The taxi driver turned off his engine as we halted at a place. It is where my client lives and he wanted to close the deal inside their mansion. As I close the door of the car, I wear off the black sunglasses and slid it into my tuxedo pocket. I spotted my bodyguard two meters away from me. He was wearing a black tuxedo with an earpiece. I gave Justin a sign that he should keep his distance. He nodded twice and leave behind the darkness.

It was Sunday night and I need to close this deal with my client. Hence, he will keep on sabotaging my plans. Kai Wei Long, well-known as Mr. K, one of the business tycoons in Underworld, wants to be my business partner for a project. However, I knew him too well and his ulterior motives. I knew he was just doing this to kick me out in the Underworld. Pathetic old Chinese man. He thinks he could manage to do that. It’s not that easy to bring me down as I am the top-grossing mafia in the Underworld. I have wide connections, not just in China, but in other places too.

Heels clicking on the floor, I went inside the high-end bar. It may look small from the outside but the area is very large when you come in. The baritone voice of Zayn Malik and Sia surround the atmosphere as I went to a red door.

The two men in black open the door for me and I fix my tie before stepping into another room. The light illuminates my face when I saw the whole place. The sound of music played by the DJ irritates my ears, adding the beat irritates me more.

I hate that music! Turn that fucking off now! A man like me will never be surrounded by these kinds of people partying their life every day. I want peace. I don’t like smokes and effects inside the bar. In short, coming to this place is such torture for me. But I have to come to him, personally, without any guard to tell him, right in front of his fucking face, that I am not interested in the deal. I even bring him a small gift.

Inside of this steel briefcase is a box of condoms for that old and perverted Chinese bastard. Watching those prostitute below the deck makes me sick. What the fuck are they doing? Selling their soul and body for money? If that’s their reason, they can come to me and I would gladly slap them a dozen dollars if that’s what it takes to get a hold of their hungry pussies.

Even if I’m a man, it will never occur to me to visit this kind of shitty place. This will be my last time entering here, and I swear to God I will shave my beard if I’ll visit once again. Not over gonna happen, sweetie.

“Hey,” a slutty bitch whispered beside me and softly touch my arms. Oh, another slutty ant. I halted for a moment and remove her arms that clung to mine.

“I’m gay,” I said as an excuse.

She looks shocked but a grin was plastered on her face. “That’s alright. I can still make you cum.” The use of word boils my blood.

“Excuse me,” I said in a voice of finality and fasten my pace. But that bitch keeps on irritating me. “Hey, wanna hang out?” she said again in a most slutty way.

I stop walking and glared at her. “Do you want to die instead?”

“Die in laceration? Sure.” She bit her lips. It looks like she’s seducing me but it’s the opposite, the more I provoke her, the more she wanted to have sex with me tonight, because that’s what prostitute do, right? In return, you will give them money.

“Do you want money?” I asked her, eyeing her cleavage in front of me. She noticed that. “No, I want you,” she said, laughing.

“I can’t give myself to you. How about this one?” I pulled her waist towards me and kiss her just like what she wants. She responds aggressively and let out a long moan. It’s just a kiss but she’s already wetting. I can sense it in the middle of her thighs.

I stop for a moment. “It’s not that one, my bad.” She looks confused at the same time drowned in my kisses. “I meant this,” I whispered and showed to her the gun slipping on my jeans.

She pushed my chest and looks scared. “Son of a bitch,” she whispered and went back to her business.

Before she finally left my sight, a familiar scent of a person grabs her. I didn’t saw who was it, but I know for sure it’s the familiar scent of a person I know from afar.

No. It can’t be. She’s not the type of person who’s like that slut I met a while ago. I shook off the thought and focus on my goals this night.

A shiny black door appeared in front of my sight and another man in black open it for me. The two of them slightly bowed to me so I did. You can’t hear the irritating blast of music in this place as this is the room where my client is waiting.

When I went inside, the walls were painted white and the couch in the middle was also colored white. You could see the lights of the city beside the pair of a couch because of the transparent wall built in the two corners of the room.

