CHAPTER 6: The Devil’s Bargain

Mia looked up from the couch immediately Jayla stormed in, her brows knitting together as she took in Jayla’s expression. “Well?” she asked, already rising to her feet. “How did it go?”

 

She didn’t answer.

 

“Jayla?” Mia tried again, softer this time.

 

Still nothing. She simply walked past her without a word and headed straight for the bedroom.

 

“I’m not in the mood,” she said over her shoulder, keeping her voice as calm as she could. “I’ll explain everything in the morning. I promise.”

 

Mia looked at her with compassion. “That bad, huh?”

 

Jayla paused at her bedroom door. For a second, it looked like she might turn back and say something…anything.

 

But then she shook head slightly. “Worse,” she said quietly, and disappeared into the room.

 

 

Inside the room, silence swallowed her whole. The thought about everything she had endured at Alex’s hands all because she wanted to save her father's empire came like a haunting shadow.

 

It had seemed worth it at first as her father's businesses were slowly growing again from the Woodford alliance, helping her ignore the cold glances, the lonely nights, and the emotional starvation. She had told herself it was temporary…that it meant something.

 

But tonight's meeting had made one thing painfully clear. She had never been anything more than a transaction, a mere pawn in a game of billionaires, and a signature on a contract.

 

The coming merger was supposed to be the final push that saved her family completely, but it also meant she must lose her dignity.

 

“No,” she whispered to herself. Not anymore.

 

Mia’s words echoed in her head. ‘You survive them by thinking three steps ahead.’

 

Jayla reached for her phone. The screen lit up her face, casting soft shadows that made her look almost unrecognizable.

 

Since they wanted a game…Then she would play.

 

Her fingers moved silently as she unlocked the device and opened the app store. For a moment, she hesitated, her thumb hovering just above the search bar.

 

This was insane and reckless, potentially even dangerous, but it was exactly what she needed.

 

She typed two words…’Forbidden Palace.’

 

The app appeared almost instantly, a simple black icon that gave nothing away. No flashy branding and no descriptions. Just exclusivity, secrecy and sin.

 

Jayla stared at it for a moment, her pulse quickening…not with fear, but with something even darker. Control.

 

She tapped it.

 

The interface was minimalistic in an eery sort of way…No faces. No profiles. Just categories and packages, with each more expensive than the last. Everything was anonymous, and designed for people who wanted to do things in shadows and secrets.

 

Perfect for what she had in mind.

 

She scrolled through the options slowly, taking in the descriptions of the various packages on offer.

 

Discretion is guaranteed. Identity is protected, and experience is tailored to your desires.

 

Her mind drifted briefly…back to Alex. To the way he had looked at her across that table. Cold and unapologetic, as if she didn't even matter at all.

 

“Within reason,” she murmured mockingly, remembering his terms for her. A humorless smile touched her lips.

 

“Let’s see how you handle this.”

 

Her finger tapped on the most exclusive option available…The Sovereign Package.

 

Price: $100,000.

 

No details.

 

No explanations.

 

Just a single line beneath it: ‘For those who demand the unforgettable.’

 

Jayla didn’t hesitate as she selected it. The payment process was just as discreet…cryptocurrency only, untraceable and immediate.

 

Mia had once insisted she set up a secure wallet “just in case.”

 

Jayla had never imagined she would use it like this.

 

The transaction went through in seconds, and a message appeared on the screen.

 

Booking confirmed. Prepare for pickup.

 

Her heart pounded now, but she refused to acknowledge it. This wasn’t about nerves anymore…This was about reclaiming something that had been taken from her.

 

A soft knock on the door broke through her thoughts.

 

“Jayla?”

 

Mia’s voice sounded concerned.

 

Jayla inhaled slowly, forcing her expression back into something neutral before opening the door.

 

Mia leaned against the frame, her eyes scanning Jayla’s face carefully. “You’re really not going to tell me what happened?”

 

“Tomorrow,” She repeated calmly.

 

Mia didn’t look convinced.

 

“And tonight?”

 

Jayla reached for her handbag. “I need to clear my head.”

 

Mia’s gaze sharpened. “At this hour?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Alone?”

 

Jayla met her eyes. “Yes.”

 

A long pause stretched between them, then Mia gave her a suspicious look.

 

“Where exactly are you going?”

 

Jayla almost smiled. “I just want to be alone somewhere.”

 

“That’s not funny, be serious.” Mia snapped.

 

“I’m not joking either.” She responded almost immediately.

 

Mia sighed. “Jayla… whatever you're thinking of doing…”

 

“I’m not thinking…and that’s the whole point.” She interrupted her gently.

 

That seemed to unsettle Mia even more.

 

“Yeah,” she said dryly. “That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.”

 

Jayla walked past her and headed for the front door. “I’ll be fine.”

 

Mia turned, watching her go. “That’s what people say right before things go terribly wrong.”

 

She paused at the door, her hand resting on the handle. Then she glanced back, her expression was so dangerously calm.

 

“Maybe things need to go wrong,” she said softly.

 

And then she left.

 

Jayla stood on the quiet street corner where the app had directed her and waited. The taxi driver that dropped her off had given her a strange look, but barely noticed. Whatever happened tonight…she would own it.

 

Within minutes, a black car pulled up in front of her, silent and unmarked. The window rolled down just enough for a voice to float through.

 

“Miss?”

 

Her heart skipped slightly at the sound of the voice.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Please step in.”

 

She didn’t hesitate. As soon as the door shut behind her, a woman in the front seat turned around with an outstretched black blindfold.

 

“Protocol,” she said calmly.

 

Jayla stared at it for a second, then took it and tied it over her eyes without protest.

 

They drove for what seemed like an eternity before the car finally stopped and the door was opened.

 

“Careful,” the same voice instructed, guiding her out of the car.

 

Jayla stepped onto solid ground, and the air changed as they moved…cooler, quieter, and enclosed.

 

She quickly realized that she was in an elevator as she felt the subtle drop beneath her feet.

 

Underground. Interesting.

 

When they stopped again, the blindfold was finally removed, and she blinked slowly as her vision adjusted.

 

An elegant silver mask was handed to her next.

 

“Welcome, Ma’am. I believe this is your first visit?”

 

“Yes,” Jayla nods.

 

“You need to sign this ma’am.” The waitress said, handing her the tablet.

 

Jayla signed the confidentiality agreement, along with the receipt of her payment, then she was escorted down a luxurious hallway.

 

The air smelled of smoke and sin. She could hear faint pleasing sounds coming from the rooms.

 

Jayla could feel her heart beating rapidly. She wanted to stop…tell the waitress she had changed her mind, or just turn on her heels and go back home.

 

But the embarrassment she’s feeling right now can not be compared to the humiliation she had experienced at the meeting.