EMERALD

He’ll spare me?

“Oh, really? How kind… and noble,” I force a smile and then scowl immediately. “I don't need your pity. You can enjoy the rest of your shots.” I take Alicia’s hand, gesturing for us to leave.

As I walk past him, I hear him sing-song. “Stay away from relationships.”

“Asshole,” I mutter, hoping it’s loud enough to get to his ear. But seriously, why are the handsome ones ‌insane assholes?

“What was all that about?” Alicia, who had been quiet the whole time, asks. Wasn’t she the one talking about killing my ex and his girlfriend minutes before the commotion?

She had joined the bartender in enjoying the show. I stop and narrow my eyes at her. “You were seriously enjoying that, weren't you? You are always quick to jump in and put an asshole in his place.”

“That wasn't just any asshole, Emerald,” she folds her arms.

“What do you mean? An asshole is an asshole.”

“You really don't know who that man is?” She asks, her face now displaying concern.

“Of course I don’t, do you?”

She scoffs. “I should teach you more about this city.”

Now, this is troubling. “Why? Who is he?” I probe.

“I won't tell you this one. You’ll have to find out for yourself, honey,” she smiles. “Can’t wait for your reaction when you do.”

I gasp, ready to shoot her with questions, but she doesn't let me utter another syllable.

“Now, which club are we headed to next?” She asks, looking around. “Drinks on me this time.”

✰ ✰ ✰

I wake up to the incessant ringing of my phone. My head weighs a ton. My world is spinning. Literally. When the fog clears, I check my phone to find Gabriel's missed calls.

Ugh.

It's a weekday. I’m about to shuffle out of bed when I remember I have no job. Just a reminder in my brain that makes me groan at Gabriel’s name on the screen. On that note, I hit the block button, even though I can recite the numbers in my sleep.

A few minutes later, I’m still growling when my mother walks in with a glass of water and painkillers.

My savior.

I sigh, receiving the salvation package from her. I gulp down the glass of water. Only then do I realize I didn't tell her where I was going last night. Hell, I even missed dinner.

And how did she know I needed painkillers this morning?

The answer is unequivocal. She’s my mother.

And she has been reading my mind all this time. I didn't even tell her what happened yesterday. After my conversation with Gabriel, I left in a rush.

I decide to explain my joblessness, but I hide the part where a woman threatened to make my life a living hell.

However, my mother tries to handle it calmly, giving me the kind of hope that’s difficult to accept. “You’ll find another one,” she says softly.

Yeah, sure. Because in New York, jobs come running to you even when you don’t have papers.

“That's going to be hard. You're talking to someone who doesn't have papers. I was hoping for something better, Mother. I want us to live comfortably. Furthermore, I wanted to save enough to get back to college. Time waits for no woman.”

“You're beating yourself up so much, dear. We'll figure things out.”

Yeah, what else can I do? I'm about to toss myself into the harsh job-hunting world.

After the small talk with her, she lets me rest, but not without saying, “Gabriel is a fool. Forget him. As we always say, past is past, present is a gift, and ….” She pauses to let me finish.

“And the future is bright.” I groan.

✰ ✰ ✰

I VISIT THE HOSPITAL in the afternoon, feeling much better. My brother’s condition is still the same, according to the doctor.

I'm standing before him as the sounds of beeping machines fill the room. They could be annoyingly monotonous, but their silence would be a nightmare I never want to imagine.

For the past four days, my brother’s life has been dependent on them. He’s been lying here, pipes connected to his body. A sight that breaks my heart.

“You have to fight, Theo. I need you. I miss you.” I move closer and hold his hand.

Watching my brother fight for his life makes tears threaten to roll down my cheeks, but I try hard to fight, smiling when I think about how he would scold me for letting my tears fall.

How will you see the bright future if your eyes are covered with tears? He would say.

My one-sided conversation with my brother doesn't last long. I don't have much to say, since I have to go ‌job hunting. As much as I’d love to be here, if he opens his eyes….when he opens his eyes, the medical bills won't pay for themselves, and my parents already have a lot on their plate.

