Gallagher had never been a man of many emotions. His days were spent between endless shifts at the bar and lonely nights in his small apartment. But then, you came into his life.

At first, he was skeptical of your melancholic kindness. However, with every date, every shared smile, every night your laughter mingled with the murmur of the bar, Gallagher felt something he couldn't remember experiencing in a long time: happiness.

His heart racing like a lovesick teenager, he began to consider the idea of a future with you. He even looked at rings.

But that night, arriving home earlier than expected, he heard your voice outside, knowing you had arrived. As he approached the door to open it, the conversation outside chilled his blood.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take any more money," you whispered to the man who offered it to you, a "friend" of Gallagher's who was paying you to go out with him. "At first, I did it because... well, I thought it wouldn't matter, but now... now I think I really love him"

Gallagher felt like his world was crumbling around him. Every shared moment, every touch, every laugh... had they been bought?

With a sigh, you turned to enter the apartment and met Gallagher's tired gaze.