What caught my attention was that he only wanted me as a model—nothing more. That intrigued me. But at what cost?
Mary’s voice brought me back to reality.
“Karen, he chose you out of a sea of women. Don’t disappoint me.”
“I won’t,” I said, trying to steady my nerves. “I won’t let you down.”
“He’s waived our usual contract,” she added. “He wants confidentiality. All expenses are covered. Clothes, travel—everything. But, Karen, he’s serious about this. I need you to read the contract and make sure it’s to your liking. If you want to add anything, now’s your chance.”
The uncertainty settled deep in my chest. But the money... the freedom it promised. My dreams of a new life and a stable future for Gabriel made it hard to refuse.
“Please send me a copy of your documents. I’ll forward them to him for the travel arrangements. See you tomorrow.”
“I’ll send them over. And Mary, thank you.”
Her voice softened, but this business had no room for sentimentality. “Don’t thank me. Rules are rules. I would’ve let you sit out, but he chose you. That’s the only reason you’re getting this chance.”
I hung up, the weight of it all pressing down on my chest. I didn’t even know what he looked like. But tomorrow, Mary will show me his picture. I tried not to imagine what he might be like but not overthink the situation. Instead, I took a deep breath to calm the storm inside me.
I went to the kitchen, made tea, and dialed Gabriel’s school. His voice crackled over the line, and my heart warmed instantly.
“Karen!” he exclaimed, his joy clear. “I miss you so much.”
“I miss you too, sweetie,” I replied, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“I won the soccer championship, and I’m going to the school Olympics in judo!” Gabriel's excitement filled my ears.
“My champion!” I couldn’t help but smile. “I’m so proud of you. We’ll be together soon. I’ll bring you a present.”
“Where are you going this time?” His innocent curiosity pierced my heart.
I hesitated. It was a question I didn’t want to answer, not yet, not like this.
“I’m flying to Portofino, Italy,” I said, my voice betraying nothing.
His voice softened. “I’ll miss you, Karen. But I’ll be waiting for you.”
I fought back the tears, holding my composure for him. The truth was, I longed to stay with him. To be the sister he deserved. But how could I give him that life when I couldn’t even afford to pay someone to help take care of him? I needed to fix everything—pay the bills, get a new job, finally be free. But first, I had to survive this week.
“I love you so much, little one,” I said, trying to keep the joy in my voice. “We’ll be together soon.”
“Love you too, Karen. Have a good trip. I’ll be here playing with my friends.”
“I’ll call you soon. Be good, and remember, I love you more than anything.”
He blew kisses into the phone before hanging up. I wiped my eyes, not wanting him to see the truth in my voice, the fear lurking underneath my words.
Tomorrow I will leave for Italy. A stranger was waiting for me. And this could be the chance I needed to give Gabriel the life he deserved finally. But deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the price of freedom might be higher than I was willing to pay.