As I walk out of the hospital, I notice two guys a few meters in front of me. The only reason I notice them is that their focus is on me.

They are dressed in all–black and are the complete opposite of each other.

One is bald, and the other has his black hair tied into a small ponytail. One is taller than the other, slimmer than the other.

I'm holding a tiny bit of hope that they don't want anything to do with me, which is funny because their eyes are glued to me. Gosh, I should stop with these tiny bits of hope. They usually end up disappointing.

My theory is confirmed when I try to walk past them, and they block my way.

“Not so fast, young lady.” The bald one grins, towering over me. Although they look intimidating, I try to mask my frustration. I don't want to cower and give them the satisfaction.

“Emerald. You're even hotter in person,” the haired one says, with the same grin that makes me uncomfortable. The only consolation I give myself is that we’re in public. They wouldn't try anything to hurt me, would they?

But…how do they even know my name?

“What do you want?” I ask, a hint of fear evident in my voice.

“She looks relentless,” says the bald one, and they laugh. “We want to talk about Theo,” he announces.

EMERALD

What about my brother?

My head can't wrap around anything at the moment. I scrutinize the men briefly. Nothing about them gives me a comfortable feeling, starting from their dress code. Both dressed in all black, with classy shoes which they probably afford from whatever shady business they must be into.

I hate their laughs. It's like they wreak havoc whenever they open their mouths. The haired one takes out a cigar from his pocket, which is immediately snatched from him by the bald one, who shoots him a glare and then returns his attention to me almost immediately.

"Theo was a good boy. I liked him." He smirks and continues. "I thought he would get to a higher rank in the coming years, but he chose greed. Look where that got him."

I blink in confusion. What are they talking about? A certain possibility conjures in my brain, but I shove it off just as quickly. I don't want to believe that there's even a possibility, Theo got into something shady.

Seeing the questions in my face, at least they have the dignity to explain.

"Oh, pardon our manners," the bald one continues. "We forgot to introduce ourselves. This is Spencer, and I'm Jake. Theo was one of our delivery boys."

Forget their names.

"Deliveries for what, exactly?" I pry.

"So curious. You won't let me finish." They burst out laughing, leaving me in a state of wonder. Have they been smoking...of course, they have. I have no time to laugh at myself.

"Allow us to introduce you to some dirty stuff, little angel." Jake does the talking.

By all means, yeah.

"We deal with very interesting products that make you feel so good-you might confuse earth for heaven."

"Have you ever been to heaven?" Spencer interrupts, narrowing his eyes at Jake, who shoots him a glare, goes ahead to ignore the question, and resumes his explanation to me.

At the end of it all, only one conclusion sticks with me.

Damn right, I know exactly what they are talking about, but they don't mention the specific drug. Or drugs. I had it at the back of my mind as soon as they started explaining. Or maybe as soon as they approached me. I must have been in the denial phase.

"Theo was aiding in drug delivery?" I hold back a gasp. So this was what he was into.

"You catch up so quickly," says the one with a pony, who I now know to be Spencer. "I hope you catch the next part quickly," he supplies.

I knew there was worse to come. Of course, they didn't just approach me for a mere introduction or to report to me about Theo's secret deeds. Yup, they smelled like trouble.

Spencer goes on with the explanation.

"Like we said, Theo was a good boy, until he saw it fit to steal from us. A very significant amount. That wasn't smart of him." He shakes his head vehemently.

My heart shifts from my chest.

"Wait, is that why ...did you..." I stutter as another possibility kicks in.

Spencer turns to Jake. "See, I told you, she's brilliant. She's joining dots in that beautiful head."

Jake explains further after letting out a devilish laugh.

"Look, we just wanted to punish and scare him a little."

Yet he ended up in a hospital bed fighting for his life. I think.

He must have read my thoughts because then, he clarifies.

"Things got out of control, hence... You know," he motions with his head, referring to the hospital.

"So, what do you want?" I probe, waiting for the other shoe to drop. This can't end well.

"Theo has left a significant dent, and he has to pay." Jake declares, massaging his chin.

