"Mom, what are you doing here? Why are you dressed like this?" Zia asked to confirm her vision.
Her breathing was ragged. She was too scared to believe that her mother had worked at the brothel. However, it was obvious from the clothes that Resa was being worn. Zia hoped her mother had forgotten to wear a negligee or jacket. Zia's gaze became sharp, looking right into Resa's worried face.
"Zi-Zia, I can explain," Resa said as she walked closer to Zia.
Zia took a step back as if keeping her distance from Resa Jawseen Rosegood. This was not what Zia wanted to hear from her mother. "So it's true, you work there!" Zia pointed at the brothel.
"Zia...," Resa called softly, her tears suddenly falling as she felt sad that her daughter had to know about her despicable job.
"Answer me, Mom!" Zia shouted. She could not help but felt her tears were swelling up, as she watched Resa remain silent. "Why are you crying? Answer me, Mom!" she shouted again.
Resa shed another tear. She approaches Zia to calm her daughter. Zia retreated her footsteps. She was reluctant to contact her mother.
"Don't touch me!"
Zia reacted violently when Resa tried to grab her hand. "I can't believe you're like this. Do you know what I went through today?" Zia said softly. Currently, her tears are even more difficult.
"Today, on campus, I was bullied. All of my college friends know that you work in a brothel. I was locked in the toilet and splashed with water. I was humiliated, mom." Zia squealed in anguish.
"What? You were bullied?" Resa's voice rose and she was shocked to hear Zia's story.
Resa attempted to step closer to Zia again, but Zia took another step back. Zia was really showing her pain to Resa. Resa is even more surprised by her son's reaction.
"I'm embarrassed, Mom! How am I supposed to go to college tomorrow? How will I meet my friends? What if they keep bullying me again?" Zia whimpered feeling the pain in her heart.
"You don't need to worry, dear! I will transfer you to another campus. Where no one will dare to bully you. You understand, don't you, dear?" said that Resa calms Zia down.
Unfortunately, Resa's words were only added to her heart's pain. Zia sneered and looked sarcastically at Resa. She could not understand Resa's way of thinking.
"Switching campuses?" She were asked to sarcastically.
"That's not what hurts me, it's the fact that Mom actually works there!" Zia screamed at the top of her lungs.
Some patrons of the brothel were staring at them, whereas others were about to approach them. However, Resa indicated that they were not disturbed. She remained silent and let Zia vent her anger.
"I hope everything is slander, because all I know is that my mom is a good person. My mother would not work in a brothel. I know she works the night shift, but."
Zia's voice seemed to disappear, her lips unable to continue her sentence. Zia felt deeply disappointed and sad. Her mother, who she knew to be the person with the most understanding, was not what she expected. Her chest was tightened at thought. Zia turned her body around to leave Resa.
"Zia, listen to me first!" said Resa who managed to grab Zia's hand and managed to stop Zia's footsteps. "Do you think I like working in a brothel?"
Resa moved forward and stood in front of Zia, starting only at her daughter's face. However, Zia turns her face away. There was pain of heart pain because Zia would not look at her face.
"Do you know why I work at the brothel? This is out of necessity. I didn't want to work there either." Resa points to her side, pointing precisely at the brothel.
Zia glanced sarcastically at Resa. Resa's face also looked disappointed because Zia's response seemed to stare contemptuously at her. "It's all your father's fault! Your father had an affair and spent all our family's wealth and abandoned your mother and you."
Resa, as if not outdone by Zia, also vented her frustration. Her breathing was angry. She did not want to blame.
"No one would take me to work, and I had to support you. I had to become a night lady in a brothel to support you, to fulfill your dreams," Resa's voice weakened.
"Look at the clothes you're wearing! The bag, shoes, house you live in, and all facilities you enjoy. It's all the result of Mom's hard work!"
Hearing Resa's explanation made Zia even more inflamed and disappointed. "That's just your excuse to justify your despicable job." Zia's cynicism was full of emotion.
