Earthly Paradise's Stranger

Hannah

“If you bend over a little bit more, I might just give you a bigger tip.” A huge guy in a red leather jacket said loudly as I cleared the table opposite his.

“Damn girl are you on the menu too? I’d order you anytime.” His friend added whistling as they broke into raucous laughter.

Those words weren’t new to me anymore. Catcalling was a regular thing with the men in Earthly Paradise nightclub. 

I’d heard it too many times and learned how to shove it all down instead of getting affected by it. 

Lately, I just flash a smile and move along whenever a customer makes a flirtatious advance about my beauty or crosses a line with an inappropriate sexual comment.

I hated working here and did not want to entertain any more of their antics, but I did not have any other option. It was the only place I could find that would hire a college dropout with no degree.

For years I blamed my sister, Lily for how our lives turned out. She tore our family apart. Years ago, our father won a contract deal from Alfred Wolfe, a cutthroat businessman to construct a new building for the Ryuse Group. 

Alfred was not the type of man anyone should cross, and Lily damned us to a cruel reality when she stole the Ryuse project money our father had just contracted, and ran away with my boyfriend of four years, Sebastian Grey.

Their betrayal stung deeply and for a long while,  I could not still believe it. I could not believe they could do that to me, but it was then that I realized that Sebastian was never truly mine. They'd been dating in secret all along, and I was just the naive fool who believed Sebastian’s promises to marry me.

After they ran away, our family sank into a heavy debt of two million dollars.

Alfred used his influence to take everything we owned; our house, business and savings, leaving us with nothing except an immense debt to pay off.

Our father died shortly after from high blood pressure, struggling to find ways to pay off our debts and my mother found solace in drugs and quickly got addicted to them, causing her to fall ill.

She was part of the reason I took this job that I hated. I’d managed to put her through rehab but her treatment and therapy expenses were too much than my salary could cover.

“Hannah, table 4’s order is ready.” My manager, Ethan called, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I heaved a deep sigh, and returned to the kitchen.

Picking up the tray, I walked briskly towards the diner and stood a good distance away, scanning the room to find table 4.

“Great!” I muttered, counting my bad luck. 

I shuddered, irritated as I looked at the table and saw the red leather guy and his pack of friends who from a glance I could tell were already drunk.

Composing myself, I heaved a deep breath, bracing myself for more of their sexual comments.

“Well well, look who it is. I knew she’d come back.” The guy in the red leather said as I set their order on the table.

I tried to ignore him, knowing full well that he was up to no good. My mind was already too preoccupied tonight, focusing on the Screenwriter School exam that was just a few hours after my shift.

Removing the plates from the tray, I continued to serve him and his pack of drunk friends. 

“Oooh, looks like she’s gonna make you work for it, Bill.” One of the leather-bound boys chuckled. Still, I continued to ignore them. I knew what men like these wanted, and I was not in the business of selling my body to men like them or any man for that matter. 

“Will that be all guys?” I finally asked with a bitter smile plastered on my lips.

“How about a side of you with that burger, huh sweetheart?” Red leather guy said, winking at me.

A sheepish smile escaped my lips, but it wasn’t from a point of flattery. I was simply disgusted by how dumb and pathetic men like these were willing to be. 

“Come on baby, I wouldn’t mind seeing more of you. So what time do you get off? I bet that uniform will look better on my floor, don’t you think?”

At this point I was stunned, staring at him in disbelief. I’d been working two years in this nightclub trying to raise enough money for Royal Group screenwriting school, and met a lot of men who sometimes came on too strong, but never one who sucked so bad at taking a hint.

Clearly, red leather guy needed to be told off. Pursing my lips, I shook my head and rested my hand on my hip,

“Look, Bill is it? I bet your catty weak lines usually work on girls that are just drifting like you, looking to have a good time with whatever dick that comes their way, but I’m not that girl, so why don’t you do us both a favor and just maybe save the shitty lines and try your luck somewhere else. Although I’ll pity the unfortunate girl who goes home with you.” I hissed and turned to walk away. 

