Chapter 4

“Maria J! Maria J!!! Open the damn door!”

The loud bang woke Anna and I up and a deep frown appeared on my face. My head was aching so badly and my throat sour. I tried to relax a bit to calm myself before going to get the door, but the loud bang wasn't helping, so I got up, throwing the blanket off me to get the door.

“What took you so long?!?” Uncle Jimmy yelled as he walked into my room, hitting the door on the wall.

He wasn't alone, he was here with his entire squad, the Gregory's. Aunty Claire, Melissa and Melinda, the horrible twins.

“Good morning uncle, Good morning Aunty,” both Anna and I greeted, but Aunty spat,

“Keep those greetings to yourself!”

I didn't know what uncle was searching for, but he kept looking through our things in the room, scattering the place in the process.

“What's wrong, uncle?” I asked with a frown, and Melissa clicked her tongue with her hands folded under her breasts.

“I saw you last night coming down from a car! You went out with some rich old man, right?” Melinda asked, pointing at me.

I gulped, she saw me. I wasn't careful enough. I didn't even know when we got home, I would have suggested for him to drop me two blocks away.

“Found it!” I heard Uncle yelled and my eyes snapped from Melinda to Uncle Jimmy, who was holding the bundle of money I had worked for last night.

“Don't!” I tried to go to him but was held back by both Melinda and Melissa.

“That's mine!” I yelled. Aunty Claire came to me and landed me a dirty slap that caused Anna to gasp. I struggled out of the two girl's hold but couldn't break free. Uncle Jimmy chuckled,

“Of course. And that's how you repay us for taking care of you and your younger sister. By hiding things from us!” He tsked, shaking his head at me.

My jaw clenched, that was the money Anna and I were supposed to use to leave this place for good! That’s mine!

“Let me guess, the rich man who you sold your body to last night, gave this to you, right?” Aunty asked as she took the money from Uncle Jimmy and began to count it.

Anger shot up in my bones, I didn't sell my body. If there was anyone who sold their body to men in here, it was Melinda! I had seen her countless times in the club with different men but had kept quiet because she had never once recognized me, but I do recognize her very well.

“This is a good amount,” Aunty Claire mused after counting the money,

“At least, you didn't sell yourself for a cheap price like your mother,”

I was about to reply her, still struggling out of the hold of Melinda and Melissa, when Uncle Jimmy ordered,

“Go get dressed and come out. There's someone here to see you,”

Huh?

Melinda and Melissa were quick to let me go as they chuckled, making their way out of our room. This cannot be good. Aunty Claire left the room laughing with her two daughters behind her.

My money…

My eyes swell with tears, I wouldn't have brought the money home. Maybe, I would have let Boss hold it, or Henry.

“Are you okay?” Anna asked from behind, and I quickly wiped my tears before turning to face her.

“Yes, honey,” I smiled. Her hand moved to caress my neck before she said,

“You're not,”

The man who choked me last night must have left a bruise on my neck. I let out a small chuckle as I walked over to where the mirror stood to look at myself,

“It's nothing,” I waved it off, and she asked a question that caused my heart to drop into my stomach,

“What they said about selling your body, is it true?” She asked with her eyes searching mine.

“Of course not, Anna. They'll always say things that would make us look bad,”

“But… how… how then did you get that money?”

I know uncle asked me to dress up quickly and come down, but I wasn't going to leave Anna doubting me. I walked with her to the bed and made her sit on it as I began to explain,

“I've been saving that money for quite some time now. I wanted us to leave here when the money was enough. We were supposed to leave today, that was why I had to go bring it home last night,”

“And the car that dropped you last night?” She asked. I moved the strand of her hair behind her ear as I replied,

“He is the one helping me hold all the money I had been saving. I didn't want to save it at home because of… you know…” my chin gesturing to the door. It wasn’t fully the truth but it was entirely a lie either.

Anna sighed then fell on the bed,

“What do we do now? They've taken the money,”

I closed my eyes, the pain hit me hard as I wondered why my mother had such a horrible family.

“I don't know, dear,”

Anna's eyes widened and she quickly sat up,

“You always know. How can you not know today?” She asked. This broke my heart because last night, I had slept with the thought of leaving this hell today with Anna. And now, there are only two ways out of this, either to fight back or search for another money.

“I'll think of something. I'll make sure I get my money back!” I replied quickly when I heard Uncle Jimmy call my name from the living room. I rushed into the bathroom to take my bath quickly, dressed up, and made my way out of the room, warning Anna not to step out.

“Uncle,” I appeared from the passage. He was seated speaking with an old man who looked rather familiar.

“She is as you said she is, a very beautiful girl,” the old man said, and I squinted my eyes at him. When I looked at the two men behind him, I gasped. They were also part of the men who were chasing me last night.

What were they doing here?

“Yes, I told you I have beautiful daughters,” Aunty said and I arched my brows. Melinda and Melissa were standing beside her.

Aunty had never addressed me as her daughter before. What were they planning?

“What's going on?” I was forced to ask when I noticed that nobody was ready to explain things to me. Uncle Jimmy turned to me with a wide smile,

“Maria J, meet your husband,”

“Husband?” I asked with squinted eyes. And Aunty Claire replied,

“Husband isn't the word, honey. Mr. Smith is a married man. A mistress, that's the word. Maria J, meet your new master,”