2: Preparing Lara

Lara stepped out of the bathroom, done bathing, and walked into the room, where Janet was already dressed in a skimpy pink gown that, if she bent, you could clearly see her buttọcks from behind.

“Are you going out this night?” Lara asked.

“Yes. Or what does it look like I want to do, sleep?” Janet responded.

Janet laughed, but Lara frowned and slowly walked to the exquisite bed and sat on it, admiring the silk bedspread as she relaxed on it.

“That's your dress on the bed,” Janet said. “Madam asked me to lend you some of my clothes, as you will be going out with me tonight.”

“Going out to where? I'm not going anywhere with you,” Lara frowned.

Janet ignored Lara and stood by the wall mirror in her room, applying her makeup.

“I don't have time to argue with you, Lara. And honestly, you nag a lot,” she said, frowning.

“You caused all this,” Lara replied. “Even though I'm in the village and drinking garri, it is still better than me coming here with you to the city and doing nonsense here.”

Madam Alora walked to Janet's door and knocked, then pushed it open and walked into the room. She saw Lara seated on the bed while Janet was already dressed up in the short pink gown. She shifted her gaze to Lara and asked, “Why are you still seated on the bed? Stand up now and dress up quickly.”

Lara frowned as she stood up and walked toward her tattered travelling bag. She opened the zip while Madam Alora stood staring at her.

Madam Alora watched as Lara brought out a torn brown pant, and she gasped. “What's the meaning of that nonsense?!”

Lara shuddered in fright, stared back at Madam Alora, and asked, “Is it me? My pant?”

“Yes, you and your pant!” Madam Alora replied. “You cannot wear that torn pant and bra to go out. Jeez! You're going out with a well‑prominent billionaire, and not some cheap local village client. Janet!”

“Yes, madam,” Janet responded.

“Give Lara one of your pants, and ensure you buy new clothes and pants for her tomorrow,” Madam Alora said.

“Okay, madam,” Janet replied.

Lara frowned and watched as Janet walked to her wardrobe and pulled the door open. Janet brought out a red pant that looked too transparent and tiny.

“What's this? I cannot wear this nonsense,” Lara gasped, frowning.

Madam Alora stared at Lara in disbelief. She knew she had a lot of brush‑up to do for Lara; even though Lara looked cute, her locality was still too much.

“Shut your stinking mouth and put it on!” Madam Alora yelled. “Did you even brush that gutter of your mouth before uttering such nonsense? Look at the kind of pant you want to wear to meet my client.”

Madam Alora walked toward the bed and picked up the torn pant Lara had brought out with only two of her right fingers. She raised it up and spoke.

“Look at the pant you want to wear and go out. Jeez! It even has holes, and it has been sewn in several places. I cannot believe a young beautiful lady like you will be comfortable wearing this nonsense you call a pant. Hmm!”

Madam Alora sniffed the pant and threw it to the floor. Then she picked up the red g-string pant Janet had brought out and raised it up.

“Look at the kind of pant that beautiful ladies like you are supposed to be wearing,” Madam Alora said. “Classic pant that will bring out your sexy, curvy shape, and not some local, stinking, dirty pant.”

Lara frowned; she didn't like the beautiful red pant in Madam Alora's hand, and she replied, “What's anyone's business with my pant? Is it not under my clothes that I will wear it?”

“Enough! Now put this on,” Madam Alora replied.

Lara frowned as she collected the new pant from Madam Alora's hand. She turned around and wore it, but the pant hugged tightly to her buttọcks and brought out her buttocks’ shape, making them shoot out at the back, and it didn't even cover her properly.

“Now this is what we call pant,” Madam Alora said. “Janet, let me see the gown you've brought out for Lara. Will she be needing any bra with it?”

Janet walked toward the bed and picked up the short red sexy gown she had selected for Lara to wear, and she handed it over to Madam Alora.

“Perfect! Now put this on, as you don't need to wear that torn bra either,” Madam Alora said.

