Anger and indignation

The mayor beams with satisfaction at her agreement. He can see the discomfort in her expression, but he doesn't care. He has gotten what he wants, and that's all that matters.

"You won't regret this, my dear," he says, finally removing his hand from her arm. "This party will be the highlight of the year, and I'm sure you will be the center of attention. I'll have my assistant contact you with the details."

Iris nods weakly, trying to keep up a facade of composure. She can feel the weight of her decision bearing down on her, but she tries to keep her emotions in check. The mayor gives her one last smile before turning and walking away, leaving her standing alone and uncertain of what she has just agreed to.

As the mayor walks away, Iris remains standing there, feeling a tangle of emotions - fear, anxiety, unease. She wonders if she made the right decision, and what consequences may come from it. She knows she should be excited about the opportunity to perform in front of such influential people, but she can't shake the feeling that she has gotten herself into something beyond her control.

As Iris leaves the room, she can feel several pairs of eyes following her. The men in the room are watching her with a mixture of interest and desire. Some of them wolf-whistle and call out to her as she passes, making lewd remarks about her body and her singing. She does her best to ignore them, keeping her head held high and her steps steady.

As Iris makes her way down the hallway, she can feel her skin crawling. The men's gazes feel like a physical touch, their words like a slimy coating on her skin. She resists the urge to run, to bolt out of there and never look back. She knows that if she shows any weakness, they will swarm her like a pack of hungry wolves.

Finally, she reaches the exit. As she pushes through the doors and leaves the building, she can feel a weight lift off her shoulders. The fresh air is like a balm, washing away the lingering sensations of the men's gaze and words. She takes a deep breath and starts walking, trying to put as much distance as possible between herself and that room full of lecherous men.

As Iris walks, her mind is racing. She can't stop thinking about the scene that just transpired in that room. The way the men looked at her, the way they spoke to her, the way they made her feel. She knows that she is no stranger to attention and admiration, but this felt different. It felt like they saw her not as a singer or an artist, but as a piece of meat to be ogled and consumed.

As she continues to walk, her mind replays the scene again and again, like a broken record. She can still hear the catcalls and lewd remarks in her ears, feel the heavy weight of their gazes on her skin. She tries to shake off the discomfort, but it feels like it's sticking to her like a thick, sticky tar.

As Iris continues to walk, she starts to feel a sense of anger and indignation welling up inside her. How dare they treat her that way, like an object to be leered at and lusted after? She is a talented singer, a hard-working artist. She deserves to be respected and appreciated for her skills and her craft, not objectified and dehumanized by a pack of lecherous pigs.

Iris clenches her fists as she walks, the anger and indignation building within her. She feels a sudden urge to march back into that room and tell those men off, to give them a piece of her mind. But she knows that would only make things worse. She knows that the best course of action is to just keep walking, to get as far away as possible from those despicable men and their toxic mentality.

As Iris walks, she can feel her anger gradually cooling into a steely resolve. She knows that she can't let those men and their behavior overshadow her career. She has worked too hard and sacrificed too much to let a few lecherous pigs bring her down. She takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders, determination lighting in her eyes. No matter what happens at that party, she will not let those men break her spirit or diminish her talent.

As she continues walking, the anger and determination begin to give way to a sense of weary resignation. She knows that she has been in this situation before, that it comes with the territory of being a female artist in a male-dominated industry. She has learned to deal with unwanted attention and inappropriate behavior, to brush it off and keep going, but it still takes a toll on her. She sighs and keeps walking, wondering if there will ever be a time when she can just sing and shine without having to deal with this kind of nonsense.

The more she walks, the more her thoughts swirl and churn. She starts to think about the double standard that exists in the industry, the way male artists are lauded and praised while female artists are often objectified and judged by their looks. She feels a pang of bitterness and unfairness at the realization that she has to work twice as hard to be taken seriously, to be seen as more than just a pretty face.

She thinks about the countless female artists who have come before her, who have faced similar challenges and obstacles. She feels a sense of solidarity and sisterhood with them, a common understanding of the struggles and sacrifices they have gone through. She feels a renewed sense of strength and determination, a determination to keep pushing forward and carving out a space of her own in this male-dominated industry.

As she continues walking, her mind drifts to the thought of the party she has agreed to perform at. She wonders what awaits her there, what kind of people she will meet, what kind of atmosphere she will encounter. She feels a mix of anxiety and excitement at the thought, a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.

Iris flags down a taxi and hops in, her mind still swirling with thoughts and emotions. She gives the driver her address and settles back into the seat, closing her eyes for a moment to try to clear her head. The taxi drives through the city streets, the traffic and the noise filtering in through the window. She can feel the tension and stress of the day slowly starting to leave her body as the taxi brings her closer to home.