Chapter 2 - Marry

Mr. Rossi had his brow quirk upon seeing Kirsten. She and her friend Sherry Hollander were the two employees in the entire restaurant who never once entered his office. 

All those five years she worked in his restaurant, she avoided his office like a plague. It was because all who entered his office were going to sell themselves. 

Mr. Rossi had this shady business going on at his restaurant but only a few people knew about it. Waiters in his restaurant weren’t just servers but they were prostitutes. Nevertheless, he didn’t force anyone to sell themselves. Only those who wanted easy money entered his office. Mr. Rossi was quite surprised to see Kirsten in his office. 

"Anything, you want to say?" Mr. Rossi spoke after they locked eyes without saying a word. 

"Umm," Kirsten swallowed a non - existing saliva, her bone dry throat aching.

"Spit it out, Ms. Lewis." His Italian accent pronounced as he spoke coldly. 

Kirsten took a step back, coldness enveloped her whole body as nervousness settled in. 

"Mr. Rossi, can you please lend me some money? My brother needs immediate surgery. I promise I will pay you," she spoke hurriedly, afraid that he would cut her off and would not listen to her. 

Mr. Rossi chuckled lightly. "How much do you need?" 

Kirsten's eyes grew wide, she couldn't believe that it was so easy to ask him for money. ‘So the rumor that their boss was a ruthless man was all baseless.’ Kirsten thought. 

"Two hundred fifty thousand dollars." Kirsten lowered her head, she was desperate but still shy. 

A roaring laughter like the waves of the ocean sounded, surprising and yet unnerved Kirsten.  

With his hand over his stomach he laughed hard as though there was no tomorrow and tears stained the corners of his eyes. 

Bewildered, Kirsten watched him silently until his laughter subsided. 

"I have no problem lending you that money but you can't pay me back, working here just as a server," Mr. Rossi said with a chuckle while drying the tears in the corners of his eyes. 

Knowing the meaning of Mr. Rossi, Kirsten's shoulders sagged as if all the weights of the entire world were put in her shoulders. She couldn’t sell her body just like the other waiters did.

“Mr Rossi, I promise. I will pay you and won’t run away from my obligation. Please, Mr Rossi, my brother needs an immediate surgery.” Kirsten pleaded desperately as she clasped both of her hands.

Kirsten knew she looked pathetic at the moment but she didn’t care. She had to change the man’s mind. 

“I don’t do charity. I’m a businessman.” Mr Rossi’s answer doused her like cold water successfully quenching all hope she had. 

Kirsten, listlessly made her exit from Mr. Rossi's office. As if fate was mocking her, she ran into Constance the moment she stepped out of Mr Rossi’s office. 

A deriding expression was etched on her face full of caking makeup. "I knew, one day you'll end up selling yourself like the rest of us." 

Of all the waiters, Kirsten is at the top of Constance's hate list. She hated her because she was beautiful and pure. She and her friend, Sherry were the only ones who had never dipped in the shady part of Mr Rossi’s business. 

Kirsten pursed her lips and refused to answer back. She didn't want to waste her energy to defend herself. 

"Now, move your lazy ass. Volumes of orders are flowing, you have to move quickly!" She screamed at Kirsten. 

Kirsten was shaken from her daze. Though Constance screamed at her she felt a little better as she wasn't fired by Constance. Her weary soul was instantly lifted up. 

With renewed energy, Kirsten scurried toward the kitchen to pick up the orders and served them to the diners. 

Unbeknownst to the two ladies, Matthew saw them and heard everything Constance had said to Kirsten. 

Despite the heaviness in her heart because of her worry about her brother, Kirsten did her job well. She had to as she couldn’t lose this job. She needed it. 

Finishing her work, Kirsten had changed from work uniform to her buggy clothes when her six year old phone made a cringy ring. She fished out the old phone from her pocket and lifted it to her ear after accepting the call. 

