Chloe twisted her lips in an ironic smile as the student gave her a kick in the stomach. Even though everything was hurting her, she didn't show from herself that she was in pain. She would rather not give them the satisfaction and wasn't going to give up so easily.
She was a girl who had endured pain from a young age and had become immune to it. Furthermore, she was able to endure it without shedding a tear.
Laughing under her breath, she wiped the blood from her mouth with the willow of her hand and raised her gaze, looking at the perpetrators with hostility in her eyes.
- You can bludgeon me to death, and you won't see even a hint of suffering on my face. I am indifferent to whether you break my arms and legs, you can even tear out my entrails.... Do what you have to do.
- She's nuts," replied one of the girls, crooked at the sight of the blonde's injured body. With such injuries, she should be in terrible pain, but she did not show from herself that she was in pain.
What was wrong with her?
The brunette looked to the side when she spotted someone's silhouette. A man was walking towards them with an uncertain step, noticing that something was wrong.
- Girls, someone is coming. Let's run away! - said the brunette in a panicked voice, rushing her friends, however, the leader did not move. She crossed her arms on her chest and disregarded her friends, who ran away like cowards. Only one of them remained - her best friend.
- Do you think you're doing the right thing? What will we do if she calls the police? - She asked nervously.
- Are you afraid of somebody? I'll take care of it," announced the student, watching the young man who approached them and looked at the injured blonde with panic in his eyes.
- What have you done to her! - He raised his voice and immediately crouched down beside her, frantically touching her wounded face. Chloe squirmed, not because it hurt her, but because she was not happy that the rich lord was going to play her knight.
- You were still missing here," she burbled under her breath.
- I remember you. A while ago we had fun at the same party," the student spoke up, mirroring him with her eyes.
Just then, James could not stand it. He walked up to the girl and grabbed her by the collar of her jacket. He could no longer remember the last time he had been so angry. There were sparks of anger shining in his eyes, and he completely failed to resemble the gentlemanly man he was every day. Currently, he looked more like his teenage reflection than the director of one of the country's top companies.
- I'd love to do the same to you! - he shouted in her face and threw a frustrated look at the girl, who was hiding behind her friend's back. She looked at him with an apologetic gaze, feeling ashamed. Never before had she felt as awful as she did at a given moment because this man had helped her at a house party when she hurt herself. - You will suffer the consequences. I'll see to it," he threatened them and let go of the student, who glared at him with sharp eyes.
- You can't do shit to me," she replied boldly, smoothing the collar of her jacket.
- Do you think so? Perfect. Live from day to day expecting a rematch because I don't let go when I pick on someone," he announced.
He approached the blonde, and the student pointed a finger at him.
- You are the one who will regret threatening me. I'm not afraid of you at all! - she yelled, and together with her friend ran toward the main street.
James looked at the blonde, and sympathy appeared in his eyes. She looked bad. She must have been in pain, but she was tough and wasn't going to show anyone that she needed help.
Looking at her in this state, instantly, it brought back bad memories of when she had suffered as a child as she did at the moment. Except that now, she was able to fight the pain. She wasn't giving up.
- You were supposed to make good use of this talisman," he whispered, which did not escape the girl. Although she was semi-conscious, her hearing did not fail her. - It's time for me to take you to the hospital," he said, trying to lift her off the ground.
- No hospitals. I can't afford to pay for treatment," she said weakly. She felt worse and worse, and got the impression that her head hurt so much that it would explode shortly. With every movement, this pain intensified.
- You are frivolous if you think I will leave you in this state. Your injuries look serious, and you need a doctor's care.
She wanted to push him away, but a sharp pain pierced her, so she let go. James helped her up and, supporting her at the waist, led her toward the main street. He needed to find a cab and get her to the hospital as soon as possible.
*
She opened her eyes and carefully looked around the interior. The first thing that caught her attention was the hospital curtains.
