HAILEY’S POV

My stomach was grumbling, and the pain now was different. Anyone would feel it if you hadn’t eaten dinner and breakfast the next day. Well, it was my punishment for not accomplishing the task that was given to me. To be honest, I cleaned the backyard and put the trash in their respective can, but here’s the favorite of Mr. Bud, Liona. She came right after I cleaned the backyard and messed with it like I hadn't cleaned it. She really didn’t want my life to be happy. She enjoyed seeing me suffer. She liked it when Mr. Gregor hurt me.

I had no choice now but to endure the pain and wait for Mr. Gregor’s go signal if I could have my meal. For now, he had to make sure that the floor was clean and shining since the Alpha would come and visit the orphanage for their meeting.

While I was sweeping up the floor, I heard a loud, angry voice who was calling up my name.

“Hailey?! Where are you? Hailey!”

When I recognized that it was Mr. Gregor who was looking for me, my body trembled.

A cold sweat came out on my forehead, and I wondered if I had done something wrong again? 

My hands were shaking while holding the mop, and my heart was hammering my ribcage wildly.

I could hear the footsteps approaching and his voice that kept on screaming my name.

“Hailey!”

Then his face showed up as Liona ushered him to me.

“There’s Hailey, Mr. Gregor,” Liona said, then looked at me devilishly.

Hailey stepped aside, and Mr. Gregor moved toward me and slapped my face so hard that it made me fall to the floor.

“Ahhh!” I screamed in pain, and the tears in my eyes fell down on my cheeks with blood at the corner of my lips.

I looked at him and asked, “Mr. Gregor? Wh…” 

I wasn’t done speaking yet when he said, “Give me the ring!”

Ring? What ring was Mr. Gregor talking about?

“Ring? W-what ring, Mr. Gregor?” I said while I was holding my cheeks, looking at him.

“Oh, come on, Hailey! Stop pretending you don’t know what I am saying! Give me the ring now!”

“I really don’t know what you are saying, Mr. Gregor…” 

“Liar,” Aubrey whispered behind Mr. Gregor and was laughing quietly.

Mr. Gregor’s foot immediately landed on my head, which made me bump into the wall behind me. 

“Mr. Gregor, I really don’t know where that ring is. I don’t have it,” I said. Hoping that Mr. Gregor would listen to me.

He took the pale filled with dirty water that I was using to clean the floor and poured it on me. 

I straightened up my body while sitting on the floor and wiped my face using my hands. I thought it was done not until he threw the pail on me and hit my arm.

“Please, Mr. Gregor, stop. I don’t have it,” I said, pleading that he would stop hurting me. I didn’t have any energy at all. No food, just bruises, and a tired body. How could I endure the pain?

“Give me your ring!” he said. Upon hearing it, my tears slowed down from falling, and my forehead somehow created lines in wondering if I heard right what he just said.

‘My ring?’

I looked at him and asked, “My ring? Do I have a ring, Mr. Gregor?”

Mr. Gregor paused for a second, and I could see his Adam’s Apple rolled in his throat. He was shocked, too, with what came out of his mouth.

He pulled my painful arm to stand up, which caused me to scream.

“Ahhh!”

He held my chin tightly using his right hand and put my face closer to him. My lips were shaking because of fear and cold, but I still tried to explain to him the truth.

“Mr. Gregor, believe me, I don’t know the ring you are looking for, please, believe me…”

“You are a fucking liar! Who will believe in a stupid woman like you?! You know really well how important that ring is to me. Today is the day when the New Alpha King and I will meet for the ring, but now, it is missing!” he said, his teeth gritting. 

“I know, Mr. Gregor…”

“That’s the point! You want to ruin my day! If you don’t want to die, give me back the ring.” he concluded like I really took the ring. I am not the only one who lived in the orphanage, but why am I the only suspect here?

Liona was looking pity at me and shaking her head, “Poor little thief.”

But what could I give that I didn’t have?

“I swear, Mr. Gregor, I didn’t steal the ring. Even if you kill me, you can’t find the ring in me. I don’t have it,” I said while breathing deeply.

He pushed my chin which made me unbalance my body, and stepped backward.

“Asshole! You will definitely die if you are not going to give me the ring. I will only give you a fucking hour to give me back the ring. If you failed to do it, say goodbye to this earth,” he said and spat in my face. He took his handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his mouth. He rearranged his necktie, turned around, and left.

Liona moved a little closer and handed me a handkerchief, but as I was about to take it, she spat on it and said, "Stupid! You deserve it!" and threw the handkerchief in my face.

My face fell, and I took a deep breath.

She put her hands together in her chest and said, “Do I have to say goodbye to you now, Hailey, the thief? Well, you still have the last hour remaining in your life. So, enjoy it. I’ll say goodbye to you later.” 

I just let her speak. I didn’t want to argue, besides, I felt really weak this time. 

I was wet with the dirty waters, tears, saliva, and blood. Dressed in cuts and bruises.

Where am I going to find the ring? Did I have to accept that today would be my last day?