Chapter 1 Prologue

Blu Water Green Lake, a family-friendly and wheelchair-accessible restaurant, is located in Midwest City. To keep children occupied while waiting, servers provide paper and crayons if parents are present.

The reason Katherine has been at Blue Water Green Lake for three years is mainly because of her mother's death. People in the community who visit the restaurant are familiar with the fact that her father, Thomas Smith, wasted all their money on gambling and alcohol. But Katherine didn't let that discourage her. The rumors began swirling about her father's alcohol-fueled nights at the local bars and the financial burden it placed on her. She felt trapped in this job, as it was the only one that would hire her. If she tried any other job, her father would show up and start yelling, causing the bosses to let her go. While Katherine is closing the restaurant by herself like always, the sky outside grew dark with flashes of lightning and the deafening roar of thunder, causing the window to shake.

Katharine's heart ached with longing for her mother, who was suffering from an unknown illness that proved incurable. To make matters worse, all the money in their bank account had vanished. She made the tough decision to forgo college, against her mother's wishes. In order to care for her father and prevent him from getting into any more trouble. With his reckless gambling and the constant calls from the banks about the loan, he had taken it out. Even the loan sharks started showing up at their apartment multiple times. Eventually, the landlord had enough, and they were forced to find a new place to live.

The sound of her ringing cellphone interrupted the silence, and she reluctantly answered, already aware that it could be the bank calling about her payment. She checked her phone, and it was her boss calling.

"Katharine, make sure you clean the bathroom because someone got sick and now there's vomit all over."

"Why not assign that to James before he left for the day?"

"You're aware that James has a weak stomach?"

"Boss, with all due respect... You could have convinced James to stay and assist me with tidying up the mess."

She just hangs up on her boss before finishing cleaning the dining room and locked the first door before going into the back of the restaurant to clean. As she put the bucket and rag back into the kitchen to see all the dirty dishes in the sink like before. She must clean the kitchen and bathroom so she can leave for the night. Katharine went into the closet to take out the hazard suit to clean up bodily waste in the bathroom, and she hated doing it.

She completed dressing and proceeded to the bathroom. She doesn't mind being alone in the restaurant by herself. Katharine boss did the same thing on her first day working at this place. She entered the cleaning closet, retrieved the disinfectant, and placed it near the open bathroom door. She turned on the hot water hose and sprayed down the wall, toilet, and any areas possibly contaminated by vomit. To prevent stepping in vomit, she used a protective shoe cover. She shut off the water and sprayed the toilet, sink, and wall. The chemicals her boss ordered are ineffective against viruses and germs. Katharine prefers not to use the mop because it harbors germs, instead of using colored rags (blue for sinks, red for toilets, yellow for walls) and a scrub brush for the floor.

Just look out of the window to see that it's still raining even harder than before, sighing to herself, and rethinking of how she is to getting home, checking the time. It was getting late as she checked the clock; it was 11:30 pm. She don't really want to catch a cab home, so she probably just walked home and hopes that her father is not out there gambling.

About an hour later, everything is completed. She left the trash by the back door as a reminder to take it out.

While charging her phone and listening to music in the office, Katharine noticed a sticky note from her boss.

"The delivery is going to run late. Please put everything away and leave the bill in the office,"

Jimmy

A hot shower is calling her name, but she has to wait for the food truck to arrive before she can go home. Besides that, after tidying up, she went to the door and saw someone standing in the rain. Finding it unsettling, she went back inside to watch videos on her phone until the delivery arrived. The office phone startled her, but she recognized the number - it was her boss calling - so she answered.

"Yes, Jimmy, I am waiting for the truck to come,"

"I tried calling your cellphone to let you know that the delivery truck would arrive in the morning, and I observed you had cleaned the kitchen and washed the dishes."

"Thank you for letting me go. I will see Wednesday?"

"How about this? You did everything with no problem. I will give you an entire week with pay. I could let James and Emily take on your shifts,"

"Thanks, I will lock up,"

"Okay, I will see your next week,"

"Yes, you will,"

Katharine hangs up the phone, excited to have a day off. She gathers her things, turns off the lights, and leaves through the back door, taking out the trash before walking home in the rain despite the risk of getting sick. The apartment is not that far from where she lives, just remember her bus goes to her street and takes out her wallet. She has two dollars left, so she must use it to get home. Why does she feel like someone is following her? There were two people at the bus stop also for it, as the bus pulled up, she paid her way on and took a seat.

