Eva left her room, her steps slowing and body weak as if all her strength had left her, the call last night still fresh in her mind and Ace's threats continued to ring as if it were a track set on repeat.
Eva never forgot the contract. She couldn't even if she wanted to. Back when she signed the contract, she was desperate, young and naive. Only focused on solving the pressing issue at that time.
She didn't regret signing it. It was the only way back then. He had shown up when no one else did despite being a total stranger and she had thought of him as an angel back only to grow into adulthood and have freedom stripped from her.
It happened exactly eight years ago. The day Eva everything fell apart and she and Liam were forced to live alone and fend for themselves.
It all started when sixteen-year-old Eva answered the call through the landline, and a stranger's voice came through.
"Are you a relative of Lila Young?"
Her brows pulled together at the question, but she answered anyway. "Yes. Who is this?"
"There's been an accident. Lila and her husband are in critical condition and are being rushed to the hospital," the stranger continued, but Eva barely heard anything after the word accident
Her heart thundered violently in her chest as she froze, unable to think, unable to process what was happening.
"Eva," her younger cousin called, approaching her with furrowed brows and a half glare. "Why are you just standing like that? Who is it?"
She didn't respond until he tapped her arm, and she startled as if waking from a dream.
"Which hospital?" she spoke into the phone, her voice barely steady. Her cousin's already furrowed brows pulled even tighter.
"Davis Hospital," the man replied, unfazed by the long silence that followed as if they already expected it.
"Thank you," she whispered before dropping the phone, her hands trembling uncontrollably. The words accident and critical condition echoed relentlessly in her mind.
"Who was that?" her cousin asked again, his tone sharper now.
"We have to go to the hospital right away, Liam. Where is Grandma?" Eva asked, already moving before he could answer. She rushed past him and headed toward one of the rooms in the house.
She found her grandmother seated on the edge of the bed, humming softly as she folded laundry.
"Grandma," Eva called, breathless. "We need to go to the hospital. Aunt Lila and Uncle Mark—they had an accident."
The old woman froze. Slowly, she lifted her head, confusion giving way to fear.
"An accident?" she repeated faintly.
Eva nodded, swallowing hard. "They said it's serious."
Behind her, Liam froze upon hearing his parents' names along with the word accident. He may be young, but he knew exactly what that meant.
The drive to the hospital felt endless. Sirens wailed somewhere in the distance, each sound tightening the knot in Eva's chest. Her grandmother sat rigid in the back seat, lips moving in silent prayers, while Liam clutched Eva's hand so tightly it hurt.
At Davis Hospital, the smell of antiseptic hit her immediately. Nurses rushed past, voices overlapping, footsteps echoing against the tiled floors. Eva gave their names at the front desk, her voice shaking.
"Please… we're here for Lila and Mark Young."
They were told to wait.
Minutes stretched into something cruel and shapeless. Eva paced the corridor, her heart racing every time a doctor emerged through the double doors. Her grandmother remained seated, one hand pressed firmly against her chest, her breathing shallow.
"Grandma?" Eva said, noticing the pallor of her face. "It'll be okay, Grandma. Have faith."
Her grandmother nodded her head, choosing to believe her words.
Just then, a doctor approached.
His expression alone told her everything.
"Are you the Youngs?" The doctor asked and Eva nodded, rising to her feet.
"I'm sorry," he said gently. "We did everything we could."
The world tilted.
"Aunt Lila and Uncle Mark…?" Eva forced out, her throat burning.
"They didn't make it," he said softly. "They passed away shortly after arrival."
"Grandma!" Eva screamed, watching her grandmother topple over and reach for her but was a second too late.
Chaos erupted.
Doctors and nurses rushed toward them, lifting her grandmother onto a stretcher, voices sharp and urgent. Eva stood frozen, Liam crying beside her as they wheeled the old woman away.
Liam's sob broke through the silence, sharp and piercing. Eva felt something inside her crack, splintering beyond repair. Her knees gave way, and she sank into the cold hospital chair, the weight of the words crushing her chest.
Time passed, and Liam finally fell asleep, head resting on her lap. The same doctor approached again. His expression is still as grim as when he delivered the previous news.
"Miss Young—"
"Is Grandma going to be okay?" Eva asked before the doctor could let out more words.
The doctor took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"She had a cardiac arrest…" the doctor began, but Eva cut in.
"Will she be okay? Is she okay?" She asked. She didn't want grammar. Just a yes or a no. A simple answer.
"She'll need surgery if she's to survive," he stated plainly, and all the strength inside of Eva drained from her.
The doctor looked at her with sympathy, his expression complicated.
Eva's gaze shifted to her sleeping cousin, but her mind drifted far, thinking how they'd be able to raise the money needed for heart surgery.
Seconds became minutes and then hours, Eva became even more restless, unable to proceed with the surgery, but just when she would have lost all hope, a man approached her.
"What are you willing to do to save your grandmother?" He asked.
Eva, in her desperation to save her grandmother said the first thing that came to mind. "Anything. I will do anything to save Grandma."
He grinned. His gaze roamed her body, and he nodded in satisfaction. "I will lend you the money, but you'll have to pay it back."
Eva became hesitant knowing she wouldn't be able to pay back the money while still a minor and not working. Even if she worked, she wouldn't earn enough to pay back such a large sum of money.
"You don't have to pay it back immediately," the man said, knowing her concern. Eva frowned as she looked at him, her hesitation visible. "Work for me, and you'll be able to pay back what you owe me." He proposed. "I'll draft a contract."
The door to her grandmother's room opened, and a nurse came out. "Miss Young?" she called.
Ever since coming here, no news had been good news, and she knew this wasn't it either.
"When can we proceed with the
surgery? The patient is running out of time," the nurse asked as if to add to her desperation.
"I…" she turned to the strange man behind her. His gaze remained the same, sure as if he knew she would accept his offer. "I accept. Please save my Grandma."
With just these words, Eva didn't know what she was getting into. All she saw was a chance to save her grandmother.
The money was made available as he had promised, and the surgery began.
At the same time, Eva was given the contract to sign, having no other choice, she signed it.
Twenty years.
That's how long she would work for him.
"How old are you?" he had asked.
"sixteen," Eva replied.
He frowned, his expression turning complicated. "Two years from now. This will become effective two years from now." he said and gave her his contact. "Call me then."
Eva hesitantly took the card.
"I will come to you if you don't call," he said before leaving.
Eva didn't think much about it then. Even the two years' time didn't raise any suspicions as she thought he wanted her to be of legal age first.
She was just happy that her grandmother could be saved. She and her ten-year-old cousin wouldn't be left alone.
But fate always had a way of messing with people and sometimes, in the most heart-wrenching way.
Despite the surgery, her grandmother still didn't make it out of the theater alive.