"You really need to calm down. I can't have you falling sick just like mama" Hazel's mother snickered jokingly and kissed her forehead.
Hazel pouted as she didn't find the joke funny at all. She was worried sick of her mother. She coughed heavily and Hazel quickly got up and helped her off the bed.
"We should get you to your room. You need some rest." She stated as she wrapped her mother's arm around her neck to support her as she walked her out into the lobby.
On entering her mother's room, Hazel noticed her mother's medicines were left untouched since she got her new ones a few days ago.
"What? Why haven't you been taking your medicines?" She questioned, giving her mother a death stare while still holding on to her.
"I…I just forgot, dear" Her mother explained nervously as she giggled.
Hazel narrowed her eyes at her mother as though she didn't believe her, "Alright then if you say so. But you will be taking them right now"
Her mother nodded as she sat on the edge of her bed. Hazel handed her some tablets and a cup of water she poured from the jug on her bedside table.
Once she had taken the medications, Hazel tucked her into bed and planted a kiss on her forehead before turning and leaving her bedroom.
Immediately she closed her mother's door, she dashed back into her bedroom to call the number on the card. She searched her back pockets for the card but doesn't find it.
"What?"
She heard chewing and growling noises from behind her bed and to her surprise, the puppy was chewing on the card. It must have fallen out of her pocket when she helped her mother out.
"Asher no!" She nagged and stretched her hand behind the bed to pull the card out of the dog's mouth, "Bad dog,"
Asher simply turned on his tail and whimpered into the corner. She clicked her tongue in annoyance and cleaned the dog drool on the card.
When she dialled the number, a man's voice was heard on the other side. Sure enough, it was the sketchy man's voice.
"Hi, uhm…we met the other day in that dark alley? I'm the girl who had the dog.." Hazel introduced herself, trying as hard as she could to seem confident.
"Yes, I remember you. You're the shaky girl who thought I was gonna rob her." He chuckled mockingly, "Interested in the job I see?"
"Yes…I am.." She replied still hesitant to take this offer she knows nothing about, "How does it work?"
"We'll need to meet to talk. Can't discuss this over the phone." He stated, "make sure you come alone"
His statement sent shivers down her spine and her blood runs cold, "Alone…?" She gulped in fear.
"Relax I promise I'm not gonna hurt ya." He assured.
She sighed affirmatively and he hung up the phone. She plopped down on her bed in fear of what she was getting herself into. "But if it's for mom, I'll do whatever it takes," she thought to herself.
Her phone beeps and a notification comes in;
UNKNOWN: The same alleyway we met, I'll take you to my boss. 8 pm sharp. Don't be late.
There was no going back now, she had already made up her mind.
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That night, she put on blue shorts and a nude colour crop top, with a white converse to match. Glancing over at her bedside clock, she noticed it was 7:40, meaning she had 20 minutes to get to the assigned location.
Quietly sneaking out of her room, she glanced over at her mother's bedroom door before going down the stairs and out of her house.
Cycling would be faster so she took her bicycle and headed to the alleyway next to the pet store she had visited on that day.
When she got there, she hopped off her bicycle and slowly walked into the alley. "Hello?" She called out but got no reply. She picked up her phone to look at the time when someone covered her face with a bag and tied her hands behind her back before she could even react.
The person carried her on his shoulder and threw her in the back seat of a car. She screamed for help all to no avail and the car zoomed off so fast she hit her head hard on the door and went unconscious.
When she regained consciousness again, she was laying down on a couch. She slowly opened her eyes to see a man seated right beside her on the couch staring at her as though he had seen her somewhere before.
Startled she sat up so fast she got dizzy and fell back down on the couch. Opening her eyes again, she looked around her to see that she was in a huge office coated in a theme of maroon and black colours and a large desk with papers scattered everywhere.
She quickly looked back at the man. His dark brown eyes glowed with elegance and his strong, masculine cologne kissed her face.
"W-Who are you…?" Hazel questioned, sitting up and moving back slowly, "And how did I get here?"