Suddenly, Zia took off the bag she wore and threw it in front of her mother. She also took off her jacket, shoes, and jeans. Fortunately, Zia always wears knee-length strit pants before she wears jean.
"Take it all! I do not need what you gave me." Zia said firmly, and then she walked away, ignoring Resa's screams.
"Zia, Zia! Where are you going?"
Resa chased Zia, who was walking fast, but Zia ignored her. After only a few steps, Resa hears someone calling her. Resa chose to approach the person who called her, and abandoned her intention to chase Zia. Zia also looked back, she felt that her mother's voice was not heard.
"Look at that, Zia! Your mother prefers her despicable job to me," Zia said when she saw Resa enter the brothel.
***
Zia continued to walk barefoot. Her body began to feel cold as she wore only a short T-shirt and knee-length pants. However, her heart felt hot as emotions and disappointment filled her heart space.
"Where am I supposed to go?" muttered Zia, who had unknowingly walked far from the brothel.
Zia suddenly smiled when she looked at the side. There is a beach with a beautiful night view. "I didn't know I was already at the beach."
Zia stepped to the edge of the sea. She watched evening waves that rolled into the ocean. The night breeze blew cold temperatures that pierced her skin. Therefore, she had to vent her disappointment.
"Aaa ...."
Zia screamed at the top of her lungs facing the ocean. However, one shout was considered insufficient. She repeatedly shouted to express her disappointment. She did not care if anyone had been disturbed by her screams. This was the only way to ease the tightness of her hearts.
"Hey, how noisy! Who's that?" Baritone voice with 10-octave pitch startled zirconia.
Zia looked back to find the owner of the voice. Her face turned anxious when she saw a tall man wearing a white shirt and black cloth. From the material of his shirt and pants, it appears to be a rich man. Zia continued to stare at the stranger she did not recognize.
"Hey, little girl! Where are your parents? Why do you want around this time of the night? In particular, dressed like that? You've caught a cold!" The man exclaimed, looking at Zia in surprise.
"So what, wherever I want to go."
Zia shouted back at the man in front of her. This was actually a shout of frustration, as she felt the need to vent her frustration. The man was the perfect opponent of her because he dared to bully her.
Unfortunately, rain suddenly became uninvited. "Ah it sucks, why does it have to rain at a time like this," Zia complained irritably.
Suddenly, the man pulled Zia's hand to find shelter. Unfortunately, the beach was far from residential areas and there was no shelter. His sense of sight fell on his luxury car, which was parked not far from the beach. He immediately pulled Zia towards his car.
"Get in my car!" The man ordered after opening the door of his luxury car.
Zia was shocked and panicked as the man forced her into the car. Zia was worried. She was relieved because the man had chosen to sit in the front seat, whereas Zia was in the back seat.
"Why did you bring me here?" asked Zia anxiously, as she realized that there were just two of them in the car. This is especially true because it was nighttime and heavily rainy.
"Then I have to leave you alone and get soaked!" he snapped. The man's face appeared annoyed by Zia's silly question.
"Take it easy! I have a scary look at my face, but I have never hurt a woman, especially a little girl," the man said, as he opened a drawer beside his steering wheel.
"I'm not a little girl, Uncle!"
"I'm not a little girl, Uncle!" protested Zia in annoyance when the man called her little girl.
The man seemed to ignore Zia's words. He focused on finding things in the drawer. "It's a good thing I always have this with me," he muttered as he pulled out what looked like a wine bottle cap.
"Please get the paper bag beside you!" The man asked Zia, as he pointed to a white paper bag beside him.
Zia complied with him and handed him a paper bag. Her face still had a displeased look. Her gaze turned curious about the contents of the paper bag because the man's face appeared smiling. This was a white box with a pitch-black bottle.
"What's that, Uncle?" She was curious about the black bottle.
"This is wine. It will warm you up so you do not get cold," replied to the man, downing the liquid from the bottle. "A little girl like you can't drink this!"
