I didn't know how long I sat on the dirty ground of the backdoor alley, crying my heart out after Harrington left me. Jeremy, the head of the bartenders, and Arthur, the manager of the club were those who found me.

Jeremy had seen everything and had quickly called Arthur who had not wasted a second calling the bouncers to throw that drunk man out. They had then both ran outside to find me. Let's just say both men had found a soft spot for me.

Arthur was quick to take me to his office and after I said sorry for the hundredth time between my sobs he stopped me and told me everything was fine and he was used to this kind of shit. He didn't like anyone to touch the girls in his club without consent. That was his red line.

I was so broken. Harrington's words were cutting through my heart. He had saved me, yes. But the look of disgust in his eyes and the assumption he had made of me and my situation was making me sick.

Arthur told me to go home for the rest of the night, but I was in no shape to go home. Liam would be so worried if he would see me like this and I had to tell him about the club for sure. I didn't want to bother him more. But at the same time, I was in desperate need of someone to comfort me and help me.

So I called the only one I could. Ethan.

I don't know how many speed limits he had broken, but he was at the club in less than 10 minutes. He looked more than frantic and worried as he barged into Arthur's office. He was quick to run and pull me into a tight hug and I was quicker to latch to him like a Koala and cry my heart again.

And here we were after almost an hour. In Ethan's car, outside of an ice cream parlor. The silence inside the car would only break with my occasional sniffles. I was digging in my strawberry ice cream while Ethan had both his hands and his head on the steering wheel.

"You can't work there anymore." he said after a moment and leaned back his head on the headrest, staring at the roof of the car.

"Ethan," I sighed. "I can't leave the job."

"Are you kidding me?" he snapped and looked at me angrily. "As much as I hate Harrington and what he told you, what if he was not there tonight? God, I'm forever in his debt for saving you."

"I can't leave the job and you know this." I answered and looked at him sharply. "And please don't tell me to take money from your father and blah blah. I can't. And I need money for my mother. The doctors say she needs surgery soon. I need to work as hard as I can and Arthur pays me greatly."

Ethan grumbled frustrated and looked away. "I will start searching for a new job for you." he said. "Somewhere much better. You just can't work there more. I will search for a job for myself too. We will add my salary to the saving and..."

"Absolutely not." I said sternly, cutting off his babble. "You have already done so much for me. I can't accept more from you. Please don't do this or I will leave the city."

"You are such a stubborn girl." he grumbled under his breath and rubbed his face.

I sighed and put a gentle hand on his back. "Seriously, Ethan." I said softly. "It means a lot to me that you are here, taking care of me and putting me back together. I can't ask for more. I don't want you to ruin your own life and your future because of my life's problems."

Ethan just stared at me with an unreadable expression on his face. He then ignited the engine and start driving. "Let's take you home." he said. "You look tired."

"Thank you." I said and tried to fish my phone out of my bag. I frowned when I felt a piece of paper in my hand and pulled it out. Sadness washed over me and my heart clenched remembering Harrington's hateful words as I stared at the one hundred dollar bill in my hand.

"What's that?" asked Ethan as he glanced my way.

"The money that Harrington dropped at my feet." I sighed and looked at Ethan. "What should I do with it?"

"Spend it on what you what." he shrugged nonchalantly. "He gave it to you willingly."

"Ethan!" I scolded him. "I can't. You know this." I paused and bit my lip before looking at him with puppy eyes.

"Don't even think about it and don't give me those eyes." Said Ethan warningly and threw a hard glare at me. "I won't return it to the douchebag. If you want, do it yourself."

"I will do it myself then." I huffed and put it back in my bag before fishing out my phone and checking for any messages. 

10 minutes later, Ethan parked his car in front of my house. I had changed into my normal clothes and had washed my face. But as Ethan had kindly mentioned I still looked like shit. Liam was a smart boy. I knew the moment he look at me he knew something was wrong.

"I hope they both be asleep." I said quietly staring at the lights that were shining out from the living room's windows. I felt Ethan's large and warm hand engulfing my small cold ones and I looked at him, relieved to see his warm smile for the first time that night.

