Leon exhaled heavily as he sat on the edge of the hotel bed, his fingers loosely holding a half-empty glass of whiskey. The dim lighting did little to ease the weight pressing down on his chest. He had never sunk this low before—never even considered it. But tonight, frustration had clouded his judgment, pushing him toward a decision he wouldn't have made in a clearer state of mind.

A soft knock on the door broke the heavy silence. He hesitated for a second before standing up and opening it.

And then, his breath hitched.

A girl—no, a child—stood before him. Seventeen, perhaps? Her frame was delicate, her features far too innocent for the place she was in. She clutched the strap of her small handbag, eyes flickering with uncertainty.

"Good evening, sir," she greeted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Leon remained still, his mind racing. This wasn’t what he had expected. His stomach churned with unease, and before he could say a word, his fingers instinctively reached for his phone.

"Wait here," he muttered before stepping aside to call the service owner.

The response he received only deepened his guilt.

"She’s new. Desperate. Lost both parents and needs the money," the woman on the other end of the line stated, as if it justified everything.

Leon lowered the phone, his jaw clenching. This wasn’t right.

Taking a deep breath, he turned back to the girl. She was still standing there, fidgeting with the hem of her dress, eyes darting around the room.

He approached her slowly, forcing a reassuring smile. Then, he slipped off his jacket and gently draped it over her small frame.

"Come here, sweetheart. You need to rest," he murmured.

Hesitant, she followed as he led her to the bed. Instead of what she had likely been told to expect, he simply pulled her into a warm embrace, his strong arms wrapping around her fragile body.

She stiffened at first, confused. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

"But Miss Elly told me to—"

"Don't," Leon cut in, his voice firm yet weary. He knew what she was about to say,