"He's in a coma, fighting for his life. How do you expect him-"

I stop when I notice how nonchalant they are. That's when it gnaws at me; They don't care.

"Think deeper, Emerald. You've proven to be smart, despite dropping out of college."

I gasp in shock. They know that too? What kind of people did Theo get involved with?

That aside, it takes a while for my mind to register the actual reason they approached me regarding Theo's debt.

Since Theo has been unconscious for a while. "You want me to pay Theo's debt," I conclude.

"Bingo!"

"You're the best successor. We don't know when Theo will wake up. We have to keep the business going." Jake moves closer and holds my shoulder, his eyes boring into mine. I move a step back, but it doesn't make any difference. "You don't want to upset the big boss. Because..." He grins. "He is not sweet like us."

"The big boss?"

"Yeah." He finally lets me go, and inlet out a long breath I didn't know I was holding. "You'll get to know him if you fail to adhere to the rules."

They pass the warning so clearly.

___________________

The night is insanely long, mostly because I'm restless. My mind is full of thoughts about Jake and Spencer. And, of course, The Big Boss. They painted him as a soulless, ruthless human. If Jake and Spencer were that intimidating and scary, what would their boss look like?

I remember their warning about involving the authorities.

"That's the worst mistake you can ever think of. In case you haven't noticed, we have your brother's location. We can finish what we started. That has never been anything difficult for us. Or do you prefer we take it up with your parents?" Jake had said.

If my parents found out about this, they would be broken, devastated, and so many other things.

The last thing I want is to stress them more. They already have Theo's condition to worry about. I should think of ways to handle the situation. Weighing the option of involving the authorities doesn't look good. I could lose my family. They probably have said authorities on their payrolls.

They said Theo stole their drugs. What the hell did he do with them? Did he hide them? If he did, then where? I can't think of any place. Or did he sell them? If so, what did he do with the money?

I only remember him getting mother a fancy necklace for her birthday three weeks ago, which he claimed to have been saving for. I could scold him for this, but that wouldn't help lighten the situation. Besides, he can barely open his eyes. Let alone speak or listen.

EMERALD

In the morning, mother wakes me up with a glass of milk.

"You need this," she says with a smile, right before she detects the trouble in my face. She wouldn't be mother if she wasn't good at that. I hardly have any success at hiding things from her.

"I'm your mother. I detect your troubles from a mile away," she would say.

I quickly defend myself before she gets the chance to ask.

"Job hunting isn't going well. And I miss Theo," I shrug. At least I'm not lying. I just want to divert her attention.

She sighs loudly. "We all miss him. It sickens me that the police aren't doing their job. My son was mugged, and the culprits are probably walking free while he fights for his life," she snaps.

I try hard to mask my expression because I think it would be best if she remains with that analogy.

"How are you handling your heartbreak?" Her change of topic is almost shocking.

"I have bigger fish to fry than think about a lying scumbag."

Trying to divert the topic as far away from Theo as I can, I smile and ask, "Do you think I'll ever get what you and dad have?"

She smiles back.

"Life doesn't always pan out as we want it to, Emerald. True love isn't easy to find these days. But you're a precious jewel. Our precious jewel. And you deserve so much better." She cups my cheeks. "I'm sure your prince charming will come. Look at your father and I. How we found each other during our rough times. How we saved each other. All of that was unplanned."

I've heard that story a million times.

My father, too, likes to remind us of how they met. He always claimed mother saved him from destroying his life, and there began a beautiful love story. I was the highlight of their love. Their precious jewel as they have always said.

"Don't think too much about Gabriel. He doesn't deserve a single space in your head," she insists.

"He's supposed to be your past." The smile that follows makes me aware of her next words. "I'll keep saying this." She takes my hand. "Past is past, present is a gift, and the future is bright."

Why am I finding it hard to agree today? I know it sounds much less, but six months of my life have been wasted. I still have Lindsey's threat in my head. They could be mere threats, or she could execute them for real.

"Will you come to the shop later?" Inquires mother.

"In the afternoon. I'm meeting Alicia first. She'd promised to help me apply for some jobs online," I inform her.