“Mr. Tinerv! It’s nice to meet you!” the old man in the white cap said in a Chinese accent. It looks like he is Mr. K. We shook our hands and he offered me a seat. He also sits adjacent to me and gave his bodyguards a hand gesture. They went outside, leaving only the two of us in the room.

I put the briefcase on the glass table.

“How are you, Mandemus?” he asked on a first name basis. Since when did we agree to call each other on a first-name basis? I haven’t met this old man before, not until now, but he sure is aiming to give me a good impression. Not bad.

“Let’s close the deal. I want my assets back and you need to – “ Fuck. I stop in the middle of our conversation when I smelled the familiar scent of a woman again.

A pair of high-heels clicking on the marble floor was heard inside the room. In the big staircase adjacent to the couch we were seated, a woman wearing lingerie inside her white robe appears in front of my sight. I was dumbfounded to think that her face looks so familiar to me. I just couldn’t take a guess where I saw it and who it was.

“Mexica…” the old man whispered and maliciously eye the woman who has now a name. Mexica? Where did I hear that name? It’s like I was used to calling her that.

“Her name is Mexica. She is one of my women. You like her, huh?” Mr. K said to me proudly. But I didn’t break my eyes off towards the woman named Mexica.

We locked our eyes.

She looks intimidating, maybe because of her brown eyeshadows and strong jawline. She doesn’t seem the type of woman to be in this place. Precisely, she doesn’t fit in this room, in this kind of environment. Her eyes look cold and soulless, she doesn’t seem to be the type of a talkative person, just like the slutty bitch who happened to be interested in me. She looks merciless but at the same time fragile when you look at her eyes, deeply.

How could a woman like her who sells their body and soul just for money affect me so much? Who the fuck is this woman?

“Yeah, I like her,” I answered to Mr. K when Mexica went to the veranda to get some fresh air. It’s cold outside. Why did she go out? And wearing that fucking lingerie, huh? Is she out of her mind?

“I can give her to you,” said Mr. K again which irritates me.

“Give?”

“Yes. If you can close our deal tonight and give me good results. Just take it as my gift.”

I didn’t respond. Wait, why am I anticipating? I should’ve directly told him my decision about our deal! And that is fucking no! I will never agree with those dirty hands!

Mr. K suddenly barks laughter and stand up. “I will leave the two of you in a minute. Then think about my offer, Mandemus,” he winked at me and I knew what he meant. He expects Mexica to fuck me just to close our deals. It’s cheap and it’s not my type in negotiating business deals. Is this one of his dirty tactics to close the deals of some businessmen?

Before I stop him, he already went outside and lock the room, leaving the two of us, Mexica, inside the room. Mexica went inside the room and closes the door on the veranda.

She asked me. “When will you go out?”

“Why would I go out?”

“That old bastard went out, weren’t you supposed to follow him?”

Woah. Old bastard. She also addresses her master in that way, huh. “Do you often call him that?”

“Who are you to dictate what I say?”

“Aren’t you a sex slave of your master?”

She seemed hurt. Why? What’s wrong with what I said? It’s the truth. If not, then why is she here?

“You don’t know me,” she answered, finally.

“You seem familiar to me. Have we met before?”

“I told you, you don’t know me.” She look away when she said that. Something’s fishy.

“I think I’ve seen you somewhere,” I stated and stand up. When she was about to run away from me towards the big staircase, I grab her arms. “Tell me, you know who I am, right?”

She looks cold and fragile. “I don’t know you,” said in a harsh voice and with finality.

“Your eyes contradict,” I said.

“Remove your hands, Mandemus!” she said, aggressively.

I was shocked because she knew my name. We didn’t introduce our names. “You know my name…” I whispered.

“I… I just heard it from my master.”

“And now you’re calling him your master?” She was about to run away again from me, but I grip her arms. “Who are you?” I asked her in a baritone voice.

“Didn’t you hear my name? I’m Mexica! Stay away from me!”

“Do you know what your master told me?”

“I don’t fucking care!”

“You are supposed to do your best to make me feel better.”

“Why should I do that?!”

“You know what I mean.”

“I don’t! And stay away from me!”

