Chapter 6

I had to take several deep breaths when the receptionist handed me a black bag. I was confident that was the money I was looking to withdraw.

"T-Take good care of yourself, ma'am." I smiled but didn't say anything. I was still in disbelief that I had a hundred thousand dollars in my possession. I was just debating with the receptionist about the best way to obtain it without being detained by the government, but now, I had all these money.

I turned to face the woman who had been quite next to me and gave her a joyous look. I was undecided if I should thank her or not. She didn't even smile.

The moment she didn't reciprocate with a smile, I began to walk out of the bank.

At long last, I was able to eat. Geez.

I adjusted my backpack as soon as I walked out of the bank. I was extremely hungry as I didn't eat anything yesterday.

I almost jumped in fear when a horn stopped me from walking. In spite of the fact that I was on the shoulder of the highway, I still squeezed my body to the side. Was I blocking someone's way? When I turned around, I was equally taken aback by the sight of a pink car. I was not on her way, so I returned to where I had been.

I immediately raised my two brows in amusement when I saw who was getting out of the car. She was the same girl who were at the bank earlier. What did she need from me? Would she seek compensation for her assistance in obtaining this money?

"Seriously, I can't believe you. I mean, how could you possibly leave without even saying thank you?" she asked in disbelief. She parted her hair as she walked toward me. I straightened my posture and once again, gave her a joyous look.

"Thank you very much." Her already drab face became even more drab as she looked at me. It was as if I had said something that she didn't like, and her expression changed because of my words. I was a bundle of nerves. I didn't know her, but I recognized her as formidable. What exactly was the problem with what I said?

"Thank you very much? Seriously?" She crossed her arms over her chest. I couldn't make out what she was saying. What else could she possibly need?

"I already expressed my gratitude. C-Can you tell me what else you want me to do?" My nervousness had increased in the last few seconds. I was thinking of all the bad things she could ask for in exchange for what she had done. If there were any other consequences to accepting her assistance, I really wish I hadn't.

"Nothing. What are you planning to do with all of that money? Shopping? Isn't that a lot to take on in one day?" She asked, obviously confused. I shook my head and slightly adjusted the grip on the bag.

It was heavy, and I was starting to feel really exhausted.

"Huh? Who would spend such a large sum of money for a single day?"

"Me. However, I won't spend that much money in a single day. Maybe for a week or two. Yes, for a period of one week. If you can give me a week, I can spend everything you gave me."

That didn't surprise me at all. By looking at her entirety, you would notice that she was high-maintenanced. It was obvious that everything she was wearing today was from a variety of well-known fashion designers.

"So, if you're not going to use it for shopping, what are you going to do with it? A hundred thousand dollars will not suffice to purchase a decent home."

I looked at her for a moment. Should I trust her? Was it okay if I told her? I wanted my condition to be kept a secret from them, so that they wouldn't think I was any different from others. I would like them to treat me as if I were a normal person. Without a trace of pity or sadness.

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you." I turned my back on her and began walking away. I was extremely grateful that she didn't comply and simply let me go.

I continued walking until I reached a restaurant. Upon sitting in an empty seat, the tiredness that I'd been experiencing since earlier began to subside.

"Good Afternoon, ma'am. Can I take your order?" the waitress asked. I opened the menu and went through each food. Thank goodness it was not too expensive. When it came to money, I wouldn't spend as much as I could.

"I'd like one rib eye steak, as well as a bourbon street chicken and shrimp dish. I'd like to have a cup of tea as a beverage." I smiled and placed the menu on the table. The waitress greeted me once more before she walked away from the table, leaving me alone.

I hoped they wouldn't take that long. I was famished.

I took the money out of the bag while the waitress was away. While I was telling the waitress what I wanted earlier, I was also mentally adding up the prices. I had already calculated how much I would have to pay before she left. I didn't want her to see me take money out of the bag because I knew she'd be surprised by the large sum of money I had. She might even think that I stole it from the bank.

It took only a few moments for everything I ordered to arrive. The aroma of the food made me even more hungry. I moved the bag on the empty seat next to me. I was sure no one would attempt to steal it, as the entire area was heavily guarded.

I ate quickly due to hunger. It was fortunate that the people around me were indifferent. I was afraid that they would make fun of the way I ate.

"Geez, you look like you didn't eat for a decade." I nearly fell out of my chair in panic when someone sat in the empty seat in front of me. I immediately looked up and frowned when I saw the woman from the bank in front of me.

She was here again?

"How did you get here?" I gently wiped my lip with the tissue on the side. She was currently staring at me as if I was the most repulsive person on the planet.

