Chapter 3: The Sobbing

One night, I stayed late at the office. By the time I packed up, it was close to 11 PM—everyone else was gone. The place felt hollow, just the buzz of the vending machine and the hum of old computers.

As I headed for the door, I heard soft sobbing echoing from the break room. I followed the sound and found Natalie, knees hugged to her chest, tucked into the corner. Her shoulders hunched, and she kept her gaze glued to the floor, like if she looked up, she’d shatter. The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, painting everything in harsh, sterile colors.

When she saw me, she scrambled to wipe her tears away, panic flashing in her eyes. She looked like someone caught stealing candy—a flash of guilt, then shame, then nothing but vulnerability.

I asked, gently, if she was okay, if she needed anything. She shook her head, tried to force a smile, stood up, and apologized for disturbing me, her voice barely a whisper.

I could tell whatever she was dealing with wasn’t about work, but my gut told me this was my chance. For a second, I wondered if I was any better than the guys leaving roses on her desk—but I told myself, I’d treat her right.

In a blink, Natalie disappeared from the office. I chased after her and finally caught sight of her outside the building.

She was standing there, frozen. Just as I was about to call her name, I noticed someone else standing nearby—a man in his forties or fifties, slouched and scruffy, with a lecherous look in his eyes. He wore a faded Cleveland Browns cap, a sweat-stained T-shirt, and jeans that looked one wash away from falling apart. The stench of stale cigarettes clung to him.

I couldn’t believe Natalie knew someone like that. Was she in danger?

Turned out, I was half right. The moment the man spoke, everything clicked.

"Daughter, I finally found you. You work here, right? Earning all that money? Don’t forget your dad."

His greedy eyes flickered over her, and Natalie’s back trembled. I put the pieces together fast—her family situation was even worse than I’d guessed.

But this was my shot to get closer to her. I decided to go for it.

I walked up and slipped my arm around Natalie from behind. "It’s late—aren’t you heading home yet?"

She turned, startled, but didn’t pull away. Her body shivered, but she let me stay close.

The man stared at me, taking his time sizing me up.

"Oh, found yourself a man? Even better."

He leaned in, breath reeking of cigarettes. "Kid, I made my daughter this pretty, and she’s still a virgin. Don’t you think you should show me some extra respect?"

My heart skipped a beat. Jackpot. Inside, I was giddy, but I kept my face blank.

Natalie glared at him, about to lash out, but I gently pulled her behind me.

I took out a wad of cash and handed it to the man. "Natalie hasn’t been working long—she doesn’t make much yet. Please, just leave her alone."

The man grinned, counting the bills, not even glancing at me again. Natalie tried to stop me, but I quickly led her away. We didn’t stop until we were out of sight.

Natalie apologized, her voice thick. "I’m sorry, Brian. I’ll pay you back as soon as I get paid next month, I promise."

I gently put a hand over her mouth, then took her hand in mine. "If money can fix it, it’s not really a problem. If you’ll let me, I want to protect you, be your support."

Her hand trembled in mine, and her eyes reddened with unshed tears. I pulled her into a hug. She rested her head on my shoulder, finally letting herself fall apart.

That’s when she told me her story.

The man was her father, Harold Long—a degenerate gambler who’d sold everything they owned, almost sold her, too. When Natalie was five, he tried to hand her off to traffickers. Her mother, wielding a kitchen knife, chased them for two blocks and got her back.

Her mother died when Natalie was twelve. Since then, she’d survived alone, juggling part-time jobs and school. Her father didn’t even spare her earnings—if she didn’t give him money, he’d threaten to show up at her school and embarrass her.

She’d thought graduating and moving to another city would finally set her free, but he still found her.

She fell silent, and I could fill in the rest.

I hugged her tighter. "Don’t worry. With me here, you’ll never have to face this alone again."

After that night, Natalie naturally became my girlfriend.