The Underworld Billionaire's Final Wife

Chapter 00 | Husband

What did normal people think of women dressed in thin fabrics and intricate fishnets? They probably looked down their noses at them, judged them before hearing their stories, and wondered why they chose to wear something so revealing in the middle of the night. It was as if women woke up one morning and simply decided to become spectacles for strangers.

Normal people wouldn't understand, but the night lights did. The velvet couches, the glasses stained with expensive liquor, the smoke hanging in the air, and the souls who wandered into the club night after night understood... or at least, they pretended to.

Men came here looking for escape. Some wanted company. Some wanted distraction. Others wanted to forget the lives waiting for them outside those doors. For a few hours, they sat beneath the crimson light and applauded women they would never dare introduce to their families.

If someone asked me what I thought about it all, I would have only one answer.

Most of the women working in places like this never dreamed of ending up here. They wanted lives of their own. Some wanted to become artists, mothers. Some wanted nothing more than a small house with a roof that didn't leak whenever it rained.

Reality had a strange way of rearranging dreams. Before they could spread their wings, the cages built around them had already grown too large to escape. The bars weren't always made of steel. Sometimes they were made of unpaid bills, sick parents, hungry siblings, and opportunities that never came.

Eventually, the cage stopped feeling like a prison. It became the sky they learned to fly in.

Napabuntong-hininga ako habang nakatitig sa salamin.

Nandito na naman ako.

Sa kabilang panig ng makapal na kurtina, buhay na buhay ang Red Club. Umaalingawngaw ang musika at naghihiyawan ang mga manonood. Samantalang dito sa backstage, ibang klase ang gulo. Nagmamadali ang performers papasok at palabas ng dressing room. May nag-aayos ng makeup, naghahanap ng nawawalang sapatos, at may desperadong inaayos ang buhok na tila nakasalalay rito ang buong buhay nila.

Kung tutuusin, parang ganoon nga. Sa lugar na tulad nito, mahalaga ang bawat ngiti, kilos, at tingin. Isang pagkakamali lang ay puwede kang mapalitan ng mas bata, mas maganda, o mas desperadong babae.

The chaos around me faded the moment I closed my eyes. Everything slowly dissolved into background noise. After years of performing, I had learned how to shut everything out when it was almost my turn.

I was already imagining the stage. The spotlight pouring over my skin like liquid gold. The familiar warmth of hundreds of eyes following my every movement. The applause that would come before I even did anything remarkable, simply because they knew it was me stepping into view.

This had always been my ritual. I built the scene in my head before I walked into it. It was easier that way.

When I finally opened my eyes, my reflection stared back at me. For a brief moment, I wondered if she looked as tired as I felt.

I had no friends here. Not real ones, anyway. The girls were civil enough. We exchanged greetings and occasionally exchanged compliments neither of us truly meant, but that was where it ended.

Most of them believed I had been given advantages they never received. They looked at me and the girl the owner seemed reluctant to lose. Ganoon nga talaga kapag nasa lugar kang iisa lang ang ilaw at marami ang gustong magningning dito. Kahit wala kang ginagawa, nagiging kalaban ka.

Marami ang nauna sa akin, gano’n din ang mga sumunod. Others arrived carrying desperation disguised as ambition. Most of them disappeared before they ever had the chance to establish themselves. A few quit. Some married wealthy clients. Others simply vanished into different corners of the world... but somehow, Vashti remained.

The thought made me laugh. Sometimes I wondered if that was why they disliked me—because I was still here. People often said I was lucky to have remained at the top for so long... to be considered Red Club's most valuable performer, but luck was such a convenient word.

Sa tuwing iniisip ko iyon, may isa ring tanong na laging sumusunod. Kung talagang masuwerte ako, bakit narito pa rin ako? Wasn't luck supposed to move your life forward? Wasn't it supposed to open doors? Create possibilities? Set you free?

I entered Red Club believing it a temporary stop on my way to something bigger, but years had passed, and I was still standing in the same place. Still walking onto the same stage. Still smiling at the same kinds of men. Still listening to promises I knew would never mean anything.

"Vashti!"