"She's young, Jordan. Where on earth did you find her?" A furious Malcolm questioned as he got up from the couch next to her and walked over to a man in black. Hazel recognized him. It was the sketchy man.
"You! You kidnapped me!" Hazel yelled as she got up and walked up to the sketchy man, pointing her index finger at him. "How dare yo-"
"Were you not taught to not interrupt when your elders are talking?" Malcolm nagged raising an eyebrow at her as he walked up to her.
Hazel swallowed the lump the felt in her throat as she looked up at Malcolm. His beast-like physique towered over her petite body. "I-I'll have you know that I am a certified adult" She corrected sternly while still frozen in her position.
Malcolm ignored her and walked back to the man who had brought her. "I may be in an illegal business, but a child? You should have done better, Jordan"
"I'm sorry, boss. But she seemed pretty old to me" The sketchy man replied, his gaze on the ground all through.
"Old!? I am 22 years old! An adult but certainly not old!" Hazel snapped from a little distance.
Malcolm softly rubbed his temples before walking over to Hazel again and pulling her by her hand to sit on the couch again.
"I said be quiet. Defy my orders again and you will live to regret it" He threatened leaning down to her level, his minty fresh breath kissing her face as he did.
He walked over to the huge desk in the middle of the office and sat on a huge chair that appeared to be his and clenched his fist on the table.
"You say you're 22 years old?" He asked, giving her a cold stare.
Hazel slowly nodded in agreement.
"Has Jordan at least given you the rundown on what you will be doing for us?"
She shook her head in disagreement.
He facepalmed himself and Jordan broke into sweats. Malcolm waved his hand as though motioning for him to leave his office. Jordan bowed his head and quickly walked out.
"This is an illegal drug chain. And I own it. Now customers don't believe in my men when they advertise my goods. Which is why I wish to add females to the business to see how well they'd do in bringing in good customers" Malcolm explained.
"What!? So…I'll be trafficking drugs for you!?" Hazel questioned in disbelief.
"If you have a problem with it, I can ask to take you back to where you came from the same way you got here" He stated resting his chin on his hand.
Hazel thought about the amount of money she'd be making and calmed down, "What do I have to do…?"
"Excellent. I'm a very busy man but I insisted on addressing you myself seeing as you're the second female I have recruited so far." He explained, not releasing his face from the cold stare he bore,
"You will be visiting a nightclub for your first job. Our signature colour here is black so you need to ditch that outfit you're wearing. I'll arrange for an outfit for you." He stated as he stated at her from head to toe.
"What..tonight? Already?" She questioned confused as it was already late and she needed to get back home. And attend classes the next afternoon.
The form for school leave hadn't been issued yet so she had to keep attending her classes till then.
Malcolm raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what gave her the nerve to question him in his own office.
Hazel's cheeks turn bright red and she wondered why such a handsome man would be so strict.
He arranged for a pair of black pants and a T-shirt with black sneakers to match. "You'll be wearing clothes like these so keep that in mind"
"What about my pay?" Hazel asked.
"I have the money but I'm not the accountant. Communicate that with Jordan." He ordered. Malcolm clicked a button connected to a telecom and asked for someone to be sent in.
A gorgeous-looking woman in a black silky dress that hugged her features walked in and Malcolm motioned in Hazel's direction. The woman's eyes met hers and a glare appeared on her face.
She didn't seem at all pleased to be burdened with taking care of Hazel, but from the looks of it, she didn't have a choice.
"This is Dove. The first female I hired here. She'll be teaching you everything you need to know about today's job" Malcolm explained, getting up from his chair and taking off his suit jacket revealing the inner shirt that complimented his physique even more.
Hazel caught Dove staring and drooling over the sight and she couldn't blame her. Malcolm was a hunk!
As they walked out of the office, Malcolm stole a glance at Hazel. He could have sworn he had seen her somewhere before. She looked so familiar.
Hazel on the other hand didn't seem to recognize him.
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