Basement

Chapter 1

The small door opened widely, as she peered her eyes inside.

She'd met many people who wanted her dead but none took her to a place like this.

It smelt of death, and she hated the stench!

"Where is this place Ralda?? Are we going to die now and go to heaven?" Her little sister started whimpering.

She sure didn't like it here. Neither did the little girl.

"We're going to be fine Chelsea. Stop crying." She tried to console her younger sister but she didn't listen.

The little one's whimpers turned to yells.

Ralda couldn't do a thing.. she didn't even know why they were there.

But then... She knew who might be the reason.

"Who brought us here Ralda?" She cried the more, burying her head into her sister's big skirt.

Esmeralda's eyes blurred with tears too.

"I'm so sorry Chelsea.. but I don't know." She whimpered.

Just a while ago... they were at home.

About to eat the leftover she had brought from work.

That was the only thing she could remember, as she racked her head.

Her Father had many debtors, it might have been one of them.

She'd tried her best in the very way she could, paying the little debts off.

It wasn't enough.

Was it Mooney? The woman was always looking for a way to end her. Right?

But why would someone open the door?

Didn't they know that they might sneak out? Ralda wondered.

Crreekkkk... They both heard another door creak open.

Huh? What was that?

"Someone is coming... Run and hide Chelsea." Ralda whispered to her little sister.

She bit her lips hard.

Hide? How would the little girl see?

It was pitch dark in there.

Another door opened and Ralda tried steadying her breath.

She looked up and behold she could see the outside world full of light.

But a macho Man was obstructing her view.

He stood in front of the door, his size twice a man.

"Hey, Princess." The man mumbled, walking into the basement and turning on the lights.

"Where's the other one?" He asked, bending down to see the little girl that had crawled under one of the benches.

Huh? There was a switch for lights??

How did she never think of that? She wondered.

"Ohh... Don't think about it Sweety, it just got connected." The Man said, watching her expression.

"Ohh. there you are." He said and grabbed little Chelsea..... Dragging the two sisters out of the small room.

"Let go of me... Let go of my sister. Now." The little girl continued with her yells, trying to bite the macho Man's hand away.

"Stop that." He half yelled, dragging her by the arm roughly so that she fell to her knees.

"Don't hurt her, please... She's just a child." Ralda pleaded with tears in her eyes.

Damn! What the fúçk did they deserve to be treated that way?

One thing was sure.. their father made them like this.

Thum... Their knees made a loud noise they both were pushed to the ground.

Shit! Ralda cussed, tears stung badly but refused to fall.

She looked up and blinked.

A man was sitting on a chair, staring right at them...No at her.

She gulped staring back.

"Don't look up unless you're asked to." She heard the macho Man say.

How could she possibly do that?

The person In front of her was a whole new creature.

A Handsome yet beautiful God.

His Suit... Booraldo??

Even though they were the poorest of all.

She still knew a Booraldo when she saw one.

"Don't look up." The Man in question suddenly voiced out.

His voice was also Heavenly.

Damn!!

He might be handsome Ralda but take a look.

He has the face of a killer. A serial Killer. He was the kind of person mothers used to lure their children to sleep...the monster at Bay?

"You should know who I am by now." He continued.

"Your father had a business deal with me. Do you know about that, Miss Ralda?" He asked nonchalantly.

Ralda's brain sank to the lowest level.

This was it!

Another problem.

How the hell did their father owes this much?

She was sure the next thing he would say is about the money he was owing him.

"No...No. I don't know you." She gulped.

"No? You don't remember any name at all."

"Does the name Brian Maxwell ring a bell?" He asked, standing up and walking to the walls.

Her eyes followed and she saw the types of equipment that were lined up on the wall.

Knives, Machete, choke pear, birch rod, catapelta.

He picked up the batog and left the wall.

Ralda's eyes widened. Earlier that day she had read her father's file.

He was owing this man Five Million Dollars!!

Her whole body went stiff.

She was still trying to pay the small debts with her numerous part-time work.

And another was Five Million Dollars?

How could she forget that?

Her slender body had begun to tremble with fear.

The Man didn't seem like he would wait for the money to get there in a few hours.

He looked like he wanted to kill her.

"Ohh... it's like you've heard of me after all." He said, a smile falling on his lips as he watched her shiver.

"You see your father and I were business dealers." He said.

Huh?? Her Father? A Business Dealer?

Maybe it wasn't her father after all.. and she recalled wrongly.

"My father was a poor man... I don't think it's him, Sir." She said meekly.

"Your father is Mr. Peter Maxwell? No? He asked.

"The business we both made was so simple. I was the Creditor.. and he was the debtor. I borrowed a lot of money Gattino... Five Million Dollars is not a small amount sweetheart." He chuckled.

"Five Million Dollars? He borrowed Five Million Dollars??" Her eyes dilated.

Five Million Dollars would've made their life turn for the better.

Then where was it?

If her father had borrowed that huge amount of money.

Where did he keep it? She thought.

"He gambled with the money... and lost everything. Now I need the money back!" The Handsome man said, with a devilish smirk on his lips.

"Need.... needed the money, back?" Ralda swallowed.

"How would I get that kind of amount?" She unconsciously blurted out.

"I. Don't. Care. He replied."

"I'll give you Two days... Two days to bring back my Five Million Dollars."

"The next time we meet again Gattino... the walls would beg for your life." He said, looking around.

Ralda cussed, there was no way, she'd want to come back here.

"Take them back Chris... I'm done here." He said, dropping the batog and leaving the room. His steps were as silent as they came.

Ralda couldn't say a word. She was so sure she had lost the sense of talking... cause she couldn't even move her tongue.

The hard voice of the scary man... could still resound in her ears.

"Five Million Dollars?!"

T. B. C