Napalingon ako nang bumukas ang p***o ng dressing room. Hingal na hingal si Chevi pagpasok na para bang may humahabol sa kaniya mula sa baba.Lukot rin ang kanyang ekspresyon sa sobrang inis.

The Red Club's Argyle Phoenix, or what they called the Red Diamond, had always received separate treatment from everyone else. Separate dressing room, preparations, and staff. I was the only Diamond in the club, and Chevi was one of the assistants assigned to me. He was the only reason this place felt remotely tolerable sometimes.

"Saan ka galing?" natatawa kong tanong habang inaabot sa kaniya ang tissue. "Bakit parang pagod na pagod ka?"

"Nakakaloka! Ang daming tanga sa mundo, p*****a," sunod-sunod niyang reklamo habang palapit sa akin. "Ang tagal-tagal na nila rito, hindi pa rin marurunong mag-handle ng problema professionally!"

Napailing na lang ako. Same old Chevi. Humila siya ng upuan mula sa kabilang sulok ng silid at tumabi sa akin bago naupo. Tahimik lang akong nakangiti habang minamasahe niya ang magkabilang sentido.

Chevi was probably the closest thing I had to a friend in Red Club. We simply understood each other. Mahilig siyang magsuot ng makukulay na damit na halos sumisigaw para mapansin.

"What happened?" tanong ko. "Hindi pa ba ako magpe-perform?"

Napabuntong hininga siya. "Don't even get me started."

"Pang-ilan ako?"

Alam ko naman na ang sagot roon. I was always the last one. Red Club knew exactly what it was doing. They didn't place the main attraction in the beginning. They built anticipation and made people spend more. Then, they gave them what they came for. By the time I stepped onto that stage, most of the crowd would already be waiting for me.

When I asked Chevi what number I was in the lineup, it wasn't because I didn't know the answer. After years of knowing him, I knew exactly what that expression meant. Something had happened... and somehow, it probably involved me.

"Naguguluhan ako, Vashti," nanghihina niyang panimula.

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Saan?"

Tinuro niya ako. "Sa 'yo."

Naningkit ang mga mata ko. He was usually straight to the point. If something bothered him, he'd say it. If he hated someone, everyone knew. If he had gossip, he'd spill it before anyone even asked. Right now, it was as if he wanted me to figure out what he meant before he said it himself.

"Sabihin mo na lang kung ano 'yan. Wala akong oras para isipin pa—"

"Bago ka pa dumating dito, nandito na ako," putol niya.

Natahimik ako.

"Noon, lima-lima pa ang ginagawang Argyle Phoenix ng Red Club."

That wasn't entirely surprising. The Argyle Phoenix collection had always been marketed as something rare, exclusive, and untouchable. Women carefully selected and packaged into a fantasy rich men were willing to pay absurd amounts of money for. It just so happened that I was the last one standing.

"Mula nang dumating ka, isa-isa silang nawala."

Napataas ang isang kilay ko. "What are you trying to imply?"

Huminga siya nang malalim bago sumandal sa upuan. "Napaisip ako noon na baka dahil wala lang pumapasa sa standards ni Madame."

I couldn't blame him for that assumption. Her standards were ridiculous. I've seen women walk into this club looking like they stepped off a magazine cover, only to be rejected. I've also seen average-looking girls become crowd favorites because they knew how to command the stage. Madame had always been looking for something beyond appearances. Something nobody could properly define.

"Pero nang tumagal," aniya habang nakatingin sa akin, "I realized that maybe you being the face of this place was enough. Ayaw na nila ng iba kaya hindi na ulit nagdagdag si Madame sa collection niya. Sa 'yo pa lang, paldo na siya."

I had no idea where this conversation was heading. Chevi wasn't exactly difficult to read, but now? Hindi ko siya mabasa. All I knew was that he sounded unusually serious.

"Chevi," tawag ko. "Anong punto mo?"

"Vashti... wala ka sa lineup ngayong gabi," bulong niya.

For a moment, I just stared at him. The words reached me. I heard them. I understood every single one, but they still didn't make sense. My brows slowly furrowed. What? I waited for him to laugh, to tell me he was joking, but...

"Hindi ka pinapa-perform ni Madame. Ayaw ka na niyang lumabas doon."

