TYSHA
“Miss Clifford?” When someone called me, I turned around. A doctor and a nurse entered the hospital room as the door opened. I greeted the doctor back with a smile.
It seemed like it was time for them to look at Mama's condition again. It had been three days since we unexpectedly brought Mama to the hospital. She experienced another episode of her condition.
To concentrate on what they were going to do with Mama, I shut down my laptop and watched them.
“How’s my mom, Doc?” I asked the doctor after they checked my mother. I watched their reactions closely, trying to get a hint if they would tell me bad news or not.
Fortunately, the doctor smiled at me. I felt relieved.
“As of now, she’s doing great. But there's still a possibility that her condition might worsen. It's better if you let her stay here for days to monitor if she will have any improvement,” she stated which increased the burden on my heart.
Oh gosh.
Still, I nodded slowly to the doctor.
I don’t think we can go home anytime soon. And staying here means bigger hospital bills.
I shook my head, trying to shake off my worries.
Stop worrying, Tysha. You’ll get through this. What’s important is that Mama is doing great as of the moment.
I tried to convince myself when I was starting to dwell on my unending problems again.
As the nurse and the doctor left us again, I took that chance to hold the hand of my sleeping mother. My eyes welled up with tears as I thought about our situation.
After all my savings were taken away by my jerk ex Bryse, it felt like I was becoming an additional burden to my father who was working hard as a car dealer and earning just to pay for our debts.
Damn it.
WHEN my father came after his work, I went outside for a moment to think. I could not afford to stay chill knowing that my father was trying his hard to provide for me and my mom. It felt like I needed to do something; I needed to earn instant money.
Since I had no other friend who could help me aside from Barra, I messaged her to ask for some help.
Me: Barra, are you free tonight? Can I meet you?
I bit my lower lip as I waited for her reply. I was not sure if she would lend me some money this time because I still had not paid her for my old debts. Terrible!
But I felt like I needed to provide something too, just to help my father from shouldering the weight of our problem. So, I swallowed my pride.
It took an hour before my friend replied.
Barra: Money again?
She knew right away.
Damn.
Still, I decided to stick to my guns.
After I got her reply, I immediately typed another message.
Me: Can I borrow sum? It’s just that… my mother was hospitalized for days again. Promise, I’ll work hard to pay all of my debts!
My palms were sweating. With the amount I owed her, I doubt she would ever lend me money again. Even so, I tried my luck.
And my friend replied right away.
Barra: Meet me at my work. ASAP.
As I read her message, my eyes twinkled.
Yes!
Her reply only meant one thing: she would lend me some money.
Me: Thank you so much, girl! You’re the best!
So, without hesitation, I went to Barra’s workplace. I did not even bother to change my simple shirt and pajamas.
As I got out of the bus, the facade of Eventide Cabaret greeted me. It was already glowing in the dark because of the neon lights surrounding the name of the strip club where Barra was working. Based on rumors, only wealthy people could enter this strip club. It was obvious because of the luxurious cars that were in its parking lot.
Somehow, my heart ran faster.
This would be the first time I would go inside a strip club, especially a club for VIPs. Whenever I borrow some money from Barra, she usually meets me in her condo but this time, she ordered me to meet her here.
I tried to pull myself together.
Okay. Calm down, Tysha. You’re not here to work as a stripper anyway.
I examined the people around me. Most of the men were wearing formal attires as if they were businessmen or even mafia bosses. A lot of women wearing daring outfits were also outside, flocking those arriving men.
To be honest, I was amazed. It seemed like the rumor about Eventide Cabaret being one of the most exquisite strip clubs where millionaires and billionaires usually visit to waste their overflowing money was all true.
In front of the cabaret's door were bouncers with rock-like bodies and intimidating faces.
Despite their looks, I mustered up my courage and approached a bouncer to ask.
"Er… I'm here for Barbara Moore. Is she inside?" I asked.
When the emotionless man darted his eyes at me, I got goosebumps.
Terrible! His gaze was so intimidating that I could imagine him snapping my neck for bothering him.
Okay. I'm overreacting. Gosh!
The man stared at me for a moment. I could not help but gulp because of nervousness.
Damn!
"Your name?" he asked me back using his cold voice. It made me feel at ease.
I was pretty sure Barra talked to them about letting me in.
"Tysha Clifford."
"Get in."
When the bouncer finally let me in, I did not hesitate.
Inside the club, the dizzying neon lights greeted me. I could hear shouts, cheers, moans, and laughter. The inside was such a busy place. On the other hand, a mixture of smoke, beer, and vape enveloped my nose.
For someone like me, it was unbearable. But I endured it all.
On the stage of the cabaret, there were poles and three girls with spunky outfits were performing an exotic dance. All eyes were on them, especially the eyes of the men. Everyone had their own bet. Others were throwing them dollar bills.
