chapter 5

Esmeralda Pov

"Hmmmn," I groaned in pain at the relentless pounding in my head, and adjusted to the center of the bed. But I froze when my head bumped into something hard.... and warm.

Wait a darn minute.

My eyes shot open, and I found myself face to face with a naked man's chest. Jesus Christ. I jerked instinctively.

But the pain that shot through my body made me freeze. I felt like I had been hit by a bulldozer in my sleep.

Heat crept up my face as the flashes from last night rushed back all at once, making my chest tighten. How many times....did we do it?

I swallowed hard, when I remembered the reason I was in this room and on this bed. And for a moment I simply gazed at him.

My breath hitched at his breathtaking face. His body was still, chest rising and falling into a deep sleep. His dark, tousled hair framed his face perfectly. The sheet was draped loosely over his waist, showcasing his broad, chiselled back.

'God does have favourites.’ It slipped from my lips before I could stop it.

He wasn't the kind of man I had expected. I had expected some old, ogre and someone cruel. Last night, he had been gentle, and caring,

I wondered how payment was made, if I had to wake him up for the money, or just pretend to still be asleep till he leaves and drop the cheque on the table as Mulan had told me, it's done.

However, I didn't have the luxury of time. I had things to tend to. First, visit my mom and pay for her treatment, then go job hunting.

"Good morning," I whispered, tapping his arm softly.

His eyes snapped open, and I gasped at the alluring color of his eyes. Oceanic blue.

"Why are you still here?" He sat up, running his hand through his hair, the softness in his voice gone and replaced with harshness.

I blinked confused.

"Doesn't matter. I believe your job here is done." He didn't even let me finish speaking. "Please, take your leave."

I was taken aback. Was this the same man who held me softly last night? Because right now, he looked at me like I disgusted him.

“I was just about to leave…” I whispered.

“Okay, then leave.” he cut in coldly, already getting out of bed.

I quickly looked away, pulling the sheet tighter around my body as he walked toward the bathroom, and slammed the door shut.

Panic and shame rose within me, as I thought of my payment. And how I was gonna request it. Because it seemed like he had forgotten about it all, since he didn't mention it.

'Fucking kill me now!' I screamed mentally.

I was still lost in thought, when the bathroom door opened, and he entered. Water trailing down his perfect body, and towel tied loosely around his waist.

"And why are you still here?" He asked, his eyes turning a shade darker from before.

"I....I was waiting for you." I stammered clearly, caught off guard.

“For what?”

I swallowed hard, forcing the words out. “The payment.”

For a moment, he simply stared at me, as if trying to process what I had just said. Then he scoffed. "What payment?" He repeated.

The way he said it made me feel so vulnerable and ashamed. "Ermm," I cleared my throat, to steady my voice. "We had an agreement that I was going to get paid for what happened between us last night."

His expression hardened instantly. "I don't pay for sex, nor do I hire prostitutes. So what the hell are you talking about?"

His words felt like a slap to my face, he had just degraded me and called me a prostitute. "But I was told you agreed to pay..." I tried again.

“Then you were lied to,” he interrupted coldly.

“No,” I insisted, shaking my head desperately. “I didn’t just come here on my own. “A man sent me up here with a keycard, i… he said…”

“I’ve seen women like you before.” He said, cutting me off again, his voice laced with irritation. “Who would do anything for a fix, including throwing themselves at men, then making up stories the next morning to get some cash, but that scheme isn't going to work. Not on me."

“That’s not true,” I whispered, but even to my own ears, I sounded small.

“You should leave,” he gestured to the door. "Before I call security to throw you out."

His word stung more than it should have, and I should leave while I can, but my mother's life is on the line and I need this money. “I'm sorry, but I can’t leave without my money,” I said, more firmly this time, even though my chest felt tight. “I need this money to pay for my mother's treatment..."

That made him pause.

And slowly, he turned back to me. His eyes scrutinized me. “Funny how everyone has a sob story to justify their actions." He mused, "How much do you charge for a night?"

“Five thous….”

Before I could finish, he walked over to the nightstand, grabbed his wallet and pulled out a thick stack of cash. Without hesitation, he began to throw cash onto the floor like it was nothing. "A thousand dollars, twenty, thirty, a hundred? Take it,” he said coldly. “Take whatever that is, and get out of my sight."

I flinched, my gaze dropping to the scattered cash at my feet. This wasn’t how I imagined it would or feel.

It was degrading and brutal.

On a normal day, I would have stormed out in anger if a customer at the restaurant did this disrespectful act but I didn't. I knelt and picked out only five thousand dollars with trembling hands, fighting back the tears threatening to fall.

I will withstand it all for you, Mom.

“Was the virgin act even real?” He said in a stinging lowered voice. “I know I was drunk... but I heard it clear.”

I couldn’t answer. Because if I did, I would break completely. So I remained silent.

“I thought so. I’m going to dress now." he said, already turning away, but turned back as an afterthought. "Make sure you’re gone when I get back. And don’t try anything stupid like blabbering to the public, hoping to extort more from me. If you do ... You'll curse the day you were born."

Just like that.

I stayed there for a moment, clutching the money in my hands before forcing myself to stand. My fingers fumbled as I put on my dress. I reached for the zipper, and pulled at it so hard I heard my clothes tear at the side, the zipper falling to the ground.

No! No! No

"Please God.... Not now!" I sniffed, as the cold breeze hit my bare back. I was practically naked.

Left with no choice, I clutched my dress at the side and walked out, wobbling on my oversized heels with the last shred of courage I could muster. Every step I took felt heavier and by the time I reached the lobby, I felt a thousand eyes on me silently judging me as I got into the taxi.

***

Back home, I let my tears flow freely and took a long bath. I tried to scrub his touch off my skin, till I felt numb. When I finally stepped out, I grabbed my phone, which I’d switched off, all night per the "client's" privacy instructions.

The screen lit up with dozens of missed calls from the hospital. I clicked on the last voicemail from the hospital.

"Miss Esmeralda, we’re calling to inform you… Your mother passed away an hour ago. Please come to the morgue to settle the outstanding balance and retrieve her belongings."

The phone slipped from my fingers, clattering onto the tiles. Everything went silent.

Is my mother dead?

My knees gave out as I collapsed to the floor, the weight of everything crashing down on me. I still wasn't able to save her.

It was all for nothing.