Something inside me stalled. My gaze instinctively shifted toward the mirror. The dress was already on. My makeup was finished. My hair had been styled hours ago. Everything was exactly the way it had always been before a performance… so why was I suddenly not performing?

A strange feeling settled in my chest. Nothing was technically wrong, but everything felt off. I slowly looked back at him. Chevi wasn't smiling or being dramatic. For once, he looked genuinely serious.

My fingers tightened around the armrest. The more I thought about it, the less this felt like it was about tonight's performance. A lineup change didn't warrant this kind of reaction. Something else was going on, and for some reason, Chevi couldn't tell me what.

The show was still going on. Customers were still drinking. Women were still dancing. The night was moving forward. Meanwhile, I felt like I had accidentally skipped a chapter in the middle of a book.

"Where is Madame Dianne?" I asked, almost breathless.

"Nasa opisina," sagot niya. "Kaya ako natagalan bumalik dito dahil... hindi ako sang-ayon sa biglaan niyang desisyon."

My confusion only deepened.

"Siguro may gusto lang siya ulit ipagawa sa 'king trabaho gaya ng dati—"

"Pakiramdam ko hindi 'to gaya ng mga naging trabaho mo noon, Vashti," he cut off. "Ayaw kong pumunta ka roon."

That made me pause. Chevi wasn't the protective type. He usually minded his own business and let adults deal with their own problems. Hearing him say something like that felt strange. I gave him a wide smile anyway, the kind that had gotten me through countless painful situations over the years.

"Kaya ko ang sarili ko."

The smile remained on my lips, but my heart had already started pounding against my chest. Still, I refused to let him see it. There was no point in panicking over assumptions. Besides, I couldn't understand why this sudden change was affecting us so much.

Madame Dianne had always been unpredictable. One minute she'd praise you. The next, she'd throw you into a situation you weren't prepared for and expect you to survive it. How I survived under her, I honestly didn't know.

Maybe adaptability had always been my strongest skill... or maybe I simply got tired of fighting circumstances I couldn't control. Whatever the reason, I had become the person she called whenever there was a problem nobody else could handle.

An emergency booking? Me. An important guest demanding special treatment? Me. A last-minute cancellation that threatened the club's reputation? Also me. I was flexible enough to fit into whatever role was needed.

Whether it was accompanying businessmen during private events, comforting politicians who wanted someone to listen to them ramble about their miserable lives, or attending elite gatherings as a beautiful accessory on someone's arm, I always got the job done.

That was the reality behind the glamour people envied. Most thought my position existed because of beauty. The prettier the face, the higher the price, but beauty only opened doors. It didn't keep them open. Usefulness kept people interested, and over the years, I had mastered the art of being useful... so why was tonight different?

I stood. I took a deep breath and straightened my shoulders. The reflection staring back at me looked composed, exactly the image people expected from Red Club's Diamond. I turned toward Chevi.

He was still watching me, worried.

"Hindi ko 'to ikamamatay, Chevi."

"Sana nga."

His words came too honestly. For the first time, my smile faltered just a little. A strange feeling settled at the pit of my stomach... like standing at the edge of a staircase in the dark. You knew another step was waiting for you. You just couldn't see where it was.

I forced a smile at Chevi before turning toward the door. "Wish me luck."

As soon as the door closed behind me, the smile slipped off my face. Mas gugustuhin ko pang maghubad sa harap ng daan-daang tao ngayong gabi kaysa kausapin si Madame Dianne.

At least on stage, I knew what was expected of me. I knew where to stand... how to make people believe I belonged in a world I'd entered only by chance.

The hallway outside my dressing room was quiet. Most of the girls were already waiting backstage, lining up for their respective performances. The usual chatter, laughter, and last-minute panic had shifted closer to the stage area, leaving this part of the floor empty.

Walang nakapansin sa akin. Sinadya kong bagalan maglakad. There was no reason to rush. If Madame wanted me, she could wait another minute. The truth was, I was buying time. 

I just wanted a reasonable explanation before I reached her office. Something that would make tonight make sense. A VIP request, maybe? It wouldn't have been the first time. Madame had a habit of volunteering me for things that somehow always benefited the club. Since saying no wasn't exactly encouraged around here, I usually accepted.