Thomas often visits The White Diamond Casino for VIP poker games, hoping to win money, but success is not guaranteed. He would borrow money from Christopher Miller, who has been providing him with funds for the past two months without repayment. He watches Thomas lose repeatedly from his office and tries to get more money, but Christopher refuse until he pays up. The bodyguard brings Thomas into his office on his knees.

"Please, Mr. Miller, I need more time. I can pay it back next month," Thomas pleaded.

As Christopher turned around in his chair, he was met with the sight of Thomas, who appeared disheveled, with greasy stains on his attire and uncombed hair.

"I've heard that same line too many times from you, Thomas," Christopher said, his voice filled with frustration."

"I am completely broke." "I have another idea," said Thomas. "I can offer you my daughter as repayment for my debt. If I do that, I will finally be able to clear my debt to you." Once I accomplish that, I won't borrow money from you anymore,"

"Let me make sure I understand this correctly - you're proposing to sell your daughter to me in order to settle your debt?"

"Yes, let me called my daughter to come,"

Thomas called her, but initially reached her voicemail. He smiled at Christopher and tried again; this time, she answered.

"Daughter, I need you to come and get me,"

"Dad, I am almost home. I just got off work. I need a shower. Can you get a cab to home?"

"I know sweetie, and you know no taxies don't come over here. I would have to walk home, and you don't want that,"

"Alright, Alright. What is the name of this place?"

"The White Diamond Casino,"

"Dad, that's way across town, and it's pouring rain."

"I am going to ask Mr. Miller if he can have someone to pick you up?"

To prevent his daughter from hearing, Thomas concealed the phone with his hand.

"Could you send someone to pick up my daughter, Mr. Miller?

Katharine pushes the button for the bus to stop as she gets off the bus, she went to stay under an umbrella at a restaurant called Burger Restaurant.

"Dad, tell Mr. Miller I am at The Pearl Street on 34th Street, Burger Restaurant,"

"He heard you and just send someone on the way look out for a 2017 Tesia Model S a blue color,"

"I will be waiting." Katherine hangs up the phone.

Katharine feels cold as the rain continues to fall, searching for Mr. Miller's car and checking the time. She is exhausted and dirty, and now she must meet a man her father owes money to. It seems her father can't stop squandering money, or he will meet a grim fate. Katharine covered her ears and closed her eyes to escape the incredibly loud thunder. While waiting, a drunk man came up to her with a bottle still in his hand, by Katharine just moved out of the way. But he keep moving toward her until a man pulled her toward to protect her from the drunk man give him the glared to scare him off.

"Are you Katharine?"

"Yes, that is me,"

"Please follow me to my car, Mr. Miller, and your father are waiting for you,"

Initially, Katharine was reluctant to accompany the man until she confirmed the car's identity, as she was concerned about being abducted and trafficked. Her father instructed her on various cars and even tested her knowledge on which ones were safe to drive. As she got inside, the car look and smelled brand new like this person to the car off the showcase. At first she was too afraid of getting inside because of her smell like sweat and didn't want to dirty the seat.

"Sorry, I smell, I just gotten off work. I didn't want your boss to see me like this to pick up my father. I hope he didn't give you any more problems,"

"It's alright miss, he just wants you to come and pick up your father,"

Katharine texted her father that she is in the car on her way there. After this, she will never help her father with his gambling addiction. Katharine's ex-boyfriend Mark called her, but she changed her number to keep him from calling her. Though it was her father who texted him her number, didn't want to answer, just let it go to the voicemail. Then he send a texted message to her as she look at it.

"Marry me or paid me back for the money I loan your father,"

"I will never marry you and the money that my father got from you I will pay it, just give me some time,"

"You got until the end of the month to pay it back,"

Katharine just turns off her cellphone, just looks out of the window to see that they are going into the original town where this place that her father is at. Once she repays Mr. Miller and returns the money to her ex-boyfriend, who cheated on her with a co-worker. Katharine was certain that Mark had been cheating on her with a number of women. Every time she walked, people would laugh at her. Somewhere a female would point at her, then whisper.

