Reality
Mia was awakened by the ray of sun brushing through her skin. Her head felt so light and her vision was still a bit blurry.
She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, remembering what happened last night. Images of the dreadful scene that she experienced came flashing on her mind, making her lips tremble.
When everything around her was clear, she forced herself to sit on the bed. And then she felt a cursing wave of despair after seeing the red stain on the white sheet of the bed.
She choked back a sob, noticing the mess in the room. There was some broken glass on the floor and an empty bottle of wine was standing beside it.
Her heart felt like being torn into pieces when she saw a mark on her wrists. The handcuffs were still connected on the bed, but her hands were already free from it.
She gripped the sheets with her left hand as she let out a silent scream. Her right hand was on her chest, hitting it as she tried to gasp for air.
Why did no one help her? Mama said that she would be protected so how did it happen? Who did this to her? She thought inwardly.
Her whole body was shaking. She couldn't believe that she was forced to sleep with a man she didn't even see the face. But was she really forced? From her memory, it didn't seem like it.
But her body ached all over, and she felt her pussy was still throbbing. How many times did the man use her last night? She couldn't remember.
Use? A word usually applied to a thing or an object. And that was what she felt. She was a play thing to the man who took her innocence. Although it wasn't Nicholas, what's the difference? They both see her as a toy that they could easily play with and they would throw away once they were sick of her.
She couldn't remember how she was able to get out of the hotel. She wanted to go to the police, but she knew no one would believe her if they found out that she's working in a club.
It's the reality she lived in. A woman like her could be forced to have sex, and no one would ever take her side if she claimed it as rape.
She had nowhere to go but to the club. She needed to tell Mama what happened and asked her about that man.
"You said I'm safe here. Why was I taken last night? You told me you will protect me! Then why? Why? Why!?" She yelled.
"Calm down, Lia." Mama was calmly sitting in the living room with the other girls.
"Calm down? How can I calm down? I don't have anything, but my dignity. And it was taken from me."
She was already hysterical. Her whole body was aching and she felt like she was still bleeding. She was exhausted. Mama tried to calm her down because all she did was cry.
Anger bloomed on her face when she heard the other girls chattering and giggling.
"What's funny? Is this a joke to you?"
One of the girls stood up and smirked. "Do you want to know? It's because you're talking about dignity and yet you agreed to sleep with Nicholas Hudson for five million dollars. Now that your first time was taken by someone else, you're acting like a bitch. Stop it, Lia! You're working in a club, not in an office. If you feel like you were forced, why didn't you go to the police? It's because no one will believe you. I bet you actually enjoyed it."
"What did you say? You slut! Don't compare me to any of you! I am not like you!" She shouted, grabbing the girl by her hair and pushing her on the floor.
The girl flinched from pain when her head hit the table. Mia wasn't finished yet. She sat on top of the girl and started slapping her face, cursing her.
Mama let her hurt the girl because she was frustrated and she needed to let her anger out. After a few minutes, Dylan grabbed her arm to stop her.
"Enough!" Mama yelled.
She couldn't contain her anger and she still wanted to hurt the girl. But when she saw her swollen face, she felt disappointed with herself.
How did she end up like this? She just wanted to be free from her aunt, and live on her own. Then she remembered what Ady told her. Mama gave her time to think, but she was the one who decided to work despite the danger.
Mama promised to protect her, but she didn't promise to keep her safe at all times. There was no one else to blame but herself.
Her mouth tightened with anger. Not with Mama nor with the stranger from last night, but with herself.
"Lia, let's go. I'll take you to your room." It was Ady.
Mia snatched her arm from Dylan, and stepped out of the living room. Ady followed her quietly, and as soon as they walked inside her bedroom, she cried.
"Oh, dear!" Ady exclaimed, patting her head.
"What should I do, Ady? I don't know how to face Nicholas." She sobbed.
She heard her friend sigh. "Look, Lia. I hate to tell you this, but I don't think Nicholas would care about it. He paid for your service and since you failed to serve him, the club has to return the money. You owe the club, not him."
She almost forgot that she meant nothing, but an object of sexual fantasies for men, and also for Nicholas.
"Did you notice anything about that man? Something that you can recognize when you see it." Ady asked.
She nodded. "His face was still blurry, but what I remember is that he has a tattoo on his chest. It was a pair of black wings.