Sarah's POV

Sherizad was holding my hand so tight, I knew that she was nervous. 

Her palm was all sweaty and she was looking all around with her rabbit eyes. 

My ears could not believe the news she had broken over our phone conversation. So I was there to accompany her to her mission impossible. 

" Are you sure Sherry we came to the right location? "

The estate was huge in front of which we were standing. 

Sherry thrust the visiting card into my nose and said, 

" Look at the address yourself! "

The visiting card was as mysterious as the guy she talked about. 

A crazy loner. Who paid her in full despite not having sex with her. He even dropped her home. Then came back to offer her his visiting card. 

" I want to help you with your father's treatment! 

Come visit me here! "

That was all he had said. 

And my poor girl was so confused, lost and excited with the happenings of the night that she called me right with the rising sun in the east. 

I could barely open my eyes but I scurried. 

I knew she had gone to provide service. I was worried. I thought she was in some kind of a

mess. But she went like, 

" Sarah you would not believe what happened! "

She was like someone totally in love when she went on about the person she had just met. 

" He asked you to go? Just like that? "

In the beginning, I thought she might have done something to turn him off and I was secretly being super happy about that! 

I hated the concept of selling my body for a living. I wanted to stop her at the beginning but it was not my call, so I had to give in.

And then she went on to say what he did next and I was like gaping. 

It looked like a story straight out of a rom-com. Love at first site. 

A virgin sex worker. A crazy playboy. Falling for each other. 

But now standing in front of the estate I realised I could add a few more tag lines. 

A multi-millionaire falling for a beggar. A Cinderella story for my Sherizad. 

I never called her by that name but I was euphoric. 

My feelings knew no limits. 

"Maybe we should try getting inside and see what's going on! "

I suggested. 

She nodded and we went to the gate and showed the guards the card that we had. They took a look at it then turned towards us and kept passing it to each other, till every one of them had taken a close-up.

" Go straight in then show this to the woman sitting at the waiting desk! "

They gave us another metal card and we went inside the huge palace. 

It did not look like an office space, more like someone's residence.

Sherry did not let go of my hand at all, even for a moment.

" Holy Moly Sherry, look at that! It's a casino right inside an oasis! "

I was not exaggerating at all. 

The place was dotted with palm trees and the central structure was surrounded by a beautiful water ring. It looked straight out of a middle eastern fairytale.

But my little brain failed to analyse the mystery of the place being anonymous! Places like these craved and thrived upon publicity. 

Then why was there no way of telling about its nature from the outside? 

Not that paupers like myself and Sherry frequented or knew much about places like these. 

The air was filled with flavoured aroma from the innumerable hookahs and cigars, around the place. People did not even notice our entrance. All looked like they were grooving to some trance music in their head. 

" Ma'am please follow me this way! "

A girl asked Sherry after checking the card that she was holding. 

" No, not you! Only she is allowed inside. You can hang around here till your friend returns! "

That was rude. 

" No, she came with me. She will come along with me! "

Sherry tried protesting. 

" It's alright Sherry. "

I had to shove her with the girl inside. 

She was dressed modestly. Unlike the girls around the place. They had super short shorts paired with hot exposing tees. 

Were they taking Sherry for some stripper job? Or pole dancing may be! 

All sorts of thoughts were doing the rounds in my head. And I convinced myself that it would not be worse than working as a prostitute. 

I got myself busy moving through the crowd. Some gave me suspicious gazes. Guess the place didn't have very many new faces. 

There were men engrossed over piles of cards around tables. Almost naked women wriggling around them. There were counters where the ladies were taking bookings and people eagerly waiting. Giant spinning wheels all over. Some were for decoration and some served the actual purpose. 

My nose picked up the smell of alcohol and weed. 

It was unmissable. I clearly remembered it from my teenage days. 

I knew enough about it to befriend a peddler. 

My innocent little ass. Knowing nothing about narcotics or drugs. He sweet-talked me into trying some for fun. 

It was a sure-cut way to hell, leading to my arrest and subsequent days in jail. 

I had cautiously kept my distance from all that all these years. 

Now, they were vaping in my mouth. 

Was it some kind of reflex or trigger caused by memory? My body was getting drawn. My senses were wanting to try the intoxicants. 

Bang! Boom! 

The sound slapped me out before I could give in. 

The serenity around turned into a scramble and noise. Everybody ran hither and tither. It was at this point that I realised that the sound was of gunfire. 

Then it went off again. 

Boom boom! Bang bang! 

I ducked with my hands covering my ears.