"Do you, “Groom” take “Bride” as your wife, to love her, to cherish her, nurture her, and support her, in times of joy and in times of difficulty...."

Those great words, I thought they are meant for the people who love themselves. Those great words, I thought they are for me and the husband I will love. Those great words, isn't it for love?

But never knew, those words were for him...

"I do"

I felt my heart beating loudly. Now scared if anyone was going to hear the sound of a heart beating hell fast. I was scared, really scared.

"Do you, “Bride” take “Groom” as your husband, to love him, to cherish him, nurture him, and support him, in times of joy and in times of difficulty? Do you promise to remain by his side regardless of what trouble befalls you..."

"I do"

I never knew when I said those two words. Is this it? Is it my end time? Am I doomed?

It was like this before. It was a bit manageable before... until...

****

*New York City*

"Ma'am, can you hire me as your housemaid, please? I can do everything. Wash the dishes, sweep the house, clean the house, and more," a young girl of twenty-one stood at the entrance of a bungalow house begging for work from a woman.

She had tattered clothes on her, her flip-flops were also damaged. The same goes for her hair which looks unkept. But all was concealed by her face. She had fair skin and a beautiful face that enchants all men and makes them wobble at their feet.

She had been useless to her parents all her life and now she is searching for a job at least to please her parents if food is possible through what she is doing, she would gladly accept cause she seems to starve right now.

"Did I tell you I am looking for a maid in my house?" The woman replied rudely.

"And besides you look very dirty and ugly, I can't accept such a person here in my house. You will even scare the rats off. Now shoo and go eat poo if you are hungry,"

The woman chases her away, insulting her like she is no one in particular. Then she walked in and locked the door at her face.

Mahalia walked away from the bungalow, then sighed. Seems her journey to look for a job continues.

As she was walking along the streets, she felt a huge pain in her leg. She grits her teeth in pain, then looked down to see what she stood on. It was a bottle that pierced her flip-flops, then entered her foot.

She winced in pain, as she gradually stepped away from the bottle with her foot bleeding badly.

She sat at a place, closing her eyes in pain. She was in serious pain both mentally and physically, but she has no choice but to fight it and stay strong. Nothing must go wrong.

"I am a strong girl, I am a strong girl. Don't cry, Mahalia. Walk and go look for a job. You have parents that rely on you only. You have hungry parents. You are a very strong girl." She said to herself softly, assuring herself that everything is okay when it is not.

She stood up, then began to work slowly. Limping and moaning softly in pain. If she has to work hard to earn, she definitely will.

A car zoomed beside her roughly, splashing full mud on her. She sighed softly, staring at the car which was moving without the driver saying sorry. That was rude. But who cares about her?? That is a big and expensive car and she is just a poor girl who looks for money and a job, why would the driver say sorry to her?

Before she knew it, money was thrown down the window. And immediately, she ran towards the place the money was thrown as she began to pick the dollars.

She counted it, two hundred dollars. She smiled at the moving car. She was excited this happened. She was given just two hundred dollars for just a splash of mud. Now she can eat.

She looked at the notes again and sighed. "Thank you, God," she muttered to herself, looking up to the sky.

*

"I hope you paid him off for the splash?" A cold, deep voice was heard from the back of the car. He looked domineering and strict as his face was glued to the phone with him.

"Sir, it is a she!" The driver corrected, then he turned his face to look at the driver coldly.

"I never asked you to tell me the gender. I am asking you again, I hope you paid him off for the splash?" He questioned again arrogantly, sending chills through the driver's spines.

This boss of his is the coldest he had ever seen and, his domineering voice can kill if not careful. Well, who isn't scared of him? This bad Mafia doesn't care about anyone else than himself. This violent Mafia loves his money and no one else. Even his name is trouble. His name shakes walls and Everyone who hears it is expected to run away, far away from him. Everyone can even feel the wall shaking whenever he speaks, then who wants to provoke him? No one. Provoking him means trouble and no one wants his trouble.

"Yes, I did sir."

He nods his head in agreement.

A sweat fall off his face as he cooled down the minute the Mafia cooled down. His name is Hendrix Santos.

"Just drive straight away,"

"Yes sir,"

The driver zoomed off with respect toward Hendrix. He doesn't want a gun shooting through his head.

***

Mahalia walked home in excitement. She just earned two hundred dollars in a minute.

As she walked towards the house, she was welcomed by the commotion she was hearing between her parents. She was heartbroken.

Her parents had been fighting this day all because of money. Her dad acts all too lazy to work as he spends his money all on drinking, and her mother fights him all the time, raining abuse on his head and calling him all sorts of names.

'why don't you go die in the streets and leave me alone!!" She could hear her mother's voice.

"I won't be the person who dies. You will die in place of me. You bitchy asshole!"

"You call me an asshole?! What are you then?! Mother f*cker!" She spat at his face. Mahalia could feel they are about to fight with each other as she badges in before they do something they would regret.

"Please stop!" She yelled at them as they turned their gazes on their daughter who was so dirty from her head to her toes. "please, stop fighting, would you?!!" She yelled at them again.

"Oh, see the mother's daughter," her father, Cesar teased.

"Dad, please. I bought money,"

She limped towards the chair, sat down, and brought out the cash in her pocket.

"Mahalia, where did you see this kind of money," Alexa beamed with surprise.

"I worked," she lied.

She can't possibly tell them that a car splashed mud at her and after a minute, the driver threw the money at her. It will be ridiculous. So she had to lie.

"You worked?!" Alexa frowned.

"Well, who cares? I want some of it," Cesar tried to take it, and immediately, his hand was been bitten by his wife.