The money arrived in my account the next morning plus a little extra I hadn't expected. I stared at the notification on my phone for a full minute. I didn't waste time feeling guilty. I transferred the full amount to the hospital right there. After a few hours I went to the hospital, when I got to the ward, the nurse at the desk actually smiled at me, first time anyone in that place had looked at me like I wasn't just another broke family member taking up space.

"Your father's in surgery now," she said. "They started about an hour ago."

I nodded, throat tight. "Can I wait?"

She pointed to the chairs down the hall. "Family's area's that way. I'll let you know when he's out."

I sat for hours, my mind kept replaying last night, the way he had said 'one night' like he was convincing himself more than me. I shifted in the plastic chair every time the memory hit too hard. My body still ached in places I hadn't known could ache. Not bad pain, just... there.

When the doctor finally came out, he looked tired but calm. "Successful," he said. "He's in recovery. We'll keep him here a few more days, but the worst is over. You did good getting the funds so fast."

I almost laughed. 'Good' wasn't the word I'd use. But I thanked him, signed the forms, and left before anyone could ask too many questions.

I went straight to the diner after. Sofia was wiping down the counter when I walked in. She looked up, eyes searching my face like she could read the whole night off me. "You're alive," she said, half joking, half serious.

"Barely," I muttered.

She dropped the rag and pulled me into the back room, away from the lunch crowd. "Okay, spill."

I leaned against the wall, arms folded tight. "I did it."

"I know you did it, I want details," she said rolling her eyes.

I stared at the floor. "He didn't look like the picture."

Sofia's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"Yeah. The profile showed some old guy. The man who opened the door was... thirty nine, tall, built. Looked like he stepped out of a magazine."

She let out a low whistle. "So you got a handsome man instead?"

I snorted despite myself. "Something like that."

She stepped closer, voice dropping. "And? Was it... bad?"

I chew the inside of my cheek. The memories rushed back, the I had said his name when I came, his mouth on mine. Hear crawled up my neck. "It wasn't bad," I said quietly. "It was... intense."

Sofia studied me for a second. Then she reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "You okay?"

I shrugged. "I got the money, Dad's in surgery, that's what matters."

She didn't push, just nodded. "You're tougher than you look, Elena. But you don't have to pretend with me. We're friends now, right?"

The word 'friends' hit me harder than I expected. I blinked fast. "Yeah, friends."

She smiled. "Good. Then next time you're at my place, we're getting drunk and you're telling me everything. No holding back."

I laughed, shaky. "Deal."

She hugged me quick and tight before we went back to work. For the first time the diner felt like somewhere I belonged.

The next week blurred together. Dad came out of surgery okay. I visited every day after classes, brought him magazines he wouldn't read. He didn't thank me, didn't ask where the money came from. Just grumbled about the food, nurses and the TV channels. Same old Victor.

School was the same hell, but I had less patience for it now. Monday morning, I was walking down the main corridor when the usual trio spotted me.

"Still wearing the same jacker?" one of them called. Chloe, the leader, voice dripping fake sweetness. "You know they sell new ones in stores, right?"

I kept walking. "Hey, scholarship girl," another one said. "Your dad still drinking the rent money?"

I stopped, looked her dead in the eye. "Better than drinking Daddy's credit card," I said flatly.

Chloe laughed, but it sounded forced. "Wow. Got a backbone today."

I stepped closer. "I've always had one. You just never noticed because you were too busy staring at your own reflection."

Chlow opened her mouth, closed it, then flicked her hair and walked away like she had won something. Her friends trailed behind.

By Thursday, the soreness was mostly gone. I could sit through lectures without wincing. I could walk without feeling every step between my legs. But I still thought about Damien. I hated how often the memory crept in and how my body warmed just remembering. I went to the hospital after school to visit my Dad but met him yelling at one of the nurse.

"Why is the food so bad, I don't pay so much money to get these kind of food," he yelled.

"You don't pay anything at all Papa," I said entering the room.

"I'm sorry," I apologised to the nurse and collected the food tray from her.

"You don't get to act this way here," I scolded him after the nurse left.

"You are developing all these attitude just because you paid the bill," he frowned.

I let out a sigh, tired of his behaviour. "Think what you like, but you don't get to shout at anyone here, they aren't me that would put up with you behaviour," I said trying to control my anger.

"I don't remember raising such a disrespectful child," he shouted.

"Well I don't remember you raising me at all, you can't even be appreciative for once in your life," I dropped the food tray and left angrily. Dealing with him was just too much to handle so I went home, I would probably visit him another day.

Friday afternoon I had to go to the administration building in school for my final year scholarship renewal, some form I had to sign in person, get a stamp, make sure my grades hadn't dropped below the cutoff. I had been putting it off because the building always felt cold and official, like they were judging me just for existing there. The main hall was quiet when i walked in. High ceilings, portraits of donors and past presidents lined the walls. I barely glanced at them, I was just focused on finding the right office.

Then I turned the corner and stopped shocked. The portrait was massive, bigger than the others, gold frame. It read, "Damien Blackwood, Principal Benefactor and Owner, Columbia University."

