A DEAL MORE COLD THAN SNOW.

**CHAPTER 003**

The cab pulled up to the house I'd left nine months ago. The house where my mother had died. The house where I'd never really belonged.

I paid the driver with what little cash I had and got out, dragging my suitcase behind me.

I walked to the front door, my gown clinging to my body, water dripping down my back and forming puddles with each step.

This was it. My last option.

I knocked, the sound seeming too loud in the quiet night.

After a long moment—long enough that I started to think he wouldn't answer—the door opened.

My stepfather stood there in his expensive silk robe, a glass of whiskey in his hand. His eyes traveled over me, taking in my soaked, pathetic appearance, and his lip curled in disgust.

I opened my mouth but nothing came out at first. My throat was too tight.

"You... you..." those were the only words that managed to escape before he cut me short.

"I lied to you," he said, his voice cold and matter-of-fact. Then he chuckled—actually chuckled. "And I also heard you signed the divorce papers. Pathetic. Just like your mother."

The words hit me but I was too numb to really feel them anymore. Too broken.

"You're weak," he continued, taking a sip of his whiskey. "Useless. Your mother was weak too. She left me years ago because she couldn't handle real life." His eyes were cruel as they looked down at me. "You're just like her. I hate weakness, Rosa, and that's the very reason why I hate you."

"Please—" I tried to beg, but he cut me short again.

"You were always meant to suffer, Rosa, you were always meant to be weak. That's your purpose in this world, and that's why I prefer Isolde over you cause she isn't weak she has ambitions and dreams while you wasted your life. And now you don't have a roof over your head in my house anymore."

Something inside me broke at those words.

My legs gave out beneath me. I dropped to my knees on the wet porch, the cold concrete biting into my skin. My hands clasped together in front of me, begging, pleading.

All my pride was gone. Stripped away.

"Please," I begged, sobbing openly. "Please don't do this. I've already lost everything. My husband, my home, everything. I have nowhere to go. Please.", I couldn't fight back..that would be stupid in this situation..I had no roof over my head so all I could do was beg.

He stared down at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable.

"Fine," he finally said. smirking with folded arms"You want to stay in my house? I'll let you. But not for free."

A flicker of hope sparked in my chest—desperate, fragile, maybe he wanted to be nice for once I thought.

I looked up at him through my tears. "What do you want? I'll work, I'll clean, I'll cook, I'll do the laundry, I'll...."

"You'll please me tonight," he said, smirking down at me, lust evident in his eyes. "Just like your mother did weeks before she died."

The words hung in the air between us, my eyes widened in shock as the flicker of hope I had disappeared.

Everything inside me froze.

And I felt what was left of my heart shatter completely into a million irreparable pieces.

The man standing in front of me was a complete psycho, a monster wearing my stepfather's face.

And my life had just sunk even deeper into despair.

I had too options, spend the night with him or walk away...and I already knew what my decision would be.