Chapter 1 1- The Bargain

The sharp and sudden noise like a crack of thunder catches everyone's attention as the bottle hits the floor and shatters into pieces followed by the casino chips falling around her feet. Evelyn had her face turned the other way, almost shaking from the client's sudden anger.

"You little bitch!" he screamed, almost deafening her as he began raining curses. He grabbed her arm too, pulling her closer into his body that was bathed strongly of heavy perfume. By now, the whole Casino had turned silent and every eye was on the two.

Evelyn gasped in shock with her heart hammering in her chest. She yanked her hand from his grip at once with a frightened but annoyed look on her face. His touch was like a million maggots crawling up her skin.

The man scowled even further and she knew at once she had landed herself in even bigger trouble. Not one of her colleagues stepped in to help. Instead, they watched her like she was their entertainment for the night. It was a cruel world where no one cared to interfere in anyone's unfair situation.

"Where is the fucking manager?" the man sneered and barked. "I'm a fucking regular here and this bitch thinks she's some big shot!"

All his yelling was just for one thing; Evelyn had knocked down his hand when he tried to reach for her thigh. She didn't even know what to blame anymore. Could she blame the Casino for providing their female staff with such short and provokingly sexy outfits? But that would only mean she was giving an excuse for the man's terrible attitude.

Even if she was dressed in such clothing, that didn't give him the right to touch her body like it belonged to him! Evelyn's annoyance was beyond her limit. She was this close to tears now with her fists clenched by her side.

Her face stung from his earlier slap and she bit hard on the inside of her mouth, glaring at him with intentions to kill. This wasn't her first time being harassed by a customer. She went through tons of harassment everyday but somehow, she escaped them all. She was just unfortunate today that this man wouldn’t let her go.

"What is going on here?" Mark, the manager rushed in and quickly assessed the situation. "Please, everyone, continue having fun, I'll deal with this," he laughed nervously, trying to make light of the situation but Evelyn could already feel the impending doom.

"You!" Mark barked, causing Evelyn to flinch, before she could even turn to her boss, her hair was pulled from behind and her face was shoved down causing her to bow before the arrogant prick who had hit her.

"Apologise this instant!" Mark ordered. "I knew your presence here was trouble! You've cost me so much already! Apologise!"

Tears leaked from her eyes as she was in an awkward and unfair position! She knew her boss was a terrible man but this was just too much! He didn’t even listen to her side of the story, he just concluded it was her fault.

"I'm really sorry for her attitude, sir," Mark said, trying to clear the thick air and get back into business. "Let me make it up to you with some wine-"

"I have enough money for wine," the client growled. "I'll take my money elsewhere and never come back here! That bitch had some nerve-"

"P-Please, allow me to calm you down. Let me make it up to you, hmm? You've been a loyal customer for months now. I'm sure we can find some mutual grounds-"

"Her," he smirked. "Give me that bitch for a night and I'll let it go."

Evelyn's jaw dropped in shock and she tried to lift her head. She was shoved down again by Mark who gripped her hair tighter this time.

Now he was asking for her body as compensation? Why you-

"Let me handle that, please. You'll have your request," Mark replied with a smile to her horror. "Just one moment, sir." he suddenly began pulling her away. "E-Everyone, get back to work please. Have fun, make some bets and strike odds! We're here for a beautiful night! I'll just go throw the trash out, ha-ha.”

He pulled her across the room while she winced and struggled against his tight hold. He kicked open a door and soon, he was throwing her out. Evelyn lost her balance and fell hard on the floor with her ass as she blinked up at her boss with tears in her eyes as she waited for him to decide her fate; was she fired or-

Mark ran his fingers through his hair, cursed a little before he placed his hands on his waist and stepped closer to her.

"Prepare yourself, you're fucking him-"

"What!" she gaped at him in horror before shaking her head. "N-No, I can't… I can't do that-"

"Hey, bitch! You'll not ruin my Casino, you hear me?" he barked, pointing a warning index finger her way and drawing the attention of passersby. She saw the fearsome seriousness in his eyes and she knew there was no use talking her way out of this.

"I quit."

At her small voice, Mark's eyes widened. He was too stunned to speak for a while but when he chuckled, Evelyn felt threatened.

"You have some fucking guts," Mark mumbled as he took out his phone and pressed some keys. "I won't let you put me out of business- Hello- yes, yes, it's me. Listen, there's been some issue and-"

She picked herself up on her feet as she listened to him narrate that she chose to resign that sleep with some client. She was wondering who he was giving such details to when Mark put the phone on loudspeaker.

"Really?" The shocked voice of the woman crashed into Evelyn like a roaring thunder that she froze with wide eyes and a hanging jaw. "She wouldn't dare to do that, would you, Evelyn dear?"

She recognized the voice of her stepmother any day and her heart began to drum in her chest. She lowered her head, biting her lips as she knew what was coming next.

"Well if you do that, I'd have to resign too," Diana chuckled over the phone. "I'll have to resign from burning my money paying for that brat's treatment!" Her yell was harsh and her voice was so cold that it stabbed Evelyn in the heart.

"Well, what's it going to be, princess?" Diana mocked, holding Evelyn by the balls already. She knew that was the only leverage she had over the girl.

