Lily's POV
The rain was a cold blanket on the city, it just kept falling, making me pull my already soaked thin jacket tight, but the water still found its way in, dripping down my neck eventually getting my shoes soaked. Every step i took it made a squelching sound. the thought of being closer to home kept me going, my tiny apartment. even though I knew home was not safe either. Home was just another problem.
I walked down the long hall to my door through the dim lights, from the end of the hall i could see a white paper stuck on my door. My heart started racing. on moving closer, I saw the big, red letters screaming at me. FINAL NOTICE.
My heart sank, feeling like a rock in my chest i just didn't know how i was going to survive when i really had no money. My job at the coffee shop did not pay enough. It never did and I was all alone in this city, drowning in this rain and debt.
I put my key in the lock with shaky hands, unlocked the door and stepped inside. The room was dark and so cold. I couldn't even even afford the heat this month. I just stood there leaning my back against the closed door with my eyes closed. a tear dropped, then another until it became a full blown sob, with my face buried in my hands.
Just then, my phone buzzed in my pocket, making me jump, coffee shop manager filled my screen. why was my boss calling?
i clicked on the answer button and placed the phone to my ear
"Hello?"
"Lily? Yeah, listen. Don't bother coming in tomorrow." His voice flat. "We're cutting back. Sorry."
That was it and He hung up. i stood there dumbfounded in shock
The already bad phone slipped from my hand falling to the floor with a clatter. I didn't even bother picking it up. I just stared at it. No job. No money. Nowhere to go.
I wiped away the tears with my wet sleeve as I sat down on the floor of my small apartment. I pulled out the last money I had from my pocket. A few crumpled bills. Some coins. I laid them out in front of me. I counted them twice and It still wasn't enough. Not for rent. Not for food. Not for anything and this was all the money I had in the whole world.
A loud, hard and insistent knock at the door, brought me out of my state
I froze. My blood going cold.
"Lily? Open up! It's Gable! I know you're in there!"
It was my landlord speaking in a loud and angry voice, I could not breathe.
"I'm not leaving this time!" he shouted banging on the door again. The whole door shook in its frame. "You pay now, or you're on the street tonight! You hear me?"
I covered my mouth with my hands. I was too scared to make a sound. I did not want him knowing I was here.
"I'm not playing games lily!. "You have one hour to pay, or I'm changing the locks! One hour! Then you are out!"
I heard him grunt. Then I heard his footsteps receding down the hall.
The silence became even worse.
I just slid down to the floor, putting my head in my hands. My whole body shaking. This was it. This was the end. I had nowhere to go. I had no one to call. I was completely alone.
Tears fell down my face, mixed with the rain still on my skin. What could I do? Where could I go? There was no answer. There was only the cold room and the dark.
Just as I thought my heart would break from the fear, another knock came.
Who could that be? Was it Mr. Gable again? Did he come back?
I was so scared. But I had to look. I crept to the door. My legs feeling like water. I stood on my toes and looked through the little peephole.
A tall man stood there man, wearing a black suit, very nice one, looked nothing like my landlord. He looked clean and.... dangerous.
"Lily?" his voice was deep and calm. "Please open the door."
My hands would not stop shaking. I fumbled with the lock. I turned it. Slowly, I opened the door still leaving the chain lock on. I looked at him through the small opening.
"Who are you?" I whispered. My voice was rough from crying.
"My name is not important," he said. He looked right at me. His eyes dark. "Mr. Visconti sent me and he would like to see you."
Mr Visconti? "I don't know any Mr. Visconti."
"He knows you," the man said. He says with a stone cold hard straight face. "He has a business proposal for you. One that will solve all your… problems.
I thought of the red letters on my door. FINAL NOTICE, my lost job, and the one hour I had left.
A business proposal? For me?
"What kind of proposal?" I asked. My voice was a little stronger.
"That is for him to discuss," the man said. He was very clear. "My job is to bring you to him. Now."
He gestured with his hand toward the hallway. Behind him, through the open door at the end of the hall, a long black, expensive looking car, waiting at the curb.
I was so scared. This had to be the craziest thing to do, going with a stranger, to see a man I did not know.
But then I had to think about my life, I had no job, no money. In an hour, I would have no home. My life was already over. What did I have to lose? Nothing. I had nothing to lose.
I looked at the man in the suit. I looked at his calm face, then looked at the black car waiting.
I made a choice.
the only one I had. and one i was sure i was going to regret.
I reached up with my shaky hand, slid the chain lock off. The metal making a scraping sound, opened the door.
"Okay," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "I'll come."