I sigh as I set down my phone after reading the latest online tabloid news. My husband, Javier Chow, received dozens of complaints from his underhanded sales tactics and overcharging naive victims at his mobile phone shop. I run a separate mobile phone shop named after myself - "Jillian's Mobile Service". Yet these past few days I have received so many negative comments on my shop's social media page, despite my repeated declarations that we ran different mobile phone shops. Javier isn't a bad guy; he just mixed with the wrong company that led him to make questionable decisions. Besides, these "victimized" customers should've read the fine print about additional fees to pay for their new mobile phone before signing their contracts. I'm not saying my husband is right, I'm just saying that both sides are at fault.
On my advice, Javier went into hiding after the public doxxed our home addresses, while I continue to stay in our apartment. I can't wait for all these negativity to blow over soon, so he and I can spend more quality time together. Just before all these unnecessary online uproar, we made plans to have a child, to start a family. As a sign of that commitment, I've removed my IUD just weeks ago - Birth control pills are not an option due to my damned one-in-a-million uncommon allergy. What am I supposed to do now with Javier missing and him possibly getting in trouble with the law in the upcoming days?!
Still, it's a nice Monday morning, and I've just finished my shower before I hear the doorbell ring. Wrapping myself in a white bathrobe, I went to open the door, remembering that my husband told me that around this time he's coming back to get a few supplies before sneaking out again.
Javier's bruised face with his mouth scotch-taped is the first thing that shows up, but I can't even react in time when I am pushed aside - A large hand grabs my husband's neck and shove him forward and into our flat. He lands on the floor, uttering muffled moans of pain, I gasp in shock when I see that Javier's hands are bound behind him, his shirt and shorts smudged with dirt and dust from what's presumably an earlier struggle elsewhere. I move forward in an attempt to help him up but the stranger who has entered our flat separates us and slam me against the wall.
I slowly rise up as I try to recover from my shock and gather my thoughts as to what's going on. I look up at the furious-looking man before us. He looked like he's pushing 40, wearing an old blue t-shirt with faded colours and a pair of grubby paint-stained grey pants. His unkempt hair covers his ears partly, and he has a thick mustache. I can see just a tiny bit of a beer gut poking out from that undersized t-shirt. But what is more intimidating is his size and height. Javier and I are about the same height, and this man is one head taller than us, with his chest and arms clad in muscle. There is no way either of us can fight back against him.
"Oh hi Jillian, apologies for the intrusion, I'm Kelvin," the stranger introduces himself.
"What do you want?" I try to put on a brave front, but my legs are shaking. The answer seems obvious though.
"I represent a group of customers who bought phones from your husband's shop. We are all VERY unhappy at being made to overpay. Guess what? Some equally angry folks hooked us up with your husband's whereabouts while the authorities did shit about our complaints."
"Can't we talk over this like civilized people?" I continue trying to reason. Kelvin meanwhile just ignores my reasonable attempt for diplomacy. He closes the door. Then he drags my husband over to a chair and ties him up with rope he has in his bag. This man clearly came prepared.
"Your husband sure didn't sound civilized when he laughed at his latest victim who was on his knees begging for a refund."
That recorded moment shared across social media is exactly what caused the whole thing to blow up. I took a deep breath before laying out on this dumbass.
"Maybe YOU should read everything before signing the contract? That last two paragraph stating the additional 200% service charge and 400% penalty if you back out?"
"Did you even know how damn long that contract is?!"
"Of course, I help proof-read it," I blurt out, and too late did I realize what I just did: From the corner of my eye I can see Javier wide-eyed in panic, shaking his head. It is true; Javier has a poorer command of the English language, so he can't actually write a proper contract while five years ago I have actually studied law as an undergraduate. It is not my place to question his business ethics; this is his shop after all.
"So, you ARE working with him all along? So much for saying you have nothing to do with your husband's schemes," Kelvin laughs before continuing, "Oh yeah, by the way, the Hai Seng boss called me this morning, screaming for your husband's head."
The implication of that is not lost on me. The tabloids revealed that Javier's latest victim is the mentally-challenged son of the newest top boss of this infamous secret society. The leader is likely one of the many furious folks who began the online witch-hunt against us. Other news had also reported that this Hai Seng gang has been in resurgence in recent years, and is completely utterly ruthless and cruel to their enemies. If their boss gets his hands on us...
"Hmmm, I don't know. Maybe I can make a call and let him know you both are in here, just to see what those guys can do with their machetes."
"Please, I have enough money, I can pay you back," I quickly reply. Kelvin stares back at me with an unpleasant smile as his eyes lower down. He's staring at the outline of my breasts showing through that wet bathrobe. I cross my arms across my chest instinctively and back away.
"I came up with another idea while I was on my way here. Apparently your husband took my $400 deposit without giving me my phone. I bet a hot bitch like you is worth at least $400 per hour if not more. So why not let me have the rest of the morning playing with you and I would call it even."
"Fuck you."
"That's exactly what I intend to do," Kelvin remarks as he shoves me to the floor.
"Ow! Asshole, you are going to be sorry!" I curse as I land on my ass.
"I'm sorry I never did this earlier," Kelvin snarls as he lands on top of me. He grapples me on to the floor as he disrobes me, pulling my bathrobe off and exposing my naked curves before him, much to my shock. My natural reaction to being attacked is to get away.
Kelvin did not give me a chance to get away. He grabs my right upper arm and drags me behind him - To my bedroom.
"Noooo-Mmmm!" I open my mouth briefly to scream before he cups my mouth almost instantly, muffling my calls for help to my neighbours.
"Or how about I give the big boss a call now so you can make your screaming more obvious when his goons arrive," he whispers in my ear. I shiver and stop my struggles, having understood my position.
"Good girl."
I am thrown onto my own bed, and I am breathing hard with my face on the mattress as he holds my neck down. I make no protests when he ties my hands behind my back with my bath robe belt. From the corner of my eye as I lay motionless, I can see Kelvin dragging the chair which my hapless husband remained tied to, over to one end of the bed where he faces me in this sorry, submissive position.
I shiver and dare not look behind me, but the sounds are clearly of Kelvin undressing.