The man emphasized his words because he could see Zia's curious expressions. Actually, he just wanted to enjoy the liquid himself, as it was very expensive. He glanced himself from the upper mirror. Zia sniffed annoyance in man's words.
"So what, I'm not a little girl, I'm 20 years old," Zia said as she turned her face away and stared at the raindrops falling heavily.
"Don't play dumb, you must know that wine contains alcohol, and this wine is very expensive. I will finish it all by myself." The man replied sarcastically and downed the liquid in the black bottle.
Suddenly Zia turned her head, staring at the black bottle in the unfamiliar man's hand. "They say alcohol can take away all your problems," Zia giggled, smiling happily.
Zia had found a cure for her heartache. Without permission, Zia moved forward and her hand grabbed the black bottle from the man's hand and drank it without pause. The man was caught off guard, and he was immediately surprised because Zia snatched it from him and drank it immediately without pause.
"Little girl, what are you doing?" The man was surprised that little liquid was left in the bottle.
"Wow, this drink is really good. It's sweet."
Zia's face turned red, she felt her body temperature rise and no longer felt cold. The man turned annoyed, and he reached out to his hand to grab a black bottle. He had to get his wines back.
"Give me back my wine!" he screamed loudly.
However, Zia kept the bottle from his reach. Zia shifted her sitting position out of reach of the man's hand. Zia even laughed uproariously at the man's annoyed face.
"Too bad I already have it, Uncle." Zia laughed even more with satisfaction when she saw the man's emotional expression.
Zia deliberately moved the wine bottle forward, as if to give it to the man, but when the man was about to take it, Zia would move the bottle out of the man's reach. The man moved his body forward while constantly trying to reclaim the bottle. Again, Zia dodged, and even Zia was overwhelmed by alcohol that she could not think straight.
"Oh shit, how's this? That little girl seems to be drunk," the man said Zia suddenly kept laughing to herself. The man was surprised that Zia was about to open the door to escape. He quickly pressed the automatic door lock button to prevent the Zia from opening the car door.
"Ah, open it! Open the door, I want to go," Zia whined in a weak voice because she was drunk.
"What a nuisance, this little girl." The man complained, and then moved back to retrieve his wine bottle. "Give it back to me!"
He grabbed the bottle. The man took another sip of liquid from the bottle, he needed to recover from scolding the little girl who was now looking at him sadly. He did not look at Zia, who was beside him. Zia couldn't even sit quietly.
Bugh! Zia planted her body on the man's chest, making the man very surprised. "Uncle. I am sad, angry, disappointed and hurt." Zia mumbled incoherently. The man was even more surprised when Zia suddenly hugged him.
"I miss my father, Uncle." Zia sobbed in man's arms.
The man stared at Zia's upper face that was partially covered by her ample bosom. He saw Zia's tears as being flowing. He put the bottle he was holding in the glove compartment of the car's side door and stroked Zia's hair. She felt sorry for Zia. He felt that the girl crying in her arms was desperate.
"Cry, if it brings you relief!" Zia's tears flowed even more when she heard the man's words.
"Thank you, Uncle. You seem like a good person," Zia said as she raised her face to look at the man.
Zia and the man were very close. Suddenly Zia felt a strange tingle as her eyes and the man's met. The man's burly hand then stroked Zia's cheek. The skin of his hand was so smooth that Zia felt another touch on her body. The man unconsciously brought his lips to hers. Zia looked resigned to accept it.
The influence of alcohol had taken over by the two people, so they did something they should not have done. Both were lulled into forbidden behaviors. The sound of the rain fell heavily, and the strong sea breeze drowned the sighs of the two people.
***
Zia felt the sunlight disturbing her deep sleep. It was not the only thing that disturbed her from sleeping, and she felt a sting in her groin area. She had never experienced stinging or pain in that area.
"Argh, it hurts so much." She moaned softly in hoarse voice.
