For His Heart, I Stole A Monster

Mira Parker

Oh God…

I squeezed the hospital paper in my hand, and leaned against the wall with my eyes shut. Tears slide down.

“Miss Mira, we have also tried our best. Right now, you need to deposit money for his surgery…. We can’t afford to lose him. You can’t.”

$700k?

I inhaled sharply. Where do I get this kind of amount from?

My part time work at the cafe in the morning and my strip work here at the club couldn’t even cover up groceries and now…. they’re demanding $700k for my son’s surgery… Theo.

My heart broke at the fear of losing him. He looked so pale in the hospital this morning that I saw him. His heart is deteriorating so fast but what do I do?

I don’t have such an amount.

And he’s all that I—

“Scarlett!”

I instantly leaned off from the wall

“Go get your ass on that stage!”

I sighed at Chloe’s authoritative voice in the background. She runs here.

In as much as I don’t have any strength again tonight. The news was waging hard on me but I know I have to get that penny as I tried to figure out how to get that money because losing Theo is more like losing my reason for breathing.

So I blinked back my tears and stared at the mirror.

I looked damn beautiful.

With a silver gown that barely covered my butt.

A black leather heel

And a red lip stick stain on my lips.

Scarlett……

That’s who I am here every night, and not Mira Parker.

and not also the panic crying woman every morning.

Releasing out a breath. I turned and started heading out from the locker room. Almost closer to the door, I tossed the squeezed paper into the dust bin by the door side and walked out.

Immediately I stepped my foot to the hallway, the loud music blasted all over the place. I could hear laughter…. Screams and giggling.

As usual.

I bite my lips to stay calm. Mine is to get on that stage then get my money and go stay with Theo at the hospital. That’s all. I took the next turn and was about to take a step when I heard a murmuring…. more like gossip from three other strippers at the corner.

“Haven’t you all heard the news?”

Which news?

My steps slowed quietly.

Here news flies around every day but having your ears at the ground is the best. Because being tough and smart was the only thing that could save you. Nobody cares or is willing to save you.

“There are talks that this strip house has been bought by the devil of Sicily… Alessandro Caruso.”

The girls gasped

And I felt a sharp chills crawled down my skin, stopping me on my steps instantly.

Alessandro Caruso?

This is not the first time hearing his name. I have seen him a couple of times in the news and from the rumors, he’s the devil himself. The worst man to cross paths with.

He bought here?

But this place is just a local strip house, nothing fancy to grab his attention.

I was still thinking when I heard someone cleared her throat. And when I looked back, my eyes locked with that of those girls. They were glaring at me… guess they found out I was eavesdropping. I let out a light cough and fastened my pace. Striding out from there.

“A lot of bad news all for today.” I murmured and took the next hallway.

Theo flashed again in my head…

“Mummy!!! Mummy!!”

I sucked in a sharp breath as his cheerful voices echoed in my head then followed by his sad panicking voice this morning.

“Mummy. When will my heart stop hurting?”

I staggered. Scream almost tearing out from my chest. I clenched my fists, breathing heavily as silent tears fell freely from my eyes.

I have lied. Lied and lied to him but this time I don’t know what else to say. I never expected it could get this serious and now… his question has been hunting me since this morning.

I wanted to scream out

But people were passing by and somehow they started staring so I quickly sniffed and dashed to the next available corridor that I saw. Seeing nobody on sight…. I leaned on the wall, crying hard.

And suddenly I heard it.

“$500k?”

My body froze

as if something just smacked my head.

“What was that?” My wide confused eyes roamed around the place. And that’s when I noticed I was in the VIP hallway.

Then silence.

Before another male voice echoed again in the hallway.

“Cash. Transfer is risky.”

My grip tightened around the tiny silver gown I was putting on. And judging from the voices, they were coming out from one particular room there.

Curiously, I started heading there.

My instinct was screaming at me to turn and get the fuck away from here

But my legs seems to have a mind of their own right now.

BAM!!!

I flinched at the sound of a heavy bag dropped to the table.

“Of course… Here is the cash. The boss specifically suggested this and he wants a very clean and smooth job. No excuses.”

I paused. The door wasn’t fully closed. It’s slightly open so you could see the people there. I leaned forward… my heart drumming faster as I peeped inside.

In there were… I could clearly see seven men dressed in a black suit. Just the sight of them had my heart skipped twice… they seemed dangerous. But that amount had my legs glued to the floor.

“So is this the complete money? Five hundred thousand dollars?” Another man spoke and the previous man smirked and bent, unzipping the bag.

And the stack of cash came into view, causing my eyes to snap wide open.

The first thing flying into my head was Theo then the doctor’s words again from this morning.

“Miss Mira, we have also tried our best. Right now, you need to deposit money for his surgery…. We can’t afford to lose him. You can’t.”

$500k?

It might not be all but it could at least go a long way.

It could start up Theo’s medical treatment and give me enough chance of saving my son. And having him alive.

“No. No Mira. Don’t think like this.” I shook my head. “You need to get the fuck out from here.” I muttered but my legs seemed glued.

Damnit!!!

I cursed but the more I stared at that bag…the more the temptation grew bigger

And different scenarios of having Theo beside me kept popping in.

I know this is wrong but I need to save my son.

Even if it took me ten years, I doubt I would be able to gather such an amount of money or even touch it.

Could this be God’s way of wanting to help me?

I swallowed and looked back at the men, wondering what job exactly is the man doing to be paid such an amount like that.

No matter how much I think, it doesn’t add.

My heart was beating very fast

And just then Theo’s pale face crawled back into my head.. those hunting words slipped in again then I felt something tightened in my chest.

I looked at the bag again, feeling some crazy ideas crawling in.

I closed my tears and heaved out a deep sigh… tears blurring my vision.

But when I opened them, my decision had been made.

So I turned and started heading to the service station.

Every step I took, carried me closer to the worst mistake of my life.

And somehow…..

I already knew there was no turning back.

Theo’s life comes first.