Chapter 2

It was raining cats and dogs.

I stood on the side of the road, calling one number after another.

"Sorry, the number you dialed is busy..."

"Jennifer? You've got some nerve calling me."

"Borrow money? Seriously? Who in their right mind would touch your family's disaster?"

Either no one answered, or if they did, all I got was a fresh round of humiliation.

All those people who used to flock around me were now scrambling to avoid me like the plague.

I made my way back to my shabby apartment.

The hallway was pitch black. The lights had been broken for ages.

The reek of paint hit me before I reached my door.

I shone my phone at the keyhole: jammed with glue. The wall was drenched in glaring red, four words screaming at me: [PAY YOUR DEBTS.]

A group of men emerged from the darkness. "Well, look who's finally back," one of them sneered.

They were loan sharks.

I tried to run, but my hair was yanked back.

"You filthy bitch, think you can run? Go on, try hiding again!" one of the men spat.

I was thrown against the wall, my head smashed into the railing. Blood poured down, covering my eyes.

I pleaded, "Please, just give me two more days. I swear I'll pay you back."

"Two more days? My ass!" one of the men spat.

Someone slammed his boot down on the back of my hand.

The photo I had been holding close slipped from my arms and fell to the floor.

It was a picture of my mom in a long dress, her smile bright and full of life.

The man glanced at it, smirked, and stubbed his cigarette dead center on her face.

A black hole burned through, erasing her smile.

"No!" I screamed.

I scrambled desperately to snatch the photo back, but one of the men kicked me hard in the gut.

I doubled over, gasping in pain.

I watched helplessly as the photo got trampled in the mud, so messed up I couldn't even tell what it used to look like anymore.

One of the men crouched down and mockingly tapped my face.

"I'll give you one more day," he sneered. "If I don't see the cash tomorrow, you're getting sold off to Khmara."

They left, and I was all alone in the pitch-black hallway.

A sudden flash of light hit me right in the face.

I squinted, blinking against the glare.

There was a Maybach parked downstairs.

It was Joe's car.

I stumbled and crawled my way down the stairs.

I didn't care about the blood on my head or the mud smeared all over me. I hurled myself at the car window, pounding on the glass with everything I had.

I cried out, "Joe, please, save me.

"I'm begging you. Whatever you want, I'll do it. Just help me out. Give me the money to save my mom."

The window rolled down slowly. Not Joe. Just Wiona Thomas's face, perfectly made up, looking like she owned the world.

That massive diamond around her neck caught the streetlight, blinding.

Joe was right next to her, fussing over her hair like she was his whole world. The way he doted on her made him feel like a total stranger to me.

When he heard me, Joe turned around, and all that softness on his face disappeared in a heartbeat.

Wiona put on her best fake surprise, covering her mouth. "Wow, who do we have here?

"Isn't this Jennifer? You look like you belong on the streets."

The smugness in her eyes was practically bursting out.

Five years ago, she was the maid's daughter. I was the princess of this house. Now she sat in my seat, flashing the diamond my fiancé had given her.

Joe frowned, pulled out a wet wipe, and wiped the spot on the window where I'd just touched. "So dirty."

I was in the pouring rain, flattened against the car door, clawing desperately, my nails nearly tearing off.

I said, "Joe, please, for old times' sake..."

Joe scoffed, "Old time?

"Jennifer, you really dare bring up the old time?

"Did you ever think you'd end up like this when you ditched me for money?"

He got it all wrong. But what was the use of trying to explain now? Joe wouldn't believe me, not in a million years.

I begged, "Joe, I messed up. I really messed up."

I kept driving my forehead into the mud, the dull thuds swallowed by the rain.

I pleaded, "Just give me the money, I'll do anything. Even be your dog."

Joe didn't let me in the car. He pulled a room key from his wallet and hurled it at my face.

The card cut my cheek, sharp and cold.

Joe said coldly, "Wiona's celebration is tonight at the Imperial Club.

"Since you said you'd do anything, come and entertain us.

"If you put on a good show, maybe I'll toss you a bone."

The window rolled up, and the Maybach sped off, blowing exhaust right in my face.

I gripped the room key, Joe's lingering warmth still on it, my nails biting deep into my palm.

I went to the hospital, took off the last necklace I owned, and pressed it into the head nurse's hands.

I begged, "Please, don't stop my mom's meds. I'll get the money soon, I swear, just a little more time."

The head nurse sighed. Seeing the blood all over my head, she didn't have the heart to push me away.

I pressed my forehead to the ICU glass. My mom was on the other side, hooked to a ventilator, so gaunt I barely recognized her.

"Mom, wait for me," I whispered. The glass was cold against my skin. I cried without sound. "Even if it costs my life, I'll save you."