The Mafia's Contract

N'S

s. Con

l room. My heart felt like a heavy weight in my chest, and my mind s

ill here, but only just. I watched her, my heart breaking at the sight. Tubes and wires were attached to her limp body, her chest rising

the nurse's voice told me everything before the words even registered. My mother had suf

She had always been my rock. Now, it was my tu

had fallen. How had it come to this? I looked at th

The white walls, the harsh smell, the fluorescent lights-it all seemed designed to

be a different color. Maybe then

re. She didn't deserve this. I wished t

rying to keep up with her piling medical bills, and now, there was nothing left. I had dropped

ried to tolerate it, to keep quiet for the sake of my paycheck, but the day his hand slipped under my skirt, I knew I couldn't stay. I walked out, knowing I would be left

sure of herself, and I couldn't even protect her now. My tears

xpression. I noticed that the collar of his lab coat was stained with a faint smear of blood. It was almost unnoticeable, but

, then at my mot

liams. I wanted to talk to you

re still glued to th

person still alive? I knew I should be paying attention to what Dr.

peated, louder this time, sn

ghter, forcing

ed "Please, doctor, te

ly in a coma. We can try different t

urther. My pulse quickened, knowing

are we talking about?" My

dollars, and that's just the beginning. There will be

dollars? I didn't even have fifty cents to my name. My hands tremble

nd of money," I murmured "

s a difficult situation for you. We can explore financial assistance program

ng back broke free again

hard? Why did everything

I pleaded "Please, just he

"We'll do our best

ears with the back of my h

oom, and I was alone again. I moved closer to my m

ney be the reason my mother didn't get t

ened again. I turned, expecting the doctor,

Bea said softly

nd wrapped me in a hug. I held

d, empathetic expression. She knew how much my mom mean

olding up?" sh

t know what to do. The medical bills ar

a solution

in confusion "Wh

emember S

, and connections. Her father was a senator, and she had always carried herself with an air of superiority that mad

ut her?"

tioned that there's a job ope

e thought of a job, a

g for a maid. But not just any maid-their maids are elite, highly paid. I managed to

n piece of paper, inviting me to an interview at the Stonewoo

k Ston

billionaire, the kind of man whose name appeared in tabloids and

hing from oil and gas to technology. And Derrick himself was famous for

someone like him? Woul

I can get this

. "Stephanie put in a good word for you. And bes

tful. This was my chance, my one shot to chang

t Bea "Thank

you, Joan. Now, come on

It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep

a chance, no matter how s