Chapter 16

The luxury car seemed to have lost its way. The narrow streets in the lower-class neighborhood were clearly not the right route for it. Especially with the houses packed together and the squalid environment, who knows what the driver would think. "Do you live here?" The car stopped at a small rented house. The passenger inside asked, observing the place with a frown. "Yes." Velia's voice sounded flat. She unbuckled her seatbelt and forced a smile that Lucas could not interpret. "Why?" Lucas reached for Velia's hand, momentarily holding back her desire to leave immediately. "What happened to you, Ve? Why do you live here? Where is your home?" "Home?" Velia asked bitterly. "This is where I live. I don't have a home or anything." Lucas fell silent. "Why? Are you regretting making a deal with me?" Shaking his head, Lucas replied firmly, "Not at all." "You should know, Luc. I did all this out of necessity. That's why I want to make sure of something," Velia continued. "Will you