Ms. Slut

Raymond didn't go to the Chen's; on his way there, he realized that he had no business with them. His goal was to protect Grace now, so he will only deal with them if they harm her in the future.

*

It was 20:00 p.m, and Mr. Zhi, the principal at Grace's school, walked into his home. He switched on the lights, but they weren't working. "Is there a power outage?

"Mia," he called out to his wife, but she didn't respond.

Then he saw there was light upstairs. This got him scared, but he slowly walked up the stairs. Then he saw his wife sitting on the bed. "I was calling; why didn't you answer?"

She shivered in fear. His gaze moved to the man at the side; he was pointing a gun at his wife.

"What? Who…who are you?"

"Someone wants to speak with you," the guy said, placing a phone on the bed and placing it on a loud speaker.

"Admit Grace Chen back to college." Raymond's voice echoed around the room. He was too busy to come himself, so he sent his men.

Mr. Zhi's palms became sweaty, then he stared at his wife, who was in tears. "Grace is just a kid; I just want her to go back to her parents."

The guy loaded his gun, and this got them scared. "No, please don't shoot."

"Treat her nicely, good night," then the call got disconnected.

"If you dont want another visit from me, then dont offend my boss," the man smiled at him. He walked to the window and jumped down.

"Hey." They both hurried to the high window, but they couldn't spot the man.

"Who did you offend?" His wife asked angrily, but he was too scared and nervous to talk. "Who did Grace get involved with?"

*

Grace stood by her bedroom window. She had cried a lot and mustered the courage to call back her stepmother.

She dialed the number, and it got connected. "Why will you file a case against me?" she asked right away.

"You are asking me such? Where are you?"

She was scared that if she told her mother where she was, then she would come meet her. "You always wanted me gone; now I am gone, so why do you still pretend like you care?" 

"It's true you got involved with some sugar daddy; now you think you have the guts to talk back at me?"

"Yes, Sarah, I now have the guts to talk back at you." Grace sneered, and she clenched her fist.

"What? Did…."

She hung up when Sarah was still talking.

"Do they want me to come back and be their maid?"

She thought, Why will I leave a comfortable place just to go back to being tortured? Isn't hell a better place?

Then she noticed that the street lights weren't the same as yesterday. She used her fingers to count how many were on "one, two, three,... nine."

"It was twelve before," she thought.

Then she remembered that Raymond had told her to call him immediately she noticed the lights weren't twelve.

So she dialed his contact, and it got connected. "I am listening," he said in his usual hoarse tone.

"There are nine street lights today; my mathematics is..."

Beep

The call got disconnected. She frowned and closed the window. "He told me to call him when it's not twelve, and when I do, he hangs up."

-

Grace slowly opened her eyes when she felt the presence of someone in her bedroom, and then she jumped up when she saw Raymond standing by the window, dressed in all black.

"You are up," he said with his back facing her.

"Why…why are you here?" She got nervous.

"You called me."

"I did?"

"You didn't cook for me; can I ask you another thing?" He turned towards her, and her gaze moved to the clock. "It's midnight," she reminded him.

"And?"

"Well, go on and ask."

"An old friend of mine is back in the country; let's have dinner with him tomorrow."

She bit her lower lip. "But you said I shouldn't be friends with your friends."

Fair

"Right, so you won't talk to him. Just sit there like the little lotus you are."

Was she supposed to just sit quietly at a dinner table? She thought, then she nodded.

"Go back to sleep; tomorrow you have school."

A smile crept on her lips, then she walked back to her bed, but he didn't leave; he turned and faced the window, busy staring at the street lights.

"Mr. Xu" Grace called.

"Hm?"

"I think I know the kind of business you do."

"You do?" He asked in amusement, and she nodded. "You are a soldier."

Raymond chuckled. It had been long, he chuckled, then he noticed that all of the twelve street lights were now turned on.

"I said I have the type of money that is impossible to count; I am sure a doctor earns more than a soldier. So think deeper; good night, little lotus," then he strowed out of her bedroom.

"What business does he do?" She was deep in thought, then her eyes brightened, and she jumped down the bed, hurried to the stairs, and said out loud, "Mr. Xu, are you into finance?" 

He stood downstairs and stared at her from up "Bloody finance," he muttered before he walked out.

–

The next morning, the driver dropped Grace in front of the school, but she was nervous to get down. "Won't' you go in?" Mr. Li asked, and she rubbed her sweaty palms.

"Yesterday I was bullied and expelled, but Mr. Xu said I am no longer expelled. What if I am still expelled? He is not the principal."

Mr. Li chuckled. "Why are you bothered about such? If Mr. Xu said you are not expelled, then you are not."

"You think so?"

"Yes, I think the principal will welcome you personally," he joked.

"Well…" She walked down the road and into the school.

It was announced yesterday that she was expelled, so everyone was surprised to see her at school.

She arrived in the corridor and spotted Nora having an argument with Steph. Once they noticed her, Steph hurried to her "Grace," and she hugged her.

"How could they expel you?" 

"Hey" Grace broke the hug, and her gaze moved to Nora, who raised her lips mockingly.

"Ms. Slut, what are you doing here?"

"I know, you must be so shocked." Grace smiled at her; she wasn't going to let Nora hurt her again.

"No, I am not. If you are here to beg the principal, then you better retreat."

"Why will I beg? It turns out my married 'sugar daddy' put on some words for me." Grace said proudly, and Steph stared at her in disbelief.

"What are you saying?" she whispered.

"You finally admitted it, huh?"

"Miss Chen" Mr. Li hurried to her with her school bag.

"You left this in the car," he said, and Grace smiled at him. "Thanks."

He nodded and left. All the students were left shocked as they stared at the man, who was probably in his late forties.

Then Nora burst out in laughter. "Oh my God, Grace, don't tell me that's him."

"Miss Chen," the principal's voice echoed as he walked towards them. Grace was scared. Did Raymond keep to his words?