Chapter I: Prostitute

Smash!

A resounding vase deafen entire room which was aimed at the youthful lady's face, standing.

"How dare you think you can let me down in this way, Carole." A man in his mere Fifty-Two years implies his face distorted with rage, regardless of what he thought only killing the lady in front of him could alleviate his frustration.

"Why would you let go of an opportunity to marry such a man." The sound of Carole's mother's voice out didn't differ from a person about to cry.

"Do you know the cause of your decision, will all lead us to be murdered without an objective or fault?" Said, her mother.

"What were you expecting me to do, Ma!"

Carole uttered, her voice couldn't help to quiver, while she exclaimed, "Should I marry a man who will later make my life no different from the women he wedded?"

"Carole!" Her father called calmly.

However, she only stared at him knowing true well her father's way to implore her to change her mind.

"No, Pa, you can't make my life a second nightmare because of your greed."

This time around, she's bound to alter that plea.

"I won't marry a who's twice my age and..." She quietened a bit, walking past his side and leading herself to the staircase, saying.

"I won't end up as your scapegoat."

She won't and never will become the wife of another man who will make her life slowly fall into pieces, just for the sake of her father's ruined business.

Her self-esteem should be intact this time around.

"Then what are you planning to do?"

Turning to face her, he began to vociferate loudly, "He will either come after you, me, the family, and even that scum of a son to you."

Stepping on the stairs, she clarify "He won't kill you if he can't kill me, wasn't the deal that, after you become a traitor."

"Do you think you can do as you will, and it will go your way, Carole!" Her mother, who have been all eyes at both her husband and daughter's dispute, spoke.

For her father, Jace Rowan who was livid.

He yells "Remember this is I die because of your life with that so-called low life, I swear Carole Rowan I will disown you."

Pang!

It was her heartbeat that drop to a stop the minute she heard her father say those words, a word that isn't supposed to be a father's words without a second thought.

A ticking time bomb to any child.

Swiftly turning in incredulity to Jace Rowan's behavior and attitude, verily he wasn't lying.

"I. Swore. To. Disown. You." Pointing his shaking hand engulfed in anger at her, he spoke in determination and emphasized to make her get it in her mind word by word.

"Pa." She utters under her breath.

Neither less, Jace only walked past her ascending stairs, not bothering to give her a single glance for a warning.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Carole stares at her father back, sighting away from her, then she turned to her only hope.

Her voice nervously shaken to the core, she calls, "Ma."

"Shhh!"

That's all she could get from her mother, who has no say or opinion when it comes to the head of the house. Moving to her, Alice Luther pats her shoulder in the manner she always does.

To reassure her of where she stood as a wife before being a mother.

Alice says, "Try to calm down, and understand him, he's just under too much pressure, you know he can't take it all."

"Let me calm him." To that, she steps up, leaving her daughter in a glimpse of pity.

"So, should I be the one to take it?"

More than once, will she sacrifice her happiness for a father such as him?

Carole felt an upwelling sadness in her chest, and tears roll down her cheeks, all while thinking.

She ascends the stairs running toward her room, Carole slammed the door shut. Motioning to the curtain by the side window, sliding it a little, her pupil's sight to the men in black outside the house.

'Damn.'

She can tolerate anything her father tries upon her. However, she can't be tolerant of the fact he already gave an old man permission to control her.

Was this supposed to be a pressure on her?

Carole moved, picking up her phone on the bedside, the phone suddenly lit up with a caller's name.

[Natalie]

A look of irritation evinces furrowing her brows before she answers.

"Yes!" She answers coldly.

"Oh my, what a surprise, you finally pick up my call." The person on the other line happily conversed.

"What is it, Natalie, I've no time for your nonsense."

Stepping to the window side, sliding it again, and staring carefully outside at the guards, Carole's expression abruptly changes from caution looking to benumb of the vocal cheer.

"Congratulations, Carole, your family-ruined business is finally going bankrupt."

She can't believe at the last minute this woman was the one she wanted to beg for help; minding to be a twisted woman and a mad one at that.

"Ha." Carole let go of a small laugh, she can't help but scoff "Well Natalie as expected of a crazy person, such a pickpocket dare to taunt me now."

"Watch your tongue, Sister-in-law, your manner might disappoint you and me." Saying, the phrase 'Sister-in-law' linger with deprecation.

"I can help your father," Natalie said.

"...What do you mean." Not that she didn't hear Natalie, the utterance was those she never anticipated.

Natalie said simply, "How much were you worth?"

Carole scowled, not liking the vocal 'Worth's' seeming all sarcasm.

"You won't say, shame, do you want to increase your brother's life in prison."

Natalie's threat of ostensible irritation made Carole still, her eyes replenished in dullness, change drastically to indescribable hatred and galled.

"Don't dare threaten me, Natalie." Gnashed her teeth, and internally spit a curse.

'Bitch!'

'Wasn't it you who stole from us, your fault both brother and mine are scarred from life, you took everything, everything my father and brother earned with their sweat.'

Carole felt like shouting out, nonetheless, she has to compose herself.

The person on the other side of the line indifferently utters, "I'm willing to give you the 50 billion."

"Just like that?"

Well, not that the amount scared her, since she was worth Fifty Billion to a raddled man, to Natalie giving her such a huge amount she detects it must be a dreamland.

"Ha ha."

The question sounds ridiculous to Natalie, and she cannot help but burst out laughing, "Not at all, what did the foreigner call it." She continued, as the laughter fizzled.

Carole stood, listening to Natalie, following word by word, as though it appears to have a last sweet feeling in her mouth.

"Ah. Fille de joie."

"What?" Carole enquired.

"Meaning Prostitute."