Chapter 1

Rocio

"Rocio, are you still there? The hospital requires us to pay your sister's bill tomorrow. If we can't pay it tomorrow, they will kick her out of the hospital."

"Mom-"

"Do you want Arissa to die?" She asked.

"What? You know how much I love my sister. I will do anything for her. I'm doing anything that I can to gather up the funds, but thirteen thousand dollars isn't something I can save up by working with the job that I have right now."

Manager Raike walked to the break room and shamelessly stared at my butt while he was biting his lips.

"Your break ended five minutes ago. The shop is jam-packed. We're not paying you to be on your phone all day." Manager Raike said when he figured out that, I knew he was acting like a pervert again.

"Mommy, I'll call you once I'm done with my shift. I have to go now," I said.

"This is for that table," Audrey said. I was headed toward the table when I felt someone grope my ass.

"Holy hell!" I gasped. Panicking, I forgot about my assaulter, and the only thing that I could focus on was the coffee that I spilled on an Italian suit.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I'm sorry." I tried to clean the mess that I made with a tissue, patting his chest down to his crotch.

"I said enough!" The man said in a brutally cold voice. I looked him in the face, even when fuming. His anger didn't take away the fact that the customer seemed ruthlessly handsome.

I gulped. His beauty knocked away my senses.

Manager Raike approached us, which brought panic back into my system.

"I-I have an extra long sleeve in my locker that you can change into, Sir. I'll pay for your long sleeve. How much is that?" I asked in a shaky voice.

"Alas?" A woman who just got inside the cafe called the man.

"Aria!" Alas called in panic after the woman slapped me.

"You'll pay for his long sleeve? Do you think you can afford it? Don't be ridiculous!" Aria pushed me. I keep my head low and mumble my apology.

"You did this purposely for Alas to notice you. You want his attention, and you could only hope that he'll be captivated by your beauty, right?"

"What?" I scoffed, "I need this job more than his attention. Why would I risk my job for his attention? Who the hell is that man?" Aria was about to slap me again, but Alas caught her arm and pulled her away from me.

"Alas---"

"Don't hurt her or else," he said.

"Why are you taking her side?" Aria whined, glaring at me.

"No!" Aria spat.

"You want us to forgive you so you can keep your stupid job? Then kneel."

"She won't do such a thing, Aria." But the look in the woman's eyes felt like she'd do anything to ensure I was punished.

"Please, forgive me, Sir. What can I do to make you forgive me?" I asked.

"You'll do anything for my forgiveness?" Alas, meaningfully asked. Our eyes locked in, and I swear I saw a burning desire on it, and the tension that I felt when he smirked electrocuted my soul.

"I'll deal with this. Go back inside," Manager Raike whispered in my ear.

"I'm really, really sorry, Sir."

"Go! To the break room, Rocio, now!" Manager Raike commanded.

I was nibbling my nails, and my head was close to blowing off because of my anxiety.

"What did the customer say? Are they pressing charges? Am I going to be fired?" I desperately cling to his arms.

"It was an accident, Sir. Please, I need this job, Manager Raike."

"I know that you need this. Your sister is in the hospital. You can keep this job, Rocio." I sighed and smiled at him.

"Thank you, Sir. This won't happen again. I'll be more careful." Manager Raike stopped from leaving the break room.

"Not so fast." Manager Raiked smiled pervertly, eyeing my chest.

"I'll help you keep your job. In one condition," he said.

"Your virginity. Let me have it. In return, you'll keep your job, and I'll give you a thousand dollars for your sister's medication."

Manager Raike leaned closer to kiss me. I dodged his kisses instead of stopping. He pinned me to the wall.

"S-Stop!"

"Hushed, Rocio. Keep quiet, or they'll hear us outside! Don't you want to keep your job and get the money?" He asked before he forced himself to me again. While tears were clouding my eyes. I kicked Manager Raike in the crotch and pushed him off me.

He lay on the floor, groaning in pain, holding his crotch.

I snatched a pair of scissors from the table and pointed them at him.

"Go on, come at me again, and I'll kill you," I warned. Manager Raike paused.

I hurriedly snatched my bag from the locker and left the break room with scissors still in my hand.

I stopped running once I was sure I was safe from Manager Raike.

"Fuck you, universe! Is this all that you got? Is this all that you can give to me? Do you think this will make me give up?" I shouted.

"Fuck no, I'm Rocio Arsenio, I can go through this!" The passer-by glanced at me, distancing themselves from me, thinking I had gone mad.

"You're back. Welcome home, dear." I would rather have my mother screaming and cursing at me than this.

"Mom, about the money for Arissa's medication. I don't have it yet. I'll try to take out a loan from the bank, but the process will take a while... and I quit my job. I was harassed at work."

"You were harassed? By whom?" I couldn't help but frown.

"Y-You're worried about me," I confusedly exclaim.

"Yes, I should be, Rocio. I'm your mother." I ran to her arm, and for the first time, I felt she loved me.

"About Arissa's medication. It's taken care of. I found a way." My eyes widened.

"You did? How?"

"I met with one of my friends from college. She lends me the exact amount that we need for Arissa." I kept my mouth shut, and that made my mother talk more.

"What's your payment agreement, Mom? Did you tell her how are you going to pay her?" Mommy looked down on her tea.

"Mommy?" I heard a car stop in front of our house.

"Mom!" I yelled.

"It's ok, Rocio. You'll be fine as long as you'll do everything that your buyer asks you to do. You'll be fine," she assured me, wearing a smile that scared the shit out of me.

"You sold me?" I asked, jaw on the floor.

"Are you insane?" Mommy turned her back on me as a pair of men grabbed me out of our house while I slowly lost consciousness.

My eyes caught the cup of tea that I just had.

"Y-You drugged me..."