“I’ll count one to three.”

“I told you! I don’t fucking care!”

“Three,” I said and pulled her in my chest. I stroke her hair to calm her down. I hug her and we stay in that position in a minute. We didn’t talk. I just continue to stroke her hair until her shaking subsided. She must be very, very, petrified of me. Maybe she expects me to be one of those men like Mr. K who will do such things to a woman like her. But I’m not that kind of person.

“Aren’t you going to force me to kiss you?” she asked in between sobs. She is now crying like a baby in my arms.

“No,” I answered.

“I thought you changed. Your body is telling me so.”

Inside my head, I smiled. She knew who I am from the very beginning.

“Who are you?” I asked her.

She started to loosen up herself and tell me her story. “I didn’t want to be here in the first place. My family moved to China a few years ago to sell me in ginseng house and I ended up here. They went back after getting the money.” She looked up to me. There was raging anger in her eyes.

“I’m Valkyrie, your childhood friend. Do you remember me, Mandemus?”

“This is better,” I whispered to her. Valkyrie Mexica, that’s her name. I remember it now. She was one of my childhood friends back in the countryside. But we separated from each other when our family business blooms in China. My family migrated here and we never contacted each other anymore. However, it’s such a good thing to reconcile with a friend from the past.

I remember how irritated she was to me back when we were just six years old.

“Mexica! Mexica! I have new toys!” said six years old me to a girl. She looks small and malnourished. “I don’t like that!” she screamed and push me away, leaving me and my toys on the muddy ground.

I smiled and get back my toys even if it’s dirty. “Why? My father said this is the latest lego and only four people in the world can get this one,” innocently, I said.

“I don’t like lego! And it’s already dirty! Ew!” she screamed again, with that high-pitch voice of hers.

“It’s okay. I can make this clean,” I said and went to her.

“What are you doing?” she asked, horrified.

As I step forward, she also keeps on stepping backward. Using my dirty hands, I wipe my lego toys on her white dress to make it clean. However, I didn’t finish cleaning my toys when she suddenly cries. What did I do?

“Shh, shhh, stop crying,” I shushed her up because her mother will surely beat me up if she found out. “I… hate… you…” she said in between sobs.

“I just wanted to play with you,” I said, choking back my tears when I saw her damp face. Even so, she still looks gorgeous and beautiful. Her pale white just like Snow White skin is so adorable. Her curly and brunette hair is unfathomable. I just wanted to play with her because she’s so beautiful. And I like beautiful and neat girls.

“Don’t play with me anymore!” She shouted and push me again. I ended up on the sticky and muddy ground. “But we didn’t even start playing…” I stated.

“Who wants to play with you? You’re so dirty!” She shouted.

“You’re dress is dirty too!” I shouted back.

“That’s because of you!”

“I just wanted to play…” I whispered.

“Go play with Vaughn!”

“I don’t like him!”

“Same goes with you. I don’t like you to play with me!”

“But I like to play girls with…” I halted. Do I have to tell her that she’s beautiful? No, maybe she will punch me and says I’m disgusting.

“Why do you like to play girls? Wait… are you…” Her eyes widen from her thought. What did she think of me? Before I can conclude, she asked me.

“Are you gay?!” she asked with those big eyes of her.

“What’s gay?” I asked, confused.

“You know, liking your same gender.”

I shook my head. “I’m not gay.”

“You are!”

“I don’t like someone who has the same gender as mine. I like someone. I like you.”

She suddenly started laughing her ass off and pointed her finger to me. “You like me, huh? You’re crazy.”

“What’s wrong liking a girl?” I asked again, confused.

“There’s nothing wrong liking a girl, but it’s wrong if you like someone who already has someone in her heart.”

I cock my head. “I don’t understand.”

“Let me show you. Here he goes,” she whispered and winked at me. She suddenly feel ecstatic after our shouting and scene a while ago. She keeps on murmuring and blaming me for how I ruin her dress for this day. It’s not that I want to dirty her dress, I just wanted to clean my lego toys for her to play with me.