"She didn't see that her boyfriend has been cheating on her with every female he sees,"

"I know, right? I wouldn't show my face around town. She thinks he was faithful to her, come on now with these gifts, he just using her,"

She doesn't want to keep remembering that breakup, just wants to go on with her life, so she just sits back. They pulled up to the back of the building as the driver opens the door for her. The bodyguard opened the back door as she entered and didn't know where to go. The man that was in the passenger seat walked upstairs as, waiting for Katharine to follow him, the guard closed the door.

"Miss this way, follow me,"

Katharine just nodded, there are cameras in every corner so anything goes wrong, guards will come running. Why does she feel this weird sense coming from this place? The man opens the door into an office to see her father on his knee begging again for more money. She went up to her father to get him up from the ground just to look at Mr. Miller.

"Dad, I told you many times to stop this act. Do you really want to end up dead somewhere? I can't always save you,"

"I know sweety I had it in my hand, but I got too greedy,"

Mr. Miller has this look on his face as he watches Katharine talking to her father, it brings a small smile to the corner of his mouth. Mr. Miller just stared at Katharine with long brown hair, for a small woman she knows how to take a single gambling and alcoholic parent. However, she must take care of her father with all his troubles.

Mr. Miller, please accept my apologies for the trouble my father has caused you. How much money does he owe you?" asked Katharine.

"He owes me 20,000 dollars. Thomas, tell your daughter what you told me that you were going to be sell her to me to clear any debt you have," smile Mr. Miller.

Katharine was shocked at what Mr. Miller had just said, then she looks at her father. Just shake her head, open her backpack to pull out the exact amount of money and put it on the desk.

"If my father indeed said that I would never work for you, here's your money. I'll ensure he never finds himself in a situation like this again. I've been shouldering my father's debt for years to prevent him from getting into trouble. I realize I should have let him be and moved on with my life, such as getting married and having children by now." Katharine doesn't look worried, showing off her crystal blue eyes.

As she zips up her backpack, then helps her father out of the office until Mr. Miller says something that catches her attention.

"If I catch your father at any of my casino place, he will gets throw out,"

Katharine said nothing just left his office once the door closed behind them. Mr. Miller closed his eyes to breathe in her scent of mint chocolate that make his mouth water. His right-hand man, Lucas, passed him a file about Katharine and her father; he opened it at once. Mr. Miller was surprised by her youth; she looked even younger than her 21 years. Forgoing her education, she's been working since she was fifteen to help her parents pay the bills. Katharine's excellent grades, combined with her restaurant job and extra credit, allowed her to graduate early and attend college. It's show that her mother dies of an unknown illness, that when Thomas lost his job because of his drinking, which it led into gambling all the money that his daughter has been saving. She was getting her father out of trouble like paying for his bail, taps at bars all over the town.

"Sir, are you alright?"

"My mate is going to be handful, I want you to have one of my men to watch over her when she works late by herself,"

"Yes, sir. Do you want to mate with a human?"

"Don't question me. She is special. Just do what I say,"

Lucas did as he was told and bowed to leave. Katharine and her father stand outside in the rain, thinking to herself it's going to be expensive to get home if they catch a cab. Katherine was about to call a cab, holding her father's hand to keep him from wandering off. The familiar car approached, and the driver wound down the window.

"Mr. Miller told me to take you two homes,"

"Thank you, come on father,"

Thomas and Katharine got into the car, the driver closed the door with him getting wet in the rain; he got into the driver's seat, closed the door to take them home. In the backseat, Thomas couldn't help but stare at her backpack. Thomas was curious about how his daughter came to possess such a large sum of money. Katharine hears her father's stomach growling; she know that he didn't eat nothing just drink liquor all day. You could smell alcohol coming out of his pores that fulling up the car, because she also didn't eat anything while working at the restaurant.

"Dad, why did you give Mark my number, which I told you not to?"

"I borrowed money from him, baby girl. I acknowledge my obligation to reimburse him. I asked him to give me a little while; I play a couple of card games."

"Look here, I will give Mark back his money. Stop borrowed money from him, I don't want to see him or talk to him,"

When Katharine glanced at her father, she could tell he had no response to her question. She must convince him to stay home and install a security system. She pulled out her phone it's 2:00 am. Lucky her boss gives her a week off so she can rest away from that place. The coworker will resent the identical workload. The driver pulled up to their place, but she didn't give the driver the address. How did this driver know where they lived? Maybe her father wrote down his personal information related to the games he played. The rain drumming on the car is the only sound, then silence fills the car.