"It's okay." he said softly. "If Liam asked, just give him some excuses like you were not feeling good and took the rest of the night off. We will start searching for another job from tomorrow. I will find a better place for you. I promise."

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and his face become serious. "And Eleanor," he said and I hummed in response. "Don't let the shit that Harrington said bother you at all. Those who know you and care for you know what a great girl you are and why you are doing what you are doing. So don't think about the things that a miserable person like Harrington says when they don't know you at all."

"I really don't know how to thank you, Ethan." I said as tears once again gathered in my eyes. "You are my savior. I hope one day I can make it up to you. Thank you."

Ethan smile's grew wider and he pulled me into a hug. "Don't mention doing something back." he said and kissed my temple before pulling back. "Seeing you smile happily will be my reward. Now go home. Take a shower and sleep."

"I will. Thank you again." I said and said goodbye before getting out of the car. 

Ethan rolled the window down. "I will stay here until you get inside." he said and nodded toward the home.

I smiled at his sweetness. Such a gentleman he was. I walked toward the house and slowly opened the door and walked in. I sighed in relief when I saw the living room was empty. I watched from a window as Ethan drove away.

I looked around the silent living room. It was half past nine. Daisy should have been sleeping at that time but where was Liam? I walked upstairs and toward Liam's room. I smiled softly when I saw him fast asleep on his bed. The small TV in his room was lighting up his peaceful face.

Relieved that I didn't need to face him tonight, I turned off the TV and left his room silently. Daisy was fast asleep as well. I sat at the edge of her bed and caressed her golden curls for some minutes, hating the fact that I was spending less and less time with my siblings.

But it was temporary. Soon I would have the money needed for my mother's surgery and they at least would have mom by their side. Ethan was right. I shouldn't have let Harrington's words affect me. I knew why I was doing what I was doing and so did those I care for.

There was one thought in my mind as I left Daisy's room to take a shower and get ready to sleep myself. Tomorrow I would return Harrington's money somehow and I would try to never see him again or let him interfere in my life.

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Okay. Maybe it was not easy to return his money. I had taken an hour off from the supermarket the next morning so I can return Harrington's money. It was too much and I couldn't let him think that I was desperate for money as he had put it.

So here I was, standing in front of the gates of his house, biting my lip and forcing myself to press the bell. It was not hard to find his house. It was one of the biggest houses around with a big H that was the initial of their last name on top of the gate. I had seen it once in the news.

The plan seemed easy. Go to his house around 7, call him out, give him his money back and give him a piece of my mind if possible.

But It was a quarter past 7 and I still couldn't find the courage to ring the bell. How pathetic I was. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and raised my finger to ring the bell finally when a woman's voice stopped me.

"Can we help you?"

I turned to my left sharply and saw a middle-aged couple standing there, watching me curiously. I immediately knew they were Harrington's parents based on his undeniable resemblance to them. Harrington was definitely a carbon copy of his father + his mother's eyes. The couple seemed to come after a morning jogging based on their sports attire and water bottles.

 "Are you one of Chris's classmates?" asked the man while looking at me oddly. 

Okay, he might have every right to ask that question and look at me weirdly. I was a teenager clad in a gray t-shirt with a supermarket badge and black trousers and was probably look like a zombie without any makeup. I was completely out of range of those girls who were around Harrington.

"Um, yes. Hello." I said awkwardly, finally finding my voice. 

"Hello, dear," answered the woman kindly and smiled warmly. "We are Chris's parents. Would you like to come in? He must be awake now."

"No, thank you." I declined quickly which caused her to look at me surprised. I imagine no girl had ever declined the offer. "I'm only here to give him this. Can you please deliver this for me?"

I held an envelope in front of the woman. Thankfully, I had put the money inside an envelope. At least they won't look at me more weirdly. 

"Okay, as you wish, honey." said the woman and took the envelope, searching on it for any names. When she didn't find one she looked up at me. "Who should I say gave me this?"

I gulped. "Just please give this to him." I said and forced a weak smile. "He will know himself. I should leave now. Thank you, Bye."

