Life genuinely likes fucking me over.

I try to look casual as I walk through the streets heading back to lower town. I don’t want the monsters that hide in the shadows to see me as a weak target, but my heart is still racing like crazy after the close call. Or was it because of him?

No, don’t think like that, Meg. It’s silly. You’re in this mess because of a guy, so the last thing you need is to be swooning over muscles, pretty blue eyes, and shaggy blond hair.

And to make it worse, he’s a cop.

It is best that wonder boy stays far away from someone with a collar who’s connected to the Underworld. Even now, it feels like Hades is tugging at me subconsciously as a reminder that there is no running away or being saved.

I should go back to my apartment and drop off my shopping before considering heading towards the Underworld.

The Underworld is no place for anyone full of life. It is the worst part of lower town. A person might as well be dead to enter it or have nothing left to lose.

The price one pays to visit and often not leave is high. Some joke that it is the City of the Dead or the Living Dead, ruled by Hades. One might call him the King of the Dead, but I call him a Mob Boss, whom I’m unwilling to cross.

Yet for some, it offers an escape from their past and a chance for a fresh beginning with Hades’ help. Maybe I’m now one of them. It seems I’ve figuratively sold my soul to Hades in order to save my worthless ex.

As I reflect on the past and the path that brought me here, I didn’t realize the kind of help I would get when I went to Hades.

Little did I know that Hades would effortlessly shift all blame for Giovanni’s drug dealings onto me. The presence of drugs didn’t come as a surprise. In those early days of reveling in Lower City, I first encountered Gio as he peddled party drugs.

However, our connection deepened as we shared conversations about him wanting to explore his being bisexual and his aspirations to escape the drug trade.

He wanted to pursue an office job in the upper parts of the city. I played a part in securing him that job, and we managed to overcome our addictions, dreaming of building a life together.

Love had blinded me, preventing me from realizing that Giovanni was still dealing drugs until our hard-earned progress sat on the brink of destruction. It led me down the path of wanting to help save the man I once loved.

He had casually mentioned Hades on a couple of occasions, so when I went to ask for help, I never expected falling into a trap. And then I was caught up in his mess and ended up in prison for five years while Gio eloped and wed his boss’s daughter. His criminal activities and drug dealing cleverly hidden from them.

I shake myself out of the memories. Part of me knows it wasn’t my fault I was stabbed in the back, but I still had to live with this and try to rebuild my miserable life.

I still have a couple of hours until my appointment with Hades. I dress to look my best before heading out. Hades is a stickler for order, style, and entertainment. Maybe he isn’t that different from the upper class in this city.

I head out early. It’s going to be a bit of a walk to get there and Hades hates it when people are late for their appointments.

***

You would think Hades conducts his meetings at some club, like a gang boss from a movie. But it’s actually a tall office building, not that different from the ones in the upper areas of the city.

Hades’ building doesn’t have the shine of the Upper City’s structures. Instead, in the dark night, the glass resembles flowing ink, ready to swallow anyone daring enough to approach.

Hades, with his twisted sense of humor, named his building Underworld as well. It confuses newcomers, but those of us familiar with this place understand the distinction between the city of the Underworld and Hades’ foreboding, dark building.

Years ago, I foolishly sought out this place thinking I’d find the help I needed. And now, I have to return to pay the debt I owe from that night.

I straighten my jacket to tidy myself up after the long walk. I approach the door where a guard stands. I hand him my ID and say, “Meg Dimitriou. I’m here to see Hades.”

He examines the card and then dials a number.

“All right, you’re cleared to enter. Go to the elevator and step in when it opens,” he says, pointing in the direction of the single elevator at the far end of the lobby. “No need to press any buttons; it only goes to one floor. And remember to check in with me or the person on duty when you leave.”

He scans my ID into their security system and then hands it back to me, waving me through the doors.

I head towards the elevator. It appears distinct from the other ones in the lobby. The door stands open, as if it’s waiting for me. As soon as I step in, the doors begin to close, and it carries me upward toward a dreadful place that I desperately wish to run away from.

The last time I was here, I was a mess. I was stressed, thinking I might lose the man I loved if I didn’t do something drastic. The elevator dings, bringing me back from my dark thoughts and self-loathing.

The mirrored doors open, revealing the penthouse. It’s modern, black, and sleek. The whole ambiance screams wealth. Two guards are standing by the elevator, silently watching me as I step out.