Floyd shouted in anger as he flung the desk nearby.

Jiro got scared and immediately backed away. Seven gave the newbie a glare before speaking.

"They didn't attend the cla.s.s today. But, their cla.s.smates said they went to school, it's just that they left before the first period."

"So unlucky. I'm looking forward to this day but the preys slipped away to who knows where. Boss, let's just look for Felicity. My sources spotted her today."

Floyd who was seething with both anger and impatience waved at his underlings and dialed a number in his phone.

"Sofony Mendez and Wendy Gomez. Investigate them. If there's no problem, kidnap them and bring them to my villa. I'm only giving you two days."

A few minutes later, Seven and the others brought Felicity and some other girls the group had used before to their hideout. When all the act concluded, the floor was filled with overlapping and connected naked bodies. The place smelled of sweat, dust, s.e.x... even blood. Apparently, a few were still virgin girls a few hours ago.

Floyd was one of the stronger ones still at it, but the random girl beneath him was already begging for mercy. The girl didn't know but Floyd was letting out all his impatience and l.u.s.t for his target. He saw the new campus G.o.ddess and his interest was growing every pa.s.sing day. As long as a girl managed to pique his interest, he never failed to get one bedded before. Why would he now?

.....

Gio's serious stare scared the heck out of the bald cafe manager.

His cold voice made the baldie flinch.

"You said she informed you that she wouldn't be going today?"

In a very small office next to the counter, the two were having a private talk. The rich young master was sitting comfortably on the swivel chair while the bald manager nervously stood before him.

"Did she say why?"

"Y-young master, no. I didn't ask because she's now the boss."

Gio frowned. This was the first time that the girl didn't go to work. He knew because the moment she started working here, he never failed to call the manager to ask for her. Even though he did not come to her for the past two days, he didn't miss calling the cafe to ask for her whereabouts. In fact, it was because the manager told him she wouldn't be going today that he drove here instead of her apartment.

"Y-young master, i-is there anything else I can do for you?" The manager really couldn't stand the cold so he braved asking.

Gio met the manager's eyes. "What did she do yesterday and the day before that?"

"... Nothing much actually, except she was frequently staring blankly to nowhere? Ha ha. Sofie is a very sweet girl. I think she's not used to not really doing any actual work."

"Why is she staring at the void? You didn't tell me she was acting like that the first day I transferred the owners.h.i.+p to her."

The sharp tone alarmed the bald middle-aged man. He immediately apologized then hurriedly clarified, "S-she just acted like that these past two days..."

Young Master blinked a couple of times before narrowing his eyes. He was silent for a whole two minutes and this really made the atmosphere tense. The bald manager sweated so much but in front of the man, he couldn't even wipe it away.

Out of sudden, Gio's lips curled up. He stood up from his seat and started walking to the door.

"You said she's not used to not moving around, correct?"

"Yes!"

"Hmm. Teach her how you run the cafe. Make her do some work. As long as n.o.body sees her, it's alright."

The bald middle-aged man stupidly eyes the back of the walking man. 'What work hides so much to people? Even I am not allowed? What the f.u.c.k?'

Gio didn't know what's on the manager's mind as his was also occupied.

'She must be thinking about me.'

When this entered his mind, he couldn't stop the slight warming in his heart.

Gio purposely did not go to her house for two days straight. He was actually quite alarmed how just by sleeping with the naive girl for two weeks, going to her home every night became like a natural thing. He noticed that he's grown attached to her and to her embrace, so he tested what would happen if he would not have her next to him for a few nights.

Unfortunately, in just two days, he already didn't want to drag things out. At least, he didn't want to spend one more night not sleeping with her.

"Young Master, we have tracked Miss Mendez. She's with her friend in a mall."

Once he reached his car parked outside the cafe, his attendant George immediately reported. Gio hummed in acknowledgment.

"Are we going to pick her up?"

"No. Just monitor her. I don't want any mishaps to happen."

He already entered the car and saw the time on the digital clock. Past six pm. Gio frowned and pondered a bit.

"No. I changed my mind. I'll have the car for myself, just give me her exact location."

George was quite surprised but regained his cool right away. "Okay. Do we continue monitoring her?"

"Do so until I arrive. Investigate her companion while you're at it."

George nodded. "Affirmative."

It was sad for the a.s.sistant to get left behind by his boss but he didn't dwell much on it and merely called for a cab. On his ride back to the company, he executed the orders given to him a very efficient and professional manner.

On the other hand, Gio arrived at the place reported and spent some time looking for Sofony. Many eyes got drawn to him due to his striking appearance and presence. However, he ignored it all. He was too used to it to get moved or bothered.

