Velia felt a slight relief when Harry's condition improved, but it did not last long. The reality was looming ahead. There were days she had to get through with very little money. And now she was unemployed?
“You’ve been fired. And not by me, but directly from the boss. I can’t do anything.”
Ricardo's voice echoed in Velia's mind. She pondered and ended up with one question. Could she regain her job by directly asking the company owner?
There was a possibility. Despite feeling a bundle of doubts in her heart, that's what Velia would do.
Could Velia meet Lucas? Was there still a face for her to meet someone she had just rejected yesterday?
Velia had no other choice. Lucas was the only one who could help. It seemed she would have to set aside her pride for the sake of survival.
“What?!”
Mecca's exclamation echoed through their phone conversation. Velia had called her while inside the publi

Lucas sat down; his gaze fixed on the door as it slowly opened. The scene revealed Velia entering hesitantly, looking troubled. Something was clearly bothering her.
“Please, have a seat,” Lucas said, waiting for a moment until he felt Velia was comfortable.
His gaze scanned her, concluding that something was indeed happening to her.
“What's the matter?” Lucas asked directly, without any small talk. “Why did you suddenly want to meet me?”
Lucas shifted his focus, this time towards Velia's hands, which were tightly clasped together. It seemed she needed to gather her courage before asking a question instead of answering.
“Did you fire me?” she asked.
Lucas was taken aback, genuinely surprised. “Fired you? Me?”
On one hand, Lucas was surprised by the accusatory tone of the question. But on the other hand, he grinned.
So, because of this, you came to see me, Ve?
“M-Mr. Bell said I was fired 

