In front of the orphanage where she was raised, Priska lamented her dreadful fate. How was she supposed to face Mother Shinta? She didn’t dare run away, fearing both Indra and Aldo, who was now in the same car as her. Throughout the journey, she could feel Aldo stealing glances at her. This revealing outfit was undoubtedly attracting the attention of any normal man.
“Pris, calm down. I can explain everything,” Aldo said gently.
Priska clenched her fists in frustration. She glared at the man who had once impressed her. A teaching assistant and a renowned journalist known for his intelligence and politeness—yet, now she saw a completely different side of him. Aldo, who was refined and well-educated, was also the same Aldo who swore, drank straight from the bottle, and smoked like a chimney. It was as if he had two personalities.
“Explain what? Explain to her that I was tricked into signing a fake contract?” Priska snapped.
A tense argument followed, but before Priska could react, Aldo took advantage of the moment to steal a kiss. He held her gently, his touch igniting a whirlwind of emotions within her. Despite her anger, Priska found herself frozen, caught between resentment and the lingering feelings she still harbored for him.
“You’re so beautiful… so tempting. I’m sorry, I lost control. I just wanted to help you relax,” Aldo murmured after pulling away.
Priska remained silent, struggling to catch her breath. She gazed at Aldo, her eyes filled with both anger and longing.
“How could you do this to me? I thought you felt the same way about me.” Her voice trembled, tears welling up in her eyes.
“I was never a good man, Pris. Don’t fall for me.”
“You’re willing to do all this just to get out of paying 50 million? Did you ever think about what this means for me? Do I mean that little to you?” Priska wiped her tears as she adjusted her clothing.
Being in love with someone who only saw her as a pawn—it was unbearable. Priska hated him, yet a part of her still clung to the feelings she had for him. How could she separate love from loathing? She was confused, torn, and overwhelmed by the madness of it all.
“The contract is still binding, Pris. Indra already told you what would happen if you refused to cooperate, didn’t he? Just follow through with it. In the end, all the money will be yours. Does purity even matter in this day and age? We’re all healthy, we get regular check-ups—nothing bad will happen to you,” Aldo said, as if his words would make everything seem rational.
“Bastard!” Priska slapped him hard across the face.
Aldo let out a chuckle, rubbing his cheek. He probably deserved that. Meanwhile, Priska’s mind was racing, formulating a plan. For now, she had to pretend to cooperate. Deep down, she feared what Aldo and the others might do if she openly resisted.
“Slap me all you want, but don’t try to escape. The risks are too high,” Aldo warned.
“In that case, I want my first time to be with you.” Priska’s voice was laced with emotion.
“What?” Aldo frowned in confusion.
It was a strange request, but for Priska, there was no other choice. She was terrified of the others, especially Tomi, who seemed aggressive. She still hadn’t recovered from the way Indra had forced himself on her. She didn’t know much about Rey and Ardo, but judging by the company they kept, they were likely just as bad. Aldo was the only option that felt somewhat safer.
“Because I like you. You’ve been kind to me before… you made me believe you had feelings for me, too. But if that was all a lie, then at least let it be you,” she said, her shoulders shaking as sobs overtook her.
“You’re sure?” Aldo asked, handing her a tissue.
“I was terrified when Tomi barged into my room earlier, Aldo. And I still can’t forget how Indra forced himself on me. And now… your other friends…”
“I don’t love you, Pris. But if you want that from me, I won’t say no. Just stop crying and think about the money you’ll get. No more tuition fees to worry about. No more struggling to feed the kids at the orphanage.” Aldo’s words were coaxing, as if trying to make her see this as an opportunity rather than a nightmare.
Priska didn’t respond, too consumed by her own tears. Aldo looked away, gazing out the car window in silence. Indra had specifically asked Aldo to handle this, unwilling to be involved himself. That was why, earlier that morning, he had called Aldo and handed Priska over to him.
Originally, Aldo had planned to manipulate Priska into compliance by bringing her to the orphanage and threatening its future. The place wasn’t backed by a reputable foundation, meaning Indra could easily bribe the landowner and have it demolished for business purposes. But instead, Priska had made the request herself. She was scared, vulnerable, and clinging to the only person she thought she could trust—even if that trust was misplaced.
Indra had given Aldo this role precisely because he knew Priska had feelings for him. If things escalated too quickly with someone else, it could break her completely. Aldo had found that amusing at first. There was no real downside to being with Priska—she was beautiful, after all.
“Here, put this on. We can’t meet Mother Shinta with you dressed like that,” Aldo said, handing her a paper bag.
Inside were a hoodie and sweatpants—his own clothes, ones he usually kept in the office for late nights. He hadn’t originally intended to give them to her, but seeing what Indra had forced her to wear, he couldn’t just leave her like that.
“If I win the next round, I’ll make sure you get whatever you want. Just pray that my name comes up in the next draw,” he added with an empty promise.
“I don’t care,” Priska muttered, her face pale with sorrow.