Chapter 4

Balqis’s POV.

I put on the earring and smeared my face with foundation despite the strings of hot tears cascading.

I have to dance if I were to survive.

Adonai’s funeral was held three days ago, but I couldn’t even move an inch. Only Nirvana and her mum could attend.

Julius came by our home just once, to say hello, but I couldn’t bring myself to face him. How on earth should I tell him that his dead friend whom I sinned with was the father of my unborn pup?

‘Yes. This might be for the best’ I agreed with myself and stepped out of the dressing room to the lobby of the club, sadly.

Funny how things turned out this way. I had refused to get an abortion; the thought of killing an innocent life, just lost its father, haunted me so much that I couldn’t sleep.

Nirvana offered to arrange for me to meet Adonai’s family and tell him of the pregnancy. But we discovered from Julius, who came around yesterday, that his mate (Adonai’s) also attended his funeral.

His mate attended his funeral, which means his family knew her before me, and just like that, the option of meeting his family was dashed.

But this morning, Mrs Kathy came with the biggest demand ever.

“I can’t take care of a dead man’s bastard, so you have to earn your keep!”

I looked up to her with a pleading face, expecting her to take pity on me, but she slammed a contract in my face. “Sign that! And get to business!”

“What business?” I frowned, reading the contract that stated that we share profit in a 60-40 range.

“From now on, the more you dance to impress people, the more you pay, and everything will be paid after your delivery!”

Of course, I had refused her. But how do I take care of pregnancy without a proper job?

No college certificate, no father’s recommendations, all I ever had and did in my life was to dance!

I spent the entire day crying, brooding and sulking. But as much as I cried, no other option popped up.

The door opened, and Nirvana joined me at the lobby with a plate of spaghetti. “Bally, you need to eat something if you must do this.”

“Take it away,” I said as I looked sideways. “You can laugh at me if you want to. I brought this upon myself, so you don’t have to act nice.”

She leaned against the wall with a sigh. “I was the reason why this happened to you. If I hadn’t gone to meet Julius that day….”

“Can you stop bringing back that horrible day, Nirv?” I shot her a deadly glance. “You made a mistake by sleeping with my mate, and I made a mistake by sleeping with his friend, so we’re even.”

Her head was bent low, in shame and perhaps embarrassment. Strangely, Nirvana could admit her mistake like this. But I’m never going to forgive her! Either she admits or not.

***

I rushed off stage and vomited into the toilet bowl urgently.

Drowsiness made me fall from the pole — something that has never happened before. From the manager’s corner, I saw Mrs Kathy’s angry scowl and Nirvana’s concerned gaze before rushing out.

After washing my hands, I staggered out of the bathroom, breathing shakily.

Nirvana came rushing. “Hey, are you fine?”

“I’m fine,” breathing erratically, I replied and hit the dancefloor again. More men trooped in, and I danced like there’s no tomorrow, dizziness killing me, but I held on to my determination.

“I will survive this. No matter how. Balqis, you must survive!” I told myself until light out. Nirvana and her mum dragged me to the car heavily, and we drove back home.

Just like that, every night I entertain men with my naked dancing around the stripping pole, with the hope that my profit is piling up.

Unlike before, when I didn’t know how much money we made per month, I now had the right and chance to talk about the club and discuss its business with Mrs Kathy.

Even though I still danced, I was more like a manager here and things aren’t easy because my pregnancy is now growing slowly.

After two months of on and off, my belly was coming out, and Nirvana is no longer living with us; she’d moved in with the Alpha’s son, whom she was arranged to marry.

When Julius came by our club, he’d laughed at me in the most disdainful tone ever as he spat, “Look where you land yourself after rejecting me.”

Those words only fueled my rage. After that, I decided to be independent.

Two weeks later, Nirvana came around, and then I tabled my request. “I want to start up my own club. Can I know how much I have in the safe?”

“Bally, are you mad? The contract says until you deliver your child, you will be asked to leave,” Mrs Kathy yelled.

“Mum I can’t stand this humiliation any longer,” I told her sincerely. “I’m getting heavier by the day, and dancing is not easy.”

Mrs Kathy sighed. “Alright. But I can’t leave you to stay alone with pregnancy. What if anything happens to you?”

‘Since when did she become this nice?’ My wolf wondered, and I shrugged. Perhaps she’s getting a change of heart, finally.

I foolishly believed her and just like that…. My pregnancy hit six months.

Six months of dancing around the pole, and then I decided to bring up my request again, after tonight’s show.

I lay on the couch, “Mum, can’t we change our mode tonight?”

Barely looking up from the cash she was counting, Mrs Kathy asked. “What mode?”

“I mean, since you said no one saw the sponsor’s face…. Can’t we also wear a mask?”

She looked up abruptly. “Are you mad? He only wanted our exclusive dancers!”

I snorted. “I wonder which man that is”

Before we departed for the club, Nirvana came around to help with the arrangements.

Mrs Kathy refused to do anything other than count her cash over and over again, while I took care of other arrangements until the guests came around.

“Can’t Nirv lead the dancers tonight, Mum?” I cried.

The show is about to start, and she’s saying I’ll lead dancers? In my current condition?

She banged her hand on the table. “She’s the Alpha’s daughter-in-law she can’t lead the dancers!”

“Then let another person do it, Mum. I can just be a backup.”

She rolled her eyes. “The guest paid a huge money and wanted our best dancers. Don’t you need this money too?”

“But Mum….”

“Alright….” Nirvana cut into our argument. “The show is starting soon, and the girls must get on stage before the guests’ arrival”

Finally, Mrs Kathy got off her stool. “Balqis, you’re our best stripper. Get on that pole. Nirv will back you up.”

“But mum! I’m pregnant. I’m now heavy and….”

“You can wear a mask,” Mrs Kathy said. “You said you wanted to wear a mask, right? Wear a mask and just be the lead dancer for tonight.”

My brows furrowed. Her pleas just to get me to lead the dance tonight smell suspicious.

But still, I need the money indeed, so I nod. “Alright. But Nirv is gonna back me up in case I fall, right?”

Nirvana put her arms over my neck. “Of course. I’m going to wear a mask too. I don’t know if any of the guests might recognize me.”