbed your sleep.

Sherry's eyes widened because of Rossana's call; her sleepiness suddenly disappeared. "No. It's okay, Rossana. I just woke up. "

"I'm really sorry."

"I said it's okay."

"Didn't you say I'd call you today?"

"Yes, Rossana. Let's meet at the Shangri-La hotel in Makati. Is that okay with you? "

"Yes, I'm on my way I just dropped by the store to make a call. "

"Okay, see you there, Rossana. Bye. " Sherry's actions were quick. She took a shower immediately after she called her boyfriend, Felix, who went to the hotel she and Rossana talked about.

Because it was early and there was no traffic, Rossana easily reached the Shangri-La hotel. She sat in the lobby first, waiting for Sherry to come.

After Rossana waited for an hour, Felix arrived first, followed by Sherry. They just smiled. and entered the restaurant to have breakfast first.

while they are eating.

"So, Rossana. Do you agree with what I told you? " Sherry asked her.

"Yes, I really need money now, Sherry. Whatever you ask me to do, I will do it, as long as you give me the necessary value. " She didn't waver anymore.

Felix smiled and grabbed Sherry's hand. "You talk, I'll just listen," he said.

"Good, I have already prepared the money. This is the money, Rossana, one hundred fifty thousand, as you said. " She took a brown envelope from the bag and handed it to the woman. "See it for yourself to believe it."

Rossana's hand was shaking while opening the envelope that contained money when she saw it. She can say that her problem is solved now. She looked at Sherry with her eyes and asked what she would do.

Sherry gets it. "Be a bride, Rossana," she said straight.

"What, be a bride?" she asked, confused. She understood what she said; she just wanted to clarify.

"Okay, I tell you, so everything will be clear for you Rossana, two weeks from now. I'm getting married, and you are the groom's bride. "

Rossana's eyes and nostrils widened. She was going to be a bride. My gosh, she didn't even have a boyfriend. Now she's a bride?

The couple smiled at her reaction. Well, who isn't a bride right away?

"Will you refuse, Rossana? But it's up to you if you change your mind. I won't force you if you don't want to. " She still said, but if she refuses, what she and Felix will do is ruined. Well, it's okay because they'll still leave no matter what happens. She didn't mind Edward waiting in the church.

"Wa-wait, why?" Rossana looked at Felix. Is this the one he's going to marry?

Sherry noticed this. "Not him, Rossana," "He is not your groom," she corrected.

Rossana nodded. She thought so. She thinks he's handsome, but she has a different vibe from this man. " Not him, who? And why? "

"Why? Because I feel that I don't love him, I love Felix more. "

"What? I couldn't understand. "

"Yes, it's messy, but you can understand when it sinks into your mind, Rossana."

Rossana looked at Sherry. Her mind said what kind of woman she was. She had agreed to wed that man. Now she's the one to break it. She looked at Felix too. Maybe the groom is not that handsome like him, that's why.

"I hope so, but everything is fixed. So, I need you, like you need me. My groom, his name is Edward. Can you do what I asked Rossana to do? "

Rossana was confused. But for her mother? "W-what should I do? Won't he also know that I'm not his bride? "

"Yes, but what I want you to answer me now, Rossana, is will you do it or not?"

Rossana looked at the envelope in front of her. Now that she has the money in her hand, she can get her father out of jail. And her mother will have her operation right away.