CHAPTER 4

SHANELLE HAD ONLY knocked a few times when the door opened. She saw her friend, Fatima, wiping her hair, clearly freshly showered.

"Oh, what are you doing here? Do you need something?"

"I'm begging, Fatima. If you know of any job opportunities, I'm willing to take anything. I'm begging, Fatima. I just really need to provide for my father's needs."

Her friend sighed. "Come in," she said with a smile.

Shanelle nodded and entered the apartment that Fatima rented. It wasn't big or small, just enough for one person. Fatima gestured for her to sit on the sofa, and she did.

"Do you know of any job opportunities?" she asked, hoping that Fatima had some information.

She hoped there was something.

"Um..." Fatima sat in front of her, and they sat at a small table between them. "It's illegal, Shanelle," she winced, "it's not within the government's jurisdiction."

Her forehead immediately creased. "What is it? Whatever it is, I'll take it."

"You would be giving yourself to a man. Your virginity, you would give it to him, and there's a big payment for that."

She stood up abruptly at Fatima's words. This was the same thing that Pamela got into the other day, and she hadn't seen her since. She sold herself, and based on Aling Decing's explanation, it was like being abused. No, she wouldn't give herself away. She would give her virginity to the man she loved, not sell it for money.

"No!" She shook her head with a laugh. "I'll do any job in the world except that. I won't betray myself. No, I won't—"

She was interrupted when Fatima spoke up.

"What about your father? If you don't find a way, he might be lost. Shanelle, I just want to say that it's difficult to find money nowadays, even a single peso. So, where will you get the money to pay for your father's surgery?"

She fell silent, thinking about her father. She had told herself she would do anything just to keep her father alive, no matter what kind of job she had to take on. But she couldn't accept what Fatima said. That she wouldn't sell herself—if it was for her father's sake, why not? A sudden whisper echoed in her mind.

"How did you find out about that job?" she asked, confused, and sat back down.

"I only found out earlier. Someone gave this to me while I was walking," Fatima raised her hand and she followed it. On the table between them, she realized there was a folder... and it was the same kind of folder that Aling Decing had given her. Fatima picked it up and handed it to her. She took it and read what was written on a piece of paper. It wasn't new to her because it was just like what she had read before.

She took a deep breath and looked into Fatima's eyes. "I-I don't think I can do this, Fatima. I promised myself I wouldn't get involved in this, but... but if this is the way to make my father get better—"

"—why don't you accept it?" Fatima finished her sentence.

"Fatima, I promised myself I wouldn't sell myself. I promised myself I would give my virginity to the man I love. I don't know, Fatima. It feels like my mind is about to explode."

Her friend stood up and approached her, then sat beside her. She took the folder she was holding and returned it to the table. Her intense gaze affected her. Her eyes spoke volumes. From the very beginning, Fatima had been a good friend to her, so she knew that she was pushing her for the sake of her father's well-being.

"Yes, when I accepted that folder, I immediately looked at it and read its contents. I was surprised because what was written inside was truly shocking. But you were the first person I thought of. You need this job because it will help you. Whoever takes advantage of you will pay a significant amount. Go ahead, Sha, make your choice. Will you not accept it or will you let your father's breath be cut short?"

She nodded in her seat. She pressed her lips together upon hearing his words. Fatima had a point, but she was hesitant. If she were to sell herself, there might be no man willing to accept her. That would be painful. It would feel like being stabbed repeatedly if the man she loved didn't accept her, especially if he found out that she was no longer a virgin. She had been a virgin since birth, and she had never had a boyfriend.

"If I accept that job, promise me that only the two of us will know, Fatima."

He nodded. "Sha, I'm your friend, so no one will ever find out about it. I know that when I'm in need, you'll help me too, right?"

She smiled and nodded. "Of course, why else would we be friends?"

"That's the girl with a kind heart. Willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of others. I salute you, girl." She poked her side, teasing her. "What are you waiting for? Make the call!"

She nodded and picked up the folder from the table, opening it. With a smile, she took out her cellphone from her pocket and dialed the number written at the bottom. It was strange because the number was completely different from the one before.

After a few seconds, someone answered on the other line. "Good evening, woman! How may I help you?" the voice energetically asked.

