Chapter 4

• “Dad!”
• Arielle yelled at her dad, the man was impossible, how could he suggest something like that? Even though she knows she can’t possibly pay off the debt her dad owes Luciano, there was no way she was going to let him have his way with her, her dad was mad for thinking she would marry someone like Luciano, that’s if Luciano would even see her that way, he was more of the model women kind of man, all the ladies he has ever been pictured with are all glamorous model and she won’t fit even if she tries to, oh wait, why was she even thinking it, it won’t happen.
• “So? You think I will take your daughter in exchange for my money? Think again, I will let you be for today but you have one week to pay back all the money you owe me or you get what you bargained for, you already know the consequences,”
• Luciano said, turned to her and gave a cocky smile before turning to leave, he was followed by his subordinates, she let out a breath that she hadn’t known she had been holding and collapsed to the ground, now that he wasn’t here anymore the reality of just how huge this is began to weigh on her, five million dollars, that’s what her father borrowed, and it had her name on it, well life couldn’t be much worst.
• “Dad, how could you lie?”
• She asked her dad who wasn’t even paying attention to her, he was looking through the window, probably checking to make sure Luciano was gone, she had two issues right now, first, she had woken up this morning to see that she had called Luciano, she felt stupid, didn’t know how she had thought that was a good idea and now he shows up at her house and her dad wants her to marry him, one thing was sure that Luciano might not be aware of the marriage shit because he clearly was offended when her dad had said it or maybe he was pretending, that wasn’t even the issue right now, far from it, the issue right now was how would she pay back five million dollars? She doesn’t even have a job right now and there was no hope of getting one soon or even getting a good-paying job.
• “Can’t you just help me this once? You know all you need to do is doll up a little and he will fall for you, he was already smitten by your appearance,”
• Her dad said. Arielle couldn’t even believe he could say all that to her right now, especially when his lies have been exposed but he was so shameless and unapologetic about it.
• “Dad! No, I think it is high time I stop calling you that, you are not my father and you don’t even deserve to get called my dad, I freaking don’t want to be dragged into your mess, you borrowed the money, you used it, now you pay for it, whatever you plan on doing, however, you plan on paying it back, don’t include my name, don’t fucking do it because at the end of the day, we are not even related and you have no right to use my name against my will, you are just my mother’s husband,”
• She let out, she knew she shouldn’t be saying those words as they were hurtful but she was way past caring about his feelings since he clearly didn’t care about hers.
• “Your choices of words are so harsh, I told you before, I didn’t borrow that much, they have a mad interest rate and as the days go by without me paying, the interest keeps increasing, just yesterday it was still three million dollars and today it’s five million, tomorrow it might be ten, those people are evil, I didn’t borrow that much Ariel, and I didn’t know it was Luciano at all,”
• He said, but it was hard to believe him now when he had lied so many times.
• “I don’t care, I am not to be involved in this in whatever way, I don’t even have a job so I can’t help to pay back, you just have to find a way out of this by yourself, please don’t talk to me,”
• “Why are you so selfish? Why are you always so self-centered? You always just think about yourself and no one else, you have what it takes to lift our family off the trench but you choose to do shabby jobs, that’s because you don’t care that we are suffering,”
• He yelled at her.
• “What? I have what it takes? So you Kwan I should go out and sell myself just so that I can lift you guys from poverty? Like what did I expect from you? Like always you have nothing to say, right mom?”
• She asked when she noticed her mom was in the room too.
• “He is right in this, if you had just fine as I say, I am sure you would have found a rich man by now and we won’t be indebted neither would we be living in this kind of environment, but you are wasting your asset and beauty away,”
• Her mom said and Arielle was just too stunned to speak, yeah, her own mother wanted her to be a trophy to men, wanted her to use her beauty to buy them a good life, she didn’t even feel remorseful or shameful saying those things to her.
