CHAPTER 8Rose went out in strange and embarrassing attire. But she didn't care at all. The streets were already crowded with people that morning. They started to pay attention to Rose from head to toe. Seeing the red dress she was carrying, the high-heeled shoes Rose wore, the messy makeup, and the improper loose clothing clinging to her body, anyone could guess that the woman had just spent the night at a man's house. Whether it was her boyfriend or a customer who paid her for the night.The neatly dressed women who were heading to the office looked at her disdainfully and whispered to each other to mock her. Meanwhile, the men who could still see the traces of Rose's innocent and sexy beauty whistled flirtatiously, hoping the girl would pause for a moment to indulge in their temptations. And of course, Rose didn't do that. She just focused on walking to the bus stop and quickly returned home."What kind of offer was that damn guy talking about?" Rose complained upon arriving home.
Chapter 9Upon hearing her daughter's words, Jasmine felt even more distressed instead of being calm. She truly felt useless and believed that she was a burden to her daughter, like a parasite clinging to her. Jasmine also felt that she might be a hindrance rather than a supportive mother to Rose and her future. Her mind felt chaotic, and suddenly, she felt a sense of guilt filling her chest.Regrets from the past came rushing in, making Jasmine even more agitated. If only she hadn't married Elliot and focused on supporting Rose and saving money for her daughter's education, up until college, instead of being swayed by her husband's sweet words. Surely, Rose wouldn't have to struggle like this now. The more she thought about it, the more Jasmine felt suffocated, and her breathing became unstable.Rose was preparing a glass of warm water and cutting an apple when she panicked and turned to see her mother clutching her chest. Jasmine looked visibly distressed and in pain. Rose immediate
Chapter 10Rose stood in front of the path leading to Antonio's house. However, her heart was filled with uncertainty. She didn't know if the steps she was taking were right or wrong. Nevertheless, she felt as though this was the only option she had. Jasmine wouldn't survive much longer without undergoing surgery. And even though the doctor had stated that the woman wouldn't fully recover, at least Rose knew that her mother could live a little longer. Despite feeling that her actions were reckless and inhumane, the conclusion that lingered in the girl's mind remained the same: Antonio was the only solution."Are you sure, Rose?" the girl asked herself. "Are you sure?"There was no answer in her head. Her intuition knew it wasn't the solution, but her logic justified that Antonio was the only answer."Was I too hasty yesterday?" she monologued. "God, but I don't want to become a vendor of desires obligated to satisfy men!"Rose took a deep breath, lowered her head, and then gazed strai
CHAPTER 11Rose saw Nathan, and the man approached her. Nath was watering the trees and small garden in his backyard. The man even smiled broadly when their eyes finally met."Did you catch me?" Rose smiled awkwardly.The man folded his arms, then looked Rose up and down, taking a deep breath. "Well... you look pretty rough for a woman who came back for a contract like that."Rose was initially taken aback, but in the end, she nodded and chuckled softly. It sounded pathetic, but Rose was certain that Nathan's words were true. Yesterday, she left Antonio's house in a pitiful state. Wearing shabby loose clothes and the same baggy overalls. And this time, she came with a plain appearance. Rose didn't even have time to take a shower."Well, I am indeed quite a mess, no matter what it is." Rose sighed deeply.Now the woman stood in front of Antonio's house, which was right next to Nath's house. She was only a few steps away from entering the gate, then knocking on the door and finding Anto
Chapter 12One second, two seconds, three seconds.Nathan's laughter exploded afterward, and Rose could only snort in frustration."Your jokes aren't funny!" she grumbled angrily. "What was that about?"As his laughter subsided, Nath looked at her with a serious expression on his face. Rose suddenly felt a cold aura emanating from his gaze. "Who said I was joking?"Rose suddenly felt like Nathan was playing with her. "Oh, so you're serious?""Just because I laughed doesn't mean it's not true." Nath smirked."Damn it!"Nathan laughed again, then glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's already noon. Let's meet Antonio. You can prove whether my earlier statement was a joke or not."Rose rolled her eyes lazily. She actually felt uncomfortable with Nathan. This man seemed friendly, but he wasn't. He seemed to enjoy teasing her and laughing at her foolishness. It was somewhat annoying for Rose. However, at the moment, Rose needed Nathan to connect her with Antonio. Only then could she make
Chapter 13Nath ended up with an ice pack on his face. His nosebleed had stopped, but there was clearly a bruise on his nose from Rose's impact. They sat facing each other in silence. The naked woman on Nathan's bed was still fast asleep, seemingly undisturbed by the noise they had made. The woman glanced briefly at Nath, and as soon as she realized that Rose was looking at her, Nath pretended to groan in pain."Stop acting!" Rose glared at him and hit Nath's muscular arm. "I won't apologize!""Don't you feel guilty towards me, huh?" Nath pleaded."I don't care." Rose turned away, and Nath laughed."You toyed with me, and now you're hurt because of me. Let's call it even," Rose added. "Now, take me to Antonio.""My boss won't be pleased to see you." This time, Nath said it seriously and honestly. Rose glared at him; she didn't believe Nath, but he quickly added, "I'm serious!"Rose still glared, unhappy."You hurt his feelings. You also rejected him harshly this morning. My boss, Marq
Chapter 14Antonio actually knew that Rose would return to him after the rejection that hurt his pride. However, he still couldn't accept the outrageous behavior of the little girl. Antonio never paid below average wages, which meant that anyone working with Marquez Antonio would be paid a fair price. But Rose stubbornly refused him and looked at him as if he were a pervert, then she ran off without saying anything, leaving him with such a humiliating rejection. Nathan had already said that Rose was just shocked by Antonio's crazy offer, which seemed immoral. The girl was just an innocent woman trapped by Elliot and accidentally entered the devil's circle at Jean's nightclub. Nevertheless, it was undeniable that Antonio was truly upset with Rose.Now the man stared at Rose, who stood in front of his house with Nathan, and he seemed hesitant."H- hello?" Rose greeted Antonio while trying to calm herself. "Um, for what happened earlier, please forgive me, Mr. Antonio."Nathan looked at
Chapter 15Antonio did not expect that Rose would have such thoughts. Initially, he wanted to tease Rose a little longer, but he refrained from doing so because he gradually felt pity for the woman. Antonio had seen how highly she valued her dignity and honor as a woman, and therefore, Rose also felt that this job was highly immoral and demeaning to her as a woman.However, with such old-fashioned thinking, Rose instead found herself pleading with him for the sake of two hundred thousand dollars. Of course, that contradicted what she had believed in all along. Previously, Nathan mentioned that Rose would come back because she needed money for her mother's surgery. But still, Antonio did not expect that the girl would plead with him in such a strange manner now."Come in." Antonio sighed wearily and gave in.The clear innocent eyes, resembling a cute and innocent puppy, made Antonio unable to tease her for long. And after some consideration, he finally agreed to open the door and allow