Writhing in pain as her body was bruised, she raised herself to a sitting position and leaned her back against the pillow. Although she was semi-conscious, she remembered well that the rich master had taken her to the hospital by force, even though she protested. He did it against her will, and she felt like kicking him decently for it.
The doctor looked in on her and, seeing that she was awake, approached the bed she was lying on.
- I must admit that when you got here, you looked terrifying. A bruised body, wounds on your face....
- Since I'm fine, I don't need any examination. I'm as hard as a rock, so I'll survive," she replied in an unfriendly tone. - Besides, I don't know where I'll get the money to pay for the hospital.
The doctor smiled because, as this girl's guardian had warned him, she was indeed unkind to people.
- Don't worry about the fees because your guardian has already paid the whole thing.
- What guardian? In life, I am alone like an isolated penguin in Antarctica," she snorted under her breath.
- I assure you that the guardian has taken care of all the formalities. Please lie here and rest, and this nice man will probably see you soon.
The doctor left her alone, and Chloe crossed her arms and waited with a frowning face for the rich gentleman to appear. He was the first person she thought of, since he was the one who drove her to the hospital. There was no other person who could pay for her hospital stay.
Where would she get the money to pay him back, since she had very little savings left, and she had to live off something.
She hated having debts.
Her face expressed rage in its worst form when he finally graced her with his presence. Holding a coffee in his hand, he looked at her with concern in his eyes.
- Do you feel better?
- I'll feel better when I finish the task from our first meeting and pull out all your hair," she declared.
- That's a rather different way to say thank you, but I've grown accustomed to your original personality.
- Why did you take me to the hospital? I hate it when someone doesn't listen to me and does things my way. I told you I have no money," she replied with frustration in her voice.
- I know your situation; however, it is not money that is most important, but health. I couldn't leave you in this state. You needed the care of a doctor.
- An ass, not a doctor," she groused under her breath.
James hid a smile by putting his hand to his mouth, then he grunted.
- I have a feeling that half the city hates you. Admit how many enemies you have.
- You shouldn't care," she said abruptly, then added, recalling his earlier words. - How do you know what kind of situation I'm in?
- When you were drunk, you admitted that you would soon be homeless. - She gave him an investigative look, but said nothing. - What will you do once you are left without a home and a livelihood? I know it's difficult to get a job these days, but do you have any ideas about the future?
- What do you care? Don't worry about money because somehow I will pay you back for the hospital.
- Did I tell you that I expect to be repaid? You don't have to give me anything back. This is about your health," he replied, sitting down in a chair. He took a sip of coffee from a cup, and the blonde followed his movements carefully.
- You are a stranger to me, and I am not going to accept money from you. I hate being in debt, so I will pay you back somehow.
- I repeat that I will not accept this money from you. You have a difficult enough situation and let's just forget about it.
- If you mention my situation again, what, I will take this mug away from you and splash hot coffee in your face! - She raised her voice, then added more gently. - I'll repay your stay in the hospital, regardless of what way.
James lifted his gaze from the mug and looked at the angry face of the young girl.
- Since you are so stubborn, and I can see that you are not going to let go with the repayment, then I have an idea. - Chloe squinted her eyes, wondering what he meant. - You can pay me back by using your body to do it.
At first, she opened her eyes wide and felt like punching him decently in the face, but seeing his confused face, she realized that this was not what he meant.
- Don't misunderstand me," he defended himself as she fled from him with her eyes. - I meant that you can do work for me.
He got her interested. She wanted to know what he was implying more precisely.
- What kind of work?
- This proposal could benefit you in three ways. You would pay off the debt for the hospital, you would have extra money for yourself, and you would have a roof over your head.
- Get to the point," she said nervously, hoping it was a good offer, especially since she couldn't find a job, would soon lose her apartment and livelihood, and didn't want to live on the street.
- I am a busy man, there is no female hand in the house to take care of its order. I usually don't have time to do anything in it, so you could take care of my apartment, and I would provide you with a place to sleep and a paycheck.
At first, she thought he was joking, but his facial expression suggested that he was completely serious.
