Chapter 001

Bianca's POV

“Blrrrrr!” The loud alarm pierced through the room, jolting me awake. My body protested, stiff and exhausted from a night where sleep finally found me in the late hours. But now, I had to drag myself up for work.

It hadn’t been easy, but a few months ago, I found the courage to return to this city, six years after my mother passed away.

As I stepped into the shower, the cold water shocked me back into memories I wished I could forget. That sunny afternoon… Dad and I were in the living room when a knock at the door shattered our lives. The news of my mother’s death was dropped on us like a bomb.

She was killed in service to the Mafia family she worked for. They handled the burial expenses, like it was just business. As if that would fix anything. They also gave my father the money to pay for my education, like she had always wanted.

Pulling on my jeans and hopping around to shove my feet into my boots, my mind drifted back to that funeral day. I had wandered around the Mafia’s headquarters, searching for something—anything—that would ease the ache in my chest.

Then, I found myself at his door. The strange boy from that night. The one who had claimed I was his. I knocked, but there was no answer. And when I pushed the door open, a naked lady was sprawled across his bed. With more tears blurring my vision, I left.

A few days later, Dad and I returned to collect Mom’s belongings. I ventured back to his room, foolishly hoping for… I don’t even know what. But he was gone. The maid said he had left the country. That was the last I heard of him.

“Rrrnnnnng,” my phone's ring cut through my thoughts. Tessie.

I answered it, grabbing my jacket. “Hey, Tessie,” I said, pinning the phone between my shoulder and ear while I struggled with the zipper.

Tessie's laughter echoed through the speaker. “Guess what?”

“What's so funny, Tessie?” I asked, annoyed as I searched for my hair band under the bed.

“Sorry, just a message from my boyfriend. You wouldn't understand.”

I rolled my eyes, finally finding my hair band. “Oh, save me the details. I’m not in the mood for your fairy tale romance right now.”

“Speaking of fairytales,” Tessie’s tone shifted. “Are you ready for today? You better not be late, B. It’s your first day at Silver Stork. You need to make a good impression.”

“Relax, Tessie. It’s a club, not a Fortune 500 job.”

“It’s not just any club! It’s the biggest one in the city, and after what happened with that douchebag, you need this fresh start.”

I winced at the mention of my ex. It still stung, catching him with another woman two weeks ago—especially after I had emptied my savings to help him out with a deal.

“I have to go,” I muttered, not wanting to relive it. I hung up before Tessie could argue, grabbed my bag, and headed out.

-----

The Silver Stork was no ordinary club. It was high-end, exclusive, dripping in luxury. The thumping music hit me as soon as I stepped through the entrance, the lavish decor almost suffocating. But I had no choice. Bills were due, and time wasn’t on my side.

“Bianca!” The manager I was assigned to called out as I entered the changing room. “You’re on Red Lounge duty tonight.”

I frowned. “The Red Lounge? That wasn’t part of the agreement.”

She shrugged, tossing me a uniform. “It’s the only spot open. Take it or leave it.”

I stared at the uniform in my hands, my stomach churning. The skirt was embarrassingly short, and the top exposed far more than I was comfortable with. It was designed to put me on display, and for someone with curves, it felt downright indecent.

“I can’t do this,” I whispered, sitting on the floor with the uniform crumpled in my lap. The thought of wearing it, parading around in front of the rich and powerful, made me sick. I contemplated sneaking out but the door suddenly opened.

“You’ve got two choices,” she said harshly. “Walk out and quit the job, or put on the uniform and do what you’re told. This isn’t a place to pick roles, Bianca. If you want to stay, I need you in the Red Lounge in twenty minutes.”

She paused at the door, her eyes narrowing. “And let this be the last time you question me.”

The door slammed shut behind her, and I stared at the uniform again. Truly, I had no other options. Rent was due, and all my job applications were met with silence. I needed the money. I couldn’t even afford to walk away.

With a resigned sigh, I slipped into the uniform and glanced at my reflection. The outfit clung in all the wrong ways, highlighting everything I wanted to hide. But I had no choice. I had to do this.

As I walked toward the Red Lounge, the weight of the stares made my skin crawl. Men eyed me like I was something to devour. "Keep going Bianca, you've got this." I mumbled, reminding myself why I was here.

The Red Lounge was reserved for the city’s elite—the Mafia’s top players, the powerful, the untouchable and other figures who craved privacy. I've heard the rumors during training—stories of girls who left the lounge with bruises, with nothing but abuses to show for their efforts.

I hesitated at the door I had been assigned to, my hand trembling as I knocked twice. Then, I pushed it open. My eyes widened as I took in the sight before me.

Scary? Yes. Do I need the money? Yes.

And that was all it took for me to step inside.