I was 17. One mistake, and I had a baby. I had to get married to a man I didn't love. Right after we got married, the debt appeared. A million dollars. It felt like the end of my life. The husband who once loved me changed. He got into gambling and started getting violent. Of course, all that violence was directed at me, since I always tried to protect our child. I was barely getting by day to day when one day, my husband ran off. And just like that... all that debt became mine. At first, I was in denial. Then, I accepted it. And finally, I just gave up. On everything. The debt. My husband. I tried to live. I raised my child and worked to earn money. But when *he* showed up, despair clouded my vision. He was huge, covered in tattoos. I was terrified. This must be the man my husband talked about. Filled with fear, I squeezed my eyes shut and trembled. Then I heard a low, raspy voice, laced with an undeniable heat. “Fuck… you’re so beautiful.” Did I hear that right? I opened my eyes and looked up. The man's ears were slightly red as he looked down at me. Then, in that same low voice, he spoke again. “...Pay up, lady.”