From the corner of my eyes, I could see red leather guy’s face contort in anger. He looked so humiliated and incensed, which did nothing but give me a strange satisfaction.

“Those guys give you any trouble?” One of the waiters, Edgar asked as I returned to the kitchen.

“You know how it is, comes with the job.” I said and he chuckled dryly,

“I’m not sure I can relate.” He replied and a smile stretched my lips.

“Your screenwriters' examination is tonight, isn’t it?” He quickly added, catching me by surprise. I wasn’t sure I’d mentioned that to anyone in this place, and was even more confused by how he knew.

I was about to ask when he quickly interjected,

“You should go home and prepare for it. I’ll cover for you.”

I hesitated at first, feeling unsure about his generosity, but then decided to take up his offer. My entire future was riding on this examination and I did need more time to study.

“Thank you,” I uttered softly, grabbed my bags, and walked out, taking the back alley.

Hurrying down the alley, I checked in my bag to confirm I was with my keys and then felt a sudden sharp blow to my head, sending me crashing to the ground instantly. My vision immediately became hazy, but as I looked up my body tensed in horror as I saw red leather guy with his friends, surrounding me with vicious looks in their eyes. 

“You think I was just going to let you get away with humiliating me, huh bitch?” He sneered and kicked me in the stomach. I winced in pain, holding my stomach.

“No one disrespects Big Bill!” He growled as he attacked me again. 

“Please stop!” I cried, as he forcefully dragged my hair, pulling me up and landing another heavy punch to my gut. 

I tried to use my last strength to scream for help, but his friends muffled my screams, covering my mouth with their hands as Bill continued attacking me. 

My vision began to fade and I was about to pass out when I saw red lights from a vehicle approaching.

Desperately, I reached out my hand, hoping whoever was behind the wheel would notice me, but then I felt another blow to the stomach and my vision completely faded.

Ethan

Earthly Paradise was one of the few places I never imagined I’d see myself in, and if Clint wasn’t such a good assistant, I would have fired him for fixing my meeting with Gavin Lockwood here tonight. 

I tried my hardest to ignore the depreciating state of the environment, but then something suddenly caught my attention.

Far in the depths of the alley, the car headlights shone on a girl being assaulted by a group of men, but what intrigued me most was her delicate beauty even from a distance, and calm demeanor despite being attacked.

Usually, I’d ignore whatever was going on and just go about my business as quickly as possible just to get out of this depressing environment, but there was something strange about this girl, an air of familiarity about her.

“Pull the car over,” I said hurriedly, and Clint immediately parked the car. I grabbed the small pistol in the glove compartment, and without any hesitation stepped out of the car, walking towards the alley.

The closer I got, I could see the situation better. A hefty man was about to hit her again and I quickly interjected.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I said, creasing my brows in anger as I stared at the heavy-built man.

Slowly, he unclenched his fist and turned towards me. Taking one glance at my outfit, he smirked mockingly even though he could barely see my face, “I think you should keep walking boy, this is none of your business.”

“It is my business.” I replied firmly, taking a step closer.

The man smirked maliciously and nodded at his boys. Immediately, they threw the girl on the ground and started approaching me.

I heaved a deep sigh, reached into my suit, and pulled out the gun, aiming it directly at the man.

Immediately they saw it, they froze in horror and raised their hands, backing away slowly until the darkness completely covered them.

“Whatever man, you can have the slut.” The man’s voice echoed, followed by his receding footsteps, as they ran away.

I shifted my gaze to the girl, slowly approaching her. Her breaths were weak and her eyes were barely open when I got closer to her.

Wrapping my arms around her body, I picked her up, heading back towards my car, and then her eyes slowly opened,

“Wh-who are you?” She asked, trying to capture my face, but as I turned my gaze towards her, she blanked out completely.