The elevator doors opened with a soft chime. I stepped inside and pressed the button for the highest floor. The mirrored walls reflected me from every angle. Red dress. Perfect makeup. Perfect hair. Perfect body. I was the complete package.

A quiet sigh escaped me. Life had taught me that bad news came disguised as an ordinary day until suddenly it wasn't. The elevator finally stopped; doors slid open. Just like that, the noise of Red Club disappeared completely. 

The executive floor had always felt detached from the rest of the building. Downstairs was temptation. Up here was power. Every decision that shaped the lives of the people below started on this floor. My heels sank softly into the expensive carpet as I made my way through the corridor.

The air smelled faintly of vanilla and sandalwood. Iisa lang ang daan papunta sa opisina ni Madame Dianne. Madilim lagi rito dahil sa nakagawian ni Madame. Hindi niya kailanman nagustuhan ang matitingkad na ilaw. Sa halip na modernong chandeliers at bright ceiling lights, mas pinili niya ang mga mamahaling scented candles na nakahanay sa magkabilang gilid ng corridor.

Tanging isang malawak na glass wall ang naghihiwalay sa hallway at sa loob ng opisina niya. Bago pa man ako makarating sa p***o, natanaw ko na siya agad. Nakatayo si Madame noong una akong nakita. Then she sat down behind her desk. Hindi siya abala sa mga papeles. Hindi rin nakabukas ang kanyang laptop. Wala siyang kausap na kliyente sa telepono. She was simply there, waiting—nakatitig sa aking direksyon.

"What is it this time?" I asked as soon as I entered the office.

I walked toward her desk without waiting for permission. In all the years I'd worked under her, I'd learned that formalities didn't impress her. Results did.

I remained standing. City lights glittered through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind her, turning the room into a strange mix of darkness and gold. Candles burned lazily on nearby shelves. Most people found it calming. I never did.

Madame sat behind her desk, her posture perfectly composed. The longer she stayed quiet, the more aware I became of my own breathing. Usually, by now, she would've already gotten to the point.

Madame didn't waste time, nor did I. When several seconds passed without a word from her, I shifted my weight slightly, trying not to feel impatient.

Then she sighed, almost sounding tired. Slowly, she opened a drawer beneath her desk and pulled out a black envelope.

There it was, another request. My shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Sinong politician?" tanong ko agad. "O businessman ba ulit?"

She didn't react.

My smile thinned. "Ilang araw?"

Still nothing. That was strange. Usually she'd already be listing details by now, which only made her silence more unsettling. I looked at the envelope again. Then at her.

"Hindi, Vashti." Her voice finally broke the silence. "Wala sa lahat ng binanggit mo."

I blinked. The answer immediately erased the relief I'd felt seconds ago. My eyes returned to the envelope as I tried to understand.

Madame Dianne wasn't naturally expressive. Even after years under her employ, I still sometimes struggled to tell what she was thinking.

She looked exactly the same as always. Impeccably dressed in black. Untouched by age. The woman was already well into her fifties, yet time seemed to have given up trying to catch her. No visible signs of slowing down.

If it wasn't work, then what exactly had made Madame cancel my performance for the first time since I started working here? I suddenly noticed how tightly she held the envelope. The realization sent a strange sensation crawling up my spine.

"Madame, what is this about?"

"Naalala mo pa ba noong una kang nagising rito sa Red Club?" kanyang panimula. "Wala kang kaalam-alam sa kung anong tatahakin mo o sa papasukin mong mundo. Wala kang matandaang kapamilya o kahit man lang kakilala sa kung saan ka nanggaling."

My lips parted, but nothing came out. Out of all the things I expected Madame Dianne to talk about tonight, this wasn't one of them. I simply stared at her, confused. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit niya kailangang balikan ang bahaging iyon ng buhay ko ngayon.

I had stopped asking years ago because what was the point? Anong mapapala ko sa paghahanap ng mga sagot na wala namang makapagbibigay? I couldn't remember where I came from. I couldn't remember who left me. Over time, those questions became easier to ignore.

"Lagi mo akong tinatanong noon kung kilala ko ba ang kung sinong nagdala sa 'yo sa pintuan ko. Lagi naman kitang pinagsasabihan na hindi na 'yon mahalaga dahil iniwan ka na rito… na wala nang saysay pang alamin iyon dahil wala ka nang halaga sa taong gumawa sa 'yo nito noong bata ka."

