Chapter 1

I feel the cold taking over my body, the sadness that invades my heart, I'm hungry, just thinking about my family makes me cry, but not a single tear falls. I am lost in a country that is not mine, I escaped from my country because of the wars. In this world, people no longer have a heart, they only think about having power to believe they are kings. They humiliate, manipulate, and innocent people die. I ran without looking back, I only had to survive and fulfill my mother's promise to stay alive. The only thing I have left of her is her bracelet that my father gave her as a token of love, and she gave it to me so that I can live, so that I can be free. I am Hailey Melnyk, 22 years old, the only daughter of Ukrainian identity. I am white with natural blonde hair, light brown eyes, full lips, and a slim body. I am left without family, without a home, distressed by seeing hundreds of deaths from the youngest to the oldest. I am fortunate to have been able to escape from there. I sold my mother's bracelet to fulfill the words she said to me in her last breath. I still feel the warmth of her hand, I still have the terrifying image of her in the state she was about to die. "We should ask ourselves if nowadays humans have love and fear of God in their hearts." With the money from the bracelet and my savings, I sneaked out of Ukraine and arrived in New York. How? It was total chaos, to the point that I am currently barefoot and can no longer feel my legs from the cold, as it is snowing in this country. I walk from side to side, looking like a crazy woman, a disheveled woman with dirty clothes. It has been three days since I last bathed, I miss my family. I see many couples and families, and I cry because I feel alone. I walk by places where they sell food, and they chase me away just because of my appearance. I ask God to help me because I feel like I'm running out of strength. I want to sleep and think that it was all a nightmare. I already feel like I can't take another step. I open one car door after another to get inside, to cover myself from the snow and at least feel a little warmth, but nothing, nothing. Everyone has insurance, I feel that everything that is happening is unfair. I try to open one door after another until a big black security van opens. I feel a little relief and get in, the smell inside is pleasant. The cushion is soft, so soft that I don't know what happened and I fell into a deep sleep. I am Arturo Villareal, 31 years old, although I don't look it. I take good care of myself. I am a technological entrepreneur, one of the best because soon I will be the best. I don't have children, and even less a wife, I'm not interested in that. I have plenty of female friends. Am I rich? Yes, I am! But not because my parents gave it to me, I earned the CEO position myself by working hours after hours and staying up late. I have my best friend since childhood, his name is Paulo. I have the life I always wanted, a big house, cars of different models, and Paulo, who is not only my friend but also works for me and is my security. At the moment, I am in a luxurious gourmet restaurant. It's night and it's snowing. I want company to keep me warm. I am with a beautiful brunette for company. I have had a lot of work and I want to relieve stress. Of course, I don't sleep with just anyone to avoid any gold diggers or diseases. I am cautious, but I do enjoy sex a lot. After dinner and the charm I put on, she finally decided to come to my apartment. I don't take anyone to my mansion to avoid giving false hopes, nooo! I don't go up with them either. At the same time, I leave and one of my men puts up an umbrella for her and one for me. "I'll see you in the apartment, Linda," I say, winking at her sensually. She makes the same gesture and it turns me on. They open the door of my car. As I enter, I smell something bad. When I look, there is a person with a transparent plastic covering over them, they are asleep but trembling. "Paulo!" I shout desperately and irritated. "Yes, boss," Paulo says, leaning out of the car window. "What kind of security do I have? Why did you let this person in? Besides, it smells bad and if she's dead..." Paulo immediately went to the other side of the door, and when he opened it, that foul smell came out. Arturo put a hand over his nose to avoid smelling it. Paulo removed the transparent bag covering the person's body and saw that it was a woman. Arturo couldn't look away. "And if she's dead? Can you imagine the trouble I'll get into because your men didn't do their job properly?" "I'm sorry, I don't understand how this happened, boss," Paulo responds, looking at the girl. Paulo put two fingers on her neck and she had a pulse but was very cold and huddled. "She seems