• “Mom, I am ashamed to call you my mom, you are a disgrace to motherhood, that’s all I have to say to you,”
• “Don’t be so disrespectful, you ruined my life, that’s the least you can do, try to fix it, it’s the barest minimum you can do, but you choose not to, I would have been better off if I had aborted you,”
• Her mom yelled her usual sermon at her, it didn’t hurt anymore hearing her say those words, Arielle has gotten used to them over the years.
• “It’s your usual anthem mom, but I let me tell you this, you would have been as miserable as you are now even if you hadn’t had me, you know why? Because you have no plans, you just want to be dependent on people, a freaking parasite,”
• She said and walked off angrily even while her parents were still talking and yelling for her to get back, that was it, she was going to leave this house as soon as she can get a job, she didn’t mind sleeping on an empty floor, so long as she can get an apartment of her own, she was twenty-four and old enough to take her life in her hands and no let anyone dictate for her.
• The rest of the week went by in a flash for Arielle, there was nothing much going on in her life, especially not in a good way, she still couldn’t get a job, still wasn’t talking to her parents, they weren’t even trying to talk to her either, and what more, she didn’t even know when Luciano would show up in her face again, God help her when he does, one thing she does know was that she would tell him not to involve her in it even though she highly doubt he would do that.
• Right now all she could do was wake up each day and go look for a job and nothing, no one wanted to employ her and she was this close to giving up but the fear of going hungry made her keep stressing herself.
• “Arielle? Why are you looking so downcast?”
• A neighborhood aunty asked as she walked by, Arielle didn’t have it in her to answer but she always priced herself to be polite especially to the elderly, so she turned and greeted her.
• “Good day ma,”
• “Good day, my dear, do you have a problem? Maybe I can help, is it boys issues?”
• She asked and Arielle wanted to laugh in her face, why would she assume it’s a boy-related issue? If her issues were anything boys-related then it won’t even be a problem in the first place.
• “No, ma, it’s not a boy-related problem, I lost my job and am having a hard time finding another one and I need a job so bad right now,”
• She lamented. It was really frustrating that even getting odd jobs were hard now, way harder than she had assumed, what more she was looking for a female boss, except she is lesbian, and there is no way she would want to get in her panties, hopefully, she finds one who is not, she seriously would hate to lose another job for the same fucked up reason as then wanting her body in exchange for the job.
• “Well, I think I can help you with that, my sister just opened a new club and is looking for new works, I might put out words for you if you want me to,”
• She said and Arielle suddenly became more interested in the conversation, maybe there was still hope after and she just mentioned a sister too.
• “I will love that please,”
• “That’s if you can work in a clubhouse, you know with how pretty you are, men would always crowd you, it will be a good asset for her but the question is can you cope with the stares and attractions?”
• She asked dimming Arielle’s joy, she knew there was always a downside and it was once again because of her looks, she was beginning to hate her pretty face, even more, it always got in the way, she has worked in a club once, just a couple of weeks and her experience had been bad, right now she wished there were other choices, but this was the closest to a job opportunity she has had since last week and she wasn’t about to let her face and body get in the way.
• “I know, I have worked in a club before, I know it won’t be easy but I will do my best if I get the job,”
• She said and the lady nodded.
• “Okay then, I will let my sister know and get back to you in the evening, you might be required to start immediately so be on guard,”
• She said and Arielle thanked her as she walked off, Arielle walked towards her house, she couldn’t say she was happy but at least she had hope for a new job, when she entered the house, as she had expected, it was empty, she didn’t mind and just went straight to her room to take a bath, she was hungry but she knew there won’t be anything to eat in the house, no point going to the kitchen for food, she lays on her bed and her tired body fell asleep.
• Later that evening Ma’am Nichole, the woman she had met earlier came to tell her she got the job, even though it wasn’t the kind of work she wanted, Arielle was still grateful, it was better than nothing and the pay was reasonable too, she was to resume work the next day so she spent the rest of the evening in her room, she was hungry but she knew if she eats with the morning she had, she won’t have anything to eat by morning, so she tied her stomach with a head tie and went to sleep, of course, it was an uncomfortable night due to his hungry she was but she was used to it, it wasn’t her first time anyway…