“Vaughn!” She shouted and gestured her hands, saying hi, and run towards him. Vaughn is one of the most hated people in my black notebook. He always gets attention. Whenever I joke, he steals it and everyone laughs except me, because that was my joke I murmured to myself, and he just says it out loud for everyone.

Vaughn. I hate him. Everyone loves him in our neighborhood at that time. Unlike me, who comes from a wealthy family, he is the complete opposite. His father is just a farmer while her mother is just a maid in our mansion. Nonetheless, he gains the respect of my circle of friends, including Mexica.

“How about Vaughn?” I asked Mexica and gave her a cup of water. She was seated across from mine. She felt better now, I think. She drank it before answering me. “I don’t know. When we came to this country, I cut my ties off to my friends.”

Good. “Are you feeling better now?” I asked her. She looks away and hides her lingerie on his wardrobe as soon as I eye it. She answered, “Yeah.”

“Do you like this place?” I asked her again, arms on my chest, confident and steady unlike before.

“Why do you ask such things? Of course not,” she answered, angrily.

That temper. Tch.

“I can get you out of here,” I said, playfully and crosses my legs, hands spreading on the sofa.

She didn’t answer and keeps on looking away at me. It’s like she’s shameful of her situation right now. She used to play tricks and bully me in childhood. Guess the world turned upside down now, huh.

“If you answer my question.”

“What question?” She asked.

“Have you had sex with a random man? Just like prostitutes?”

She seemed hurt by my question. I get it. So she does… maybe she doesn’t have a choice. She’s trapped in the ginsaeng house.

“No,” she answered, which, surprises me.

“No, I hadn’t. Why do you ask?” She eyes me suspiciously.

I told her, “Don’t play tricks with me just like before. You can’t get here if you had poor performance.”

“Think whatever you want. I don’t care,” she said it, coldly.

“Of course, I care, because I’m going to be your next master, Mexica,” I said and stand up in my seat. Her eyes widen in shock.

The door swung open and a smirking old Chinese man appears in my sight. We shook our hands to close our deal. I’ve never imagined this situation, but I think it’s a nice deal if we talk about Mexica. Finally, I can get her heart. I’ll think about shaving my beard next time, as what I’ve promised, just this once, for her, my childhood crush.

The anxiety inside of her eyes was very evident as I take her inside of my mansion. I held the door open for her, and slowly, she went inside. She managed to show the lack of sincerity of hers, yet I know she was just feeling ashamed of her state.

We know each other from childhood.

We broke apart.

Yet we met each other again in that state. I don't know what are her thoughts right now as she gazes upon my paintings hanging beside the grand staircase. It's my family portrait.

I was the only son of Tinerv family. My parents already died because of an accident when we went here to China.

Nevertheless, I still keep their legacy in Underworld. At first, I wasn't able to accept my fate knowing the dirty things my family was doing. But now, I do understand their work. It's not that bad to think. And I kind of like it until now.

You just need to eradicate those dirty douchebag businessmen around you. It's bad in the environment. However, I accepted the douchebag's offer, Mr. K, that old bastard, for Mexica.

She should feel grateful. But why am I feeling it's the complete opposite?

"Why am I here?" Mexica asked anger was evident in her tone.

"This is my house. I should be here. And that includes you," I said, pointing a finger to her before gesturing my hand to my bodyguard. Justin nodded and went to the room where Mexica will occupy.

"I never told you to get me here," she barked.

"I don't need your permission."

"And why is that?"

"Because I own you."

"Is this what you meant getting my freedom?"

"A simple thank you will do."

"Mandemus!" she shouted. The maids gathering around our house flinched because of what she did.

Fuck. She was the only person aside from my deceased mother who dared to shout right in front of my fucking face.

"Mexica," I warned her.

"Right? This is what you meant by gaining my freedom? To serve you as my new master? You're crazy," she asked, again. She shook her head in disappointment with me. "I thought you're different from them," she commented again.

"We'll talk about this later. You should rest."

"No. Get me out of here. I have my life."

"I know. Just rest and we'll talk. Okay?"

However, she was always been stubborn until now. "No, I want you to get me out of here. If you don't want me to, then I'll just drag myself out." She started to pace back on into the backyard but Justin, who has was towering over her, blocks her way.