"You left me in the middle of the road without explaining why. My father called me so I didn't get to follow you right away. Why can't you tell me your reason? Tell me to so I can cover you from my father. He called because he already knew of your immense withdrawal." What I heard immediately devastated me. Naturally, Aurie, her father would probably ask. Both of you would bear the consequences if you refused to state your reason.

"I want to live alone," I responded. She rolled her eyes and lightly slapped the table.

"Be precise. You can always live alone without making such a large withdrawal. You obviously withdrew that much money because you don't want to withdraw again. That, I believe, is not for business purposes, as you don't wish to inform the government. Obviously, starting a business is not a crime as long as it's legal. You don't appear to be a criminal by looking at your physical appearance. There will be no conflict if the government is aware, but you don't want them to be. Therefore, Aurie, please explain your reason. What are your plans for that money?"

I set the cutlery down and sighed. She didn't look like a talkative person, and thus I knew she wouldn't inform others about my condition. She appeared to be trustworthy. Furthermore, we might not meet again after this, right? We'd part ways once I'd stated my reason.

"I was eight years old when I was shot in the back of the head, my leg, and my back. As a result, I spent nearly eleven years in a coma. I only recently awoke a month ago. Things were going well until my doctor informed my mother that I would not survive without the assistance of a machine connected to me. My body can't keep up with the changes. At the moment, my life expectancy is only four months. I'm about to die. However, with the machine connected to me, I can live significantly longer, but won't be able to do what I want because I am not permitted to leave my bed. My mother wishes to reconnect those stupid hoses on me for the remainder of my days. I flee with the trust fund card my father gave me and a few items of clothing in my backpack. I only want to withdraw cash once, as there is a good chance they will track me if I withdraw money multiple times. I'm not going to tell the government because my mother has numerous connections. She's a well-known lawyer, that's why. That's my reason, Ms. stranger."

I wanted to laugh out loud when I saw her reaction. She was speechless because of what I'd said. Who wouldn't right? If my condition were normal and I was told the same story, I, too, would be unable to speak.

I stood up and put on the backpack a few seconds later. I tucked the money beneath the plate to keep it from flying away as I walked away. She was still speechless, making this the ideal time to leave.

I stepped out of the restaurant and hailed a cab. I rushed in and stacked the bags to the side.

"Sir, please take me outside of this city and locate the nearest affordable apartment that you know. I'll pay you double," I stated. I needed a place to stay for the day. I was starting to feel as if I was going to stumble because of fatigue.

The cab in which I was riding began to move. It was a good thing the cab didn't smell bad; otherwise, I would have thrown up. Since I was a child, I despised the smells of public transportation. The interior of the car was also immaculate, clearly well-maintained.

It took us almost four hours to leave the city. When we arrived at an apartment, it was already dark.

"Thank you," I said as I walked out of the cab. I stood there waiting for the cab to leave before taking a closer look at the apartment in front of me. It appeared to be of reasonable quality and cleanliness. Because of the street lights outside, I still could see the entire building.

I walked into the building and went straight to the room where the owner was staying. Fortunately, the office's location was posted at the entrance.

I gently knocked on the door when I got to the front of the room. A few more seconds passed before the door opened and a beautiful but elderly woman came outside. The tattoo on her neck made her look sexy and young. I lowered my gaze to her hand, which was holding a cigarette. Oh my, she was giving me a hot gangster vibe.

A gangster in her 40's, maybe?

"You're stunning. What do you need? I'm Peri, the owner of this apartment. Come in." She opened the door wide so I could enter the room. Even her workspace appeared to be welcoming.

I took a seat in the visitor's seat that was placed in front of her desk.

"Uh, my name is Aurora, and I'm looking for a room for only one person. How much do you charge?"

"Are you new here? Oh, unfortunately, we don't have a room for one available right now. The school year is about to start, many students are renting because this apartment is close to their universities. The only thing available to us right now is a room for two. There are two beds and a bathroom, living room and a television. There's air conditioning, but it increases the electricity bill, and the same goes for the electric fan, but the air-con is more expensive." I couldn't give a damn about the bill or the available capacity. All I could think about was to rest because I felt like I was about to pass out at any moment.

"Will you stay here for months?"

"No, it's just a temporary resting place while I look for a school to attend. The school might be a long distance away, so...I'm not really sure." I forced a smile before I looked down at my trembling legs. My legs were already shaking 'cause of tiredness.

"Oh, is that so? All right, let's go and take a look." She was the one who walked out the door first, and I simply followed her up to the third floor.