I stared at the frame, same jawline, same dark hair, looking straight through the camera like he knew exactly what you were thinking.

My stomach tightened so fast, i felt sick. "Oh fuck, what have I done?" I whispered.

Everything went silent around me, I panicked, fidgeting with my fingers, I stood there for a full minute, then I suddenly remembered I wasn't going to see him again. "Why are you panicking, Elena?" I asked myself laughing weirdly. I breathed in and out, stood straight and walked to the office. I submitted and signed the necessary documents not wanting to waste a minute there.

After a full day of lecture, I went to the hospital to pick my Dad, it was his last stay in the hospital.

"Why are you here again," papa asked looking disgusted as I walked in.

"You're getting discharged today," I packed the few clothes into a bag.

"I don't want to go back to that stinky house with you, I like being here," he frowned.

I made a surprise expression. "Well you must surely have the money to pay for extra time and by the way you kept yelling and complaining about everything here so why the sudden change of heart?" I asked sarcastically.

"You paid the bills once and you're feeling like a god." He hissed.

I was not going to banter words with him, I picked up the bag I arranged the clothes in. "I'm going to sign your discharge papers, you can stay if you have the money to pay for an extra time here but if you don't, it would be best for you to follow me home, to avoid embarrassment," I said walking out of the ward to the reception not waiting to get a reply.

The doctor walked towards me as i finished signing the papers. "You should take care of him and don't allow him smoke or drink," the doctor cautioned.

"I would try my best," I gave him a small smile.

He nodded and left.

I turned back to see Papa at my back frowning.

"Oh, I thought you wanted to stay," I mocked him. He opened his mouth to say something but didn't.

The little extra left from the money Damien gave me, I used it to book a cab home, even though papa frustrated me most of the times, I still cared about his health.

"Back to this box," he looked at the house like it was the most irritating thing he had ever seen.

"You stayed in the hospital for some weeks does not mean you should forget you live here," I reminded him.

He looked at me like he was ready to strangle me. I was only telling him the bitter truth.

"I made food before leaving for school, it's on the table, I'm going to the diner for my shift," I said dropping the bag filled with his cloth on the worn out couch.

"You want me to eat stale food?" He asked shocked.

I rolled my eyes at his silly act. "You can choose not to eat anything too," I said slamming the door shut.

I sighed, ready to walk to the diner when my neighbour approached me. "I knew you would end up like your father, or even worse, you now follow men driving expensive cars, that come to pick u up," she accused me. I'm sure she was talking about Damien's driver thar picked me up the other day.

"That was some few weeks back, old news, look for something new to way," I replied nonchalantly and walked out. I wasn't going to keep letting them step on me, and just stay quiet. But deep down I felt a little guilty, was I really turning into a slut?. No, it was just once and it wouldn't happen again, nothing to worry about.

The walk to the diner was quiet, no Marcus in sight, after I cut ties with him, I stopped seeing him around, he didn't even bother asking how my dad was, well it was for the best. Friendships like that weren't healthy. It took me for forty five minutes to get to the diner. I didn't waste any time and picked up my ⁶uniform.

"How are you, Elena?" Sofia asked, coming to hug me. She had become my closest friend this past few weeks and I was slowly opening up to her.

"I'm... coping," I answered, voice low. "Papa got discharged today." I added.

"That's great news," she seemed happy.

"Yeah," I whispere, remembering the acts he put up at the hospital.

"Everything will be fine," she noticed I wasn't thrilled.

"Something happened, Sofia," I took her to a corner of the diner.

"Spill," she said eagerly.

"You know when I said Damien looked familiar..." I paused. "...He's the owner of the school I attend," I looked anywhere but her.

"What the hell?" She screamed then covered her mouth.

"Does he know this?" She asked concerned.

"No, I found out after we did it," I explained.

"Do you think...," I didn't let her finish the statement.

"There is nothing between us, and he confirmed he doesn't fuck same woman twice," I repeated his words.

"If you say so," she shrugged, picking up the napkin on the table.

I shaked my head at her, she always found a way to make me overthink a situation. Even if he liked someone, it would definitely not be me, I'm not his type. I convinced myself and went back to working.

It was almost time for my shift to end, I didn't know if I should be excited going back home to face Victor's complains.

"What's got you thinking?" Sofia asked concerned.

"Nothing much, just Papa's normal behavior," I sighed.

"We could get coffee and talk a little before you head home," she suggested.

"I would love that," I smiled genuinely for the first time in a long while.

We walked to a nearby cafe, ordered two cup of coffee. Sofia told me about herself, we never talked much at work.

"I live alone, my both parents died in a car accident and I have just been surviving ever since," she explained briefly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were going through all that," I sympathized with her.

"They've been dead for a while, you don't need to feel bad," she patted my shoulder.

A notification popped up on my phone. It was from the sugar app.

"Can I have you to myself tomorrow?" A question from Damien. I thought he didn't fuck same woman twice.

"Hell no," I screamed internally.