Instead of going home, Titan detoured which surprised Stephanie. “Wait, sir. This isn’t the way to my home.” The car screeched as he turned to the opposite lane. “Where are we going?”

“We have to go to the hospital.”

She was almost leaping out of her seat, shaking her head. “No, I said I’m fine. There’s no need for you to bring me there. I’m OK.”

Without saying anything, he gave her a quick glance and raised an eyebrow as he continued to drive to the adjacent hospital.

Stephanie gave up trying to convince and sighed while focusing on the horizon.

He unlatched his seat belt when they got to the local private hospital’s emergency room, then he looked at her and unlatched hers as well.

Titan’s chest tightened as he left as she struggled to continue walking while limping and moaning in a poor condition.

He rushed to her and grabbed her arm with an irritated sigh.

She nonetheless pushed it. “I can manage.”

Titan drew back and joined her as they continued to walk.

Her eyes widened, though, as she lifted her head to confront the soaring heights of the hospital.

She looked at him in disbelief. " I’ve never been able to afford it here, sir.”

He didn’t say anything.

Despite her continued insistence on her independence, he couldn’t help but worry about her. He observed her as nurses attended to her, sitting with her on the bed and administering care.

After it was finished, Stephanie turned to face him while he was looking at her hurt foot in front of her.

He began following her figure with his eyes, starting from the bottom up, while keeping his hands in his pockets.

Stephanie was frozen by his intense gaze until he got close to her.

Then, he sighed. “Are you okay?”

She nodded. “I’m fine.” She smiled.

Titan was interested, but not because of the smile. As her eyes gradually became watery and bloodshot, he could feel the weight she was carrying even though she refused to tell him more than what she was saying.

“Why did you do it?”

She sighed and avoided looking at him. “I don’t want to lose my cat.”

“My cat?”

She attempted to stand up while giving another nod.

He wanted to reach out and touch her hand as he had earlier. She shook her head, though, and shoved it. “I can handle it.”

Titan nodded but he was worried. “OK.”

They kept walking till they arrived at the car, got inside, and drove off to Stephanie’s house.

But his thoughts kept returning to her confession.

***

As they approached Stephanie’s neighborhood, Titan’s eyes began to stray and scan the area. He made several U-turns as he explored his new surroundings.

It was pretty humble, in contrast to his apartment.

The adjacent duplex dwelling complex was set out in a grid and coated with various waste materials. Rusted gates with little, deserted gardens filled with dry flowers surrounded them.

When he remembered seeing Stephanie sobbing in front of her parents’ gravestone, it became evident to him that she was leading this tough and terrible life.

That hit him square in the gut, making him feel bad for having previously judged her motives.

“Sir, come in.” She motioned for him to come inside her nearly derelict house. It lacked the high ceilings and proper couches he was used to.

She stooped and took a Monobloc chair in her hands. “Sorry, it’s a little crowded in here.”

“It’s OK.” Titan rushed up to her and interrupted her when he overheard her groaning as she lifted the plastic chair. “Let me take it.”

She gave it to him. “Thank you. It can be put anywhere you choose to sit.”

He peered up to make sure he didn’t miss any area of the home while seated in the chair that was too low for his height.

Unpacked boxes littered the space, giving the impression that Stephanie had just moved in and was short on time.

“Do you like something to eat or drink?”

Titan shook his head. “No, I’m good.”

She noted the expression on Titan’s face as he continued to scan the area with furrowed brows. She groaned. “Are you okay?”

Although he wasn’t feeling well, he nodded. ”Yeah, I’m OK.”

He was shocked on the inside. He fought to put his thoughts in order to what he was learning but was unable to speak.

“I live here… though it doesn’t look like it, but this is a home for me.”

“Home…”

She grinned and nodded. Yeah,” she nearly stumbled, feeling ashamed of how her home contrasted with Titan’s lavish apartment. It appeared to be too run-down for a visitor like him.

He was disturbed by her smile since her eyes weren’t deceiving him. “Is this the reason you needed the money so badly?”

A loud knock startled them to their knees before she could speak.

While Stephanie moved in his direction and unlocked the door, Titan turned his head and stood. Someone shoved the door open for her before she could fully open it, banging it against the wall.

Her eyes widened as she noticed the elderly landlord, a man in his sixties, standing in front with a folder full of documents in his hand.

He appeared to be from the Middle East, stocky, angry, and a little taller than her. His beard was white and gray, and he had a bald head. His eyeglasses hung from his neck, and he wore a gold watch on his wrist.

“What’s this, Mang Marino?”

“You have zo move out. I can’t aczept any more excuses from you, Ztephanie!” he sputtered in an accent. “I’m fed up with your promizes that you work for Zitan Sandoval. I don’t believe you!”

When Titan heard his name, he struck a noticeably piercing gaze at the elderly guy. Mang Marino arched an eyebrow and cocked his head.

“Who are you?” He looked at Stephanie again and continued sputtering, “You can’t even pay your rent, now you bring a friend to live with you? You know that’s an additional cost.”

“But—”

“No moh dizcussionz.” The man pushed the folder onto her chest, almost throwing it at her.

Stephanie tried to catch the falling papers in frantic.

“Zign it, and we’re done. I’ll come back tomorrow to get dez paperz. Zo, make sure you have zigned it and leave tomorrow.”

He turned his back on her as she attempted to gather up the papers that were on the ground and walked back to his car without hearing her side of the story.

She muttered, “If he would just give me a little more time.”

Titan was paralyzed as he watched the events unfold so quickly in front of him and recalled similar incidents when he had treated the employees similarly.

He was aware that, ever since the curse had been placed upon him, his annoying conduct had gotten worse.

He turned to Stephanie after glancing at the elderly man returning to his vintage truck while she was turning the pages of the contract, facing down.

But then, Titan observed the soggy papers from her tears.

She tried not to sniff, but they were audible in his cat-like abilities.

She was hugging the folders the elderly man had given her, so he could see she was crying. “Are you alright?”

Yet she smiled at him, lifted her face up, and answered, “Yeah, I’m okay. Stephanie Reyes here. I’m a survivor. This won’t break me, Sir Titan,” she said, turning him down out of concern that she would upset her boss unnecessarily.

“Anyway…” She then grasped the knob while struggling not to cry in front of her boss. She felt constricted as she did so. Her lips were pursed, and her eyes were closed.

When she turned and was ready to speak, she shut the door.

But then, he seized her and encircled her in his arms.

When Titan’s warm hand touched the back of her head, her eyes opened in shock. " What are you doing, sir?”

“Stephanie, you’re not alright. Don’t be hesitant. Just cry.”

“But… sir?”

He pressed her face against his chest and replied, “Don’t worry. It’s OK.”

She finally lost all control when she felt his unexpected warmth.

She began to shake her head and cry out, her sobs becoming louder and louder until they were almost hyperventilating.

“What went wrong, I wonder. Despite my best efforts, I still lost everything.” She repeated the same phrases over and over.

I don’t know what to do now, Sir Titan. I don’t know where to go. She thought.

Titan simply didn’t respond, tightening his grasp in place of speaking.

He slowly put his chin and nose on top of her head, closed his eyes, and drew her closer.

Don’t worry, Stephanie. I’m here. Titan thought so, too.