unconscious, and she's cold. Maybe she had nowhere to take shelter, and since we didn't lock the place, she entered," Paulo suggests. Paulo checked to see if she had a weapon or a knife, but she only had dirty clothes. "What should we do, boss?" Paulo asks, fixing his gaze on Arturo. "Get her out of here, she's a troublemaker." "Understood, boss." Paulo tried to wake her up, but nothing moved her until she opened her eyes. "Miss, please wake up," Paulo asks. "No, no," she deliriously mutters. "Miss, I don't want to force you out, please leave of your own accord," Paulo pleads with concern. Hailey slowly opens her eyes, but her vision is blurry, and she feels breathless. She only sees the figure of an arrogant man. "I feel sick!" she says in a very soft voice. "Paulo, she's probably lying and wants to get us in trouble," Arturo says. "She speaks Ukrainian or Russian, she's not from New York, sir." "I don't care, get her out, she smells bad." Paulo was about to take her out when Hailey heard and mustered her last breath. "Please, help me!" she said before fainting. "Now what do we do, buddy? We should help her, don't you think? She doesn't seem like a bad person, she's probably in need," Arturo says. "Okay, but you'll take care of her." "Alright, boss." "Lower the windows a bit to let the smell out, use air freshener, it smells really bad. And hurry up, the brunette is waiting for me," Arturo says arrogantly. "I'll take less than 10 minutes, boss." Upon arriving at Arturo's apartment. "Take care of her, take her to the mansion." "Really?" "Yes, call the doctor from the house to examine her." "Wow, I thought you had no feelings." "You know me well, it surprises me that you say that." "I do, friend. You can be tough, but you have a heart. That's how we are, that's how we have to be respected." "Increase security for me. See you later." "You'll spend the night with her." "If she's good in bed, yes. If not, I'll go home." Paulo arrived and carried Hailey in his arms. The smell was horrible, but he endured it. He took her to the first room on the ground floor. "Paulo, who is that young lady?" Rosita asks. "Rosita, help me. It's a long story, but since you're a woman, I need you to bathe her." "It smells bad!" "Yes, poor girl, she's weak. I'll call the doctor, but bathe her well with scented products so the doctor can examine her. And make her something to eat, she's very thin." "Of course, little Paulo." The doctor arrived, and Hailey was in bed. Rosita dressed her in a floral dress and styled her hair. Paulo was surprised to see how beautiful she was, nothing compared to the disheveled woman he had seen before. "We need to run some tests to be sure, but she's a beautiful young girl who just needs some sleep. Turn on the heater since she's been bathed, I'll give her an injection because she has a fever, but that's due to the cold she endured." She will sleep for a long time, and she has a delayed sleep pattern. In addition, her pupils are irritated, and she is slightly malnourished. "Don't worry, Doctor, I will make sure the girl eats," said Rosita. "You truly surprise me by helping this girl. You will receive a divine reward from God," the Doctor said with a smile. After the doctor left, "Rosita, I don't think you need to cook for her today. She will be like Sleeping Beauty." "You're right, I will sleep here with her." "Thank you, Rosita. You're a sweetheart. Let me know if anything happens. I'm going to take a bath; I smell just like she did. You did a good job." "I'm with the brunette, she does it very well. I am pleased with her." After the second sexual encounter, I go and pour myself a drink, but strangely, the Ukrainian woman comes to mind. What an ugly and disheveled appearance she had. I'll call Paulo. But what the hell is wrong with me? That's not my concern, it's Paulo's. The next day, as usual, Paulo wakes up early to exercise. He passes by the room, and Rosita is sleeping next to the girl. His phone rings, and it's Arturo. "Did you have a good time?" Paulo asks. "Super good!" Arturo responds. "I need to find myself a new girl. The one I have is too intense," Paulo says. "I can give you some of mine," Arturo responds mockingly. "Don't push it, I don't eat leftovers." "Well, we'll go to a club and you can meet someone there, but come pick me up." "Alright." "By the way, what about the disheveled woman?" Arturo asks, not giving it much importance. "She still hasn't woken up," Paulo tells him everything about the doctor. "Well, when she wakes up, give her some money and send her away." "As you say, my friend. To be honest, she seems like a good girl." "We'll find out when she wakes up. Let's hurry, my friend. I need to shower and have breakfast before we go to the company." "As you command, boss."