Kulas squeezed right next to him and held her arm tightly. "Ate, we don’t have the money yet."
They look more frightening now than before. They seemed more unforgiving. She could not speak right away out of fear but she doesn't have to be afraid because she could still pay for the amount today.
“Boss, can I just give it to you later? I haven't got my salary yet. We still don't have enough money here. We only have six thousand,” she said and handed over the money. "We’ll give you the rest of the money later."
She thought he would take the money. After all, she still has plenty of time today to complete the amount.
She winced in surprise when Epong slapped her hand and grabbed her arm. “I want the full amount. I already told you we’ll be here early in the morning, expecting the full payment. Not less. Six thousand? I told you to pay ten thousand.” He pointed a finger at her. "Are you fucking kidding me?"
“But I’ll be able to complete the amount later. Boss, I promise. Really. I can pay today. Just give me a little more time. I’ll meet my boss and…”
Epong suddenly grabbed her hair and pulled her to him, she was forced to look up to him and she trembled in terror. He looked even more frightening up close. He looked like an animal that was ready to devour her any moment and she couldn’t do anything about it.
“You will complete that amount by working for me. You seem talented enough so you’ll do a lot at our Boss’ club.”
Her whole body went cold. “N-no! Just give me a chance to pay today. Later…before noon. If you want I can text my boss today. ”
“Please, boss. Have mercy on my sister. She’s already blind, and you will still force her to work at your club? My sister doesn't belong there,” Kulas cried and hugged her.
Epong's face turned sour. He waved at one of his men. “Take him away from me! He’s pissing me off. You two, love drama and I’m getting tired of it.”
"I'm coming with you, just don't hurt my cousin," she said, she could not control her tears anymore. She didn’t want her cousin to get in trouble because of her. She knew these people. These scums were heartless. There has no mercy and they fear no one. She needed to protect Kulas.
Epong pulled him up from her chair. "That's good. No need for force. You need to practice for later.
You’ll take the stage immediately tonight at the club. Boss is interested in you because I told him you are beautiful and talented.”
Beautiful and talented? What talent do they need from her? She didn't want to think anymore. She was fully aware of what kind of club Epong’s syndicate was running in. She knew what people were talking about. The women there were offered to the club’s customers for money. And whoever disobeys would be punished severely.
She was terrified when she heard that Epong's men wanted her to work for them. 
"Give me a massage first. My body’s been aching.”
“I want her to sing for me now. I really like women who are good at singing.”
Was this going to be her fate? She really couldn’t take that reality but what else could she do? She knew what they would make her do were not just a simple massage nor singing works. And she knew that these gangsters had been interested in her for a long time. 
She wanted to just die instead of working for them.
“Don’t touch her if you don’t want to get hurt by our boss. Let's just go,” said Epong.
"What are we going to do with this one, Boss?" asked the man who was holding Kulas.
"Leave him."
"No! You can’t leave him here!" she immediately objected. Who would take care of her cousin?
“I will do everything. I will work for you,” said Kulas.
"Whatever! Take him too. Maybe he will be useful too,” said Epong and pulled Love out of the house.
Their neighbors were just watching them. No one even tried to help them. Others don’t care. Others just could not help them. No one would dare to go against Epong's group. Even the barangay tanods and the police that were in that area were connected to the syndicate.
Love and Kulas were holding hands when they got into the group’s car. She could not do anything now but pray and be strong enough for her and her cousin.
 "ATE, WE STILL lack two thousand," Kulas said with mixed concern as they had their breakfast. He could hardly eat his food because he was too tense. He had been traumatized by the people whom Love’s father owed money.
“That’s okay. We can borrow from Ate Bham. We will meet later so we can still bring the payment to Epong.”
She was somehow relieved when Bham assured her that she had the money they lacked for the payment. It wasn't her father's debt that made her barely able to sleep last night. It was because of Mitos' impostor.
