The Foreigner

"My name is Jean Soberano. I am a tourist because my relatives promised to help me get work here. But she sells me out instead," she began explaining this to a man who peered at suspiciously.

"What did you say?" Kier asked to repeat her statement.

"I said, I am just a tourist."

"Then where is your passport? Show it to me, " he demands.

Jean kept her silence. Hesitant to speak another word.

"What?"

"I lost it when I was escaping from my relative's house," she hysterically reasoned when the guy raised his voice.

"And possibly your passport was now in the hands of the senator's men," Kier concluded, and he didn't feel good about it. It is a massive problem for this woman if she never realizes this... 

"I guessed so..."

Hearing this, Kier cannot help but laugh because the person he let in is an illegal immigrant. The woman just stared at him laughing. No wonder she acted weird when he told her he was a lawyer.

"Ahem. If your body were found floating in the river, no one would claim it, and it is to the senator's advantage to kill you any time he wanted. Then, this is worse than I perceive," Kier crosses his arms and rests his back on the long sofa.

"Fear flashes to her face. He scans her features from head to toe. To rate her physical features, the senator may look after her body, so he will keep her alive for a while. He does hear some information about Senator Lou, and it is not a good thing.

"What are you doing?" Jean covered her chest.

"Stop your illusion. I would never have an interest in someone like you. FYI, you are not my type." He twitches his mouth while saying this. "And why are you wearing that kind of dress in the first place?"

Jean glares at him before she speaks. He doesn't have an interest in her but is commenting on her clothes. Jean wants to kick this guy.

"My friend forces me to wear it as necessary for my performance," she answered after a long silence.

"What? So do you really sell your body then?"

"Shut up! If only I don't need to cover up for my friend, I won't wear this kind of dress!"

"Cover up your friend what? You aren't confessing everything yet. Now from the start, begin!" He cannot stop not feeling annoyed. How dare this woman orders him to shut up when he was the owner of this house.

"I said, speak! Do you ever think about what will happen to you if I send you to Immigration now? If the senator finds where you are, it was easy for him to claim you. He could make up a story that you are the housemaid that rubs you and then escapes." 

Kier mentioned a possible situation that made her dizzy.

"Okay, fine! Enough, I get it! I'll talk now!" Of course, she knew very well what she was going to face. But she was trying to determine if this man could actually help her if she could trust him and if he was different from the Senator. But he is a lawyer. Maybe she could rely on him, and he could help her return to her country instead.

"Your relative and your friend, are they also illegal?" he asked to get more information.

"No. My friend legally has her working visa as she was a performer in the hotel."

"What hotel?"

"The EMPIRE DRAGON HOTEL," Jean replied.

"Then what is her name?" Of course, he knew all the contracted artists and performers in the said hotel because he is the one who prepares their contracts.

"Lena Garcia," she answered.

Kier tried to scan all the files stored in his office. His brain is like computer memory, and he was sure they had a performer with that name.

"Hmm... Lena Garcia, 26 years old. 5'3, 45 kg and..."

"Okay, stopped!" This man is actually a pervert. He was scanning her body many times already. "Yes, she is the one!" she was afraid he would also mention Lena's vital statistics and moles on her body.

"Then?" he patiently waited for her to continue."I've come to this country to work as a direct hire by my relative. She offered me a good amount but what attracted me to her offer is once I could get my working visa, I could have a loan from my wealthy employer. I didn't know she was talking about selling me to the senator.

Hearing this, Kier clenches his fists. He knew very well because of his family's law firm holding these cases. Now he has more leads to the case they have been trying to solve for years. All they need is direct witnesses. So this is not only about domestic human trafficking but also includes an international case.

"What about your relative?"

"She was married here and earned her legal citizenship."

"Okay. Then why do you need that kind of money? What made you decide to gamble if what will actually be waiting for you here?"

Jean pressed her lips before she spoke. "My... My younger sister needs a transplant, and I need 20 000 US dollars. My relative has sent me $5 000.00 already for the admittance of my sister. So, I was confident that my relative could really help me."

Kier stayed silent. He thought. She is doing this for her sister. She would do anything for her family.

"Fine. I will help you. But in exchange, you will stand as a witness, and I need more information about your relative."

"Can I trust you?" Jean's gazes are soft, but they are sad. No wonder the voice singing he heard back in the hotel pub is full of sadness.

Before he could answer, he heard a growl from Jean's stomach. His left eyebrow rises.

"Alright, I am a gentleman so I will make you dinner." He offers. Kier was about to rise from the couch when the woman stopped him.

"I can cook for myself! If you permitted me to," Jean raised her hand.

"Okay. But I don't want anyone to hear I am--"

"I volunteered. What's your problem?"

Here they go again. She won't be surprised, and he is a lawyer. Full of righteousness to speak about.

"Okay, fine. Serves yourself!" This stubborn woman. Kier murmurs inside his head.

He let the woman invade his kitchen. He reached for his phone and dialed someone's number. He went to his study table and opened his computer.

"Hello? Big brother?" answered the other line.

"Matt, are you home now?"

"No. I am still in the office."

"Okay. Do you have the lead to the case you were investigating?"

"The evidence I gather is not enough. Almost useless to present them in court. Moreover, the victims mostly won't talk much about it. We need solid evidence and more witnesses to point out the mastermind of this all.

"Matt Lawrence is his younger brother and an agent who works in the Special Intelligence Sector.

"Let's talk about it more when I come home. I want to talk with dad too."

"Okay, big brother. Anyways, what gift did you prepare for Andrea?"

"I haven't decided yet. I'll call you back when I have one in mind. Don't skip dinner."

"Don't worry. I took some takeout."

"Is that even healthy?" he asked. 

"Come on, I know how health-conscious you were, but I also watch my diet." Matt shook his head. His clean freak big brother. He was worried if there was a girl who would bear this kind of attitude.