Chapter 4

She cried quietly, her body bound to a chair. She could sense her cousin’s presence nearby—guarding Erin like a prized hostage. They were terrified of her escaping because they planned to use her as payment for their debt to a feared Mafia. She couldn’t understand their logic. They knew mafias were heartless. Why would they borrow from them just to indulge their luxuries?

“We’ll make it look like you were kidnapped and killed. Fun, right? Then all your wealth will be ours. Who else would it go to? Only us—we’re the only ones who ever put up with you,” her cousin said, relishing every word as her parents carried out their cruel plan.

What else could Erin expect? They were family—blood—but as the tree, so the fruit. If their plan succeeded, Erin’s life would plunge into deeper misery. If they truly used her as payment, she would be even more powerless, trapped in a darker world, her chances of healing or escaping even slimmer.

While she pitied herself, her so-called family continued wasting her money on useless things. Erin often asked herself—why is money the most powerful thing in the world? Why not, love? That should be the true law—the universal one.

Love God above all. And with love for God comes love for one’s neighbor. Yet Erin lived in a world so cruel that, as a blind woman, her opinion held no place at all.

“Don’t you know my parents are thrilled to get rid of you? We can’t wait to spend your millions,” her cousin said, unaware that Erin had already told the family lawyer—if anything bad happened to her, not a single cent would go to them.

Instead, Erin would donate everything to chosen orphanages. From her family, she had received nothing but pain. She might be blind, but she wasn’t stupid. Yes, she was physically weak, but when it came to cunning, she was far smarter than them.

“Don’t you know you’ll never touch a single penny from my accounts?” she wanted to shout in her cousin’s face. The girl was grating on her nerves. From the start, her cousin had disliked her—they never got along because the girl was an entitled brat. Erin wanted to scream for help, but who would believe her? They’d only say she was being dramatic.

They called her a liar—even though she knew in her heart she’d never do such a thing. Why make the situation worse? That would be an even greater sin. So Erin stayed silent as her cousin boasted about how she’d spend her money. The more arrogant she was, the more obvious her lack of intelligence became.

Her cousin kept blabbering while Erin listened—until a commotion erupted downstairs. Erin’s throat went dry. She knew exactly what was about to happen, and it would decide her future. She prayed—she wanted to live, to see her future. She hoped the Mafia boss wasn’t as heartless as people said.

Rumor had it Some Mafia bosses in the Philippines were feared above all. She prayed she wouldn’t face one of them—otherwise, there would be no hope left.

“I want my money! Not anything else!” someone shouted angrily. Erin shivered. The voice was dangerous, and now she was one of the unlucky ones to hear it.

Right after, there were loud crashes downstairs—things breaking. She heard her cousin’s chair scrape against the floor, followed by a sharp gasp. Erin’s hands grew cold. If they were scared of the man below, then he was truly terrifying.

And she, as the “debt payment,” could expect something even worse.

“S-Sir, I don’t have the cash, but my niece does. You can take her and ask her for the money,” her uncle Armando pleaded.

Erin bit her lip. He really was going to hand her over.

“P-Please, Sir, it’s true—my husband’s niece has the money. She can pay you,” added his wife.

Erin wished she could close her eyes, but what good was it? She was already trapped in darkness, and they were dragging her deeper. Her tears fell again. Ever since losing her sight, she has cried often. She once thought eyes only existed to witness joy—but she’d been wrong. They were also a way for the world to see pain.

“Do you think I do human trafficking, you fools?!” The man’s voice grew louder.

Why did it sound so familiar? She was sure she’d heard it before, though she couldn’t recall when or where.

“S-Sir, even if you kill us, we can’t pay. My niece is rich—even though she’s blind. She’s good at housework too. You can make her your maid, Sir.” Her aunt’s husband had never treated her as family. Neither had Uncle Armando.

“She’s upstairs, Sir. You can get her now if you want.”

Erin hadn’t noticed her cousin had slipped out of the room—likely to be with her parents downstairs, egging on the man below.

“Boss, it looks like these people really have no way to pay. We didn’t find anything valuable in the house,” another voice said.

Of course, a Mafia boss wouldn’t come alone. Erin bowed her head. She was starving, her arms and legs were sore, and they hadn’t given her water or medicine. Silence fell downstairs, and the quiet terrified her even more. Then came gunshots, followed by screams.

She clamped her hands over her mouth, horrified by what she imagined had happened. She didn’t know how to put it into words. Whoever was downstairs was a powerful man. She doubted she could handle this—it was too much. She wanted to scream, but the moment she did, they would turn on her.

They knew she was here. And she was right—footsteps thundered up the stairs.

“Lord, whatever happens, please stay with me. Please, let me be at peace. Do not abandon me. Do not let my life be destroyed completely. I surrender my life to You,” she prayed.

The footsteps grew louder. Seconds later, Erin was flung into the wall—someone had kicked the chair, sending her crashing into it. She cried out in shock, groaning as pain seared her right side. She bit her lip when someone yanked her hair. Erin whimpered—she didn’t know who they were, but she felt five eyes on her. One of them had to be the boss. His presence alone made her bow her head and wish she could hide.

“Where’s the money your worthless relatives promised me?!”

Now she knew whose hands were gripping her hair. It was the same man she had helped yesterday. She recognized the voice instantly—it was the one that had made her heart beat faster.

Did he have no gratitude for what she’d done?

Impatient, the man grabbed her neck and began to choke her. “Answer me!”

Tears spilled down Erin’s face. Not everyone in the world knew how to repay kindness. Maybe some did—but clearly not here.

She shook her head. Why would she hand over her parents’ hard-earned fortune just to cover her uncle’s luxuries?

“S-Sir, I don’t know what my uncle told you, but I’m blind, and I have nothing valuable with me except my walking stick.”

It was true. The stick was precious to her—but she needed to lie, for her own sake. His grip on her throat tightened.

He was furious, and Erin had no choice but to be his victim.

“FUCK! THAT PIECE OF SHIT! HE TRICKED ME!” The man’s roar shook the room. Erin was sure she wouldn’t just be bruised—she’d have cuts too. And now that he knew he’d never get the money, she was certain he wouldn’t let her go.

She felt his burning eyes on her, filled with rage. His next words made her think she might as well hand him her inheritance.

“BRING HER! SHE WILL BE THE PAYMENT FOR THE FOOLS’ DEBT! SHE WILL BE TORTURED AND SCREAM EVERY SAINT’S NAME!”