Cheaper Than Expected

Cheaper Than Expected

It rang twice.

“Biiiiiiip… Biiiiiiiip.”

“Alonzo.”

“I accept your offer.”

“Be at my office by noon… Biiiiiiiiiiip…”

He hung up. He hadn’t uttered any other words. He didn’t need to. The mouse was in the trap. But it wasn’t important anymore. There were certain things in this world that would matter to keep going. My dignity wasn’t one of them compared to keeping my family alive.

I looked down at the silly teddy bear I was holding in my hand. God, I was dumb! I was so dumb! I didn’t see what I was supposed to do until this moment. How could I be so self-indulgent? My three months of suffering for a tremendous amount of money with a hot millionaire who I liked – once – could be any worse than my family’s suffering right now?

I looked at my father who was barely opening his eyes now with a growing bruise on his left cheek that just healed. And mom collapsed right next to him on the sidewalk, staring at a point with blank eyes thinking god knows what. Rachel was still crying her eyes out with screams and swears.

And look at me, look at what I have done. How did I dismiss this offer out of my hand in the first place? How did I act so selfishly? My fifteen year old sister has to endure all of these humiliation and fear or God knows what else just because her fully grown up sister couldn’t risk her fragile heart to be broken? Or her sacred body to be violated? What have I done? What have I done?!

I slapped myself.  Then again. Then again. I didn’t feel anything. I slapped harder. Harder. I just wanted to feel something, anything, except this excruciating pain burning my chest out and filling my insides with agony and despair. Someone kneeled before me, trying to hold my hand. No, don’t hold it. I deserve it. I deserve worse. I kept slapping with my other hand now. Someone was calling out my name. From very far away I suppose. But I don’t want to go there. I want to go with my sister. No, I want to go instead of her. Take me… Take me!

“Take meeeee!!! Take meeeee!!”

I didn’t know how long I screamed there, but the next thing was only a blank darkness.

…

I opened my eyes with the sting of sunlight. I was in Rachel’s bed. It was comfortable and warm. It was more than I deserved. I made myself sit up even though a headache was hammering at my temples. I looked at the time from my phone sitting on the nightstand. İt was 6 am. Good. I had enough time to get going.

Yesterday’s sweatshirt and jeans were still on me. And I couldn’t bring myself to change now. I got out of the room and looked at Bunny’s room. As I was still expecting to see her in her bed, all the things that happened were only a nightmare. But instead I found Rachel in Bunny’s bed, sleeping restlessly. The trails of dried tears on her face were still visible. Her brows were knitted in the grip of a bad dream. It could still be a dream for her. I would turn all of this into nothing but a bad dream for her. I could make it better.

I got down to the kitchen, where my mom and dad were already awake, or maybe didn’t sleep at all, were sitting at the table. I didn’t say a goodmorning, they didn’t either. It wasn’t a good morning.

“I am leaving…” I said nearly as a whisper. Dad didn’t raise his eyes from his coffee. Mom asked,

“Where are you going?”

“To end this madness”

“Do you have a plan?”

“No. I have a solution.”

I turned around and was about to leave the kitchen when I heard dad.

“Alice… Please don’t do anything stupid. I cannot bear anymore… I cannot—” his words breaking into a sob. I couldn’t turn back. I couldn’t face him. I was about to do something stupid maybe, but that was the only thing I could think of now.

I left the house.

I couldn’t recall how I managed to get back to NY and to my apartment. Or couldn’t recall how I showered and dressed like a pig getting ready for slaughter. Putting a big red ribbon on its wiggly tail and going by its feet to its butcher. No, I couldn’t recall any of it. When I was standing in front of the giant skyscraper of Alonzo Corporation in the heart of New York, only then I realized I was about to walk into my doom. And couldn’t care less.

I stepped into the building that I ran away from for my dear life, just yesterday. How everything changed this much just in a day. I showed my card to automatic doors and they slid open to let me in. I was alone riding up in the private elevator that only the management team could use. With every floor I passed, anxiety started to kick in. How would this contract thing work? When he said being a slave, did he mean he would do the same things he did to Ronda before? Or maybe worse. I thought I should read the contract carefully before I sign it. Then, suddenly I realized that I started worrying over myself. I could hardly contain my hands from hitting me again. What a coward I was. I had to do anything and everything that Anton Alonzo would want from me. Would it really matter to know what he would do? No! I had to say yes anyway.

The elevator dinged and announced that I had arrived at my ruin. I stepped out, each foot heavier than the other. He made it clear that I needed to be with him. Comfort him sexually too. There was no problem other than I was a virgin. And what if he is disappointed. Would he still be paying? He had to. He must. I had to make him pay no matter what.

I stood outside of his office and knocked on the door. His familiar commanding voice filled my ears.

“Come in!”

I held the door knob, inhaled and exhaled one more time and opened the door. He was sitting in his chair. One ankle resting on his other knee, his arms spread wide on the arm rests. Somehow he was looking bigger and more intimidating than ever. His black eyes had darkened even further with something undefinable. Something raw, hungry and wrong.

“Welcome back Ms. Wonderful.”

I nodded. He gestured to one of his guest chairs, the same one I sat on when he made this ridiculous offer and I told him to shove it up his ass. I sat silently.

He turned and leaned against his desk getting closer to me.

“So,” he said,  “What made you change your mind?”

“Does it really matter?” I asked.

He smiled, but the joy didn’t reach his black hole eyes.

“Not in the slightest.” he answered.

“Good.”

Then I talked again,

“I don’t want one million dollars, I only need fifty K and that’s all I will accept for this contract.”

“Take the money and spend it as you wish. You will need it after these three months.”

“No, I don’t want it. But I only want you to send the money right away.”

“As soon as you sign—”

“No!” I interrupted. I had to do it and do it now. “Right now, or no deal.”

“Only fifty K?” he asked one brow raised in surprise.

“Yes, fifty K right now, then you have yourself a deal. I will sign everywhere you want.”

“You are selling yourself cheaper than I expected Ms. Wonderful. Maybe I valued you wrong?”

Even though I recognized the insult, I didn’t acknowledge it. He put his index finger onto his lips and thought for a second. Then nod.

He pulled out his cellphone from his pocket and called someone.

“Mark? Make a fifty thousand dollars transfer to Ms. Wonderland’s account right now.”

He hung up.

“Done.”

“Okay, I can sign anything you want now.”

“Are you sure you don’t want one million dollars?”

My phone pinged and a money transfer message came from my bank’s app. Mark must have done it at the speed of light.

“I am sure,” I said. I stood up and looked directly into his eyes

“Where do I sign?”