HER OWNER

01: HELLO! STRANGER

AUTHOR'S POV

Luck Streets,
09:01 am

Hope, who works as a florist as well as, as a delivery girl for the same shop was riding her cycle from the side of the road with a flower bouquet in the basket carrier of her pink cycle.

The signal turned red and all the vehicles stopped along with her kitty-themed old cycle. A luxury car happened to stop next to her and the window rolled down.

She turned her head to see a moaning girl sitting on a guy's lap in the driving seat.

That guy was busy sucking her neck. Hope realized that the window glass opened because that girl's elbow accidentally pushed the auto button.

After coming up for breath, the young woman gracefully retrieved her handbag and exited the car, gently closing the door behind her. She pivoted and leaned in, positioning herself at eye level with the car window. " Next week, at my place" She seductively extended an invitation, revealing a hint of her cleavage.

" I'm jam-packed for the entire upcoming week," he avoided casually lighting his cigarette.

The stubborn young lady retrieved a card from her clutch and elegantly extended it towards him, whispering, "Reach out to me whenever your schedule permits,"

In an act of disdain, he exhaled a cloud of smoke towards her face, retorting, "Oh, darling... F*ck off." With that, he swiftly closed the car window.

Her mouth agape with disbelief, she clenched her jaw tightly and delivered a swift kick to his car tire. Filled with anger, she stormed ahead, taking rapid strides.

Lost in his thoughts, he mumbled to himself, "What was her name again?" Scratching his head, he called out, "Hey!" She halted, let out a sigh, turned back, and approached back to his car.

He opened the window and handed her a black lace bra that had been hanging on his gear the whole time. "Yours is guess."

"It most certainly is not," she retorted, her anger escalated even more.

He brought the bra to his nose, took a sniff, and chuckled. "Indeed, it truly isn't." Her face flushed with embarrassment, she turned away and departed.

Hope observed the entire spectacle unable to contain her laughter. However, her amusement was short-lived as the charming gentleman caught her in the act.

Glancing around cautiously, Hope's eyes met his once more as he playfully offered her the bra. "You want it?" he asked checking her out. Her face twisted in disgust, causing him to chuckle at her reaction.

As the signal changed, they went their separate ways. She slipped into an alley, while that guy zoomed off on the wide highway in his beat-up car.

Hope returned home after completing her delivery. Carrying bags of groceries, she entered to find Walter, her sole guardian, fast asleep on the couch in their living room. In his late forties, he lay on his stomach, with his lips slightly parted and his cheek pressed against the soft leather. One hand dangled off the edge, and a few buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing his shoulder. An empty alcohol bottle rested on the floor nearby, and the familiar scent clung to him as always.

The television was carelessly on. She grabbed the remote and turned the television off. Making her way towards Walter, she sat down on her ankle and gently lifted his hand, placing it beside him on the couch.

Despite her efforts, the heavy sleeper didn't even stir. Hope sighed and covered him with a warm blanket, her smile tinged with sadness as she took in his messed-up state.