She furrowed her brow, finding the voice familiar.

"Uhm..." She cleared her throat. "I-I wanted to a-apply for a job..." she stammered.

I hope you made the right decision, Shanelle, her mind whispered.

"Oh, did you already read it?"

"Yes."

"Great. So, how many sessions do you want? I'm sure you already know how much one session costs, right?"

One hundred thousand pesos per session, one session is not enough to cover the cost of her father's operation and the hospital bills. If you add it all up, it might amount to around six hundred thousand pesos.

She swallowed hard, her mouth watering, and spoke. "S-Six. Yes, six sessions."

Laughter erupted from the other line. "Are you serious, miss? Six sessions? Aren't you kidding?" The voice laughed again. "You don't know how ruthless he is and relentlessly in bed. But seriously?"

Her eyebrow arched. Did she look like she was joking? Damn it! "I'm serious! I need the money urgently because my father is sick," she confidently stated.

She heard a sigh from the other line. "Are you still a virgin?"

Her eyebrow shot up immediately. She glanced at Fatima beside her, who was almost dying from silent laughter. She just gave her a stern look and answered.

"Yes, of course, I'm NBSB (No Boyfriend Since Birth)."

"Ah, that's great. It seems like he'll enjoy you. Do you need the money now? If yes, go to the address I'm about to give you." The person continued speaking, providing her with a not-so-lengthy address.

"But isn't it forbidden to enter that village? I heard the security is really high, and wealthy people live there. Why should I—"

"Because he's there. Just go! When you arrive, the check for your virginity will be ready. Be ready, he's ruthless," the voice said before abruptly hanging up.

She felt a mix of emotions during those moments. It seemed like she wanted to back out, but whenever she thought about her father, she felt determined to continue. She hesitated to stand up, and Fatima did the same.

"I'll go ahead, Fatima. Thank you for this, it's a big help," she said with a smile.

"We're friends, Sha. Good luck!"

They kissed each other on the cheek before she left Fatima's apartment. She had some money with her, but it was still not enough, so she decided to go through with selling herself. She couldn't bear to lose her father, so she was giving her all. However, the promise she made to herself felt like plastic placed in fire, as it quickly melted away. She knew she couldn't preserve her purity for the man she loved.

As she walked, her mind revolved around the man who would be with her. Who could he be? And what did her conversation partner mean by "ruthless" and "relentlessly"? Why? She couldn't help but let her mind wander and imagine all sorts of things. Maybe that man had an insatiable lust. Maybe he wouldn't even let her walk. Damn it! If it weren't for the money, she would never consider selling herself!

Lost in her thoughts, she was momentarily distracted from the road when suddenly a car zoomed by. Startled, she froze as the vehicle approached, and she found herself sitting on the cold pavement, unable to move.

"No!" she shouted in fear.

A few seconds passed, and she felt her own body, realizing that she was still breathing. She hadn't been hit, and she was grateful. She awkwardly lifted her face and noticed a traffic light that had just turned red.

"Ah!" she groaned softly and stood up.

"Don't tell me you're stupid?" A baritone voice spoke.

She didn't need to look around because the man was already in front of her. Leaning against the car, he stared at her intensely. She could clearly see his face thanks to a small light post nearby. She gulped but quickly composed herself as she observed the man. After a few minutes of staring at him, she finally recognized who he was. It was none other than the audacious man who kissed her the other day. The man who introduced himself as Elvin.

She grimaced as she forced a bitter smile. "I don't care about you! You're such a rude beast!" She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

The man, Elvin, of course, shook his head. "Wait, did I hear you correctly? Did you just call me rude even though this is our first meeting? How crazy are you, miss?" He raised an eyebrow.

Damn it! The bastard was playing the victim. This was supposed to be their second meeting, not the first.

"Yes, you're really rude! Kissing people randomly! And what first meeting? Hey! This is already our second meeting."

His face suddenly became serious, and he shook his head. "I am not him. I'm not Elvin, I'm Levin, his twin brother, and yes, what I'm saying is true. I don't have time to joke with you."

What? He's not Elvin? He claims to be Levin? His reason was not believable. She couldn't believe it. She shook her head and continued walking, choosing to leave rather than argue with him. She had no time for nonsense.

