"You're spacing out again." Lara, Michelle's best friend, commented which awakened Michelle and brought her back to reality.

The two are in the hospital cafeteria for a snack. A nurse is watching over Michael while the two are having a snack.

She turned her eyes to Lara, only to find her staring at her worriedly.

She tried to smile at her but Lara seemed to notice that it's not genuine. "What's the problem?" Lara asked softly as she placed her palm on her palm and gently squeezed it.

Lara is her only friend. Like her and Michael, Lara is also an orphan. She met her when she was looking for something to eat with Michael in a trash can and since then, they've become inseparable. Whenever she needs someone to talk to, Lara was always there to listen.

"I'm just thinking about Michael. I'm worried about his condition." She replied to Lara's question.

She is not lying. She's thinking about Michael's condition but along with her thinking about her brother's condition is that she also thinks about what she and Rafael talked about the other day.

After Rafael told her what he wanted in return for helping her, she was not able to speak. She was speechless.

Even though she already knew that her conversation with him was going there, she still couldn't help but be surprised by what he said. Hearing it, coming from his sinful mouth, made her speechless.

He gave her a week to decide on its offer and she felt like she was going crazy mentally.

He is giving her a hard time. His offers were tempting. If she agrees to it, his brother's condition will improve. They will also finally have a decent place to live in and she can study again. She will have a chance to fulfill her dreams, adding the 30,000 that he will give every month.

She won't have any more problems anymore. She will not have to work all day and all night to provide for her and his brother's needs. But could she give her body to a man she did not know except for his name, surname, and address? Is she willing to let him have her innocence for the sake of money?

But this isn't just about the money, Michelle! This is for your brother!

She groaned in frustration. She feels like her head is going to explode with too much thinking.

Lara tapped her on the shoulder which she almost forgot its presence because she's in deep thought again.

Lara pointed someone in front of her so she turned her gaze to whom Lara was pointing at. And there was the doctor who is assigned to her brother.

She immediately stood up and walked towards the doctor. She felt nervous as the seriousness reflected on the male doctor's face.

"Doc? Is there a problem with my brother?" She asked.

The emotionless face of the doctor made her heart tremble in fear. "Let's talk inside." The doctor replied.

Lara and she quickly followed the doctor and did not even bother to bring the food they had just bought.

They went inside the doctor's office. "What's the problem, Doc?" She asked as she trembled in nervousness.

The doctor's face remained emotionless as he faced her which further added to her nervousness.

"We've already found out what kind of Lupus your brother has, Ms.Smith." The Doctor started. "Your brother has Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. This is the most common type of lupus. It can be mild or severe and in your brother's case, it's already severe. This is the reason why he had a high fever and seizure." She gasped at what he heard from the doctor. "Your brother's case is very rare. SLE is very common in women than men, about eight times more common. SLE affects all ages, Ms.Smith and your brother are one of those. Now, I want to talk to you about your brother's treatment. Your brothers need to be treated as soon as possible to decrease the inflammation." The doctor sighed. "He needs to undergo chemotherapy, Ms.Smith."

Suddenly, her knees weakened and her eyes dimmed.

Fortunately, Lara was able to hold her otherwise she would have been already sitting on the marble floor of the hospital.

"C-chemotherapy?" She whispered in a low voice.

The doctor nodded softly. "Yes. He needs that to decrease inflammation because otherwise his condition may worsen and his other major organ systems will be affected." The doctor gave her a pitiful look. "His chemotherapy should start immediately, Ms.Smith or worst scenarios might happen."

She imagined those worst scenarios that the doctor was saying and she could not hold back her tears. She could not afford to lose her brother. So she immediately decided. Without even thinking twice, she nods at the waiting doctor saying, "Do everything you need to do, Doc."

The doctor nodded. "We will, Ms.Smith. We will."

When the doctor left, that's when she started to cry.

Lara immediately hugged her and stroked her back, trying to calm her down but nothing could calm her down. She had to save her brother's life even if she has to sell herself and lost the dignity she cared for, she definitely would. Her brother's life is at stake and she's more than willing to do everything to save him. Everything.

She slipped out of Lara's embrace and wiped away her tears.

"Michelle..." She can feel the sympathy in Lara's voice.

"I have to leave. Can you please watch over Michael for me?" She tried her very best not to sob.

"Where are you going?" Lara asked in a worried voice.

"I'll be right back." Her only answer to Lara.

Lara was about to protest but she immediately turned her back on her and took quick steps to get out of the hospital.

When she finally got out of the hospital, she immediately hailed a taxi. Rafael gave her 10,000 which she did not even think of using, not until now. If Lara only knew what she was going to do, she would not agree with her decision and would scold her but she was determined. She has no choice. She has to do this.

When she arrived at her destination, she immediately paid for the taxi and got out of it. She never thought she would return to the mansion this soon.

She fixed herself. She made sure that there were no traces of dried tears on her face, she also combed her hair with her hands.

When she thought her appearance is already better, she blew a loud breath.

She closed her eyes and tried to gain some strength to do what she has to do.

She stared at the doorbell. The moment she pushes it and enters the mansion, she knew that there is no turning back.

She counted from one to ten and when she was done, she rang the doorbell which made a noise. Just a few minutes later, Delia, the housemaid who guided her the other day, came out. She already knew its name when she took her out of the mansion after her conversation with Rafael. And just like the first time she went there, there was still a warm smile on Delia's face.

"Michelle," Delia said.

She smiled at Delia. "Good afternoon, Ms.Delia." She politely greeted.

"Come in, come in," Delia said and guided her inside.

When they arrived at the living room, Delia first made her sit on one of the fancy sofas. "Please wait here. I'll just call Senyorito first and I'll let him know you're here."

She nodded in response.

While waiting for Delia to return, she played with his fingers. She was nervous about what might happen once she agrees to Rafael's offer. She has a lot of what if's on her mind. She's doubting her decision but even before she could question herself, Delia has already returned.

"He is waiting for you," Delia informed. "I can't take you there anymore since I still have a lot to do in the kitchen. You already know the way to Señorito's room, don't you?" She asked.

Michelle nodded at the old woman as a reply.

Delia just smiled at her before leaving her. She did not even have the chance to thank her.

She stood up and exhaled. "You can do it, Michelle. You can do it." She chanted before she made her way to Rafael's room.

She felt the fast and loud beating of her heart. It's like her heart is coming out of her body due to extreme nervousness.

And when she was finally in front of the door, her nervousness even doubled.

She closed her eyes and chanted some encouraging words for herself.

You can do it, Michelle. You can do it.

She was about to knock on the door when it suddenly opened and the face of the man who has been In her mind for the past few days, opened showed up.

Rafael has that playful smirk on his face as he stared at her, starting from her angelic face down to her body causing her body hair to stand up.

"You're back," Rafael said with his cold voice. "That means you've already made up your decision."

This is it, Michelle.

She bravely met Rafael's very hot stare and gave him the answer that he needed.

"Yes." She first gathered all the courage she has before continuing what she was going to say. "I am accepting your offer." She said without breaking their intense eye contact.

And in just a few seconds, she felt the sweetness of its lips on her lips. She closed her eyes tightly.

This is where it starts. Be brave, Michelle. Be brave.