There it was. The exact same words. Years had passed, yet hearing them again felt like somebody reopening an old scar with their bare hands. I remembered going to bed crying because of them. I remembered staring at ceilings, wondering what I had done wrong for someone to throw me away.

Hope couldn't survive around people like Madame Dianne. She killed it too quickly like clipping a bird's wings before it learned how to fly.

"Akala ko magtatanong ka ulit kapag tumanda ka na pero..." A faint smile appeared on her lips. "Hindi ka na muling lumapit para pag-usapan iyon."

"Dahil nawalan na rin ng halaga iyon sa akin," I countered.

Madame's smile widened just slightly, enough to tell me she didn't fully believe me. "May galit at inggit na tinatago ang mga babae rito sa 'yo dahil sa inyong lahat, ikaw lang ang pinag-aral ko at nakatapos pa ng kolehiyo."

I frowned. Madame rested her elbows on the desk.

"I would tell them that I did those things because I needed you to be useful for the business, but who would actually believe that?"

My brows pulled together. "Madame—"

"Kayang-kaya kong humanap ng mas mabilis matuto at mas may alam na sa 'yo sa mundong 'to."

The room fell silent. Tama siya. There were smarter people than me… more skilled, educated, and qualified. The world was full of them. So why me? Why had she invested years into someone she could've replaced a hundred times over? Why was she bringing all of this up tonight?

"Okay..." My voice sounded smaller than I meant it to. "Saan ba patungo ‘tong usapan natin?"

Her gaze dropped toward the envelope resting on the desk between us. "Vashti, noong nahanap kita sa pintuan ng Red Club na walang malay, may dala kang sobre. May lamang pera at mensahe iyon para sa kung sinomang makakakita sa ‘yo."

My eyes immediately darted toward the envelope on her desk. For the first time since entering the room, real fear began creeping into my chest.

"Inaamin ko... I took you in because of the money."

Hearing her admit she had taken me in for money didn't surprise me. While other adults comforted children with promises, she preferred brutal, inconvenient facts. I had learned that lesson early.

"Matagal ko ring pinag-isipan kung susundin ko ba ang nakasulat sa letter... na paaralin ka at bigyan ng sariling buhay. Lumaki ang Red Club sa mga nagdaang taon. Mas lumaki pa kaysa sa inaasahan ko," she said. "Pero hindi nawala sa isip ko ang sulat na iyon. Ni isang beses."

For years, Madame had seemed larger than life to me, like a woman who moved through the world with absolute certainty. Yet tonight, for the first time, she almost sounded human.

Without another word, she pushed the envelope toward me. This time, I took it. My brows immediately furrowed.

It didn't feel like ordinary paper. The material was thicker, expensive. Running my thumb across the surface, I noticed a subtle texture beneath my fingertips. It wasn't rough enough to notice at first glance, but impossible to ignore once I touched it. The paper had been embossed... as if whoever created it wanted people to understand its importance before even opening it.

"The envelope you had when you came here carried the same design," Madame said. "The same texture. The same mark."

I looked back at the envelope. For the first time since this conversation started, the past no longer felt distant. It felt close.

"When I arrived this evening, that black envelope was already waiting on my desk. Walang nakakaalam kung sino ang naglagay niyan dito. Hindi rin nakita sa mga camera kung may pumasok ba sa opisina. Kahit pinahanap ko na sa buong security ng Red Club, wala."

A knot slowly tightened in my stomach. Hindi 'to normal. For years, nobody had come looking for me. Ni walang tumawag o nagpakilala sa akin. Nobody had shown the slightest indication that they remembered I existed.

Now, after all this time, an envelope appeared on Madame Dianne's desk carrying the exact same insignia as the one that arrived with me as a child. The timing alone felt impossible! I opened the envelope carefully, almost reluctantly. Part of me suddenly wished I had never entered this office. Sana nakinig na lang ako kay Chevi at pinilit na lang na mag-perform sa entablado.

I unfolded the first document. My eyes immediately dropped to the text... and stopped. I blinked. Surely I had read it wrong? I lowered my gaze and started from the beginning once more. The letters remained exactly where they were.