"Move," she hissed to my bodyguard.

"Are you deaf? I said, move!"

Justin didn't answer her and stick to his posture, not even eyeing her. I sigh. "Stop it. You're just straining yourself," I said to her. Then, I tried to grab her elbows yet she just nudged it away. "Don't touch me. I didn't know you have a deaf bodyguard. Tell him to fucking stay out of my sight!"

Mentally, I groaned. Sometimes, her attitude makes me lose a string of patience. And it's starting now. "You want to keep me here as your sex slave, huh? I can't guarantee you that." After saying that, she started to click her heels on the marble floor and went to the nearest window before I could stop her. "Mexica! What are you doing?" I shouted and went to her when she started to climb up on the windowsill.

It's quite dangerous.

I gestured a hand to one of my female maids to get her. The mayordoma, my oldest maid, went to her and started talking with Mexica in a soothing voice. They talk in a hushed voice and the mayordoma tried to calm her down. From what I've seen on her face, her expression softens and looked back at me. I didn't take off my eyes with her as she looks at me while listening to the old lady.

Even if I couldn't hear their talks, I could tell the mayordoma did a good job to calm her down. The two of them went in front of me.

Hands slipping in the pocket of my jeans, I asked. "Are you feeling better now?"

She didn't answer and look away. The mayordoma saved her ass. "Mandemus, you should give her some time to find herself. She was been locked up inside a ginsaeng house for years. It causes her a lot of trauma. Learn to be considerate sometimes." The old lady said to me in a most soothing voice and convincing way. Right, I forgot that. But I stick to my decisions.

"I know what I'm doing. It's for her own sake if she'll stay here. You don't have to worry." I said to her with all due respect. She was my Yaya back when I was still a child when we moved to China. She knows me, a lot. She is loyal to my deceased parents, and I give her points for that. I know she cared, she always will, to the people around me. But for this reason, she didn't know our history with Mexica so she couldn't understand how desperate I am to keep her at my side.

"But-"

I cut her off. "How about this? We'll talk later after she gets some rest. I need to get rest too."

"Mandemus, you just can't force a woman to live with you. This is abduction."

"Yaya, we just need to get some good talk. This is not abduction."

Mexica cut me off. "I contradict what you said. You are forcing me to stay in your house without my permission."

"Is this your way of saying thank you to the person who saves your life?"

"I've never asked you to."

"What could happen if you keep staying there? Do you really want to have sex with some random man who you didn't know for you to keep on living?" I told her, with vulgarity. Well, sorry, but she just needs some lessons you know. She is always stubborn.

"Why... do you care?" She said in a shaky voice. Damn, I felt guilty.

"Why did you bought my freedom in the first place if you will lock me again!" She blurted out, a pool of tears was flowing on her face like a river.

"Fine! I accept your so-called-sincerity since we knew each other in childhood. You want me to thank you? Fine, thank you so much I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart, Mandemus! You owe my life, so I need to pay the debt by living with you in this mansion. Is that right? But you know what, I was almost grateful for what you did. I felt ashamed, and hopeful, mixed emotions were filling inside of me that finally, I could get my life back that was once taken by those bastards! I could do whatever I want without those chains put on my neck. I could finally be able to move freely. But then again, if you'll just keep me and lock me or whatever those damned shits you were thinking to do to me. No. Thank you. I'd rather rot in hell than experience this kind of torture again!"

I could see the rising and falling of her chest after that. She was still crying and I hate that part. I made her cry. If this situation were like before, back in childhood, I would laugh and stick out my tongue to tease her, however, things weren't like that as I wished.

This is not childhood.

We grew up, matured, and have our own life. I agree with her. But I just couldn't free her that easily.

"Is that all?" I asked.

"What..." she exhaled in disbelief.

"Is that all you want to say? Say it. So that we can finally rest. I'm tired." I loosen my tie and rest my arms on the couch. Then, I crossed my legs and gestured my hand to the couch across from mine. "Sit. Aren't your legs hurt?"

"Mandemus!" she cried.