#

She extracted the key from her pocket and unlocked the door. I started looking around as soon as I walked through inside. The room was comfortable, even if it was a little smaller than my room, it was still soothing to look at. The walls were painted with light cream color, and the floor was tiled. The interior was spotless and well-appointed, as was the exterior.

"Do you like it?" Peri asked. I gave her a quick nod, still looking around.

"Yes. This is exactly what I'm looking for. Is it necessary for me to pay now?"

"I don't accept payments after 8:00 p.m. You can pay the down payment tomorrow. Don't forget to close and lock the door, okay? I'm leaving because I still have a lot of work to complete. Take a break; I can see that you're very tired." She tapped me on the shoulder before leaving me alone. I fell to the ground simultaneously when the door closed.

I felt like I was going to die.

I had to force myself to get up and walk until I reached the comfortable mattress. Peri was right, this room was intended for two people.

There were two single bed here.

I reached for the pillow and placed it against my face. I regretted that I didn't think to bring medicine with me. I took a few deep breaths and gently massaged my aching leg before I laid down. After a few minutes, I attempted to get to my feet in order to lock the doors. I couldn't sleep with the doors unlocked, thieves might break in.

The massage took the weakness in my legs in some way. I didn't do anything but stare at the ceiling for a couple of hours. I was not hungry or anything; I was just extremely exhausted.

I missed my mom. I wondered what exactly was she was doing. Did she already know that I withdrew money from the trust fund account that my father had given me before? I was interested in how she was feeling, particularly as she was reading the letter I left for her. I was hoping that after reading the letter, my mother wouldn't bother to look for me.

I was just exhausted, but I was fine, mom. I was having a good time.

#

I woke up late the next day. There was no clock in the room, and I didn't have a phone, so I didn't have any idea what time was it. The sun was already shinning brightly, indicating that it was unquestionably noon. Fortunately, I turned on the air conditioning before I went to sleep because I was sure I would be sweating when I woke up. The sunlight coming from the window was precisely pointing at me.

I sat up with a sluggish stance, stretching my body. I could feel my back aching. The bed in this apartment was not as soft as my bed at home.

Yawning, I went to the bathroom and washed my face. I had no idea how I looked because there was no mirror in the bathroom. I couldn't give a damn about my appearance. No one was with me, anyway.

I went straight to the kitchen after I washed my face. There were two plates as well as two glasses on the table. In addition to a ladle, there were two pairs of spoons and forks as well. A frying pan and a kettle were also available.

This wasn't too bad for kitchen utensils, huh?

I returned to the room where my money was stashed away. I didn't get any food yesterday, so I'd have to go out and get some for breakfast. I was sure there were small shops outside.

Before I left, I double-checked that the door was securely closed. I only had a few things to buy, such as bath essentials and food for the day, so I shouldn't be out for too long.

While walking through the third-floor hallway, I encountered only adults who were taking a breath of fresh air. Although the sun was shining brightly, the area was densely forested, and the breeze remained brisk. Each time I passed by, their smiles were sweet. I felt no discomfort from their smiles, which led me to believe their intentions were pure. Additionally, they were elderly, with the majority of them being female.

I came across Peri when I got to the first floor. She was still holding a cigarette, just as she was yesterday.

"Oh, Aurora, where are you going? You've just awoken?" She let go on the cigarette and stepped on it as she approached me.

"Uh, I need to purchase food and toiletries. Is there a store close by?"

"We have our own cafeteria, as well as a shampoo and soap store. Simply turn in that direction and you will immediately see the store." She was pointing to the end of the hallway while saying those.

"I see. Thank you." I walked until I reached the location she was referring to. I waited a little longer due to the queue. Given that it was already noon, they would certainly have lunch.

The saleswoman regarded me with suspicion when it was my turn. Her face was grim, as if she were insulting the entirety of my being.

"Are you new here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. I bit my lip and quickly nod. Why? Did she have any problems with me?

"What do you need?" I examined the dishes that had been served; they were all clearly delectable, so I didn't have a difficult time choosing. I also purchased shampoo and soap, as I hadn't taken a shower since yesterday. 

I even noticed the saleswoman frowning after I purchased. I had no idea what she was upset about, so I simply ignored her.

Two men stopped me as I was about to leave the cafeteria. My chest shivered immediately. I completely forgot that this was a possibility. I should have remembered to bring my pepper spray!

"Do you have a boyfriend, Miss?" One of them asked. They appeared to be my age.

"No and I'm uninterested." I brushed up against both of their shoulders and walked away quickly.

What a shame, Aurie. You must be prepared for this. You were now alone, remember? There were no guards with you. You must be able to defend yourself.