Chapter 4

Balqis’s POV.

I put on my earrings and applied found my face with foundation despite the strings of hot tears cascading. I had to dance if I were to survive.

Adonai’s funeral had been held three days ago, but I’d been unable to bring myself to attend. 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 could I tell him that his dead friend 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, who had just lost its father, haunted me so much that I couldn’t sleep.

Every night, I’d lie awake with my hand on my growing belly, wondering what Adonai would have said if I’d told him.

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

The news had hit me like tidal wave. All these time, he’d had someone who was fated to him and I’d been just a druken mistake. The thought made me sick, but I pushed it down. It didn’t matter now. He was gone and his real mate had every night to mourn him while I was the fool left with his illegitimate child.

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 stating we would split profits 60-4- with Mrs Kathy getting the largest share.

“From now on, the more you dance to impress customers, the more you ear and your 40% will be held in trust until after your delivery!”

Of course, I had refused her. But how do I take care of a pregnancy without a proper job? No college certificate, no references, no connections, all I’d ever done 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’re going to do this”

“Take it away,” I said looking 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 this happened to you. If I hadn’t gone to meet Julius that day….”

“Can you stop bringing up 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. Over the past months, she’d been different and helpful almost sisterly. But I was never going to forgive her! whether she admitted her mistakes or not.

***

I rushed offstage and vomited urgently into the toilet bowl.

Drowsiness had 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,” I replied, breathing erratically, and hit the dancefloor again. More men trooped in, and I danced like there was no tomorrow. Dizziness was killing me, but I held on to my determination.

“I will survive this. No matter what. Balqis, you must survive!” I told myself until everything went dark. 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 hadn’t know how much we make per month, I now had the right to discuss club business with Mrs Kathy.

Even though I still danced, I was more like a manager here, and things weren’t easy because my pregnancy was now progressing.

After two months of struggling, my belly was showing and Nirvana was no longer 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 landed 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 my own club. Can I know how much I have in the 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?”

Her concern sounded genuine, but I knew better. She wasn’t worried about me. She was worried about her club. If I leave, then who wil;l be the main stripper she could control like she controls me?

‘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 while my belly grew with Adonai’s child. Six months of pretending I was okay, Six months of wodering if I was making the right choice by keeping this baby. 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 has seen 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”

Something about this whole situatio felt wrong. A mysterious sponsor who paid huge money but wanted his identity hidden? 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 pleaded.

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 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 wanted one, right?

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

But still, I needed the money, so I nodded. “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.”

As I walked towards the stage, something kept telling me that something is wrong, but I ignored it. I’ve come too far to back out now.

For my baby’s future, I would face anything, even if I get destroyed in the process.