Chapter Four
The next morning, a young man entered Vicious study.
"Boss," he said, placing a file on the desk, "these are all the details you need about the woman—Thalia. She's the wife of Alex."
Vicious leaned back in his chair, opened the folder, and smirked. "Good. What I need now is her address."
Minutes later, Vicious and his man, Math, drove straight to her home.
Thalia was just stepping out of the house when she froze—two men stood waiting. Her eyes narrowed in confusion.
"What are you doing here?" she asked cautiously.
Vicious stepped forward and held out a document. "Your husband, Alex, owes me money."
Thalia blinked at the papers. Her breath caught as she read through the signatures, the numbers, the dates. Everything pointed to the truth she didn't want to believe.
"Twenty-five thousand dollars," Vicious said coldly. "And it must be paid before the end of this week."
Her knees almost buckled. "I… I can't," she stammered. "I barely make enough from the restaurant and the bar. I have rent, bills—there's no way I can gather that much in just a week."
Vicious's eyes narrowed. Then, with a mocking grin, he leaned closer. "I'll show you mercy. You have until the end of next week. Fail me, and you'll face my wrath."
The chill in his voice made her tremble. Without waiting for her reply, he turned on his heel and left with Math, leaving her standing helpless in the doorway.
On her way to the restaurant, Thalia's mind raced. How am I supposed to get twenty-five thousand dollars? She brainstormed desperately but every thought led to a dead end.
She dragged herself through her restaurant shift, wearing a smile for her customers though her heart was heavy. Afterward, she walked slowly toward the bar, weighed down by fear and the impossible choice now hanging over her.
Thalia pushed herself through her routine. At the restaurant by day, she smiled at customers while secretly counting every tip. At the bar by night, she moved tirelessly from table to table, praying someone would leave an extra bill on the counter.
Each evening she returned home exhausted. One night, when she opened her fridge, she stared at the near-empty shelves. With a heavy sigh, she closed the door and went to bed hungry.
The next morning, she rose before dawn and hurried to work again. Every hour blurred into the next—serving, smiling, asking for tips. Still, the weight of Vicious's deadline pressed on her chest.
After another shift, she finally broke down and called a few friends, begging for help. Each rejection ended with her sighing deeply, whispering to herself: What am I going to do? Why did Alex have to leave me like this? I thought we cleared our debts, but now I'm drowning again. And that man… he's not kind. What will he do if I fail him?
Later that day, Thalia visited her parents. With trembling hands, she explained everything. Her mother's face darkened.
"This is the consequence of your foolish marriage decisions," she scolded.
Thalia straightened, her eyes wet but fierce. "Alex loved me, and I loved him. That's why I married him. I only need some financial aid, Mama. I'll pay it back."
Her father reached out, resting a calming hand on her shoulder. "Enough. I'll help you." His voice softened. "I'll send you eighteen thousand dollars."
Relief washed over her as she hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Papa," she whispered.
That night, she emptied her purse and counted her savings. Her heart sank. "I'm short… one thousand eight hundred dollars. And tomorrow is the last day. Oh my God, what am I going to do?" She sat there, trembling. He can't hurt me… I've already lost my husband. I had no hand in his death, she thought bitterly. Still, fear wouldn't leave her chest.
She returned to work, determined to put on her best smile. She begged for tips with extra kindness, but at the end of the night, her total still fell short. Frustrated, she walked home under the night sky, staring up at the stars. Questions and fears raced through her mind until she finally drifted into restless sleep.
The next morning, as she stepped outside for work, her heart froze. A black car sat parked at the curb. Vicious leaned casually against it, waiting.
Thalia tried to dodge him, but he stepped directly into her path.
"Well?" he asked coldly. "Do you have my money?"
"I… I have most of it," she stammered. "I promise, I'll pay the rest as soon as I get it. Please, take this first."
Vicious's expression hardened. "I want every dollar. Nothing less."
They argued until his voice dropped into a threat. "If you can't pay me, I'll take you instead."
Thalia's breath caught in her throat. She shook her head violently, backing away, but Vicious gestured. "Matt!"
His man appeared and seized her by the arm. She struggled, but he dragged her toward the car. With a smirk, Matt muttered in Mexican Spanish:
"Es tan hermosa… podría ponerla a trabajar."
(She's such a beauty… I could put her to work.)