I examined the expressions of the performers. I tried to find hesitation in their eyes but all I saw was passion and dauntlessness. They were so professional in making their body moves like waves, never minding the eyes that were glued to them.
Then I wondered…
Is this really the life they want to live in? Or they are just stuck in a hard situation where the only choice to continue living is to do this?
I was stuck in deep thought when a man in the VIP loft caught my attention. Girls were surrounding him. A girl was sitting on his lap. Two girls were beside him, touching his body and intentionally pressing their big bazongas on him.
“Mr. Billionaire, come on. Show us what you got,” a flirtatious voice of a woman said to the man in a formal suit.
Mr. Billionaire, huh? So, the man was that wealthy? Maybe, that was also why the girls were flocking to him to get some dollar bills.
But unlike other men in the cabaret who kept enjoying the night, the guy in a formal suit seemed to be having trouble. It looked like he enjoyed nothing in the girls’ company.
Weird.
“No thanks. I’m fine. Just… get off me,” he said in a respectful manner. His voice was as handsome as his face.
Despite him, being in a place like this, he seemed like an ethical man. He kept avoiding to touch the body parts of the girls who were grinding at him.
As I examined the sight, I compared them to moths being drawn to the flame. The moths were the women while the flame was the man. But unlike the normal scenario of moths and flame where moths got burned by the flame, it seemed like the guy in a formal suit was more likely to be in a difficult situation.
For the nth time, I stopped observing when the man darted his eyes at me. It made my heart jump.
I then saw him mouthed, “Save me.”
My eyes widened because of that.
Huh?
My lips parted in utter disbelief.
Is he talking to me?
I looked around but no one else was looking at him but me. So, it confirmed that he was actually talking to me. I cast him a skeptical look.
“Please,” he added frustratingly without a voice. It seemed like he did not want the girls around him to notice he was asking for help from me.
I blinked several times, not knowing what was the right thing to do.
Like… what should I do? Should I help him? But how?!
You can’t make a problem here, Tysha. You have no money. As long as you can, avoid trouble.
Because of what I thought, I hesitatingly looked away from the man. There was guilt in my heart but I neglected it.
I have more important things to do here. I need to find my friend.
So, I continued to walk around looking for Barra. As I did my exit, I heard ‘Mr. Billionaire’ called me.
“Hey!”
I was pretty sure he was calling me but I did not glance back at him again. I acted as if I heard nothing.
Sorry, but I can’t help you right now, Mr. Billionaire.
Damn. What is he doing here if he’s that innocent to take all of this?
Okay. That’s kinda contradicting on my part. But still! I’m not here for work or to be a client. I’m here to borrow some money from my friend.
I just sped up my walk to get away from the VIP loft. When I got away, I looked at the poor man again.
He remained to look troubled. I could not help but laugh a little.
He’s kind of cute though.
RUE In one of the guest rooms of my penthouse, the woman's voice echoed as she attempted to please me. Despite her efforts, there was an unsettling numbness within me, a void that even her intimate gestures couldn't fill. I clenched my teeth, grappling with the realization that something was amiss. "How about this, Sir?" she inquired; her tone a mix of anticipation and uncertainty. But the pleasure she offered remained elusive, and I could only muster a disheartened shake of my head. "Enough. You can now go," I declared, a sense of frustration evident in my voice. The woman, taken aback, questioned our premature conclusion. "Huh? But we're not even at the climax?" "We? Or I? You've reached the climax for God knows how many times already," I retorted, irritation cutting through my words. "Now, go. Leave me alone." Her protest hung in the air, but a stern glare from me silenced any further objections. Reluctantly, she left, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I stood there, still
TYSHA "Girl!" Barra's voice sliced through the club's noises, and her grip on my wrist was strong and urgent. "Barra!" I replied, half-surprised and half-relieved. She guided me swiftly through the bustling crowd, a silent command to follow her. "This way. Quick. I need to work," she said, pulling me along, her movements confident and purposeful. I complied, trailing behind her. The air was filled with pulsating beats and the hushed whispers of covert conversations. As we moved, I took a moment to glance at Barra. She was already in the attire of her trade, a daring ensemble that left little to the imagination. Her silver lingerie sparkled under the neon lights, complementing her curled blonde hair and the vibrant makeup that adorned her face. A cute bunny headband perched on her head added an unexpected touch of innocence to the overall daring look. She looked dazzling, captivating the attention of anyone who crossed her path. Finally, we reached our destination – backstage, whe