Lara's frown deepened. She couldn't understand why she had to dress so hot if she was going out to meet a client, and she refused to accept the red gown or put it on.

“Are you wearing it or not?” Madam Alora asked. “Or do you want me to call Jack? I think you saw my guards at the gate. I will just throw you outside now, and you can find your way back to your village this night. I don't care.”

Lara frowned and collected the red gown from Madam Alora's hand and wore it.

Lara was sad, and she had no other option than to put on the red gown. She slowly cursed Janet in her mind as she wore it, and the gown hugged tightly to her body and pushed up her boobs.

“Perfect! Now you're good to go,” Madam Alora said. “Go and brush your teeth and ensure you brush them appropriately, so you don't irritate my client with mouth odour. Janet, once you ladies are through, please step out and meet me for dinner before you leave. You both are going to Billionaire Mike Ernest's new house. I've already contacted him and told him about Lara, so you should take her along and ensure to bring her back safely.”

“Okay, madam. But why didn't Mike send his car?” Janet responded.

“You know Mike,” Madam Alora said. “He has refused you all and only receives massage. I guess you know what I mean. He will like Lara, and her payment will be triple.”

“Okay, ma,” Janet responded.

Janet stared back at Lara as soon as Madam Alora left the room. She saw Lara sobbing again and walked up to her.

“I'm sorry,” she said.

“Don't you dare touch me!” Lara responded. “So you want to take me out to a man's house, and yet you cannot lend me money to go back to the village?”

“Look, Lara, he's not just any guy,” Janet frowned and spoke. “He is a billionaire, and the owner of Ernest Hotel and Suites Luxury. His hotel is one of the biggest here in the state, and he has other entertainment houses. If you see him, you will like him, as he's a god on earth—handsome, dark‑skinned, every lady's dream man. Oh my…”

“Shut up, Janet! I hate you!” Lara yelled. “And you cease being my friend from today onwards. God! I cannot breathe in this tight red dress.”

“I'm sorry,” Janet apologised.

“Just leave me alone,” Lara responded. “But where's the brush and toothpaste, since your madam said that I should brush my teeth? I wonder if I'm going to be close to the client for him to smell my mouth first before he speaks to me,” she frowned.

Janet smiled and walked to the bathroom to bring out a clean white new brush. She put some paste on it and called Lara to have it.

“Lara, here it is. Be quick,” Janet said.

Lara walked to the bathroom and snatched the toothbrush from Janet's hand angrily, and she started brushing her sparkling white teeth.

Lara had a natural set of glowing white teeth, whether she brushed or not, and yet Madam Alora had insulted her, claiming that she had mouth odour.

Lara frowned and felt like dealing with Madam Alora whenever she got her freedom, as she wouldn't be used to make money from men.

Through with brushing her teeth, Lara walked back into the room and didn't see Janet there.

Lara sighed and reflected on her life as she walked to the wide wall mirror in the room to stare at her beautiful white reflection.

Lara was beautiful, and everything a man would want in a woman. She blamed her mother for their suffering, for accepting to marry an older man, as it wasn't like her mother was forced to marry her father.

Her mother knew that her father had a wife and three kids, and yet she fell for him and had an illicit affair with him that resulted in her mother's family chasing her away for choosing an older man. Whereas a lot of eligible young men were coming for her mother's hand in marriage then, when her mother was still younger and sparkling beautiful like Lara. Yet, her mother rejected them all for an older man.

Lara wondered what her mother saw in her father that made her marry a poor older man.

She was beautiful, but she affirmed to herself not to have anything to do with any guy asking her out to be his girlfriend until she came of age and ripened for marriage.

Even as she became a young adult, Lara hadn't taken any relationship seriously, as she only wanted an eligible bachelor to come for her hand in marriage, rather than a mere relationship.

But because of her mother's viral story in their village, some village women didn't want their sons to marry her, as they feared she might turn out like her mother someday, thereby dumping their son for an older man too.