##Chapter 1 A Dancer Not a Whore

"Jo Jo, it's your turn."

"Coming!"

I looked at myself in the mirror with heavy make-up. I was no longer the poor street dog.

Garol was the world of the rich, and I was making money at the top-end pub in this city. And Jo Jo was my name here.

Paradise Lost.

As the leading girl of the pub, I had to say the name--Paradise Lost was a good one. That was right. The enchanting women with delicate makeup were moving their bodies like a snake here, including me.

My real name was Caroline Brown. I turned the 20's birthday this year. Honestly, I was reluctant to recall what had happened in my last 20 years.

My father inherited a small company from my grandfather. And my mother was a popular social butterfly.

But soon, the enemies of my father set a trap and made his company go bankrupt. I was only six years old that year.

We had to tighten our belts since then. My young brother and I were in a state of starving but only had fixed our gaze in envy on those kids carrying snacks.

My father couldn't bear the bankruptcy life, so he resorted to alcohol and gambling. Every time he came back drunk, he smashed things and got violent with my mother.

Our house was often filled with arguments, mother's crying, and even debt collectors smashing with baseball bats.

I held under the bed my young brother in my arms, staring at them coldly, from trembling to numbness.

The last time I saw my father was when he was arrested because of robbery.

Later, mother abandoned us, leaving my young brother and me in this empty house.

When we walked on the road, the loathing looks of strangers were much biting than the cold wind in deep winter. We had to bear the anguish both mentally and physically.

I often dreamed that my parents came back to us in those days. But every time I opened my eyes, we were still in the pitch-dark alley with stray cats scary crying at midnight.

Finally, we were taken to a Children's Home at the age of eight by Isabel Bruce, the fundraiser of the Home.

I liked to watch other kids playing but never had the intention to join them.

During that period, I had burned a midnight oil every day for my study. I made my determination to change my life through knowledge. I wanted to be strong.

At 14, by collecting scraps, I could barely pay for my study. In deep winter, because we didn't have enough layers to wrap up, we were freezing cold and that made our hands and feet crack in pain.

Fortunately, I was admitted with a scholarship to the best senior high school in my native place.

William Brown, my dear young brother was in the second year of junior high school at that time. He was no longer afraid to talk to people, but mostly, he chose to keep silent.

When I thought our life would go on like this in peace, it fucked us.

William took after our mother. He was thin but attractive, like a ray of sunshine. But that made him in trouble.

A school bully took a fancy to William and wanted to take him away. He struggled and was badly injured. When I found him, the blood on him frightened me.

In a flash, I was dazed with tears on my face.

I called the police in a panic. When the bully was caught, he looked at us fiercely. A big cut was on his left face by William.

Fortunately, William was in self-defense, and the bully was arrested.

But his fierce look was printing in my mind. I knew we had no choice but to leave. So we escaped to Garol that night.

William's dislocated arm had sequelae because it hadn't been fixed back in time. Since then, he couldn't lift any heavy stuff.

Without a stable income, we couldn't continue our studies. So I took the initiative to drop out and decided to do some odds to support William.

It often occurred to me that we were isolated in this city, though we trying to get in. One time, I walked into a small restaurant, trying my luck there.

The owner of the restaurant was a middle-aged man with a shiny face. With his beer belly and cunning eyes, this guy made me uncomfortable.

I used to wash the dishes when I was in the Children's Home. So I successfully convinced that man to let me do the dishes.

But a month later, after I washed piles and piles of dishes, I was kicked out without a penny.

At that moment, I really wanted to make him pay for that, but I couldn't. I had to leave in despair. I swore to become powerful and to avenge those who had bullied us.

We were broke and had no place to go. Finally, we sheltered with a tramp in a small shabby room.

As a 16 underage, I couldn't find a job at all. I wandered in the streets in confusion.

I came across a hoody and soon learned from him how to pick a pocket. I could finally feed William and me in that way. But I never told William about that 'cause I must to protect him.

One day the hoody suggested, "You wanna make big money, right?"

That was how I met Annabelle Delvey. She was in her thirties and looked so chic. We all called her Anna there.

There were many girls about my age. Anna taught us to sing, dance and wear make-up. The most important was she let us know how to take advantage of our bodies.

In the beginning, I despised making money in this way. But Anna gave each of us a big sum of money, and I accepted it without hesitation.

Anna told me privately that I was the most beautiful one among the girls.

Probably that was the only thing useful my mother had left me.

I told William that I had found a job, and I wanted him to smoothly graduate from college.

I never told him the truth that I was making money in a pub. I didn't want him to look down on me.

I tidied up the mini skirt on me that barely reached my hips. With my good figure, I looked very tempting.

Stepping on the spikes, I skillfully climbed onto the pole in the center of the stage. I at this moment was no longer myself when I started to sway my body. I was but a money-making machine.

The audiences off the stage were all cheering and whistling. Flowers were thrown on the stage from time to time. I'd gotten used to this.

As the leading girl, my job was to ignite the atmosphere to the climax and then took the money I deserved. That was all I asked.

I went back to the locker room after done my part.

"Jo Jo, someone wants to see you," Anna said.

I didn't look back, and continued to remove my makeup in front of the mirror.

"Just refuse it as you would do as usual. Who is it this time, anyway?"

"It's Leopard. No one dares to refuse him," Anna said helplessly.

I paused for a while, and then looked into Anna's eyes in the mirror, "Anna, you know I don't want..."

"I know, but you can't bear the cost if you offend him. Just once."

I looked at her without speaking, and she got anxious.

"Leopard has deep background here. He has guns. No one dares to say no to him."