The words didn't change. Neither did the title. By the third reading, I could feel my heartbeat pounding against my ribs. My mind refused to accept it.

"A marriage contract?" basa ko. “At paano ako nagkaroon ng pirma rito? Ngayon ko lang ‘to nakita, Madame—”

“Alam ko, Vashti. Naniniwala ako sa ‘yo. Alam kong hindi ka rin gagawa ng ganito.”

What the fuck? Anong nangyayari? Bakit ako biglang… kinasal? Binasa ko muli ang dokumento hanggang sa dumapo ang mga mata ko sa pangalan na katabi ng akin.

Malik Moretti.

Sa tagal ko sa trabahong ito, kilala ko lahat ng mga naging customer ng Red Club. Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali. Wala pa akong nakakasalamuhang lalaki na may ganitong pangalan! Isa pa, ni wala nga akong naging nobyo sa mga nagdaang taon… mag-asawa pa kaya?

I chuckled at the absurdity. “This is ridiculous.”

I stared at the contract as if it had personally offended me... because honestly? It had. Somebody somewhere thought they could decide something this important for me without my permission or without even the decency to introduce themselves first.

My eyes lifted toward Madame Dianne. At first, I was ready to dismiss everything and tell her it was obviously fake, an elaborate joke from some obsessed client with too much money and too little common sense.

Yet, I noticed her expression. Madame looked nervous. The realization immediately rubbed me the wrong way. Since when did anything make Madame Dianne nervous? She could negotiate million-peso deals without blinking. She could throw people out of her club with a single look. Half the people working under her were scared to even disappoint her.

Before I could think better of it, my hands moved. The paper tore easily between my fingers. The sound echoed through the room.

Madame's eyes widened. For the first time that night, real emotion crossed her face. She even stood from her chair.

"Vashti—"

"Hindi 'yan totoo. Hindi ako ang pumirma sa kontratang 'yan."

Huminga ako nang malalim, galit, nalilito.

"Wala akong pakialam kung sino ang nagpadala niyan!"

Another tear. Another rip. The document fell into pieces across her desk.

"Higit sa lahat, wala akong pakakasalan."

The words felt heavier than I meant them to... because deep down, they weren't just directed at the contract. They were directed at the life I had spent years living.

Hindi ako tanga, at mas lalong hindi ako delusyunal. I knew exactly how women like me were viewed. No amount of expensive dresses or luxury could erase where I worked. No amount of popularity inside the Red Club could change how society looked at women who danced beneath red lights.

Men loved women like us until it became time to introduce someone to their family... until it became time to build a future. Suddenly, they remembered their standards, reputation, and expectations.

For the longest time, I had already accepted that reality... that my future probably wouldn't include a family waiting at home. Marriage was a story meant for other women with clean histories, not someone like me... which was exactly why the idea of a mysterious husband appearing out of nowhere felt so foolish.

“Tama ka, Vashti… siguro nadala lang ako ng nakaraan,” kalmadong sabi ni Madame Dianne. “Ipapahanap ko na ang nasa likod nito—”

A sudden, violent tremor shook the entire floor. The interruption was so abrupt that neither of us had time to react. The windows rattled. One of the candlesticks toppled over from a nearby shelf. The desk between us vibrated, sending the torn pieces of the marriage contract scattering across its polished surface.

I stepped back a pace. For one ridiculous second, I actually thought it was an earthquake. Then another impact followed—louder this time, and closer. The building groaned, not as if it were collapsing, but because something had hit it hard.

Madame's expression changed. "Shit!"

People who spent their lives around danger learned to recognize it, and Madame Dianne knew exactly what this was.

"What's happening?" I quickly asked.

She moved to the large window behind her and peeked outside. Whatever she saw made the color drain from her face.

"Madame?"

"Move."

I froze.

"Move, Vashti!"

That got me moving. We rushed out of the office. The moment the door opened, the executive floor's silence disappeared. People were screaming. Panic echoed from somewhere below. Somewhere below us, glass shattered, and the sound exploded through the building.

"Fuck," Madame muttered as she pulled out her phone. 