___________________________

I'm headed out to meet Alicia for lunch. She'd agreed to buy, well... I'm jobless.

I open the door to the sight of Gabriel standing right there, with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

Urgh

"I've been calling you," he says.

I lock the door before I turn to walk past him.

"And I've been ignoring you."

He grabs my wrist.

"Let go of me, or I'll scream bloody murder. You have no right to touch me!" My pupils widen as I snap.

"Emerald, we need to talk. Let's fix this. I don't want to lose you, baby," he pleads, but I know better than to fall for those empty words.

A painful laugh escapes my lips. "What's there to fix? You fucking lied to me. I lost my job because of you," I remind him.

"I can always get you another one," he offers.

"I don't need your help," I retort.

"Really, where will you get another job without credentials, Emerald? I can get you a better job, get you to a more comfortable apartment."

"Funny how you only think of that when we're done. Why would you care?" I ask.

"Because I love you." He reaches out for my hand, and I avoid it like the plague. Before, those words were soothing to the ear. Now that I've opened my eyes, I can't fall for his manipulating schemes again.

"You know, I was talking to my mum, and I kept asking myself, did I really love you, or was I just fascinated by the fact that I've always wanted what my parents have? Maybe I went for the bare minimum, hoping it would lead somewhere."

He scoffs. "You don't mean that."

"Stay away from me and tell your dramatic, brainless girlfriend to stay away from me too," I warn as I walk away, ignoring his calls of my name.

The next time I put a smile on my face is when I sit at the restaurant with Alicia.

"You dodged me yesterday," she complains.

Before I get the chance to defend myself, she adds, "Just like you dodged a one-night stand with-"

"The guy from the club? That's where this is headed, right?"

Of course, the next thing I'm going to hear is the proverbial saying, the best way to get over a man is to get under another one.

For a moment, the thought of it is not repulsive, especially since my brain starts to conjure up a hot image of him, but then I remember the type of asshole he was. Anyway, we'll never meet again. He was just a stranger...a hot stranger with a bad choice of words.

"Was he really an asshole?" Alicia asks.

"Are you an idiot?"

"All he did was state what he'd witnessed. You didn't even explain-"

"I'm the asshole, then. Got it." I nod listlessly. "Why are you defending him, anyway? Who is he?" I probe. She'd told me I would find out for myself, but I've not been interested.

Okay, that's a lie. Just that I've been busy with my troubling issues. Part of me is curious.

However, her response is a groan, followed by complaints about how old-fashioned I am, with a boring life, and then she returns her attention to her laptop.

"Anyway, let's talk about important things. I have been looking into this agency." She carefully slides the laptop over to my side.

"A housekeeping agency?" I narrow my eyes at the screen.

"I know... it sounds strange, but it's legit and worth it. The best part is that you get to work for billionaires. Pays well and has good reviews," explains Alicia.

"There are five vacancies," I state, after scrutinizing.

"That's the point. Try your luck and pray that you don't encounter an asshole of a boss."

For goodness' sake.

I could keep on complaining, but then I remember how much I need the money. It's worth the shot.

After lunch with Alicia, I head to the florist, just as I had promised mother.

She had asked me to take her space because she needed to see Theo.

I want to tell her that at least I applied somewhere, and I'm hoping for a positive response.

I even googled the salaries. Call me delusional, but since I hit the apply button, I've been having imaginations about getting paid, planning for the money I haven't received, let alone getting the job itself. I don't care about counting your chicks before they hatch and all that stuff.

My fantasy is interrupted when I get to the entrance of the shop. I notice two familiar faces I had hoped not to see again. My mum and dad are at the counter laughing at a joke they must have told them. What is the meaning of this? A mixture of anger and fear courses through me.

My mum notices me and calls me over.

"Emerald, you're here." She says.

Both men look at me with smiles I know very well to be fake.

"I want you to help me with these two customers. They are the funniest. It's been a long time since I laughed this much, right, honey?" She asks father, who is quick to agree.

I would have appreciated the fact that they made my parents laugh amidst the troubles in our lives, but there's nothing funny about Jake and Spencer.

What are they doing here?