the price I paid

The Price I Paid

I used to believe every choice had a simple cost.

Work hard, earn money.

Trust someone, gain loyalty.

Love someone… get love back.

I was wrong.

The night everything changed, the city lights looked like they always did—soft, golden, almost forgiving. I stood on the balcony of an apartment I couldn’t afford, holding a glass of something expensive I didn’t even like. Below me, people laughed, cars moved, life continued like nothing was about to break.

But inside, I already knew.

It started with a deal.

“Just one job,” he told me. “You’re smart. Careful. You won’t get caught.”

I should’ve walked away. I should’ve trusted the feeling in my chest—the one that whispered this isn’t you.

But I didn’t.

Because I was tired of being invisible. Tired of counting coins. Tired of watching life pass me by like I didn’t belong in it.

So I said yes.

At...