"Young Master, she should be in that mall's food court."

He cut the call and swiftly made way to the specific location. The place was really full of people. Food stalls and tables were everywhere. The sight was just so lively. There was even a dance performance in the nearby stage.

He finally saw her dining with another pretty girl her age. They were both laughing and chatting as they ate. The scene made him blink a few times as he realized he didn't like her dining with other people other than him. However, he was calm enough not to appear directly in front of them.

He folded his arms and leaned on the wall before motioning for a nearby guard to come over by showing a few paper bills.

A minute later, the said guard approached the table of the two girls and said a few words to Sofony. He watched as she furrowed her brows in confusion but still politely left her companion and went his way.

When she was about ten steps away from him, Gio saw her freeze and stupidly stare at him. He didn't speak and wordlessly walked to her. He grabbed her arm and without looking back, he dragged her outside of the mall. Before reaching the car though, she finally collected herself but did not try to escape from his grasp. However, she did stop walking.

Gio noticed this so he also stopped. With a turn of his heels, he faced her. That's when he finally saw the red rims of her eyes.

Gio was taken aback and momentarily didn't know how he should proceed.

'Why is she crying?'

He didn't know. But something within him was tugged and he started feeling guilty. He really didn't like the feeling.

"I-I'm sorry."

It was her who spoke.

Once again, Gio was confused.

"Why do you apologize? Did you do something wrong?"

She lowered her head. Gio felt the hand he's grasping turning stiffer and colder than before. It made him frown. He thought she would be pulling out her hand, but in his relief, she didn't. Instead, she started speaking in a soft voice again.

"It's an advanced apology to what I will do."

Gio saw her took a deep breath. Then, his eyes looking at her bowed face suddenly met her eyes when she raised her head.

"I-I know there's a chance you will hate me for this... But I really want to talk to you... These past two days allowed me to think more about our situation."

It took her a huge amount of courage to do this so she went on.

"To be honest, I don't know what I'm doing to myself."

The man watched her do her best to meet his gaze and was somewhat amazed by it. Normally, she would be scared to even speak straight to him. Only when they were in the middle of pa.s.sionate s.e.x would she shed away her shame, fear, and timidity to meet his eyes as she cried shameless moans or gasps. It's a night and day difference when she's clothed and not.

Gio hugged her close, which came to her surprise.

"H-hey!"

"Let's talk inside the car."

"W-we'll be talking only, right?"

He laughed as he guided her to the vehicle. His arms were wrapped around her and Sofony was so drowned in confusion and warmth that she didn't notice how she got into his car's pa.s.senger seat.

He sat next to her, his two arms resting on the steering wheel.

"We're now all alone and safe from potential eavesdroppers. Go ahead and speak."

Sofony clasped the fingers of her two hands together as if that would be able to stop the nervousness in her heart. The system inside her head was rolling with insults. She learned how to ignore it though. Especially this time.

Wendy made her realize she had to speak up for at least a part of her worries.

He was one of it.

Since he's finally next to her, she deemed this talk to be a very important chapter of her life.

"I don't know how to properly start this... so let me just begin with telling you about myself."

And then she began sharing what she had told Wendy this morning...

She shared about her family, about her mother's death, about her father... and the debt.

In reality, she was perfectly aware that he had already investigated her which meant he already knew what she would be saying.

But she still went on with her tale.

"... I think I am not the kind of girl you should a.s.sociate yourself with.

I have a debt.

A huge one.

A million credits actually.

I suggest you take back the cafe from me because who knows, maybe one day you'll just learn I already sold it to pay off my debt."

Once again she lowered her head, the tears streaming down. She thought she was merely fooling herself when she knew how the guy had already settled that balance. A bitter smile appeared on her beautiful face.

'The problem is, he still thinks that I don't know, and he is probably the type of person who doesn't bother informing things like this to others until he eventually forgets.

This sweet retribution of mine.

He also thinks I still don't know about him.'

This was the other problem.

Gio's hand slowly reached out to her head. In a very gentle and mature way, he pulled her into his embrace in which she didn't protest.

"What are you doing?"

He planted kisses on her hair. Sofony's heart tightened because of this gesture. In times like this, she couldn't help thinking that he's really very gentle, very different from a person who had already killed.

"What do you think of yourself to me?"

"W-what do you mean?"

"Who do you think you are to me?"

Sofony's body turned cold due to the question. She really didn't know what to answer. She's even afraid of answering or knowing the answer from him.

Who did she think she was to him?

She felt she couldn't breathe when she remembered what she termed herself inwardly just this morning.

Her balled fists turned cold.

With sorrow in her eyes, and as reminded by the system, she finally answered. "...Your personal harlot..."