Paid To Love

Episode 19

Paid To Love EPISODE 19

Victoria's POV

"Positive..." My mind flashed back to the multiple squatters I'd seen earlier. "Oh no," I gasped, ripping my seatbelt off.

"What?"

"No, no, no," I chanted, shoving the car door open and scrambling out of it. I raced around the car, only to have Henry open his door and grab me by the arm.

"Wait," he demanded.

I stared at him with wide eyes. "I think someone might have broken in."

"Then don't go in there alone," he said, all of the early light-heartedness between us gone.

My heartbeat against my chest almost painfully. I took a couple breaths to calm myself. "It's fine. I might have actually just left the light on. You should go home. I know being around this part of town makes you nervous."

"Right now, I'm more nervous to leave you alone."

I waved him off, jerking my hand more than I should have. "I'm fine. Go home."

"Let me come in with you—"

"No!" I responded immediately. He let go of my arm and I felt guilty for being so harsh. "I mean. It's probably nothing. You were right when you said you'd get an infection in there."

He didn't look convinced.

I glanced back up at my apartment. If I were honest, I was a little scared to go up there alone. I knew for sure I did not leave that light on. "Fine," I mumbled. "Come to the door. But don't go in."

"I can accept those terms," he agreed. "Let me text my assistant first."

"Why?"

"In case someone is in there and something happens," he replied and pulled out his phone.

I gave him a wry look. "I doubt it'll be that bad."

"I'm an important person," he answered me and then slid his phone back into his pocket. "Alright, let's head in."

Everything was eerily quiet when I entered the building. The lights were off and the door was shut. Usually, the hallway light would be on and the first-floor room's door would be opened a crack to let the light filter in. I ignored it and headed up the steps.

The first obvious sign of something being wrong was my door being open. My heart skipped a beat and a thousand thoughts ran through my head. Who was it? What did they take? Maybe they just wanted some food?

Henry brushed past me and I opened my mouth to tell him not to open it, but he pushed the door all the way open before I could. The sight before me was enough to shut me up, anyway. All my belongings were strewn across the floor. It looked like someone had looked through everything of mine and ripped open whatever looked like something could be hidden inside. All the books on my bookshelf were on the ground and open, meaning the spines were now all screwed up. My crappy, five-year-old T.V was gone, as well as my DVD player. A lamp was missing. A fleece blanket that my father had given me was gone as well.

"I'm going to call the cops," Henry announced, his face impassive. I couldn't tell what he was thinking at all.

I didn't care at the moment either. It was tough to take in the scene. My place was completely trashed.

My home was ruined.

I heard banging on the apartment’ front door and as I moved to answer it, I almost slipped on some old clothes on the ground. Frustrated, I kicked a few things out of the way and groaned. It was such a mess. I wouldn't even be able to sleep in my bed. There was basically nothing left to it. There was basically nothing left to the whole place. Not like there was much to begin with anyway.

"Victoria," Henry started.

I could feel my eyes beginning to tear up. No, Victoria. Not in front of Henry. The cops are here. "Henry, just leave. Please. Interfering in my personal life isn't part of our contract, so you can go."

"...Fine," he responded quietly after a moment. I didn't turn around to see his expression and he didn't say anything more. My gaze stayed on the floor as he moved around the mess and then I watched his back as he exited through the front door. He greeted the police and explained that I was the renter of the apartment and then he left with one of the cops. I swallowed nervously as the other police officer approaching me. After what happened to my brother, I started hating it when the police were around. Even though I knew I never did anything wrong but they seemed so incompetent most of the time.

After explaining what I'd come home to and describing what the hobos looked like, I told her that I'd file a report online to finish up. She told me not to stay in the apartment tonight and to call if anything happened or if I had any questions. I nodded; glad to keep the conversation short. Chances were, I wasn't going to make a report because there was no point since I didn't have insurance, but I kept that to myself. I didn't want to tell her flat out that I was wasting her time.

Once the front door shut, I heaved a heavy sigh, staring dismally at the mess before me. I didn't even know where to start. The living room? What was left of my bedroom? Did I even want to go through what ratty clothes were left? It seemed that they'd mostly been interested in my clothing. I could only imagine what Henry would say about my wardrobe.

My eyes widened and I walked back into my bedroom with my heart in my throat. I scanned the articles of clothing scattered all over to the floor, tensing when I couldn't spot the right thing. Moving forward, I ripped the closet doors open all the way, coming face to face with the emptiness of the inside. There were a few stretched out shirts still on hangers, but that was all.

The thousand-dollar dress Henry had bought me was missing. With shaking hands, I kneeled down to check the shoeboxes on the floor, finding them empty as well. They'd even stolen those heels that I could barely walk in.

I crouched down, suddenly losing the power to hold myself up. Of course, they would take the dress. It was the only nice clothing that I owned. Why had I expected them to leave it? They didn't know it had any sentimental value. They didn't know how good I'd looked in it and for once I'd actually felt that way.

I'd have to tell Henry. He was the one that bought it and technically it was his. I pulled out my phone and dialled his number. He answered right away. "Victoria? What's wrong?"

"Um," I started, hating how my voice was shaking. "The dress you bought me is gone. They stole it."

"The one from the other night?"

"Yeah. I'm really sorry. I know it was a lot of money," I said, staring at the empty shoebox. "The heels are gone too."

Henry took a sharp breath of air and I prepared myself to be berated. "I'm really sorry!" I said quickly, feeling horribly embarrassed. Tears were starting to form again. "I'll pay you back for them. I really liked them. I really wanted another chance to wear the dress. I'm really sorry you had to waste your money. I'm really sorry my shitty luck caused you to lose money-"

"Victoria," Henry interjected when I paused to take a breath. "Calm down."

I shut up because a few tears rolled down my face and I knew if I spoke at this point my voice would crack.

"Don't worry about the dress. That much money doesn't- no, I mean, I don't want you to pay me back for it," he told me, his voice low and serious. "That's the last thing you should be worrying about right now. You shouldn't stay in your apartment tonight."

"I don't have anywhere else to go," I whispered, brushing the tears off my face. It was already late- I didn't want to bother Zoey.

There was a moment of silence and then he said, "Come to my place."

"What?" I responded dumbly.

"You can stay at my house. It's not good for your psychological wellbeing to stay in your apartment after you've been robbed," he told me and I could hear the nerves in his voice. Then I heard what sounded like a car door closing and I figured he'd just arrived home.

"You don't like people at your house," I pointed out.

"How can I leave you alone as things are?" he returned.

I rubbed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "I'm okay. Sorry I freaked out a bit right there. I guess maybe shock finally got to me. You just got home. Don't worry about me."

"I never left," a voice said from behind me and I gasped in shock, pushing myself to my feet and turning to see Henry at my bedroom door, his phone still up to his ear.

I froze, mortified at being caught crying, and mortified that he was in the room with me after I'd had a slight breakdown. "H-how'd you get back in?"