Pay Later

Chelsea thought, by being a good person, only good things will come back to her. She thought, if she became a good person, then people would love her unconditionally. She believed her mother's words about it since she was little.

"Look at that Chels, a princess will get a happy ending with her prince because she has been a good person all her life. If you want to be loved, then be a good person too.” Mother stroked Chelsea's head gently.

She still remembers how warm it was when she watched a princess-themed film with her mother as a child. “Then, I will also be a princess for everyone, mom!” she exclaimed excitedly.

But yesterday, it was as if she had been hit in the head with a baseball bat from behind. Her mother's words were wrong: kindness is not always rewarded with kindness either.

And what's even worse is, the result of her disillusionment with the world, causing even bigger problems. She slept with a night escort, but only paid him five bills! Then she decided to jump into a fast-flowing river!

To be honest, Chelsea doesn't really remember what happened last night in the hotel room. Her memory was just like a video from an old broken tape. What she remembers most is that she clung to the body of a sexy and handsome man, then pressed the man under her, then kissed him, then,

'Argh! I must be crazy! How can I call a sex service even if my marriage is annulled? I must be crazy! I don't want to sound like an alcoholic who always blames alcohol for everything he does, but, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AN ALCOHOL'S FAULT!'

Actually, Chelsea has been awake for a long time. She realized that she was lying down on a white bed, and there was an infusion hose pierced in the back of her palm in her hand, in a hospital room. But she didn't dare to open her eyes for fear of who she would see first when she woke up! And so, she was missing her timing.

"Yes sir, she is still not awake." Matthew peeked at Chelsea's sleeping face, he didn't know that she had woken up earlier and is acting!

'A man's voice. Who is this man? Is he the man I slept with?! It's really embarrassing because I can't pay full for his services according to the pricelist! How can I tell this man that I will compensate for the hospital fees, and add to the lack of service fees if I go home first, without reporting me to the police?'

Chelsea is already overthinking.

She had never done anything this reckless because she always lived according to the moral guidelines of the existing society. If she was playing at her friend's apartment, but there was an inscription; guests please report to the security officer, then she will actually report there every time she visits her friend's apartment. And her behavior which is extremely by the book makes her friends sigh.

That's why now she was so panicked. She had never violated her own code of conduct before, so she didn't know what to do in this situation.

"Yes, I'll report it later."

'To the police?!' Chelsea caught her breath which was almost gasping with anxiety.

She had heard on the news that there is a sex worker sued his client because he was paid less than what was agreed upon. And Chelsea did it yesterday by not paying for the man's full service!

"You need not worry, sir. I will be by her side until she wakes up.'

Thumps! Her heart was beating fast. She is not confident she could hold her position any longer especially now that she was desperate to go to the toilet!

Chelsea opened one of her eyes, then opened both, and blinked.

“Ex-excuse me, sir? I'm awake." Chelsea raises her hands politely.

She saw a man with glasses in a plaid shirt and checker necktie looked down on her. He wasn't the man who spent the night with her and pulled her out from the river. 'Who is this man?'

Matthew squinted, and Chelsea freaked out.

"Yes sir. She had just woken up. Fine… well… I understand.” Matthew tucked his cell phone into his shirt pocket and pulled a chair over to Chelsea's bedside.

The seats were spaced apart, and that was a relief for Chelsea. "Tell me your name," Matthew asked probing.

"Erm, Chelsea Issland, sir."

"I think your brain is fine, except you've done something wrong to our CEO."

"What... CEO?" Chelsea rushed to get up from her lie down, her head hit by dizziness for a moment.

“Hmph, you don't even know what a CEO is? A CEO is the head of a company blah-blah-blah... blah..."

'So that guy is the CEO of a night service company?! No wonder his body and looks so hot! His hourly pay must be high!’

The two humans disappeared into their respective worlds without noticing one another.

“Anyway, you have to take responsibility by following our CEO's orders in exchange for saving you!”

"Ah! That's right, the person who pulled me from the river is your CEO? ... but why?”

Matthew hated this type of woman who appeared stupid as the woman in front of him. Matthew sneered at her young mind which sadly was only filled with clouds. He was even more surprised, just why is his boss was interested in this woman? It's impossible for a Liam Shax to be attracted to such a woman who lacks attractiveness, in both body and mind, and isn't even on his level.

For your information, apart from Maureen, Matthew is also a person who really cares about Liam's woman affairs. He wants only the best woman to be with his boss.

“You should know why my boss pulled you from the river, It's so you pay back for what you did to him."

'That's true then! It's because I didn't pay for his bed services in full!' Chelsea was getting more and more devastated. 'It wasn't just a dream when I heard that man telling me to bear his child! Is it because I didn't pay him in full that he even asked me to bear his child?! What for? It's so scary. This is really scary!’

Chelsea racked her brain. But not a single solution emerged, except by running away!

"Um, sir, I'm going to the bathroom for a while, are you willing to wait outside because I'm embarrassed." It was a typical excuse for a hostage to plan her escape that Chelsea often watched on television series.

Hopefully, this works in a real-life too.

"Ehem. Okay. And while you're in the bathroom, prepare yourself well, because my boss will be here soon.” Matthew watched Chelsea from head to toe, then he snorted in annoyance.

'What are they going to do by preparing me? Maybe they want to sell me too, huh!' Chelsea is getting horror as she doesn't have her phone with her. She forgot where she put her phone.

Chelsea gritted her teeth. 'It's all because of that bastard Jeffrey!'

***

In a fancy lounge with an air of luxury vibes, Liam takes a sip of his wine, then returns to his phone.

"After so long I've known you as a business partner, this is the first time you've been so eager to check your phone." The one who just spoke was Mr. Shang, a middle-aged man whose futuristic ideas often amaze Liam.

They've been in a business relationship since Liam took over his family's company.

"Do you have a lover now?" asked Mr. Shang with a joking intonation.

"Of course not."

“But you smiled when you looked at your phone screen. Usually, a man will act like that when he has a girlfriend.”

Liam doubted what Mr. Shang talked about himself smiling when he looked at his phone screen because he felt like he wasn't smiling. Except, he didn't realize it himself.

“I just… recently had a little bird that needed a lot of attention.”

"Oho, I didn't know you were an animal lover."

"Yes, I also just found out." Liam chuckles then pour wine into Mr. Shang. “Mr. Shang, I'll take my leave first. It's always nice to build a business with you."

Liam stride with his long legs down the hallway of the building that was getting quieter. The sound of his expensive shoes enlivened the atmosphere. “Yeah, she's still there, right? Okay, tell her not to move an inch before I arrived."

Liam ends the call with Matthew. And a moment later, he was on the helipad on the roof of the building.

"Good evening, Mr. Shax. Tonight's destination is Grindellgreen Hospital, correct?”

"Yeah. Take me there quickly.”