Beloved Woman Beyond The Billionaire

"Confidence? Good. Prove you're worthy of being mine. Mine don't run when struck. Mine don't whimper when scalded. Prove it."

A pot of warm coffee cascaded down from the top of my head, dripping over my temples and soaking into the collar of my clothes as I knelt before my prospective master.

It was sticky, and the smell reeked all the way to the back of my throat.

My stomach churned.

The thick liquid...

"Yes, sir," I whispered. "I can assure you with absolute certainty that I deserve this. Even if my body and soul are at stake for my words, I will keep them as a promise."

I didn't scream.

I just stared at the marble floor, eyes glazed over.

Resigned.

I was just so damn tired of living in a world that wouldn't give me a single chance to breathe.

"Congratulations. You're now part of our team. Sign the contract below."

I turned my head when I heard a man's voice from the doorway.

"You can go," the man in front of me commanded, lighting a cigarette.

I took a breath, stood up with my head bowed, turned, and walked out.

Hours later, after the paperwork was finished, I received an ATM card. The password was my birthday.

I walked out, head held straight.

"Still a chance to get out of hell, even if I'm stepping into a new one," I muttered to myself, then turned and started walking alone, a long way toward the bus stop with the last of my money.

Almost everyone looked at me with disgust; some covered their noses, others even told me to go get changed, and a few looked at me with pity.

But I stayed silent.

I was already at the breaking point of living in this world.

The bus stopped in front of the Mall.

I got off without caring that people were staring and whispering about me.

I kept walking until I found Johan's car, my stepfather's, stopped right in front of the main entrance of the Mall.

My mother got out.

The one she was hugging was Eliana, my "perfect" stepsister.

I looked down, taking in my own appearance.

Dirty, disheveled, pathetic.

Mother forced me to take care of Eliana's house, she threatened me, but she chose to have fun with her stepdaughter instead.

I also saw Nolan. He kissed Eliana's forehead. It was a good thing I never actually slept with him. If I'd known he'd turn around and love Eliana instead, I never would have agreed to be his girlfriend.

I started walking straight.

"Daddy, I want ice cream," halfway there, I turned to the side.

A little girl was being carried in her father's arms.

Her chest pressed against his. His hand was tucked under her thigh.

His other hand protected her back.

"Let's go buy some. What flavor do you want?"

"Chocolate, Daddy... and matcha too... buy two."

I want chocolate too, I want matcha too, Dad.

But my father died a long time ago. It's been over a decade since I felt any kind of love from him.

"That's Wisa."

"Don't get too close."

"She's so pathetic. I heard her boyfriend married her sister."

"Just let her be, it's karma."

"I heard Wisa's mom stole Eliana's dad from her mom, until Eliana's mom died."

I kept walking toward the nearest ATM, and inserted the card.

$2,000,000.00 USD

Two million dollars. The money was real.

My eyes went wide, and I instinctively covered my mouth.

"Welcome to the Sergio world, Ms. Hawisa. You don't love your pretty face, do you? I'm sorry for your future, girl."

I heard the voice of the old man who gave me the card.

But, when I turned around,

Amon Nicholas Sergio was standing there, staring at me from beside his car.

His hands were in his pockets. His gaze was cold, his face handsome but flat.

He was waiting for me?

"Ms. Wisa... Ms. Wisa... Hey!"

My vision blurred.

I was completely exhausted, physically and mentally.

"Ms. Wisa, you start work today." That voice, the man who was going to be my boss. "Weren't you tough enough to pass the entrance exam earlier?"

Before I could answer, my vision went black. My body collapsed onto the cold mall floor. The last thing I felt was Amon's bodyguard grabbing me, and the sound of Eliana's voice screaming loudly to the crowd:

"Look! She's actually lost it! Maybe she's already working as a prostitute at some nightclub, passing out in the street like trash!"

I couldn't defend myself. As I was lifted into Amon's car, I could only hope that when I woke up, I wouldn't be the weak Wisa anymore.