"One more," I warned. Gazing at her. "You don't know what I can do to you if you'll shout again."

"I don't fucking care! Can't you understand what I meant?"

"I do. Shush, don't try to irritate me with that high-pitch voice of yours. It's starting to."

"Please... " Surprisingly, she pleaded. One fucking thing that shocked me more is, she kneeled! I stiffen in my seat when I saw what she did. "What are you doing?"

"Please... just let me go... "

"Stand up. I didn't summon you to kneel down." There was a hint of anger in my tone.

"If this is what it takes to let me go, then I'll do. Just... just get me out of here. We have our own life and businesses now. Why do you need to keep me?"

"That's my reason to keep."

"Then tell me. Why do I need to live with you?"

"You are really stubborn, huh."

"I have the right to know at least!"

"You have the rights under my permission, if and only if, I want to."

"What? You're crazy."

"I am. Can we stop talking? I'm already sick of it. The cycle goes on and on. We were just repeating ourselves. Now, get up."

"I'm not... I'm not going to until you get me out of here."

Shit. What do I need to get rid of her stubbornness? It's starting to piss me off.

"Mexica. Get. The fuck. Up." Sorry for the vulgar words, I just want this conversation to end. We were like talking for almost an hour now.

"No."

"I'll count one to three."

"I said no."

"One."

"You can't force me."

"Three," I stated as Justin went at my side. She remained silent.

He leaned at me. "What should I do to her?" I whispered.

He began scribbling his phone and read something. "It says here you need to kiss a woman to shut her up."

That's a crazy idea. I saw Justin tilt his head when he read it for me. Maybe he's also wondering that that idea sucks.

I played with my fingers while looking at Mexica's eyes filled with determination. She wouldn't get up on the cold floor if I'm not going to kick her out in the mansion. That's never gonna happen, sweetie.

Smirking, I stand up and went to her. "Let's just get this shit on," I mumbled and kneel on her side. I cupped her chin while my other free hand put it beside her, on the floor, and started kissing her. She was tongue-tied and didn't manage to spit some curses on my face.

She stiffened and didn't move because of my aggression. As soon as I break away my lips on hers, her eyes widen with anger, then, without hesitation, she slapped me, hard.

I've kissed a lot of women before but instead of thanking me just like others, she slaps me.

I kissed her with all my heart. But I received a slap. What a madwoman.

"You deserve it," she spatted. My head tilted because of her slap and it stung on my right cheek. I massaged it and look at Justin for a fucking response.

Now, what's next? I'll kill you, moron!

Kissing a girl will never be a way to shut her up. My eyebrows meet as I look at Mexica again. There is no trace of guilt on her face. It's like what she did to me is not enough for her, she wants more, she is determined to hurt me in all ways just so I let her go.

And I'm not going to let that happen.

"What's wrong with my kiss?" I asked her.

"Are you kidding me?"

"No. I'm not. What's wrong with my kiss? Is it that bad that's why you slap me?"

She sarcastically laughs because of my remarks. "You disgust me. Is that reason enough for you?"

My blood suddenly boils. "Why do you disgust a person who merely just save your life in that prostitute house?"

"I disgust those people who will help me just for their own benefits. You practically bought me. There's no difference between you and those old businessmen bastards."

She didn't know I willingly bought her freedom in exchange for partnering that old Chinese man, whom, I hate so much. God knows how much I put a gap between myself and those dirty businessmen. But I broke my principles just for her.

"I didn't do anything to you just like those pervs. How could you say such a thing?"

She laughs again. "Then if they're a perv. What are you? You just kissed me without my permission a while ago."

It didn't catch off my guard. "So?" I asked.

She was taken aback by what I said. Fear was all plastered on her face.

Heaving a deep sigh, I said. "Let's stop the drama. Get up now, Mexica."

She gets up on the floor slowly. I didn't know that was fast. Fast enough that after she gets up, she suddenly runs on towards the door, pushing the maids and bodyguards. She runs as fast as she could, not until she heard a crack of a gun, she stopped.

"I'm out of patience," I said angrily while pointing the gun at her back.