1: Deal

'Ah shit' Amber muttered to herself as she caught the face of the man following her, he was probably from those loan sharks.

Since she's been broke, her pay delayed from work, she hadn't been able to turn in her monthly payments.

For them to send someone, she is pretty sure it's not for a friendly conversation.

Picking up her pace, Amber cursed within herself, trying to rub her arms as the cold air seeped through her thin gown.

She would have taken a taxi but resorted to using the bus instead because she didn't have enough.

"Arghh." Amber groaned in pain as her heel got stuck in a ditch that caused her to fall forward.

"That hurts." She muttered, trying to stand up while looking backwards repeatedly, the man kept coming closer and closer, making her heart beat faster, what was going to happen to her?

There's still a lot of things in this world she wants to achieve.

"Why were you running miss? You should have been more careful." The man stated with a toothy smile stretching out his hand to help her.

Staring at his hand, Amber's eyes constricted with fear, hoping there was a way to get out of this mess, but sadly, the road that led home was deserted, it was rare for cars to even pass by.

For them to have found this out, they probably stalked her for some days.

"Why are you looking about? You scared?" The man chuckled deeply, using his finger to trace her chin, forcing her too look at him.

Amber struggled but he held her face tightly causing a groan of pain to escape her lips.

"When the boss said I should come 'persuade' a debtor, I didn't expect you to be this pretty."

Hitting his hand away, she glared at the man with tears at the corner of her eyes.

She bit her inner lips trying to look brave, "I just got a little delay on my pay from work, your boss will get his money."

Even though she tried not to show her fear, her stuttering gave her away.

Laughing a bit, the man grabbed Amber by the collar slapping her hard on the cheeks which immediately went red and swelled.

"Who do you think you are to hit me away like that? You are just a broke church rat with a pretty face." Pausing for a bit while stroking his chin, the man's eyes lowered to her chest.

A hungry look overcame his gaze as he licked his lips sensually.

"You know you can make this work out, who knows I might put in a good word for you in front of the boss." He muttered, lowering his head towards her neck.

They were in the middle of the sidewalk and the man was shameless enough to want to assault her here.

Clenching her fist tight, Amber thought of ways to escape when the headlights of a car indicating someone coming suddenly lit the dark street, distracting the man.

'This is my chance!' She exclaimed within herself.

Not wasting any time, Amber kneed the man in his elephant trunk beneath and grabbed her shoe in one hand, running and limping as fast as she could.

She definitely cannot get caught.

Finally reaching the mansion, Amber heaved a sigh of relief, she wondered if she had hit too hard for the man not to chase after her or probably because of the sudden company.

At the top of the gate, in the best craftsmanship, was written "The Talesman's home." An idea Amber still found cringe until this day.

Hoping her family were asleep, Amber snuck in through the kitchen back door, going to the fridge first to take an ice pack for her face.

As for her ankle, there should be an ointment should be in her room.

"Ah~" Amber moaned with relief the moment the ice touched her face, she rested her back on the fridge door, sinking the moment in.

Her hands ran through her Auburn hair and her smoky gray eyes squared, looking in no particular direction.

Getting money from loan sharks is a dangerous feat as most of them has something to do with the underworld and all that, but she had no choice back then.

Not like her family were keen on helping her anyway.

Thinking of her family, the light in Amber's eyes dimmed a bit and then she closed her eyes, trying to push the thought to the back of her mind.

"Sister you're back!" Fuck! Amber cursed within her.

"Hey Clara." She responded to her sister's greeting politely.

She loved her sister whole heatedly at that, but seeing her reminded her of whom their parents favor the most, no matter how she tries to brush it off, it still hurts.

"I was starting to get worried after not seeing you for a while." Clara said with her usual bubbly smile, moving closer only to gasp and put her hand over her mouth.

"Sister what happened to you?" Clara exclaimed, looking at the bruises Amber sustained from the fall earlier.

"My heels broke on my way here." Amber muttered, holding up her broken heels.

"Don't tell mom and dad." She added, even though she knew what her parents' reaction will be, there was still this tiny hope they will worry about her well-being.

"Don't tell mom and dad, what?" A man's voice resounded in the kitchen as awkwardness filled the air, and almost immediately Amber straightened up her posture.

"Good day father, Good day mother." She greeted with great formality, bowing her head slightly to the aged woman behind the man.

Rose and Thompson Talesman, her parents, the one's that had not shown her any act of love since she could remember.

At times, it felt like they only acted like she was a responsibility towards her, an obligation that must be fulfilled.

Amber could have concluded her parents were heartless, but the treatment Clara receives, made her convinced that the behavior was towards her only.

The reason? Maybe if she tried to be the perfect daughter she'll find out eventually, that's why they can't find out about the loans.

Sighing, Amber waited patiently for her parents to speak when her eyes met with a paper squeezed in her father's hand, causing all the color to drain from her face.

'Where did they get that? It was probably hidden.' Amber wondered with her heart beating faster by the second when the slam on the kitchen counter confirmed her fear.

"Explain what the hell this is!" Her father yelled angrily, hitting the paper on the table.

Amber glanced at it casually before falling to her knees, her eyes filled with tears.

"I can explain." She softly, 'Please don't hate me more, please don't hate me more.' She chanted in her head repeatedly.

Her hands squeezed the hem of her dress, trying to ignore the pain that came from her knee as she dropped on the floor suddenly.

Thompson and Rose looked at each other, seemingly giving a sign for something.

"I'm sorry, your father came on too strong, this is yours, right?" Rose asked softly while Amber nodded slowly in response, pinching herself harder.

"We'll let this slide on one condition, we have a deal for you." Amber's eyes immediately shot open as she stared at her mother in wonder, confused about what is going on.

What deal are they talking about?