CHAPTER 2: WHEN THEIR WORLDS COLLIDED (2)

“I don’t really get it, Soph! I mean, come on! How can you not have a whole ass skincare routine when your skin is always looking like you have the ASG?!”

Sophia laughed at her co-worker slash vanity mirror partner, Jelly, with her nightly schedule of ranting about her skin right before work starts. “I told you so many times already, Jelly, that I don’t have the budget for it. Woman, if I have that much money to spare, why in the hell will I be using them on expensive, non-essential products?” She shook her head, still laughing. “Plus, I wouldn’t argue with that ASG you’re saying because Mr. Aaron Warner is fine as hell and we just finished our date.”

“I don’t know if you’re just too direct to the point, Soph, or you’re already flexing about yourself; but dang, woman, chill!” Jelly laughed too. “And I still don’t get how you incorporate your fictional men into our conversations so easily, seriously! We’re talking about after-sex glow here and you’re talking about a man who you can only picture in your head!”

Jelly was the first person who became her friend here in Soul’s Secret. A woman with her ever-powerful body features, she looks dominating in her almost six-foot frame. Except for the fact that they both need to share the same vanity mirror where they get themselves ready for work, Jelly is a very jolly person who can have anyone she wants to be her friend in an instant. She adored how Jelly likes her personality and how she admires her as a whole. Their personalities really clicked perfectly with one another and the rest is almost history now. She just loves and enjoys this before-work banter they always have.

She then grinned and clasped her choker on. “I keep telling you to read because that’s the only way I can introduce you to my boyfriends.”

Jelly let out an exaggerated surprised look. “Oh, my goodness, Clarissa Angela Sophia! I can never ever fathom how you and the word ‘boyfriends’ go well together in a sentence!” she exclaimed in her fake English accent.

“Oh, my Lady Jaylene, you know I have like fifty of them!” she also exclaimed with her fake English accent, fanning her face with her hand.

They were both laughing as they went out and started their job—it is going to be a long night for the both of them, but at least it started right.

♤ ♤ ♤ ♤ ♤ ♤ ♤ ♤ ♤ ♤

When Sophia started here in Soul’s Secret, the first thing that ever came into her mind was the fact that she was very thankful for her memorization skills. Having excellent memorization skills made half of her job easy and the rest is something she continued to perfect by practicing on her actual job.

Being a hostess in a five-star club that is almost exclusive only to the rich is neither hard nor easy. At least based on her experience, she finds the job rather challenging than anything else. Plus, what she said about no monkey business was guaranteed and there was no safer place than being in a club where almost all the hostesses are treated with much respect as the guests.

Unlike the misconception about hostesses especially at clubs and casinos, their main job description here—and probably her favorite part of all her evenings—is to welcome VIP guests from all around the world. This is where her memorization skills are needed because she needs to know things about her guests and make a conversation out of who they are and how they are for the recent events of their lives.

Never in her life did she ever imagine knowing and meeting these high personalities. Thinking that she is just a simple college student who just wants to be a teacher makes it more impossible to believe.

“Good evening, Nakamura-sama. How was your trip to Singapore?”

Her client, Mr. Nakamura, is one of her first clients during her early weeks working. The Japanese honorific “-sama” is the proper way to address him with high respect. She would constantly be the one to assist his group whenever they come to the club and he already insisted with the management to make her his hostess every time he comes to the club. She appreciated that because he was one of her best clients to accompany.

“Even how many times I come here, I’m still always surprised by your questions.” The older man chuckled. “My trip to Singapore was great and I sent pictures to my wife. She really loved that even though we are at this age. Thank you for suggesting I do that, young Sophia.”

“It’s my pleasure to help, Nakamura-sama. Right this way, gentlemen.” It warmed her heart that he did take on her suggestion. She smiled and led the gentlemen to their private room.

The older man asked her to stay for a while and she did. They conversed more about his trip and his wife while the other gentlemen are busy choosing what they want to have tonight. This is one of the few highlights of her work that she gets to enjoy so much.

Right on the clock of her ten-minute limit, she excused herself and waited for more of her clients.

The structure of Soul’s Secret as a whole club is a little more complex than any other club. Aside from the general club where you can picture people dancing to loud music, the club offers private rooms where their VIP clients often come to. They may or may not have dancers and entertainers. She meant what she said about the club being almost exclusive for the rich because the general club she mentioned? That dance floor is filled with actors, models, and other wealthy personalities.

It is funny how on her first days at work she always got starstruck with anyone she came face to face with. It was one of the hardest parts of her job since she needed to be as professional as she can muster, but also the funniest.

“Sophia!”

She looked to whoever called her name and she almost gasped when she saw Jelly running towards her. They cannot run in the VIP section hallways!

“Soph! Oh, thank goodness!” Jelly was still catching her breath when she grabbed her arms. “You once welcomed a client named Sage Michaels, right?”

Sage Michaels—a businessman who is heavily involved with the Ortega family. The Ortega family is one of the richest in the country and, as far as she remembers, she has only once seen a family member from that clan. That is also the reason why she knows Mr. Michaels. He simply came to fetch the Ortega woman she met.

“Yes, I know him. What happened?” She did not mean to panic, but she can even hear the worry in her voice herself.

“Nothing bad happened, but I terribly need your help.” Jelly took another deep breath before looking at her pleadingly. “You’re more knowledgeable about them than me, so please swap clients with me. I know your list of guests tonight!”

Holy cow—swapping of clients is prohibited, but she cannot let Jelly be in trouble!