In My Desperate Time

I lick my lips, tasting the sour taste of yogurt.

Crap. I forget to wipe my mouth.

I feel so embarrassed.

I lower my head and remain silence.

Frances Louis says nothing and asks me to go down stairs for lunch.

I thought he has ordered takeout, but when I go downstairs, the table is empty.

"Where is the food?"

I ask Frances Louis who is sitting on sofa leisurely.

"You want me to cook for you?" The man raises his eyebrows and looks at me defiantly.

Thinking of his wicked cuisine, I shake my head quickly and say firmly, "No."

I am not Whitney. I will not flatter him.

"Let’s go."

Louis says and goes

follow him

having lunch outside, instead of going home, he takes me to

he goes inside, the shop assistants all gather around him. I'm not exaggerating that women who see

I help

could give you

for any moment. He glances briefly round the shop,

want to send me

be a waste for me to

a poor office

says coldly, "Just pick

my ‘sugar daddy’ has requested me to do so, it would be too melodramatic for me

lips

woman in her forties, all the others, including the manager,

are really frighteningly expensive. A simple necklace is ten

make Frances Louis think I'd seen all of them. But when I

the workmanship to the inlaid jewelry, all of them

like my heart

price is

My heart tightens.

Louis comes to me. He looks at the necklace and asks, "Do you like