How long did he think about it?
- You want me to be your housekeeper? - She asked, and a smile appeared on her face. Suddenly, she laughed and started pounding the bed with her hands, as if someone had told her the funniest joke in the world.
- I only proposed this to you. I'd like to help you, and you should think about it carefully," he announced.
- Are you taking pity on me at the moment? - The smile disappeared from her face when she realized that the rich master was obviously feeling sorry for her.
- I just want to help you, so think about it carefully. Not everyone would get such a chance from me.
- Oh yeah? So I'm supposed to feel honored that you just offered me this? - She raised her voice, mirroring him with her eyes.
- No. I just want you to finally be happy and leave all your problems behind," he replied, getting up from his chair.
Before he left, he heard a question from her:
- Why are you so good to me? All the people around me hate me, and you are still trying to be nice from the first meeting. Why?
- Because others see you as the person you pretend to be at all costs, while I discovered the real personality in you.
With this answer, he surprised her. He left, leaving her with a cloudy head. What should she do? He had already helped her twice, but could she really trust him?
*
Chris burst into raucous laughter as Isabelle took to the fitting room in a dress that was too small and forcefully tried to squeeze herself into it to optically slim down. It wouldn't have been so funny if it weren't for the fact that she forcefully made him slide the zipper, which couldn't stand it and ripped.
The girl felt like killing Chris for making fun of her because she had never felt such shame as she did at that moment. This situation made her feel like collapsing to the ground.
- Laugh at the fact that I am fat. Wonderful," she replied, offended, still hearing giggling from behind the wall. - I have grazed like a pig and need an immediate diet — a miracle. Before, this size was loose on me, and now the dresses are bursting at the seams. I will cry.
- Before, you were a teenager. Now you are a woman of beautiful shape.
- And that's why you make fun of me, moron?
- I'm not laughing at your weight because I think you look perfect, but at your obstinacy to squeeze into a size that is meant for young girls at all costs.
His words brought a slight smile to Isabelle's face. She looked at herself in the mirror, but the smile automatically left her face when she realized that she had too many inches in some places.
What if James doesn't pay attention to me because he likes slimmer women, she thought and started stomping her feet like a hysterical child.
- I'm fat and need a diet! My body looks like that of a piglet! - she pronounced with tears in her voice.
- I would sooner say head," Chris said quietly, but this did not escape the girl.
- You're right! My face also sucks. I require plastic surgery. - Crying turned into deep despair, Chris put his hand to his face, wondering if women were accidentally too obsessed with their appearance.
However, not all of them were like that...
*
After leaving the hospital, she thought long and hard about the director's proposal. She repeatedly rejected his offer, until she finally decided to put her pride aside when she remembered the terrible situation she was in.
She had no job, her livelihood was running out, and soon she would have to move out of her apartment because she had nothing with which to pay the next month's rent.
She would rather not waste her life, she wanted to finally move on, and when she found some favorable work, then she would go from there.
Furthermore, she stood in front of the company where he was a director and took a deep breath. She was brave and not afraid of anything, but she felt a slight apprehension when she thought about it: what would his reaction be when she announced to him that she agreed?
This is my only chance, she thought as she walked through the main door.
She carefully looked around the lobby, noticing that people dressed in smart clothes were wondering what such a girl was doing in the company, especially since the wounds on her face still hadn't healed.
For a moment, she felt like a stranger.
However, she was not one to be bothered by the stares of others and boldly moved ahead, ignoring the nosy people.
She approached the information desk, where she inquired about contacting the director. She gave the woman his name, and the woman asked her to wait because she had to make a phone call.
James had left her a business card at the hospital, which she only discovered the day she was discharged from the public facility.
The woman hung up the phone and explained the way to the blonde.
Standing in front of the door to his office, she bit her lip, then went inside. The young man was sitting at his desk, and at the sight of her he smiled serenely, as if he knew perfectly well that she would come after all, as if he were sure she would definitely agree.