Chapter 2 Bad News Everywhere

Ariadna Thompson

I stared into his eyes, as if he had somehow hypnotized me. He gets the card back and smiles at me.

owner

"That's it, problem solved. Fancy another drink? " He offers me, but until that moment I can't articulate a word.

"I... I think I've had enough for tonight." I zip my jacket up to my neck, forcing a smile. It's making me more and more nervous.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Mackenzie," he holds out his hand, and reflexively, I extend mine. Their skin is soft and cold, not an uncomfortable cold, but rather an unusual texture.

"Ariadna Thompson, my pleasure," I say, letting go of his hand. But now, Mr. Mackenzie, I must go. Tell me, how can I transfer the money from the account to you?"

Mr. Mackenzie examines me from top to bottom, as if he were scanning me. I feel a lump in my throat and look away.

"There's no way you're going to transfer the money to me," he says finally, his lips curling suggestively. "But you owe me debt."

I take a deep breath. Who the hell does he think? He's just looking forward to buy me.

"Well, then you must find another way, Mr. Mackenzie, for I do not intend to repay you any other way," I reply, firmly, though he smiles smugly at me.

"I know perfectly well how you can pay me, Miss Thompson," he looks at me again, his tone heavy with insinuation. He's a pervert. This is too uncomfortable. Damn, how can he be so handsome and at the same time... so repulsive?

"And how, Mr. Mackenzie? " I snap, already losing patience. He notices it, and just shrugs, as if it's all a game.

"You can do it with the most precious thing you have," he stretches out his hand and manages to brush the skin of my hand, I squeeze off abruptly and look at him with contempt.

"What's wrong with you, you?" I didn't ask him to pay my bill, you pig! I shouted at him, unable to contain myself. He opens his mouth, and laughs, surprised by my vocabulary, but he doesn't seem willing to give up.

"Don't worry, Miss Thompson, you don't have to pay me now... but" he pulls a card from his pocket, "I have a proposal for you."

His gaze runs over me again, and a shiver runs through my body.

"I could pay you much more than those 400..." he says with a sly smile "for a single night, it could be 1000."

Wretch! What kind of person do you think I am?

"What's wrong with you?" I scream, feeling helplessness bubbling inside me. "What if he doesn't let me go?"

"Take the card, it suits you." ¿2000, 3000? He continues to insist. I don't know why, but I end up taking the card and stuffing it into my bag. Maybe I just want to get those 400 back as soon as possible.

"I'll send you your 400. Thank you for paying the bill but remember I didn't ask for it." I grip my bag tightly, feeling the tension all over my body. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, preventing him from saying another word, and I left with determined steps. I don't dare to look back, for anything in the world.

Luckily, just at that moment a taxi passes by, and I don't hesitate to get in. I need to get away from that place as soon as possible. All of this has been so strange.

As I get home, I take the card out of my bag and start checking it. Matt Mackenzie, CEO of Mackenzie Associates Industries. A CEO behaving like this? I can't believe it. There's definitely something sick about him.

The strangest thing of all is that no matter how hard I try, I can't stop thinking about him. His face, so handsome, those intriguing eyes, the perfect body... and his voice, his damn voice. It all disarms me. I shake my head, trying to pluck out those absurd thoughts.

When I get home, I find total chaos. I close the door behind me, but no one seems to notice my presence.

"Bitch! You're a bitch! And that brat will be just like you," I hear Maria yell at my sister Evangeline. I feel a surge of rage churning my stomach. I walk towards them, and without thinking, I grab María by the hair.

"How dare you talk to my sister like that? Damn abuser, leave her alone! " I shouted furiously.

"Let go of me, you wretch! "Maria struggles with me, and in a matter of seconds we get tangled in a savage fight. Evangeline watches sadly as she hugs Susan, who cries inconsolably in her arms. Maria gives me a blow, and I return another with all my strength.

"What the hell is going on?" Estefanía shouts, intervening. She grabs me with the hair, and I try to free myself.

"Let go of me, bitch!" I yelled at him and hit her too. Everything becomes a confrontation of blows and screams, until Evangeline and Susan's desperate crying shakes me.

