Today had been nonstop. Ayana had attended two classes in the morning, then worked at D'more Café from 1 PM to 7 PM.
As she arrived back at the apartment, Danni opened her door.
"You're just getting back now? Even if our job starts at night, you need to show up a bit early, rookie."
Ayana gave a silent nod and went to her room.
It had been three days since she said yes to working with Danni. But only tonight did her schedule finally allow it. She'd been working night shifts until midnight until today.
There had been moments she'd wanted to change her mind. But every call from home crushed her hesitation.
"Your dad's condition is getting worse. He might need to stay at the hospital longer. Poor man… he's suffering and there's no one to care for him. I'm still looking after your sister," her mother had said.
"Ayana, I stayed with Dad at the hospital yesterday. When Mom came in, she looked so pale. I'm worried she'll get sick too. But I also have work and I have to watch the twins. You know I'm only a contract worker—if I take too many days off, I'll be replaced," her sister-in-law had said.
Ayana stepped out of her room freshly showered, wearing light makeup borrowed from Danni. The black dress hugging her body was Danni's as well.
Danni was shorter than Ayana. The already short dress looked even shorter on her. She felt incredibly uncomfortable—cold, exposed. Her shoulders and collarbones bare to the night air.
The neckline wasn't low, just a straight cut. But the dress still showed everything else—her full chest, narrow waist, and perfectly rounded hips.
"Wow," Danni said with a low whistle. "No guy's gonna say no to that."
...
Ayana and Danni took an online taxi to the bar. On the way, Danni lent her a cardigan to cover up Ayana's figure, making sure their appearance didn't attract too much attention before they arrived.
They reached the bar at around 9:30 PM. The place was already lively. Not everyone came here to meet women—some were just there to drink, unwind, and forget their day.
Danni guided Ayana to the back room. Along the way, a few people glanced at her—some subtle, some not so subtle. Ayana ignored them all.
They stepped into a private room where several other women dressed in revealing dresses, similar to what Danni and Ayana were wearing, were already gathered.
All eyes immediately turned toward them.
"Who's the pretty one?"
"New flower, huh?"
"She looks like she could be the next rising star."
Danni winked playfully at the girls before walking straight to a middle-aged woman seated on a sofa. Ayana followed closely behind.
"Madam, this is the new girl I told you about," Danni said to the woman, whose fingers were weighed down by golden rings.
Madam turned to Ayana. "Take off your cardigan."
Ayana obeyed, like a little girl doing as she was told.
"Oh wow. Where did you find this gem, Danni?"
The woman—whom everyone simply called Madam—looked stunned by Ayana's beauty, her flawless skin, and naturally alluring curves.
"You're hosting in the VIP room tonight, right? Take her with you."
Danni nodded without hesitation. After working here for a long time, she had her own regular clients. She didn't need to entertain random guests anymore.
But her savings had dried up after splurging on a designer bag. Her usual patrons weren't offering extra cash lately.
So tonight, Danni returned to working the VIP room—a private area where the "flowers," as they called themselves, entertained high-paying guests.
"Oh right," Danni asked casually, "What should her name be, Madam?"
"Her full name's Ayana Violeta, right? Just go with Violet. Like the flower."
Here, all the girls used flower names—an alias for work.
"From now on, you're Violet," Danni told her. "I'm Daisy. So don't call me Danni in here."
Ayana nodded.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Madam, Danni led her out of the room. They climbed to the second floor and stood in front of one of the VIP lounges.
"Violet, don't forget to smile, okay?"
Ayana stood frozen for a second, then realized she was Violet now—and nodded.
They stepped inside.
The smell of alcohol filled the air. The dim lighting made Ayana squint, her eyes adjusting slowly until the scene before her came into view.
Several men of varying ages sat on a semicircular sofa surrounding a long table, cluttered with drinks.
Danni nudged Ayana toward one side, next to a younger man. She herself walked to the other side, settling beside an older gentleman.
Just before Ayana could sit, a sharp voice interrupted.
"You—girl in the black dress! Come here."
Ayana looked up.
A man in a half-unbuttoned grey shirt stared straight at her. He looked to be in his late thirties, with a sharp jawline, well-defined nose, and piercing eyes.
"Move. Now."
The younger man beside Ayana gently pushed her forward toward him. The others cleared a path.
Ayana took a seat beside the man. Beyond the smell of whiskey, she could detect something else—a masculine scent that clung to him like a second skin.
He wrapped an arm around her waist. His hand squeezed gently, sending tension up her spine.
Sometimes he squeezed. Sometimes he caressed. Ayana sat frozen, her body rigid with discomfort.
Around them, the men resumed their conversations, as if Ayana and Danni's arrival had been nothing more than a passing moment.
Ayana's eyes drifted toward Danni, who was leaning against an older man at the far end of the couch. The man had one arm slung over Danni's shoulder, his hand casually groping her chest from time to time. His other hand caressed her thigh, which was slightly lifted by the way she sat.
Reflexively, Ayana looked down at her own exposed thighs. She tugged her dress downward, trying to cover even a little of her pale skin, but the fabric refused to cooperate.
In the middle of her internal struggle, she heard a whisper beside her. "Don't make it too obvious you're new."
...