"Excuse me, Guard, may I come in?" Shanelle asked with a smile, addressing the guard inside the guardhouse.

"Who are you, ma'am, and who are you here to see?"

She hesitated. If she mentioned her name, it wouldn't matter because she didn't tell the person she was talking to her name. She also didn't know who she was supposed to see. Stupid, Shanelle. She scolded herself silently.

She swallowed her saliva. How should she handle this? "Uhm..." Think, Sha. "What's—"

She was cut off when someone suddenly spoke.

"It's okay, I know her," said a man who came out of the gate and walked towards them.

"Alright, Sir. Liam," the guard said and went back to his duties.

Frowning, she observed the man. He was tall and somewhat muscular. She could say he was handsome because of his rugged appearance. He looked so delicious!

"Do you know me?" she asked, confused.

"No." He stared at her, as if analyzing her. How embarrassing! She was only wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and shoes. "But I know that you're the one who applied, right? You are going to sell your virginity for money... but why?"

"My father is in the hospital, and his heart condition is critical, so he needs immediate surgery. By the way, how did you know—"

"Secret. Follow me." He turned around and started walking inside.

She could only sigh and follow him. They walked quite a distance until he stopped in front of a magnificent house—no, it wasn't just a house, it was a mansion because of its enormous size. It was so big that she could see through the glass walls. It was astonishingly spacious.

"We're here," Liam announced cheerfully and entered through the gate.

She followed him closely until they reached a tall door. It was closed, and Liam manipulated something near it. It sounded like a pin because she could clearly hear the clicking noise. After a few seconds, the door opened automatically without anyone pushing it. This house was so high-tech. Surely, it wasn't just the door that had advanced features.

As Liam stepped inside, she followed.

"I'm here, Elvin! Your woman is here!" he shouted, startling her.

Elvin? She was about to ask Liam when two men came out from another door, and she nearly stumbled on her spot when she saw the man she had just seen a while ago. It was him, it was the same man!

ELVIN DIDN'T BELIEVE as he stared at the beautiful woman from a distance. Even though he was slightly intoxicated, he was still in the right state of mind as he intensely looked at the woman. Damn! He had only met her recently, but there was something about her that appealed to him. He wanted her in bed, and he was delighted that she was the woman who applied to him. He would f*ck her until she couldn't walk anymore.

"You!" He grinned and continued to stare at Shanelle. "Come here," he said in a baritone voice.

She narrowed her eyes. "Why should I come to you? Stay away! Do you think I'll forget what you did to me the other day?"

He chuckled. He looked at Dave and Liam, his cousins. "You two, leave us now!"

Liam raised his eyebrow. "Where's your payment?"

He let out a breath. "Tomorrow, I'll pay you! Now, leave if she doesn't want to experience me!" he threatened with a smirk.

"As you wish, dear master," both of them said in unison and exited the room.

When the door closed, he walked towards Shanelle. But she took a step back, clearly afraid of him. He glared at her and smiled devilishly as he approached.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked in a baritone voice.

"Are you going to touch me? Are you the one who said you're ruthless and relentless? Huh, you?" she asked fearfully.

He didn't answer and continued walking until he reached Shanelle. They were inches away from each other, causing his desire to grow harder. Damn this woman, she always seduces me.

"You are Shanelle Lane, but I prefer to call you Lane. You applied, and I gladly accept you." He walked closer to her, and their bodies almost touched. He caressed her cheek, but she immediately recoiled.

As if she can't beat me. She can't. I'm a man, she's a woman, and I am stronger than her, he thought.

Not satisfied, he leaned into her neck and pressed a passionate kiss. He felt her resistance, so he firmly held her arms to prevent her from getting hurt. After kissing her neck, he licked it like a hungry baby. He licked, sucked, and nibbled on her neck.

"Uhmmm..." she moaned softly.

He secretly smiled upon hearing those soft moans. He stopped licking her neck and stared at her intently. Lane looked scared, but he didn't care. What he wanted to do was to fuck her until she couldn't walk anymore... yes, he would pleasure and pain her in bed. He looked at her devilishly, then leaned into her right ear to whisper.

"You are going to be mine, Lane. You will be mine tonight. My bed is waiting for us," he seductively said, then licked her earlobe, which only made his desire harder.