We hurried toward the employee elevator. Her fingers moved rapidly across the screen—one call, then another—nobody answered. That worried me more than the explosions. Madame Dianne always got answers. Always.

“Tang ina, sino ang pasimuno nito?” gigil niyang bulong sa hangin habang nasa loob na kami ng elevator.

We heard gunshots. My blood turned cold. The screams from below grew louder and closer. The elevator suddenly felt too small.

"What if we're heading straight into it?" nanghihina kong tanong.

Madame remained focused on her phone. "Then we improvise."

"That's your plan?"

"Do you have a better one?"

I pressed my lips together. No, not really. The gunshots grew louder. Whatever was happening wasn't concentrated outside anymore; it had entered the building. My palms started sweating. That feeling only worsened when the elevator reached the lower floors.

The screams became clearer—individual voices now: crying, running, begging. Something crashed into metal somewhere beyond the walls, making me flinch. For the first time that night, real fear began clawing at my chest.

The elevator dinged. The doors began opening. Chaos flooded inside immediately. People ran across the lobby—employees, guests, security. Nobody seemed to know where they were going—only that they needed to escape. 

“Vashti, makinig ka!” Hinila ako ni Madame paharap sa kanya. “You need to get out of here!”

"Teka lang. What about you? Si Chevi?"

"I'll handle the club!"

“Pero hindi pwedeng iwan ko lang kayo rito—”

"Vashti!" Her grip tightened. "You are the target."

Everything inside me froze. The noise in the lobby disappeared. The screaming disappeared. Even my own heartbeat seemed to stop for a second. Another explosion shook the building. Wala na ako sa sarili nang hilahin ni Madame papunta sa likod ng building, kung saan madalas kaming hinihintay ng mga tauhan niya. Madilim at malamig na ang gabi. Sanay na ako roon pero sa unang pagkakataon, hindi ako komportable sa gabing ‘to.

Before I could ask, a black limousine screeched to a stop outside the club's main entrance, right in front of us—as if it had been waiting for me. 

“Sino ‘yan? Hindi ‘yan sa atin,” bulong ni Madame ngunit huli na ang lahat.

Nakita na nila kami.

The limousine hadn't fully stopped when the rear window rolled down. Everything happened so fast my brain couldn't keep up. For a moment, I thought another explosion had gone off. Then something warm splashed against my arm. 

Madame stumbled. My eyes widened. Time seemed to stop. A dark stain rapidly bloomed across her blouse… blood. My entire body went cold.

"Run!" she screamed.

The word barely left her mouth before the limousine doors burst open. Men in black suits flooded out. They weren’t drunk criminals or desperate thugs. These men looked trained, and terrifyingly prepared.

I turned to run. Strong hands immediately wrapped around my wrist. A scream escaped me as I fought back on instinct. I tried to pull away. Someone caught both of my arms from behind.

"No!" My voice drowned beneath the chaos.

Another man grabbed my legs. The ground disappeared beneath my feet. I was lifted.

"Let me go!" I thrashed violently.

One of my heels slipped off and disappeared somewhere on the pavement. Nobody cared. People were still running, screaming, but somehow, none of them came closer. Nobody tried to stop them. Everyone was busy surviving.

One of the men yanked open the limousine door. My stomach dropped. The realization finally hit. This wasn't random. This wasn't an attack on Red Club. This was about me.

I dug my nails into the arm holding me. “Kanino kayo nagtatrabaho? Sino kayo!”

The man didn't even flinch. A second later, they shoved me inside. My shoulder hit the leather seat, and it hurt. The door slammed shut behind me. Immediately, the noise from outside became muffled.

My chest heaved. My hands trembled. My pulse hammered violently against my ribs. The men who grabbed me didn't enter.

Slowly, my gaze lifted. Someone sat across from me. A man. The interior lights cast shadows across his features, making him hard to see clearly, but I could feel his eyes on me.

My heartbeat became deafening. Every instinct in my body screamed that I was in danger. The limousine started moving… as if a woman hadn't just been shot trying to protect me.

I swallowed hard. "Who the hell are you?"

Finally, he leaned forward just enough for the city lights outside to illuminate part of his face. A sharp jaw. Cold eyes. A face I had never seen before.

"This is what happens when you don't follow the contract, Vashti Swarovski."