Chapter 3

Bethy Hillstorm*

I let tears fall freely from my eyes, and unto my pillow. I can't remember when last I cried this way.

I felt devastated and disgusted at myself.

After getting to my small apartment, I immediately proceeded to my bed and let the tears I have been holding in flow out.

What have I gotten myself into?

I felt so dirty and worthless, I just sold my body to a total stranger, a man I met at a bar.

God, damn him for taking advantage of my situation.

I had never thought that this debt would also cause me my dignity.

I don't know who to blame in this situation, my uncle who did everything in his power to bring down the family company or my incompetency?

Or my dad who had been hospitalized for some months now and I had to deal with his bills.

The worst part of it was that the company had a large debt that I didn't know about.

I can't even bring myself to think about other things nor this stinking situation I was left with. I brawl my eyes out mostly on pitying myself, agonizing on how to pay the debt on my neck and how to cope with life.

I secretly took part time jobs at night to avoid rumors about me, though it's no longer news about my family company's bankruptcy.

And now I buried myself deeper with my deal with that jerk of a man, Emilio Mendez.

I never knew I would let myself into having such an affair, one of my part time job is tutoring and I made sure I didn't only tutor science, I tutor my student moral lesson and keeping dignity intact, I felt nothing but shame at what I had done.

I suddenly missed my life five years ago, living a heiress life with no worries at all.

I even had a best friend, Lilian Tom.

But she got married and relocated to Canada with her rich husband, at first we still keep in touch but all of a sudden the vibes died down and I can't remember whose fault it was.

But even if we were still communicating, I don't think I would have the guts to tell her what I had just did, she's more religious than I am.

My tears wouldn't stop flowing but my eyes started to droop slowly and I let myself fall asleep on top of my couch soaked with tears.

I woke up at the loud ringing in my head, I squinted my eyes at the bright sunlight peaking from the window.

I turn on my phone and begrudgingly gets up and heads to the kitchen for a glass of water, after washing my mouth, I head over to the bathroom and stopped at the mirror to take a good look at my teared stained face. my red puffy eyes were staring back at me, I sigh at the pathetic sight of myself.

Get your fucking ass up Bethy and be strong, I mentally motivate myself and grabbed my towel , that's right!

No need to cry over an already spilled milk. I needed a warm bath to help me think things clearly.

As I dip myself in a warm bath I felt better and in high spirit, I have a life to get going and there's no room for pathetic situation to pull me down.

I have a responsibility to return the favor my adopted parents had done for me,I will forever be indebted to them.

I owe my family everything.

If life is giving me that jerk Emilio to get me through this debt I should at least swallow my dignity just this once and get over this obstacles, it's won't last forever I think.

Though I will not give him total control over me, I can never be anyone's slave, I need to train myself, be tough and set boundaries for him.

I get myself into this mess and I can get myself out of it.

I wrapped myself with my towel and started getting ready to go out for my weekend part time tutoring, I will soon go out to meet my student.

Just as I was brushing my hair down, my doorbell rang and I glanced at my wrist watch laying on the dressing board, it's still an hour early.

My student usually arrive later. So who could this be?

Cautiously, I hurriedly finished brushing my hair and head over to the door.

What the hell...? I stood with my mouth wide apart, gaping at the person I found at my door as soon as I opened it.

Emilio Mendez was standing in front of me he wore a darker shade of blue suit that fits his well built body.

"Ho..how do you find me?" He ignores my question and invite himself into my apartment, I look behind him and saw another good-looking man in a black suit with dark glasses, he was standing behind a shiny black jeep. That must be his bodyguard.

I rolled my eyes, so he did brought a body guard with him, was he afraid I would attack him? Or was it normal for him to be with one?

I turn my attention back to Emilio and followed him as he steps in and roam around my sitting room, giving himself a tour like he owns the house.

He stopped at the center just besides my center table and regard me with a long look, as if to ask me why I was silent.

I almost snapped at him.

"What?" I said biting down on my tongue, he didn't tell me that part of our deal involve abrupt visitation.

"I thought you said whenever you need me, you would call me not..." I stopped mid sentence as I noticed his brows creased deeper in a frown.

"Whenever and wherever, remember Bethy?"

My throat immediately went dried, a big lump I couldn't swallow the lump stuck at my throat, I almost ran back into my bedroom and lock myself in away from this monster.

He sighed boredly looking around, the frown on his face disappeared.

"But today, I just wanted to check where you live" he said as his gaze landed on me.

"Why?"

He ignores me again and lift his gaze from me to a frame I placed besides a white rose, it's was a photo of me and my parents at my college graduation day.

"You look so plump and happy here" he whispered.

I couldn't agree less with what he said, I mean even i knew I had grown scrawny and tired with those heavy bags under my eyes, I usually had no time to sleep.

If I'm lucky four hours sleep a day.

"Why are you here?" I asked him again, tears threatened to stream down my face as I swallowed hard and that sh*tty feeling overwhelmed me.

He looked me up and down, I thought I saw a flicker of emotions in his eyes but maybe I was just seeing things because my sight were glassy from tears.

He seems to have gotten the message or read through me because he quickly said, "just as I said earlier, I just wanted to check on your apartment" he lazily strides to the door like he would have preferred to be carried, without looking at me he said sternly. "I will soon call you and be ready when I do"

He didn't even utter as much as a goodbye and just step out of my apartment leaving me staring at his retreating figure.

My God, I thought I could handle this toughly, I thought I had already agreed to be headstrong and set boundaries between us but whenever he is with me I felt weak and feeble.