Zia forced herself to open her eyes. Zia's eyes rounded as she realized her current state. Her body was not covered by a single piece of cloth, and there were bloodstains underneath where she was sitting. She panicked her mouth. She then looked to the front, where the man she was with last night was still fast-asleep in the driver's seat.
"What happened to me?" Zia tried to recall what happened, but all she could remember was her fight with her mother. Zia forced herself to remember. Finally, she remembered that she had met a man who had scolded her on the beach.
"I don't care about any of this. I need to leave as soon as possible!"
Zia hurriedly put on her clothes so she could leave and run away. Just as she was about to open the car door, Zia's gaze fell on the wallet near the handbraked lever. Her hand immediately grabbed the wallet and opened up its contents. The content of the wallet was tempting for her faith.
"Oh my God, that's a lot of money," Zia murmured softly. "I'm sorry, Uncle. I promise I'll replace it."
A does not know how much money she took because she could not hold it on her hand. Then Zia took the man's shirt to cover her body. Fortunately, the door was opened and unlocked. Zia immediately ran away, leaving the man still fast-asleep.
Shortly after Zia left, someone knocked on the car. The man woke up and turned frantic because he was wearing only his underwear. He was not fully awake, but his panic instantly awoke his sleepiness.
"Ah shit! What's going on here is that" the man grumbled in annoyance that he did not immediately remember what had happened to him.
However, the knocking on his side window became louder, so he chose to open it first. "What's wrong?" the man snapped irritably.
"I'm sorry Sir, I'm worried because you has been unreachable since last night," replied the person knocking on his window.
The man was immediately shocked when he realized that Sean was wearing only triangular underwear. "I'm sorry, Sir."
The man apologized again because he realized that Sean did not like the way he looked at his body. He was Fred Sadyne, Sean's assistant who was looking for Sean's whereabouts. Fred can only look down, realizing that Sean does not like his carelessness.
"Mr. Sadyne, brought me a change in clothes. I need to change first." Sean asked Sadyne, who was older than him.
"Yes, sir."
After Fred leaves him, Sean scans the inside of his car. "What a mess," Sean said irritably.
Suddenly, his sense of sight stopped at the back seat. He noticed that the back seat had blood stains. His eyeballs were perfectly round and panicked.
"Oh my God, what is that?"
Five years later, Sean and Zia stand one-night. Early in the morning, Sean was already at his desk, with a very serious look at his face. His handsome face seemed to have not faded five years ago when he met Zia.
Suddenly, the folder he was examining touched by the clear box on the right side of his desk. His hand movements immediately stopped, and his attention was drawn to a small box measuring 5 cm × 5 cm.
The inside of the box had a pink hair tie. Sean removed the glass lid and opened it, the clear box was a jewelry box. Do not know why he put a hair tie there? The hair tie was certainly precious to him.
"Where are you, little girl?" Sean murmured as he looked at a hairtie.
His mind immediately traced the incident five years ago, when he met Zia. A do not know what he was feeling at the time, but his heart felt adrift with Zia, who he remembered as a child. "I don't even know your name, that little girl?"
Yes, Sean did only meet Zia without having the time to get acquainted or introduce himself. Sean clearly remembered every event sequence. He saw a little girl barefoot in a short t-shirt and short stirt pants. At first, Sean thought that the little girl was a homeless child, but when the girl screamed loudly, Sean knew that the girl was expressing her frustration.
Sean expected it to rain. Until it suddenly rained uninvited, he could not bear to leave a little girl alone on the beach. Unfortunately, he made a mistake because of the bottle of wine. Sean could feel the girl's sad gaze and voice when she told him about her mood.
"How sad your life is, little girl," Sean murmured again, because he still remembered Zia who unconsciously told him about her life. After her father left her, her mother became a night lady in a brothel, and Zia was bullied at her college.
