CHAPTER 1

~Carolina~

On a bright Friday morning, I went out in search of a job. After an unsuccessful hunt, I returned home in the evening and found my mother, Lilian Edmond, waiting at the front door.

"Carolina, you are a 26-year-old woman. Yet, you have no work or boyfriend. You cannot continue to eat in this house with us. Take your things and get out!" my mother shouted, blocking the entrance.

"Mom, good evening," I greeted her, but she refused to answer.

Mom was a 48-year-old, light-skinned woman of average height. She had striking blonde hair like me, and she wore a blue dress, while I wore a faded brown top, an old skirt, and a black pair of shoes, carrying a brown bag.

"Carolina, you are not entering this house today. Go back and look for a job. If you do not find one, do not come home again. If your father and I had known that sending you to the university was a waste, we wouldn't have spent our money; we would have saved it for your younger siblings. How do you expect us to continue to feed a grown-up woman like you? If you do not want to work, then remain outside!" My mother slammed the door in my face and went back into the house.

I sighed, looking at the closed door.

I had graduated with a degree in business management, and so far, I hadn't been able to secure a good job. The city was harsh, and my job search had been unsuccessful.

My parents had five children, and I was the eldest, with two younger sisters and two younger brothers. I was 26 years old, yet I had nothing serious going on in my life.

I turned to walk back to the road. My mother shouldered all our family responsibilities, as my father was just present. He didn't truly care; he only came home to eat, and we might not see him for days.

When I reached the main road, I stopped and pulled my phone out of my bag.

I saw it was 8:00 p.m., and I thought about what to do next. There was no agency I hadn't gone to apply for a job.

Shutting my eyes painfully, I decided to call my best friend, Lucy Campbell. She worked in a club, and I was sure she could help me earn money to take care of my bills.

"Hello, Lucy," I said once she picked up.

"Carolina, what's wrong?" Lucy asked, her voice laced with urgency.

"I am homeless. Can I come and stay at your place?" I asked, trying to fight back a sob.

"Why? What happened with your family again? Your mom threw you out? It is 8:00 p.m. How can she send you away at night?" Lucy asked, and I tried not to sniffle.

"I cannot blame her. The economy is too hard now, and Mom is trying her best. I need to get a job. If I can find any work for tonight, I do not mind," I told her, sobbing at last.

"It's alright, Caro. Actually, I am at work now. Can you come to The Blues Club? It's the biggest club in town. I will try to speak to my boss and see if he will accept you. But you must quit speaking 'local English' and speak like a professional, like me. That way, my boss can employ you. Also, you must be friendly with the male clients. You will have to endure their touch and how they interact with you," she said.

"Really? I must do all this if I want to get the job? Will it involve kissing or what?" I asked, my heart pounding.

"No, what's wrong with you, Carolina? You will just have to put on a smiling face; that's what I mean. Well, you know that you're a pretty woman, so some of the men might want to ask you out," Lucy said, and I thought about it.

"I don't have any problem with that. What matters is that I earn money, even if it means selling my body. I feel like a failure right now," I told Lucy as I sobbed.

"It's okay, Caro. You are not a failure. Where are you? Start coming over. Do you have your transport fare, or should I lend you some money? I don't have much to give you right now; my elder sister's wedding is next month, and I need to make preparations for it," Lucy said.

"Alright. I will pay you back. Please, help me, Lucy. You are the best friend I have," I told her, and she laughed over the phone with her contagious laughter.

"Don't mention that. I'm sure I'm not your only friend. Anyway, I will send the money to you. Get here quickly," Lucy gave me a final ultimatum, knowing how I had been trying to get a job to no avail.

I sighed, pacing the road, and I received a message alert for 5,000. I smiled; the money was more than I needed, but I knew I had to pay Lucy back.

Looking ahead at the road, I hailed a taxi and told the driver, "To The Blues Club."

The taxi driver looked at me from head to toe.

"Are you sure that you're going to The Blues dressed like this?" He eyed me suspiciously, and I frowned.

"Why? I'm going there to meet a friend," I told him, and he shrugged.

"Get into the car. That isn't my problem. But your fare is 1,500," the taxi driver said, and I hopped in.

"Why? Isn't it 500?" I asked him, and his eyes darkened.

"You can trek. Why get in a taxi?" he barked at me coldly.

"It's fine. Take me to the club," I told him, and he nodded and drove off toward The Blues Club.