Valenci: Never Lose Me

Chapter One

Music to go with the chapter^^

Rohm

Three weeks earlier

"Rohm you're still here? I thought you finished an hour ago"

I smile up at my boss as I push a curly strand of hair behind my ear " There was just one last email I wanted to finish" Duke Harris, the lawyer for whom I've been working for the past four months, returns my smile.

The same lawyer who told me I got a chance at a fresh start, a clean slate in the same breath as confirming what I already knew at that moment - that my mother was dead. What surprised me was the assertion that I was left nothing of my mother's belongings.

With a single blow, I did not lose the only family I had but was also becoming homeless and destitute. With one word I was completely fucked. His eyes showed a touch of pity when he informed me that I had to move out of my childhood home within a week.

Every objection I could think of immediately died in my throat because, deep down, I knew that Ryder Harris didn't leave any space for loopholes or doubts. My mother was gone, and so was everything she had ever possessed.

I didn't ask any more questions, and Mr. Harris offered no other explanations. He offered me a job at his firm, and since I wasn't sure what other options I would get, I accepted. And now I sit here in a posh office space, faking a smile to the man who destroyed my whole life with one sentence.

" Well, don't stay too long and enjoy your weekend. "

" You too Sir. "

I round the corner to the rundown building I live in. This part of the city isn't the best, and the building has a lot of overdue renovation work, but it's affordable, and that's the only requirement for me now. The strap of my shopping bag bores into my shoulder by the time I climb the three flights of stairs to my apartment.

The inside of the building looks just as old and worn out as the outside. I push the wooden door open and step inside, immediately throwing my bag on the kitchen counter right next to the entrance. At least I managed to make the tiny apartment as homely as possible.

It is unbelievable what a few cans of color and a few cushions can do - even in a place like this. I'm so lost in my thoughts that I don't realize that I am not alone. A slight movement is what I detect in the corner of my eye.

" What the fuck " My head turns toward the movement, and I realize there's a man in my apartment, moving towards me as if he has every right to be there. "Who are you" I ask shakily, the man flashes his teeth as he walks toward me.

I stumble back, my back touching the counter of my tiny kitchen space. I move around the counter to look for a knife or any other weapon to protect myself but keep grasping at nothing.

" It doesn't matter who I am, In honor of their long-lasting friendship, my boss sent me here to give you a little heads-up" He cocks his head, grinning from ear to ear. I don't even need to ask who his boss is - the thick Japanese accent gives it away.

" If you've known my mother, then you should know ... I-I don't have any money"

" Well, sweetheart I suggest you find a way to get money because I can promise you, you won't like what happens " My stomach rebels as he leans closer to me, dragging his thick finger along my jaw, breathing his rancid breath directly into my face.

" I, on the other hand, would enjoy that very, very much" He runs his tongue over his brown teeth, grinning down at me. " Your first payment is due in four weeks, I'll see you in a month, little girl".

He pushes away from me and leaves my flat without looking back. As soon as the door falls into the lock behind him, I sink to the floor. The handle of one of the kitchen drawers bores into my back, but I don't care; I don't feel anything at all.

Nothing besides blind panic gripping every cell of my body. I thought I was fucked before, but apparently, that hadn't even been the start of fucked up.

Present Day...

'Tick-tock, little girl. I'll see you in a week ' I stare at the message that just popped up on my screen momentarily, and a cold shudder runs down my spine. I quickly shove the phone back into the back pocket of my jeans. Out of sight, out of mind.

As if I could make this go away by simply ignoring it. I put my head in my hands and took a deep breath before setting my gaze back on the few pieces of jewelry splayed out on my coffee table. My father's jewelry.

Besides a few pictures and my fading memory of him, that's all I have left of my father. There are various stages of desperation, and it appears I have yet to hit my absolute low. No matter how desperate I am, I can't bring myself to pawn the stones off.

I chuckled at my thoughts.

Because I am desperate enough - I am desperate enough that for the briefest moment, I thought about auctioning off my virginity. I've been through all the stages of desperation, grief, and anger over the past couple of weeks.

But no matter how I twist and turn the facts in my mind - I am on my own. And I have nothing but myself to work with. While I might be too emotional to let go of my family's heirlooms and too scared to let some random man fuck me for an obnoxious sum of money, I decided to sell my body in another way.

One that wouldn't make me as much money in a short time, but it was a start. I can only hope that I can still make enough to keep the Kutsuki clan and their creepy goons off my back.

Hope.

I laugh to myself.

Can I even afford something like that anymore?