"Kirsten, can you ask your boss for a loan? My boss is in a tight situation now and can't loan the money we need for your brother's surgery, the doctor said your brother can’t wait any longer," Kirsten's mother's pleading tone broke her heart. 

She slumped on the bench next to her as hopelessness embraced her without letting go. 

"I will mom," Kirsten said with a suppressed sob. 

Kirsten knocked on Mr. Rossi's door again. An irritated voice rang inside. Kirsten opened the door and lowered her head as she saw a disheveled server in the room, seated on Mr Rossi’s lap. 

Mr. Rossi, waved his hand at the woman and she went out upon fixing her disarrayed apparel. 

"So," Mr. Rossi regarded Kirsten with a raised eyebrow and a glib smile on his lips. 

"I've made my decision," a tear slipped out of her eyes as sorrow flooded her heart. Never in a million years did she imagine that she would do it. She would become like the others who sold their bodies. 

"Good! You came at the right time." He turned toward the safe and took a paper bag filled with cash. "Here you go," He deposited the paper bag on top of the table with a thud. 

Kirsten picked the paper bag with trembling hands and her eyes almost popped up from the socket at the sight of the cash in the paper bag. 

"Sign this!" Mr. Rossi, pushed the file to her. 

Kirsten read the paper and signed them. It was a document acknowledging that she received her payment. 

Picking the pen with an unsteady hand, she signed the document. 

"You contact this person." Mr. Rossi placed the card in her hand. "Don't ever try to change your mind." His look carried a warning. A warning that could not be ignored. 

"I know," Kirsten replied with her eyes lowered, unable to meet Mr. Rossi’s terrifying look. 

With a paper bag full of money she left Mr Rossi’s office and went back to the crew room and put it inside her old bag. 

“I will be safe, no one will ever think that I have two hundred fifty thousand dollars in this old bag,” she muttered. 

Kirsten went straight to the hospital. 

"Where did you get this money?" Gillian, Kirsten's mother asked, she eyed Kirsten suspiciously. 

Kirsten let out an awkward chuckle. "Mom, didn't you tell me to ask my boss for a loan?" 

"Yes, yes, I know, but - " Gillian was interrupted by Kristen. 

"My boss is a sympathetic person, so when I mentioned our situation, he lent me this money." Kirsten felt awful for lying to her mom. She even uttered her lie without blinking her eyes nor stuttering.

After staying in the hospital for a while, Kirsten had bade goodbye to Gillian, reasoning that her boss gave her some errand to do. 

She couldn’t use her school as an excuse as the last day of their class was yesterday. And school break had started today. 

Morning came, Kirsten felt like a lamb going to be slaughtered as she made her way towards the office indicated in the card given by Mr. Rossi. 

"Ms. Lewis?" A man in his late forties called her name. 

"Y- yes," Kirsten replied, she stammered as she couldn't stop her lips from quivering. 

The man ushered her towards a room. Kirsten's hands began to sweat as she saw a man seated on his swivel chair. The thought of giving her prized first time to a man who was almost twice her age made her stomach churn. 

"Have a seat, Ms Lewis," he said, his face monotonous as his voice. 

"Mr. Tornwell, these are the documents you asked me for." Kirsten pushed the envelope towards the man who was sizing her up. 

"Here it is, read the contract." He handed a file to Kirsten. 

At once Kirsten read the contract she bolted up from her seat like she was electrocuted when she read the first clause. 

[Party A will be married to Party B for one year.]

Her heart was screaming, she’s going to be married to an old man. ‘No, this can’t be.’

"Anything, Ms. Lewis?" Mr. Tornwell said, his lips twitched unable to hold back his amused expression. 

"I thought it was only for a night?" She exclaimed, her face ashened as it paled greatly. 

"Five hundred thousand dollars is a huge amount for a night," he replied. "I suggest, read everything first." 

Mr Rossi sure made money from her. 

Kirsten read the contract twice just to make sure she hadn't misread anything. "When are you going to marry me?" 

Mr. Tornwell choked at her question and burst into laughter afterwards.