04. The Devil's Deal

Chapter 4

Eva’s Pov

When I returned from dropping Mum at her check-up, the first thing I noticed was the open door. I stopped in the hallway.

My apartment was small. If someone was inside, there was nowhere for them to hide and the lock wasn’t broken.

That somehow made it worse. Slowly, I reached into my bag and wrapped my fingers around the pepper spray.

My pulse thudded in my ears and when I pushed the door open, a man sat on the sofa like he owned the place, his feet propped on the coffee table.

“Dad?” Empty beer cans littered the coffee table and a cigarette burned in an ashtray.

My father looked up and grinned.

“Eva, daughter.” His smile made my skin crawl.

“You broke the lock,” I said quietly.

“Yeah.” He shrugged, like it meant nothing. “Changed it back to the old one too.”

He stood and opened his arms.

“What? No hug for your father?” I didn’t move.

The alcohol smell was stronger now even before we got closer.

“Why are you here?”I tightened my grip on my bag so he wouldn’t.

He scratched his chin and began pacing the small living room like he was inspecting the property to sell.

“Straight to business,” he muttered. “You always were like your mother.”

I dropped the grocery bag near the fridge and quietly slid open the drawer beside it.

My fingers wrapped around the handle of a kitchen knife.

“I asked why you’re here.” He stopped pacing.

Then he smiled and I knew that smile always meant trouble.

“I need money.” Of course, it always came down to that.

“How much?”

“Not much.”

“How much?” I repeated, sharper this time.

His smile faded.

“Five million.”

My fingers tightened around the knife.

“That’s not ‘not much.’”

“It’s a debt.” He grabbed another cigar from his pocket and lit it casually.

“A gambling debt.” I stared at him, his audacity infuriated me.

“You lost five million… and you came to me?”

“You’re rich now.” His eyes glittered. “You lived with that billionaire for three years.”

My jaw tightened.

“How do you know that?”

He laughed.

“You think people don’t talk?” My hands went into a fist.

“That relationship is over,” I said.

He stared at me for a moment, then he burst out laughing.

“Don’t joke with me.”

“I’m not joking.” His laughter stopped and his expression darkened.

“You’re telling me… you lived with a billionaire for three years…” His hand slammed against the table.

“…and walked away with nothing?” The beer cans rattled and I stayed silent.

“Are you stupid?” he snapped, but I didn’t answer.

Because the truth was worse.

I couldn’t ask Adrian for money, we were over and I had promised myself I would never go back. He was probably having fun with his fiancée and may have deleted my number.

My father’s gaze dropped suddenly to my hand and his eyes narrowed.

“Well, well…” Before I could react, he grabbed my wrist.

“What are you doing? Let go!” But his fingers were already sliding the silver ring off my hand.

“Dad!” He held it up under the light, scanning it.

“This alone might solve half my problem.”

“Give it back!”

He raised an eyebrow lazily.

“Still in love with him, huh?” My throat tightened.

“Please,” I whispered.

“You can’t take it. That's all I have left.”

He smirked.

“A souvenir from your billionaire? Lucky me.”

“Please give it back!”

“Maybe,” he said slowly, “if you behave.” My stomach twisted.

“What do you mean?”

“You will go back to Adrian tomorrow.”

“No.” The answer left my mouth instantly, but he continued.

“You’ll ask him for money.”

“No.” He sighed like I was being inconvenient.

“Then maybe this will help.” He pulled out his phone and my stomach dropped.

“Remember the hospital you dropped your mother at today?” he asked casually.

He tapped the screen and a video started playing.

My world stopped.

Mum was tied to a chair and her eyes were wide with terror.

Masked men stood around her, one held a knife.

“Mum…”

My knees hit the floor.

“No no no no…”

My chest squeezed so tight I couldn’t breathe.

“Please stop this… please…”

My fingers scrambled for my phone.

I tried calling her, but it wasn't connecting.

I tried again and nothing.

“You promised to stay away from her,” I choked.

“I promised nothing,” my father said calmly.

He slipped the phone back into his pocket.

“She’s safe for now.”

“SAFE?” I screamed.

My voice cracked.

“How is that SAFE?”

He shrugged.

“She’s alive. That’s enough for the moment.”

“Why would you do this?” I whispered.

“She’s innocent.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

He crouched down until his face was inches from mine.

“You want her back?”I nodded desperately.

“Five million.”

“I told you I don’t have it.”

“Then borrow it.”

“I can’t…”

“From Adrian.”

“No!” My voice echoed across the room.

He tilted his head.

“You really think that man cares about you? You were convenient. That’s all.”

The words hurt deeper than they should have.

“But you,” he continued calmly, “are still useful.” He stood and adjusted his jacket.

“You go to him tomorrow.”

My chest heaved.

“And if I don’t?” He smiled.

“Then your mother dies.”

My hands covered my face as the sobs finally broke out.

“I’ll come back tomorrow,” he said casually.

“If the money isn’t ready…”He held up the silver ring. “…I might start selling other things.”

The door slammed behind him and the apartment went silent.

I stayed on the floor for a long time, crying. But eventually the tears stopped, because crying wouldn’t save her.

I wiped my face and forced myself to stand. I had to do something, anything.

Five million. I didn’t even have five thousand.

I couldn’t go back to Adrian, but if not him…

Then who?

My eyes landed on a crumpled note inside my bag.

I slowly pulled it out.

‘Salieri’s Lounge – hiring part-time,’ it read in a friend’s messy handwriting.

The bar, I hated the idea, but desperate times need actions, I can’t fail mum.

My fingers tightened around the note as I grabbed my bag, forcing my legs to move even though my knees threatened to give out.

An hour later, I stood before a bar, taking a shaky breath. Could I really do this?”

My hands shook as I gripped the strap of my bag. I can’t fail my mum, not today, not ever.

I pushed open the bar door, and the smell of cigarette smoke and pounding bass welcomed me.

The door clicked shut behind me, and I tried to force my shoulders back, even though my knees felt like jelly. The place was huge.

I almost tripped over a chair when I got to the counter.

The bartender barely looked up.

“What do you want?”

“I… I heard you’re hiring.” I stuttered. He smiled slowly and then said something that made my blood run cold…”