Chapter 6

I was genuinely upset, yet I could not bring myself to raise my voice at her. Life had been difficult for her all these years.

Her expression suddenly darkened. "Excuse me? Is this the attitude you should be showing me after I made you dinner while juggling my job? It's almost time for my next show. I don't have time for this!

"Just make do with this… or make something else for yourself. I'm outta here!"

Her sudden hostility made Martin burst into tears. He pleaded with his mother for a hug, but she ignored him and went straight back to her recording studio.

Since she took this job, she had been acting less and less like a mother. She had never cared much about household chores, but now she did not even seem to think her own son deserved her attention. How could she?

Martin's mood soured. He refused to eat the terrible patties and asked for fried chicken instead. I could not bear to refuse him, so I obliged. Afterward, I gave him a shower and tucked him into bed.

Victoria never once came out of her studio to check on her son. Instead, flirtatious giggles drifted through the door.

When she spoke, her voice carried an innocent, seductive tone that could bring any man to his knees.

"Pick my look today, boys. I promise I'll wear everything you want me to…"

"Oh my, you want to buy the bikini I just wore? Without washing it first? You're naughty, Daddy!"

Her unwashed bikini? "Daddy"? Was I losing my mind, or did all of this sound like actual kink territory?

Rage surged through my veins again. I almost marched into her studio to demand an explanation, but I stopped myself.

She would only come up with new excuses or distractions. No, there had to be a better way.

I forced myself to calm down and pulled out my phone. Using my alt account, I followed her page and started browsing her photos.

What I found shocked me.

Every photo was drop-dead sexy, and she looked like a spellbinding witch in every outfit she wore: black lace stockings with deliberate rips, form-fitting Pilates pants, a nurse roleplay outfit, and, of course, swimsuits that barely covered anything, as if someone had tried to hide the essentials with a strip of torn fabric.

Fuck. How was any of this even legal marketing?

It was no wonder she had been buying luxury items without hesitation. Hell, I even understood why she had been talking to me the way she had lately, throwing insults and calling me a useless loser.

She must have seduced a bunch of rich men and found herself several wallets to fund her lifestyle.

I downloaded every video and photo as evidence before sending her a message.

[Hey, I'm looking to buy a swimsuit for my girlfriend. Can you try one on and let me see how it looks?]

Her reply came almost immediately.

[Oh, you want the ones that smell like me, don'cha? Don't be shy, sweetie. Anything for you! But you'll need to make an early appointment, okay? A service like this comes with a tip—and I'll warn you, 95% of men stop right here because they can't afford it. You're not one of them though, are you?]

What the hell? She was incredibly direct.

I decided to leave the bait hanging and see how she would respond.

[An appointment, huh? That sucks. I guess I'll just ask again the next time you're free.]

[Of course, handsome! I'm always at your beck and call. Keep your eyes on my status updates. You'll definitely love what you see. These photos are pretty basic. They're for free and normal members, so I can't show them the exclusive stuff, right?]

[If you want something even hotter and tastier… join my member club!]

It felt as though someone had set my insides on fire.