I turned on my heels and took a step forward before stopping. I fisted my hands and turned back to the shocked couple again. "Just tell him he was wrong. Thank you." I added quickly and walked away. 

God, I hated Harrington for how much he made me feel bad about myself.

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 I walked out of the gym toward the kitchen. I badly wanted cool water so maybe I can ease the fire that was burning my soul. I haven't slept even for a second last night. I just couldn't stop thinking about her and how broken she looked while kneeling on the ground and crying.

It had taken every ounce of control in me last night to not drive back to the club and check up on her. Was she that desperate for money to work in a club? Was her family that poor to not be able to fend for her? Had she, had she ever sold her body for money? 

And besides these thoughts, there was one stronger than the others. 

I was the one who had caused her to lose her previous job.

Even running and boxing for two hours this morning was not enough to calm me down. I was going crazy. The thought of dirty drunken men touching her without her consent was driving me insane. She was just too innocent for that sort of life. 

And I was the reason she was going through it.

I was sure as hell that she even hadn't had her first kiss yet. Thanks to me, the bad boy of the school, making her life hell, no boys dared to get close to her except Ethan fucking Miller. But even Miller wasn't the type to have the guts to kiss her. I'm sure they were not that close.

I groaned under my breath as I took out an ice pack from the fridge and kept it on my forehead, trying to stop the surge of dreadful thoughts and chill my head.

"Chris?" 

I turned and saw my parents standing in the kitchen, looking at me weirdly. Well, It must be something new for them, seeing me up at that hour of day willingly in sweatpants and a t-shirt, drenched in sweat and with a towel around my neck, smelling like garbage for sure, and with my head inside of the fridge and an ice pack on my forehead.

I closed the fridge and began to pour water into my bottle. "Morning." I grumbled before turning and walking out of the kitchen, not in a mood to hear anything from them. But what my mother said made me frozen on my spot.

"A girl was here a few minutes ago." said my mother. "We met her outside and she gave this envelope to me. She didn't tell me her name. She said you will know once you see this."

I turned to my mother as my breathing became uneven. With a clenched jaw, I reached my hand out and took the envelope, knowing already what was inside and who had brought it. I took a deep shaky breath as I opened the envelope and saw the bill I had given her inside.

"Fuck!" I cursed under my breath and ran a hand through my hair, regretting the way I had treated her last night.

 "She said you were wrong before leaving us." said my mother softly and a bit worriedly. "Chris, are you fine, dear? Everything's alright?"

"What was she wearing?" I asked out of blue, ignoring my mother's question.

"Why?" scoffed my father, looking at me angrily, making me clench my fist with the envelope inside of it. "Was she the new addition to your whores collection? Had you paid her for one of your sessions? Have you become that low?"

"Edmond!" gasped my mother shocked by my father's blunt talking.

I just glared at my father with hatred before repeating my question. "What was she wearing, mom?" I seethed. I just wanted to know if she had left home last night or had stayed the night in the club.

"A t-shirt and a trouser." answered my mother. "I think it was some sort of uniform because it had a badge. Although it's odd, she looked to be your age. I wonder why she was not ready for school. She looked so tired and pale." she paused as she looked at me and mumbled her last words. "Just like you."

"Fuck!" I cursed under my breath again and then looked at my father angrily. "Don't you dare call her like that. She is not a whore. In fact, she is far from one."

I then turned on my heels and left the kitchen quickly, missing the look of amusement in my father's eyes and a small smile that appeared on his face.

I just stormed to my room, took a quick shower, and threw on some clothes, before picking up my phone and bag and leaving to the garage. I walked to my motorcycle and mounted on quickly. Putting on the helmet and reviving the engine, I quickly rode outside. So she was working in the mornings as well. That is why she wasn't able to come to school. 

She said you were wrong before leaving us.

My mother's voice was repeating in my head over and over, making me burn with guilt as I was riding between the cars at full speed. One second I was riding, passing from a crossroad, and the next something hit my bike, and threw me to the ground hard. I bounced a few times on the ground and then I was out.

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A/N: It was a long chapter But I liked it. What about you? Please vote and write a comment for me to know what you think.

Thank you

Ela:)))