Semua Bab To save her sister, she married the Devil.: Bab 1 - Bab 5

POV: Aria Chen"Move those hips, sweetheart! That's what we're paying for!"The voice cut through the pounding bass, and I forced my body to sway to the rhythm, ignoring the knot of disgust tightening in my stomach. The strobe lights made everything feel disjointed, flashes of leering faces, raised beer bottles, hands waving dollar bills like I was some kind of carnival prize.I wasn't a stripper. Not technically. The Velvet Room called us "entertainment dancers." We kept our clothes on, mostly. Sequined tops, short skirts, heels that made my feet scream after the first hour. It was supposed to be classier than the places down on Fifth Street.It wasn't. But it paid two hundred dollars a night, and that was exactly enough to cover Lila's medications for the week. So I smiled like my life depended on it, because in a way, it did and I danced."Come on, baby! Get closer!"Mr. Hendricks. Regular customer, always sat front and center, always too drunk by ten o'clock. His meaty hand reache

The East District looked worse at night. Streetlights flickered, casting shadows that moved like living things. Broken glass crunched under my feet as I climbed off the bus, and somewhere nearby, a dog barked endlessly at nothing.Home sweet home.Mr. Kowalski was waiting in the lobby. Of course he was. He stood by the mailboxes with his arms crossed, his considerable belly straining against a stained undershirt. Mrs. Peterson from 2B lurked behind him, her face eager for drama. The Martinez family pretended not to watch from their doorway, but I could feel their eyes."Miss Chen." Kowalski's voice boomed through the cramped space. "We need to talk."I was so tired. Tired of fighting, tired of pretending, tired of holding myself together with duct tape and desperation."Mr. Kowalski, can this wait until..""Rent was due three days ago." He said it loud enough for everyone to hear. Shame was part of the game. "You're late. Again.""I know. I'm sorry. I had to take my sister to the hosp

"How do I know?" He set the tablet aside. "Because I've been watching you for three years. Every move. Every struggle. Every desperate choice.""Why?" The question came out as a whisper."We'll get to that." He leaned back, his gray eyes never leaving my face. "First, let me tell you what I want.""What do you want?""Direct. I like that." The corner of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile. "I want you to marry me."The words didn't make sense. I stared at him, waiting for the punchline. "What?""Marriage. You've heard of it.""You're insane." I reached for the door handle. "I don't even know you."His hand shot out, gripping my wrist. Not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to stop me. "You know enough. I'm rich. You're desperate. It's a perfect arrangement.""Let go of me."He released my wrist, but his eyes held me in place. "We're going to my penthouse. You'll hear my offer. Then you'll make a choice. But Aria.." He leaned closer. "Once we arrive, you don't leave until we have a