That, right there! That name behind the 'brat' was her reason to go through each day and also the tool that kept her bonded to her step mother. The 'brat' she referred to was Evelyn's nephew- Peter- who suffered from leukaemia. She only accepted to work in this unlicensed Casino two months ago at Diana's request because it was the 'only way' they could raise money for his treatment.

She couldn't let her last surviving blood die because of some morals and dignity. What kind of aunt would that make her? Her dead sister would hate her for life-- after everything Jessica did for her when she was still alive. It would be a shame if she couldn't look out for her only son in her absence.

"F-Fine," she said and squeezed her eyes shut. "I'll do it."

***

"Haa, haa, haa,"

Evelyn's pants were heavy as she tried to fight the fever that welled up from inside her, threatening to consume her whole. Her body was hot and her centre was throbbing like never before. Her nipples had rolled into tight buds and everywhere begged to be touched.

In the dim corridor with red lights, someone grabbed her waist, the evil chuckle hot against her ear.

No. She didn't want this. That smelly man! She didn't want him!

"L-Let go of me," she struggled in his hold. She needed to get to Jackson- her boyfriend. She finally opened her eyes but her vision was hazy-- was it that drink Mark gave her? He spiked it, didn't he?

There was a door right before her and she squinted her eyes. What did it say? The wordings looked too long to be the 'exit'.

"Stay still," the man growled behind her and started to pull her away. "That's the presidential suite. Our room is right-"

She elbowed him with all her strength that he yelped and let go of her. Panic set in her heart as she ran to the exit room right in front of her. She grabbed the door handle and was about to push it open when it was suddenly yanked open.

Evelyn lost her footing and fell face first into a hard brick!

She squeezed her eyes shut for the impact but instead of the cold floor, all she felt was warmth. The arm around her shoulder held her tight and the beating heart drummed against her ears. This wall was alive and with its arms around her, she felt the ease like it was good for her sudden fever.

Unable to pull herself away, she instead, wrapped her arms around it too and snuggled closer, rubbing her face against the soft and tickling hairs over the beating heart.

What kind of wall was warm and smelled so sweet, enough to keep her temperature cool? She just couldn't let go.

**

That place… was throbbing as Evelyn walked home feeling a little stiff. Her cheeks were flushed as memories flashed in and out of her head. She kept her eyes down because whenever she looked up, she could still remember what he looked like as he was on top of her.

Handsome.

His piercing eyes stared into hers all the time like he didn’t want to look away and she too, couldn't. That… wasn't the man who said he wanted to sleep with her.

Evelyn chewed on her nails as she approached home. Was he a different one then? Was that Mark's scheme all along?

She rubbed her hand on her neck like she could almost feel his hands there and when her cheeks heated, she quickly snapped back into control wearing a frown.

This wasn't the time to blush! She just sold herself and even worse, cheated on her boyfriend! How could she face Jackson after that? Oh wait, he cheated on her.

"It's not like I did it because I wanted to," she said. "Peter's life was on the line," she couldn't deny him the right to live. She owed him that much… as well as herself-

"There you are, you little whore," Diana says as soon as Evelyn steps into the house. She was standing in the living room with her daughter, Olivia who folded her arms , staring at Evelyn with a teasing face.

"You smell like you've been fucking all night!" Diana barked. "Where were you, huh? You ran away and fucked cheap old men, didn't you!"

Evelyn frowned a little. Wasn't she the one who threatened her to give herself to that Casino guest?

Her reply was cut short when Diana was suddenly in front of her and ripped her shirt apart. Evelyn jerked in shock, and wrapped her arms around herself while her step mother assessed her body with darting eyes.

"J-Just look at you!" Diana mocked with annoyance. "Giving yourself to wild beasts for free and abandoning the Casino men! Mark was furious and because of you, he lashed out on me!"

"What are you talking about?" Evelyn wandered. The only reason she had so much love mark was because of that man-

"Mark fired you and says he never wants to see you again-"

"No, he can't do that! But I did as he asked-" She tried to explain

"Shut up, you lying bitch!" Diana screamed at the top of her lungs. "You're so wicked. Now you're trying to put me in debt, aren't you? How am I supposed to pay for that brat’s treatment now?"

No, she couldn’t have been fired. She spent the night with that man. She slept with him. Why was this… why was everything so unfair?

Without the money from the Casino, she was right, where else would they find money for his treatment?

She would… lose him? The only family she truly ever had. He was going to-

She suddenly dropped to her knees, "Please don't let him die." she begged with tears in her eyes. "Please, please, he's family. He's our family-"

"Our?" Diana almost chuckled. "You should've thought about that before spreading your legs for free!"

She didn't see the need to defend herself anymore, she could only beg and continue to beg before the look on her step-mother's face eased up a little.

"Well… you're right. He's family," Diana admitted and threw her face away. "That's why, your sister has decided to be kind to you."

Putting 'sister' and 'kind' in the same sentence didn't sound right but whatever it was, Evelyn was prepared to listen.

"She'll let you marry in her steed."

Her face froze in shock. "What? Do you mean-"

"Yes, Evelyn," Diana smiled brightly with glint in her eyes. "You'll be marrying… him.”