At the time, Sean knew that the girl was a student. What was going through Sean's mind? He was just thinking about entertaining the little girl, maybe it was the alcohol that made him and the girl do things they should not have done. From both corners of his glasses slid clear drops and hurriedly wiped the teardrops away.
"I can't forget that incident. The little girl was still a virgin, and it was me who took away her chastity. I'm sorry little girl." Sean regretts his actions.
Sean recalled seeing bloodstains on the back seat of his car when he woke up, and then found the hair tie he was holding. It must have been because Sean never allowed women to ride in his private car. Sean smiled at the hair tie that he held.
"Ah no, I shouldn't be sorry that you stole my money." Sean had a dialog with himself, babbling himself, as he recalled the money in his wallet disappearing without a penny.
"But, you didn't just steal my money. You've also stolen my heart, little girl."
Sean's reverie is interrupted by a knock on his office door. Sean put the hair tie back into the box that he had prepared. It was then placed back near his nameplate, which was also made of clear glass with gold-colored ink writing. CEO's Sean Ashborne.
"Come in!" he shouted casually.
Soon, the door opened, and Fred Sadyne, his assistant, walked while carrying a stack of folders. Fred walked towards Sean's desk. Sean's room was decorated with white gold furniture. It was a luxurious and classic room.
"Sir, I've brought you the files of some famous and talented writers who are going to do a biography on you," Fred said as he placed a stack of files in front of Sean.
"Please, check them first and let me know if you have found a writer that fits your criteria!"
Sean only replied with a lazy nod. His two eyeballs also looked at the piles of files waiting for his touch. Sean was lazy to share his personal life with the public, especially through a biography that had to be told. It must be clearly written about his journey to becoming a successful CEO. However, his father, Alan Ashborne, forced him to promote marketing and make his name known to other entrepreneurs.
Alan did not doubt Sean's ability to make the Holfive hotel into one of the best hotels in the UK, even his family's Holfive hotel became the top 10 best hotels in the world. Alan asked Sean to make his name known to the world. Sean hoped that foreign investors would flock and invest in their hotels. After Fred left his room, he was forced to open files containing the author's biodata. Occasionally, a lazy exhale can be seen in Sean's mouth.
"Why is everything written here only the advantages? These authors seem to be covering up their shortcomings," Sean complained that he closed the file and tossed the file roughly to his right. This indicates that he checked the stack on the right-hand side.
The sean was returned to the left-hand stack. Suddenly, his eyes widened and became perfectly rounded as he opened the next folder. His eyes immediately lit up and a perfect smile graces his handsome face.
"I finally found you, my little girl." Sean smiled happily at him.
"Zia Rosegood, that's your name. Your face is getting prettier, little girl."
Sean's hand picks up a photo attached to the author's biodata file as he dialogues himself. "My little girl has grown up. You are now a great writer. This time I have to make sure you will be mine, my little girl."
Sean reads the information written in the bio in the file in front of him. He could not wait to meet his young girl. His hand immediately pressed the button on his office phone on the right corner of his desk.
"Mr. Sadyne came to my office immediately. Now!"
Sean's command spoke on an office phone line connected to his personal assistant, who was also his secretary. Fred turned out to be very agile, only a few seconds after hearing his boss's orders had immediately entered Sean's office. Sean cannot hide his own happiness.
"I've found a writer that suits my needs. Make an appointment and work contract immediately!" Sean ordered directly while showing Zia's biodata. "I want the writer in my office by noon!"
Fred's face is astonished. Usually, her boss is full of detailed considerations. Even if Sean wanted to decide something, he would think all day, so that all his plans would be perfect. Fred seems to see a different person in Sean.
"But, sir, have you considered as much detail as possible?" asked Fred not to reject his superiors' requests.
"I said, I want the writer in my office this afternoon and you take care of the contract! Isn't my order clear?" Sean snapped loudly as Fred's rebuttal seemed to disturb his happiness.
"I'm sorry, sir. I will take care of everything and make sure that by noon, writer Rosegood is in your office."