She could still feel the warmth of his embrace. That's why she hugged her pillow tightly and could not stay put on one side of the bed.
She wanted to know his real name. The next time they meet, she would definitely ask him who he really was.
But what if he doesn’t show up anymore?
Her excitement dropped. It's a pity if she wouldn't be able to see him again.
Their relatively quiet breakfast was interrupted when they heard a commotion outside. She immediately had a bad feeling when the footsteps stopped right outside their house. She hurriedly picked up her shades and wore them.
Their door suddenly gave way and Epong and his men came in. “Now, where is your payment?”
Kulas squeezed right next to him and held her arm tightly. "Ate, we don’t have the money yet."
They look more frightening now than before. They seemed more unforgiving. She could not speak right away out of fear but she doesn't have to be afraid because she could still pay for the amount today.
“Boss, can I just give it to you later? I haven't got my salary yet. We still don't have enough money here. We only have six thousand,” she said and handed over the money. "We’ll give you the rest of the money later."
She thought he would take the money. After all, she still has plenty of time today to complete the amount.
She winced in surprise when Epong slapped her hand and grabbed her arm. “I want the full amount. I already told you we’ll be here early in the morning, expecting the full payment. Not less. Six thousand? I told you to pay ten thousand.” He pointed a finger at her. "Are you fucking kidding me?"
“But I’ll be able to complete the amount later. Boss, I promise. Really. I can pay today. Just give me a little more time. I’ll meet my boss and…”
Epong suddenly grabbed her hair and pulled her to him, she was forced to look up to him and she trembled in terror. He looked even more frightening up close. He looked like an animal that was ready to devour her any moment and she couldn’t do anything about it.
“You will complete that amount by working for me. You seem talented enough so you’ll do a lot at our Boss’ club.”
Her whole body went cold. “N-no! Just give me a chance to pay today. Later…before noon. If you want I can text my boss today. ”
“Please, boss. Have mercy on my sister. She’s already blind, and you will still force her to work at your club? My sister doesn't belong there,” Kulas cried and hugged her.
Epong's face turned sour. He waved at one of his men. “Take him away from me! He’s pissing me off. You two, love drama and I’m getting tired of it.”
"I'm coming with you, just don't hurt my cousin," she said, she could not control her tears anymore. She didn’t want her cousin to get in trouble because of her. She knew these people. These scums were heartless. There has no mercy and they fear no one. She needed to protect Kulas.
Epong pulled him up from her chair. "That's good. No need for force. You need to practice for later.
You’ll take the stage immediately tonight at the club. Boss is interested in you because I told him you are beautiful and talented.”
Beautiful and talented? What talent do they need from her? She didn't want to think anymore. She was fully aware of what kind of club Epong’s syndicate was running in. She knew what people were talking about. The women there were offered to the club’s customers for money. And whoever disobeys would be punished severely.
She was terrified when she heard that Epong's men wanted her to work for them. 
"Give me a massage first. My body’s been aching.”
“I want her to sing for me now. I really like women who are good at singing.”
Was this going to be her fate? She really couldn’t take that reality but what else could she do? She knew what they would make her do were not just a simple massage nor singing works. And she knew that these gangsters had been interested in her for a long time. 
She wanted to just die instead of working for them.
“Don’t touch her if you don’t want to get hurt by our boss. Let's just go,” said Epong.
"What are we going to do with this one, Boss?" asked the man who was holding Kulas.
"Leave him."
"No! You can’t leave him here!" she immediately objected. Who would take care of her cousin?
“I will do everything. I will work for you,” said Kulas.
"Whatever! Take him too. Maybe he will be useful too,” said Epong and pulled Love out of the house.
Their neighbors were just watching them. No one even tried to help them. Others don’t care. Others just could not help them. No one would dare to go against Epong's group. Even the barangay tanods and the police that were in that area were connected to the syndicate.
Love and Kulas were holding hands when they got into the group’s car. She could not do anything now but pray and be strong enough for her and her cousin.