RUE I sat at my office desk feeling really frustrated. Small things were bothering me, like not finding my pen and having an email I didn't read. I tried to work on my laptop, but I couldn't stop thinking about what happened last night. "Ugh," I sighed, running my hand through my hair. The board meeting was stressing me out, and the memories from the strip club kept coming back, making it hard to focus. My usually neat office was a mess, with papers scattered everywhere. It just added to my frustration—with myself, the whole situation, and the memory that wouldn't leave me alone. I was irritated about how the women touched me in that strip club but most especially, I was fuming mad about the girl who refused to help me. Like, how could she ignore someone like me?! I never felt humiliated like that in my entire life. No one has ever paid no attention to me before. It’s not that I wanted attention last night but—damn it! I could not forget the woman’s face who dared to ignore me. I
TYSHA As I sprinted away from the guy, my heart raced with a mix of panic and relief. Glancing back, I noticed his eyes widening in recognition. Gosh! With that, I also realized who he was – the man I ignored at the Eventide Cabaret last night. Woah! What a coincidence! What on earth is he doing in Bryse’s house? Are they related somehow? Anyway. One thing is for sure; he seemed even more irritated with me now, especially after the incident at the Eventide Cabaret. It wasn't intentional though; I just didn't want to deal with anyone. Now, he was part of this bizarre encounter. I shook off the strange mix of emotions and focused on getting as far away as possible. Gosh, I really hope to never cross paths with him again! All I freaking wanted was to get my money back, but now it feels like landing myself in handcuffs is a more likely scenario. Seriously, Tysha, what kind of messed-up luck do you bring into my life? Gosh! As I trudged back to my mom's hospital room, I tried my darn
RUE My balls were throbbing like crazy. That girl had just kicked me out of nowhere. Who does that? I barely knew her, and then I was in pain. I swore to myself quietly, "She's gonna pay for this." I didn't sign up to get kicked in the balls that night. The audacity?! No way she was getting away with it. Stepped gingerly, feeling the ache, but deep down, I was determined. No one got away with kicking me like that. Whether she was Bryse's ex or not, it wasn't cool. This isn't over, not by a long shot. THE next day, I decided to visit my 9-month pregnant sister, Cindy, on a whim. Cindy and I shared the same mom and dad. On the flip side, our older sister Amelia, who was Bryse's mother, came from my father's first marriage. Our family tree was a bit messy, but basically, my mom was a mistress. Cindy and I were illegitimate children, and that's why Grandpa favored Bryse more, being Amelia's son. “Rue!” Cindy exclaimed with surprise as I parked my car in their driveway. “Why didn’t
TYSHA Bumping into Mr. Billionaire here unexpectedly felt like a stroke of trouble. I mean, what were the odds? First, he caught me ignoring him at the cabaret. Second, he saw me sneaking around his Bryse’s place and got his balls kicked, and now this? Great. Just great. I didn't sign up for this awkward encounter. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. It was like he was some magnet for trouble, and I couldn't escape it. All I wanted was to not see him again and make things more complicated. It felt like New York City became much smaller because I kept on crossing paths with this man. Geez, Tysha, what kind of luck did you have? What brought him here, anyway? Jeff called him "uncle," so maybe he's related to Miss Cindy? But honestly, it doesn't quite add up. This family doesn't strike me as particularly well-off. And since he was in the VIP loft the night I saw him in Eventide Cabaret, he must be a millionaire or billionaire. So, what are his connecti
RUE I could sense Tysha's nervousness, practically smell it. She was definitely lying when she denied about knowing me. As she entered the passenger seat, she immediately fumbled for the seat belt, not realizing that in my Bentley Continental, it operated differently. I sighed. Despite my disdain for her, I reluctantly helped her with the seat belt. Closing the door, I triggered the automatic belt bringer, pulling it over her and intentionally closing the gap between us. I couldn't ignore her sweet scent, oddly alluring, but I pushed that thought aside. "Uhh... thanks," she muttered breathily. I remained silent. After assisting her, I made my way to the driver's seat, and we finally left Cindy’s residence. An awkward silence lingered between us, prompting me to break it by launching into an interrogation. "You know me," I accused, pretending to be entirely certain of my statement. “H-Huh?” she stuttered, obviously nervous of my accusations. I noticed how she looked in my direc
TYSHA Rue might look perfect, but his vibes were a letdown. I wouldn't suggest going through that kind of meeting again. Right now, I worried that he might get the CCTV footage from Eventide, revealing my identity as the girl he's searching for. The thought of facing him after he confirms it haunts me. Gaslighting him was tough. I was even lucky that I drifted our conversation away from what happened outside Bryse’s house because if Rue continued to ask questions about that, he could have found out the truth. Especially since I mentioned I was his nephew’s ex! Gosh! I'm anxious about keeping up the act once he has evidence. It was hard enough the first time, and I secretly pat myself on the back for escaping without getting into trouble. When the next session with Jeff came, I headed back to Miss Cindy's residence, looking forward to a quiet tutoring day since I knew that Rue only visited the last time we crossed paths there. But as I rang the doorbell, surprise hit me like a lig