Edge of love and hate

Chapter 6

On the way home from the hospital, Olivia's head was spinning. The elevator stopped at her floor, the doors opened, and Olivia stepped out.

Suddenly, she felt herself pinned against the wall by a large body, unable to move. Her head hit the wall with a thud.

"Help!" Olivia was about to scream when a hand covered her mouth.

Olivia gathered her wits. It was Matthew, that familiar yet strange man.

"Tell me, what's really going on between you and Adrian? The hospital nurse saw you two being intimate in his office today. Have you no shame? You're truly shameless!" Matthew said, word by word, his eyes flashing with anger.

Seeing that Olivia had calmed down, he slowly removed his hand, allowing her to speak.

"Whatever is between Adrian and me is none of your business," Olivia retorted.

"He's an illegitimate child. He won't inherit anything.

"Do you think I dated you just to marry into a wealthy family?"

"Is there any other reason? Why else would you go dancing to seduce rich men?"

"I sell my art, not my body!"

"Which prostitute walks around with 'I'm a prostitute' written on her forehead?"

"Watch your words," Olivia stood her ground, her aura not backing down an inch.

"Adrian agreed to operate on your father. What did he ask for in return? Your body?"

"Two million. There's nothing between us."

Matthew scoffed, his attitude softening slightly. Olivia hadn't slept with him in their two years together. If Adrian had gotten her so easily, where would that leave Matt's pride?

"I'll help you repay it."

"What's the condition?" Olivia asked coldly. She knew that in Matt's world, there were only exchanges of interests, not a shred of emotion.

"Be my mistress."

Now it was Olivia's turn to scoff. "I'd rather strip dance or be a free prostitute for other men than be with you!"

"Do you hate me that much?" A flash of disappointment crossed Matt's eyes.

"From the moment you got engaged to Dorothy, our relationship was over. If I had even the slightest feeling left for you, I'd be disrespecting myself. I despise women who degrade themselves!" With that, Olivia shoved Matt away and returned to her room.

Matthew didn't stop her, standing there stunned. After a while, he punched the wall hard, blood trickling down the surface.

Inside her room, Olivia's body softened as she leaned against the wall, slowly crouching down. She was already in tears.

In the evening, Olivia lay in bed after a shower. Her father's surgery had been scheduled, she had earned some money dancing at the club, and with the bank loan, she could barely cover the medical expenses. Reflecting on the events of the past few days, everything felt surreal. But regardless, she had to keep pushing forward tomorrow. It had been a long time since she had slept well, and tonight she wanted to rest early.

Suddenly, her phone rang. It was a bank employee.

"Miss Olivia Williams, the company shares you used as collateral for your loan application have been frozen, and the company has been sealed. Therefore, your loan application cannot be approved."

"What?"

This news struck like a bolt from the blue. Combined with the day's events, Olivia had a sinking feeling about what had happened.

Matthew, you truly are ruthless.

She picked up her phone, initially intending to call Matthew, but after hesitating, she called Justin instead.

"Justin, I need your help."

In the evening, at a café near the club, Justin and Olivia sat across from each other.

Justin was dressed as flamboyantly as ever, his black nail polish gleaming.

"It's not that I won't help you, it's you," Justin paused. "You're too high and mighty. Look at your figure, your looks, your aura. You could get any man you want. You just can't bring yourself to do it."

"Justin, I'm willing to change. Just teach me."

Justin said nothing, took out his phone, opened YouTube, and played a video for Olivia to watch.

"What? Do I have to dance nearly naked like that?" Olivia's face turned bright red.

"What did you just say? Who said they were willing to change? Your father is lying in a hospital bed in urgent need of money."

"Alright, I'll do it," Olivia nodded, as if having made up her mind.

"That good friend of yours who sent the flower basket, she's a gossip magazine reporter, right? Get her to write some news articles to promote you."

Olivia did as told.

Soon after, Zoe called. "Are you crazy, Olivia? How can you dance like that? I can't help you ruin your reputation."

Her voice was so loud that Justin, sitting across the table, could hear. He lowered his head, pretending not to hear as he admired his manicure.

"Zoe, I really have no choice. Matthew has frozen all my family's shares, and the bank won't approve the loan. Please help me."

Zoe hesitated for a moment, sighed, and finally agreed.

Before the performance, Zoe indeed placed an advertisement on New York's best-selling gossip magazine website, claiming how successful the last performance was and how this one would be even more explosive.

With a slam, Matthew threw the magazine he was holding onto his desk. "Told you, she is a prostitute, yet she claims she sells art, not her body." He then kissed the young prostitute in his arms. The girl had just turned 18, the perfect age. But hearing the word 'prostitute,' she still felt a bit uncomfortable.

Matthew noticed but didn't care, focused only on his own pleasure.

The performance tickets sold out quickly. Justin grinned from ear to ear, his eyes gleaming with dollar signs as he saw the "sold out" message on the backend program.

On the day of the performance, Olivia put on her costume and stood backstage. Under the pink sequined feather dress, she wore only pasties and a ribbon that could barely be called underwear.

If the last performance still had some artistic elements, this nearly naked performance was undoubtedly erotic. But for her father, she had no choice. Even so, she refused to go back to Matt, the man who had ruined her life. His face flashed before her eyes, sometimes tender and gentle, sometimes wild and sexy, sometimes cold and cruel. That hint of loss and desolation in his eyes when she rejected him at her doorstep, was it genuine?

Which is the real you? I no longer want to think about it. I no longer have the ability to think about it.

The cue light came on, and backstage fell silent. Olivia took her starting position, a smile on her face.

The curtain rose, and the audience fell silent.

Olivia froze. In the vast club auditorium sat only one person. Dressed in an elegant red suit, he sat in the center of the front row. The light fell on him, half bright, half shadow, his nose prominent, his eyes hidden in darkness. He slowly stood up from his seat, like a knight, tall and imposing.

It was Adrian!

Olivia was stunned, not even noticing that the music had started.

Adrian slowly raised his hand, his fingers adorned with a Chrome Hearts ring, holding two silver notes. Each for one million dollars.

These hands had once held a scalpel to save Olivia's father. Now, they were here to save her once again.