Chapter Three

I'm here!”

A loud bang echoed through the apartment as the front door slammed shut.

“Upstairs!” Audrey shouted back.

The rapid sound of footsteps filled the house as Nori hurried up the staircase, rushing toward Audrey's bedroom. Without bothering to knock, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“Audrey, why did you call at—” She yawned, pulling her phone from her back pocket to check the time. “—eight in the morning? You know I hate waking up this early. It ruins my whole mood and makes everything unbea—”

“I had sex.”

Silence.

“...What?”

Audrey sighed, combing her fingers through her messy hair. “I had sex.”

“No, I heard you the first time.” Nori stared at her in disbelief. “You? Audrey Holloway? The same Audrey who swore she'd never get involved with another man after Dylan?”

Audrey groaned, burying her face in her hands.

“Well... at least you used protection... right?”

The two girls looked at each other.

“Shit...”

Another silence settled between them.

“...Do you remember anything?” Nori asked carefully.

Audrey slowly shook her head.

“Do you know his name?”

“No.”

“His number?”

“No.”

“What did he look like?”

“Barely.”

Nori blinked. “You're telling me you slept with a complete stranger and don't even remember his face?”

Audrey let out a frustrated sigh.

“After you left to dance with that guy, I stayed at the bar by myself.” She squeezed her temples, trying to force the memories back. “The man who warned me not to drink the spiked drink... he came back.” She paused. “We danced for a while. I remember us laughing... then he bought me a drink.” She frowned. “I wasn't drunk. Just... tipsy. After that...” Her voice trailed off. “Everything's a blur. I remember leaving the club with him... then nothing until I woke up in that hotel room.”

Nori stared at her for a long moment before speaking. “So... you don't know his name, where he lives, or how you even ended up in his room?”

Audrey looked at her helplessly. “No.”

Audrey reached for the bag and placed the matte black box on the bed. “But I did wake up with this.” Nori lifted the lid. They were neatly stacked bundles of cash still there.

She inhaled sharply. "Holy..." She carefully picked up one bundle before setting it back down. She looked at Audrey and her jaw dropped. “How much?”

“Fifty grand.”

“Fifty fucking grand!? Girl!” Nori exclaimed, Audrey immediately clamped a hand over Nori's mouth.

"Are you crazy! Would you lower your voice?" she hissed, glancing around nervously. "Do you want the entire neighborhood to hear?"

Nori peeled Audrey's hand away.

"I'm serious!" she whisper-yelled. "If someone finds out you have this much cash lying around, I'm going to get robbed.”

"This isn't normal, Audrey."

"I know."

"No sane man leaves fifty grand beside a bed."

"I know."

"He has to be filthy rich."

"I know."

Nori closed the box and looked at her. "We're not keeping the baby, right?”

Audrey looked at her. “Obviously.” Nori let out a relieved sigh. “Thank God, I was scared for a moment.” She chuckled. 

“I'm not ready to be a mother at my ripe age.” She said, looking over to the opened brief case filled with the roots of all evil. “And with this money, I'm going to enjoy every bit of it.” 

The hell jingled over her head as she stepped inside the building. The immediate smell of the unmistakable smell of the pharmacy—a sharp blend of clinical rubbing alcohol, the horrid smell of different drugs that made Audrey Hepburn nauseous. 

A man sat behind the register, scrolling through his phone laughing at his phone. The reflection of the AI video displayed over his lens. Audrey stepped forward, her hands drummed on the silver marble top. “Hi. I need the emergency contraceptive pill. Plan B, or whatever the strongest one you have is. And a bottle of water, please.”

He looked up. “You got an ID?”

“What do you need an ID for? I look 16 in your face?” she asked, a bit annoyed by the question.

The man raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. He just held out his hand and waited. Audrey sighed, pulled her driver’s license from her purse, and handed it over. He checked it quickly, nodded once, and disappeared into the back.

A minute later he returned with a small box and a cold bottle of water, sliding both across the counter.

“That’ll be forty-eight fifty.”

Audrey paid in cash, the man kept the purchased item into the branded nylon bag, she left without another word.

Outside, she found a quiet spot near the side of the building, tore the box open, and swallowed the pill with a few gulps of water. The bitter taste still made her frown, but at least it went down easier this time.

She walked back to the apartment at a normal pace, already feeling a little more settled.

Nori was still on the couch when she walked in. The second she saw Audrey, she sat up. “Did you get it?”

Audrey dropped her bag on the table and nodded. “Just took it.”

Nori let out a breath. “Good.”

Audrey sat down beside her and stretched her arms over her head. “I can’t believe I actually did that last night.”

Nori smirked. “At least you're not keeping a baby.”

Audrey stood up after a moment, went into her room, and opened the black box again. The stacks of money were still sitting there neatly.

Fifty thousand dollars.

She stared at it for a few seconds before speaking. “I’m using some of this,” she said.

Nori appeared in the doorway. “For what?”

“Rent. Groceries. Bills. All the things I’ve been stressing over.” Audrey closed the lid. “And I’m giving you some too.”

Nori blinked. “What? No. That’s your money.”

“I don’t care.” Audrey looked at her. “You’ve been helping me more than anyone. Just take it.”

Nori opened her mouth like she wanted to argue, then closed it again when she saw Audrey wasn’t going to change her mind. After a second she just nodded and left.

Audrey sat back on the edge of the bed and looked at the closed box one more time. The night was still mostly a blur. She couldn’t remember his face clearly or his name. All she had was the money and the knowledge that she’d already dealt with the most important part.

She was just about to stand up when her phone rang.

An unknown number.

Audrey hesitated, then answered. “Hello?”

A formal male voice came through the line.

“Am I speaking with Audrey Holloway?”

“Yes… who’s this?”

“This i

s the Head of Student Affairs at your brother’s university. There’s been an incident involving him, and we need you to come in as soon as possible.”