Chapter 1

Nakaupo si Karolina sa sofa, yakap ang bunso sa gilid niya habang ang panganay ay nakasandal sa balikat niya. Madilim ang kwarto, ang liwanag ng TV lang ang gumagawa ng anino sa kanilang mga mukha. On the screen, Thanos stood tall, calm yet terrifying. In a deep, heavy voice, he said, “The hardest choices require the strongest wills.”

Her eldest, Ely, tightened her grip sa kamay niya. “Mama… what does that mean?”

Kinagat ni Karolina ang labi niya, marahang hinaplos ang buhok ng anak. “Sometimes, anak… there are people who think they need to hurt others to make the world better,” sabi niya, mabagal at maingat ang bawat salita. “Pero kahit gano’n, hindi ibig sabihin nun tama na.”

Her youngest, Jed, frowned, nakatitig sa screen. “Scary siya.”

“Oo,” mahinang sagot ni Karolina, hinigpitan ang yakap sa kanilang dalawa. “Scary talaga. Pero hindi tayo dapat maging katulad niya. Pwede tayong pumili ng mabuti, kahit mahirap.”

The children nodded, though it was clear they didn’t fully understand yet. And suddenly, a heavy feeling settled in Karolina’s chest, something she couldn’t let go of.

Biglang tumunog ang telepono.

Napaatras siya ng konti bago sinagot. “Hello?”

Sa kabilang linya, malamig at pormal ang boses ng doktor. At habang nagsasalita ito, unti-unting huminto ang mundo niya.

“Your son, he tested positive for lung cancer.”

Nanlamig si Karolina. Sandaling wala siyang marinig kundi sariling tibok ng puso niya. Parang biglang lumiit ang kwarto, parang mahuhulog siya sa kinauupuan.

“Doc…” nanginginig ang boses niya. “Sigurado po ba?”

“We need you to come to the hospital immediately. We will start treatment as soon as possible.”

Huminga siya nang malalim, pinipilit maging matatag. “Opo, pupunta kami. Salamat po.”

Pagkababa ng telepono, napaupo siya ulit, nakatitig sa kawalan. She sat there in silence, staring into nothing. The TV scene that once played in the background now felt distant, meaningless. Fiction was no longer the problem, reality was.

Then, a knock came at the door. Mabilis siyang lumapit sa pinto at pinagbuksan si Jane.

Jane, their babysitter, stood there with her usual bright smile. “Good evening, Ate Karol.”

“Jane, pasok ka,” sagot niya agad, pilit ang ngiti.

Pagkapasok ni Jane, mabilis sinalubong ng mga bata ang babae. “Ate Jane! Ate Jane!” sabay yakap.

While the children were busy, she signaled Jane that she was going to take a bath to get ready for work. Karolina quietly walked into the bedroom. There, she quickly took what she needed. Routine. Her body was already used to rushing, but today, every movement felt heavy.

Makalipas ang ilang minuto, nasa harapan na sya ng salamin, nakatitig siya sa sarili.

Suot niya ang cream faux fur coat, mabigat at elegante, parang ibang tao ang nakikita niya. Sa ilalim nito, black lace lingerie, simple pero matapang ang dating. She no longer barely saw herself as a woman. She was a mother. A worker. A survivor.

She, then, tucked her hair into loose waves, fixing her makeup like a mask of courage. And she was ready to go.

“Jane, aalis na ako,” sabi niya habang inaayos ang coat. “Pakibantayan sila ha.”

“Grabe, Ate Karol, para kang sugar baby sa isang movie star,” biro ni Jane.

Tumawa lang si Karolina, but deep inside she felt disgusted by those backhanded compliments.

“Ikaw na bahala sa kanila, aalis na ako.” Pero bago siya umalis, niyakap niya ang mga anak at hinalikan sa mga pisnge. “Behave kayo ha.”

“Opo, Mama.”

When the door closed, she paused for a moment. She breathed in. Once. Twice. Then she drove away.

Pagdating sa club, malakas agad ang tugtog ang sumalubong sa kanya. Ilaw, usok, amoy alak at pabango, lahat sabay-sabay bumalot sa kanya.

“Late ka,” sabi ni Mommy Beck, naka-cross arms.

Mommy Beck is an openly gay, the owner of this club, who helped Karolina when she was struggling with money and gave her her first job as a dancer.

“Traffic, sorry Mommy Beck.”

Hindi na siya pinatapos. “VIP tonight.”

Napatingin si Karolina. “VIP?”

“Important people. At ikaw ang magpe-perform sa kanila.”

Natahimik siya sandali. Alam niya hindi ito tanong. Kundi demand.

“Okay.”

Nang makarating siya sa VIP room, sobrang dilim. Mabigat ang vibes, puro halakhakan, yosi, at alak. Pero may isang lalaki ang agad niyang napansin. Nasa sulok. Tahimik. Parang hindi kabilang sa ingay.

His brown skin looked cold, as if it held no warmth. He wore a black silk shirt that blended into the darkness. But what was most striking were his dark brown eyes. Sharp, heavy, and always watching, as if they could see straight through her.

Karolina swallowed hard as the music started. “Need You Tonight” played low and slow, each beat pulling her closer to the stage. She began to dance, controlled, slow, and calculated, every movement shaped by survival and performance. It was nothing new to her, but tonight, something in the air felt different.

Every time na dumadaan ang tingin niya sa lalaki, mas bumibigat ang dibdib niya.

In the middle of her dance, she spun around the pole, her hips moving perfectly with the rhythm. Lights swirled across her body as the crowd blurred into the background. At sa pangatlong ikot, laking gulat niya nasa harap niya na ang lalaki. Hindi niya nakita kung paano siya nakalapit. Parang lumitaw ito mula sa dilim.

Bahagyang napahinto siya. His face was now too close, too real. His presence heavy, suffocating in a strange way she couldn’t explain.

“So…” mahinang sabi ng lalaki, malamig pero mabagal. “You’re the one they’ve been talking about.”

Napasinghap si Karolina. Hindi dahil sa takot. Kundi sa kung anong init na biglang gumapang sa buong katawan niya.

Their eyes locked.

And for the first time in years, she forgot the music. Forgot the crowd. Forgot everything.

Only him.

He leaned slightly closer, voice barely above a whisper.

“Don’t stop dancing,” he said. “There are only two of us now. I made them leave.”

And something in his tone made her obey without moving yet. Na hindi niya na namalayan kung kailan at bakit pinaalis niya ang ibang kostumer.

Slowly, she placed her hand back on the pole behind her. The distance between them became thinner, almost dangerous. His eyes followed every small movement she made, like he was memorizing her.

Karolina swallowed hard, trying to steady her breath. “Who… are you?” she finally whispered.

But instead of answering, he stepped closer, eyes dark and unreadable. A slow, rough exhale left his lips. “Careful, lady.” He said, his voice thick with desire. “You’re already giving me more than your attention.”

She bit her lip, wondering what was about to happen. And as expected hindi niya na namalayang she is already in a bent-over position, fucking her behind.

Karolina moaned into the gag which muffled her as he pummeled her from the back. His manhood felt so big, so good, deep inside of her. Her legs tingled and her nipples were fully erect, betraying the promise she made years ago. Her toes curled in her heels, while her fingers tightly grasped whatever was available for support as she approached an orgasm.

She was so close. Thank God that man was helping to hold her up or she would have collapsed on the ground.

And in that moment, she knew this night wasn’t just another performance… for the first time in years, she felt something she had promised herself she would never feel again.

Lust.