"No more, please! No more!" Evangeline cries, unable to calm Susan, whose high-pitched cry cuts the air. I stop at the sound of their voices, my body trembles with adrenaline, and I run to Evangeline.

"These witches can't keep messing with you, or my niece. We have to get out of this damn house," I say, taking her hand, trying to comfort her.

But Evangeline is desperate.

"And where are we going? We have no other options. Also, they called me from the hospital... Susan is not well."

Hearing Evangeline's words breaks my heart into a thousand pieces, but if Susan is only six months old, how is it not okay.

"We're going to do everything we can to make sure she's okay, okay, Evangeline? I need you strong," I whisper, trying to make my voice sound firmer than I feel inside.

Behind us, I hear my stepmother and Estefanía mocking, and although anger boils inside, I know that my sister is more important than those two.

"She's going to die if we don't have the surgery," Evangeline sobs, desperate.

"Let's wait and see what the pediatrician says tomorrow, yes?" I try to reassure her, but I know the words ring empty right now.

Maria approaches, her gaze is charged with a deep hatred. I can feel his revulsion going through me, as if it burns me inside.

"You have a week to get out of this house," she warns us coldly.

"What? Of course not. This is our home too," I reply, my voice breaking

"Ha!" Estefanía lets out a cold and mocking laugh. "Your house? Please, this house belongs to my mother and me. So, get out."

I approach her, looking at her like the trash she is, while snorting with contempt.

"I'm giving you my ex-fiancé, but I'm not going to give you, my house. Don't be deluded. We'll stay here, whether you like it or not," I spit the words in his face, fearlessly.

"We'll see that," growls Estefanía, as if she were a damn beast.

I take Evangeline by hand, and we head to the room we share. Anger consumes me. I want to kill them both, end all this once and for all, but this is not the time. Not now.

"Where were you, Ariadna? You smell like alcohol," Evangeline confronts me before I can explain myself.

"I only went out for a while, don't worry," I reply as I take off my shoes, trying to downplay it.

"Could you ask Christian if we can come live in his house sooner? Susan's treatment is complicated, and I don't think I can handle it here with these two." Her voice trembles with concern, and I feel a twinge in my chest.

I look at her, and I feel my heart freeze. How do I explain what happened?

"My love... There's something I have to tell you. I'm no longer engaged to Christian... I don't even have a job."

"What?" Evangeline pales, her face reflecting the confusion.

"I found him wallowing with Stephanie in his office," my voice cracked, the words hurt more than I expected, and the tears, which I've been holding back, fell uncontrollably. "He betrayed me."

"Sons of bitches! Evangeline gets out of bed, utterly furious. Now I do kill her. Who does that faded redhead think she is? Miserable!"

"Oh, damn it!" I shouted at her, trying to stay calm. "Yes, Evangeline. I'm going to figure it out. I always solve it, okay?"

Evangeline nods, but her eyes show me what she doesn't mean: her heart is in pieces. He drops into bed and starts crying. All night long, her sobs fill the room. My poor sister and my niece... There's not much I can do for them right now, and that helplessness eats away at me.

When dawn breaks, we quickly get ready to take Susan to the pediatrician. We manage to get out of the house without those two witches noticing.

At the clinic, the pediatrician reviews Susan's exams. Every word that comes out of his mouth is like a dagger that sticks deep into my chest.

"Susan's kidneys aren't working well," the doctor confirms, as Evangeline and I listen in silence, our hearts on edge. "She will need surgery."

"Doctor, how much can surgery cost?" I ask her, trying not to sound desperate, although worry burns me inside.

"About $1,500 to $2,000." It was expensive.

I feel the ground beneath my feet fade away.

Evangeline breaks down in tears, we were both aware that if we put 100 between the two of us, it was a lot of money. We left that office with our hearts in our hands, and I wanted to die, I would give anything to be in my niece's place, it was not fair that I had to suffer so much trauma so little.

The next few days were worse, we tried to get the money, but it became a damn impossible task, just like living together at my father's house, I wanted to cry, every day at all hours I wanted to cry, at what point did life become this?