Velia wiped away her tears. The sound of the knock was clear at the door of her room.
“Ve, are you inside?”
Velia gulped her saliva. She knew that voice for sure. “Yeah. What’s up?”
There was a deep breath from outside.
“Ve, come out first. You’re okay, right?”
However, Velia wasn't all right. So, when she came out of the toilet cubicle, Mecca it gasped in surprise.
“Oh my God, Ve,” prepared Mecca. “What happened to you?”
Velia immediately rushed at Mecca. Hugged Mecca tightly. Ignoring how disheveled she looks.
Mecca invites Velia to move on the side of the empty toilet. Using the low walls of the mini garden divider inside there, they sat there.
Velia told what happened to Mecca. From dismissal to indecent acts committed by Ricardo on her.
“Bastard, old man,” growled Mecca. “He should be ashamed of his age and that old face!”
Velia sipped while Mecca tidied herself up.
“So, what now, Ve? What’s your plan?”
Velia shook her head. “I don’t know where to find a job. You know how hard it is to find a job these days.”
Mecca took a deep breath. Velia’s words were true. It's very difficult to search for work at a time like the present. Even if it could, salary problems also worse circumstances later.
The next minute, Velia calmed down. She wiped her tears and tried to put a smile. She wanted Mecca not to too eager to think about it.
But Mecca was even more compassionate looking at Velia. She knew Velia’s been struggling. Velia was a strong woman up to can survive until now.
“I have to go home now,” Velia said softly then. “I’ll clean up my stuff in the room and back to the rented.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Now?” Velia took a deep breath. “I don’t know. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll ask the hired friends. If they knew there was a vacancy, a job I could get into.”
Mecca squeezed Velia’s hand tightly. And Velia smiled at it.
*
“Shit. You think finding a job these days is easy?”
Velia was silent when she found that sentence in answer to her question.
After Velia tidied up her equipment in the office, she immediately went to home. She met the house owner. A madam of lush stature with some roll of hair on her head.
Nia Jones was her name. A middle-aged woman who often slips a cigarette in the cleft lip. She snorted when Velia asked about the job opening. “Finding a job nowadays was hard, Ve! If it's easy, where can there be unemployment?” said Nia, pulling out the cigarette on her lips for a moment. “Wait!”
Something flashed through Nia's mind. She walked up to Velia and looked at the box she was carrying.
“Oh, my god! You’re fired, Ve?!”
Velia gulped her saliva. No answer to that question, but everyone could guess. Because there was no way Velia would have asked about the job if she still had a job.
“If you get fired,” continued Nia. “How are you going to pay your rent this month, huh?!”
That was one thing Velia thought about. How could she pay the rent this month and her daily need?
Nia looked at her fiercely. “If you can’t pay your rent for this month, you better get out of here! There are many people who want to live in my house!”
Velia paled. As fast as lightning, she held both of Nia’s hands. “Please don’t kick me out. I’ll find a job soon.”
Nia nodded. “Are you going to get a new job quickly?! Finding a job is hard, Ve!”
Velia was shaking. Fear instantly enveloped her.
Why did I have to accept two expulsions this day, Lord?
“I’m going to find a job soon. Please. Give me time. I will definitely be able to pay the rent this month.”
Nia spat. “Yes, think with your brain that’s the way to find work,” she said to assess Velia. “You won’t be hard to find jobs.”
Velia’s eyes blinked. There was one wrinkle appearing on her forehead. “What do you mean?”
“You can use your beautiful face and slim body to earn money.”
The blood felt like it was rippling along Velia’s veins. And on this day, she must get the same thing as a way out of the problem he is facing.
“W-what?” Velia softly trembled in a voice. She shook her head stiffly. “I am not a whore.”
Nia twirled her eyeballs. Clucking with a lazy expression. “If you are not a prostitute, just find there one rich man to make you being his mistress.”
Velia’s face sank. Of course, an equally unacceptable option. It made no difference to her. The point was the same: both sell herself.
“What's the use of a pretty face if you don't take advantage of it?!” asked Nia grinning. “That’s the only job you can get easily. Be a mistress!”
Velia’s heart seemed to stop beating. Until then, Nia walked away as she smoked a cigarette between her lips. Leaving Velia increasingly torn apart her hopes.
With a feeble step, Velia entered her house. Now she even could not cry anymore. Feeling as if fate really wanted her to suffer to the lowest point.
Dug! Dug! Dug!
The sound of the door made Velia gasp. She looked at the source of the sound. Sure, that not an ordinary knock that made such a big noise. Especially with the shocks that occur.
Because in fact, outside there was a foot that kicked the door.
“Velia! Open the door!”
It was familiar to Velia’s ears. She knew who was coming to her house.
“Open the door or I’ll break, damn it!”
It took Velia a while to gather her courage. She opened the door and found a bunch of tattooed, big-titted thugs looming in the front door of the door.
“Good. It would be nice if you would open the door.”
Holding back fear, Velia attempted to stare at them. “W-what’s up?”
They were whining. Looks at each other while grinning. Before on finally, one of the five thugs said.
“We just remind you not to forget to pay for your installments this month!”
Velia’s lips trembled, but there was nothing she could say. It’s just a nod.
The thug, known as Rambo, approached Velia. Hands raised and index finger pointed.
 “Just watch out! If until the due date you do not pay installments,” said Rambo. “Don’t blame anyone if we drag you to the club.”
“W-what do you mean?”
A grin rises on their fierce faces. Rambo grabbed Velia’s chin until she grimaced at it.
“If you can’t pay the loan with money, you can pay it with your body. You can have sex with us.”
Velia’s body instantly relaxes. They laughed while leaving.
Velia frustrated with her circumstances. Felt it was as if it was squeezed from all sides. Until the ringing of her cell phone made her excited from daydreaming of her grief.
“Hello, Doctor? What’s up?”
The sadness was gone. But Velia got the next bad news. Her body stiffened as she listened to the explanation.
*

Velia felt a slight relief when Harry's condition improved, but it did not last long. The reality was looming ahead. There were days she had to get through with very little money. And now she was unemployed?
“You’ve been fired. And not by me, but directly from the boss. I can’t do anything.”
Ricardo's voice echoed in Velia's mind. She pondered and ended up with one question. Could she regain her job by directly asking the company owner?
There was a possibility. Despite feeling a bundle of doubts in her heart, that's what Velia would do.
Could Velia meet Lucas? Was there still a face for her to meet someone she had just rejected yesterday?
Velia had no other choice. Lucas was the only one who could help. It seemed she would have to set aside her pride for the sake of survival.
“What?!”
Mecca's exclamation echoed through their phone conversation. Velia had called her while inside the public minivan, on her way to the office.
“Meeting the company's CEO?” Mecca asked again. Her voice still

Chapter6: Barter 1