Chapter 1- THE COURTESAN
"One more bottle of Don Julio 1942 Tequila again, Mr. Las Conia?"
Kendrick Zyler Las Conia lit his cigarette and blew the smoke out from his mouth. But he didn't answer the manager's flirty question. Instead, he took the last shot of his tequila glass on the glass table in front of him. He was sitting comfortably on a leather couch in one of the VIP rooms of a courtesan haven at that moment, looking for a courtesan that best fits his high standards. He's gonna need one perfect courtesan before Monday comes.. Desperately.
"So? Which of my girls passed your high standards, Mr. Las Conia?" The manager asked again with a sweet, confident smile.
So he smoked up his cigar and darted his deep, alluring gaze again at the women standing elegantly and seductively in front of him, wearing elegant clothes with their makeup on and with a poise of an educated woman. Yet no one still captured his attention.
"No one," he answered coldly and followed it with one tequila shot.
And by that, the manager eventually looks shocked while looking at his face. But it was just for a moment, because her sweet, seductive smile showed up again and tailed it with a sexy giggle. "So the rumours are true. The youngest billionaire businessman Kendrick Zyler Las Conia, who has it all in the world, drop-dead gorgeousness and echoing wealth.. Is really grumpy and a picky bachelor of all times. Now tell me.. What are your types for a courtesan then, Mr. Las Conia?"
His type? He sighed and closed his eyes tightly then leaned his full weight on the back of that black leather couch he was sitting and released out a deep, frustrated breath. It's been a week since he's like that, drowning himself in liquor after work, just to forget the pain his ex fiancé and his own brother caused her. That woman.. That he thought was the most perfect future that he would share his lifetime with someday.. And his own brother, who he thought was just taking good care of her and just checking up on her when he's out of the country for business matters, betrayed him brutally. Because he saw it in his own eyes.. And in his ex fiancé's condo that he bought just for the latter. The snakes. And to add his pain and madness, unexpectedly too, he just got a call from his mom just the other day that Sarafina was already one week pregnant, and that the two were planning to get married soon by Monday next week. And because of that, out of excruciating and agonising pain and anger.. He only has one thing in mind for the snakes in his life.. He's going to destroy that wedding and not just the wedding, but the snake's marriage. Whatever happens.. And whatever it takes. And in order for that to happen, he must hire a woman who's prettier than his ex to make the latter feel insecure, way smarter than his ex so that everything goes as planned without flaws, can act decently in front of everyone but can do dirty work too if needed. And that dirty work made him grin meaningfully and evilly. For that dirty work that he was thinking for about a week now is not for him.. But for his brother Zian. But the question is, can he possibly find a woman with those three aspects in that place before that unacceptable wedding happens?
He stared into the woman's face again and slowly took out his wallet from his pocket and picked out a small picture from it, put it on the table enough for her to see and said, "One million pesos for you, Miss Mela Tuazon. Just find me a perfect courtesan who's more stunningly beautiful than that woman, smart enough, can act decently in front of many people.. and game for everything I demand.. Do that secretly because if someone knows about me looking for a courtesan,
your one million pesos will instantly vanish into thin air."
The manager just chuckled at him sexily and said, "Oh I wouldn't do that because all I want is your money and your money alone, Mr. Las Conia," she sexily said with a chuckle and seriously smoked up her cigar then slowly picked up the picture from the glass table and blew a smoke to it. Then said, "More stunningly beautiful than this b***h, smart enough, can act decently in front of many people and most of all.. Game for everything you demand," the manager said and grinned wickedly at him. Then after a second, she confidently continued, "Easy pissy. So prepare your money already, Mr. Las Conia.. For I already have a prospect for that but I still need to convince her to do that job for you. So when's the deadline for that by the way?"
By hearing that, Zyler's lips immediately twitched upward and said.. "By Monday. And tell her.. That a one million dollar cash.. Is already waiting for her."
"W-What?" Anna reacted and gulped hard at what Mela just said that Sunday morning.
"You heard me right, dear. There's this one customer in our club who urgently needs a fresh and new courtesan like you who best fits for the job. And don't worry, dear, this customer that I'm talking about is a one hell of a young billionaire businessman, a bachelor and a real hottie hunk. So what do you think?"
She gulped again. A billionaire? A businessman? A hottie hunk? God! She didn't care! That job for her is doesn't fit her at all. She doesn't like that job. Jesus. "S-Sorry, Mela.. B-But I'm afraid I can't accept your offer," Anna said while her eyes flickering nervously and shyly at her neighbour in front of her at that moment.
"Oh but this is a big offer, dear.. It can help you a lot. From your daily needs here and from your needs at school. So think of it, it's limited and it's hugely helpful for everything you need everyday, darling. After all, being this wealthy man's courtesan is a total jackpot," Mela said so sweetly and smiled at her meaningfully with a wink while softly chewing her bubble gum in a classy way.
Anna swallowed hard. Not because of Mela's actions, but because of what the latter offered to her. She felt disrespected actually. She thought to herself that was she that low to even deserve and receive that kind of offer from her prostitute neighbor from that squatter area they were living in? She's sad. Utterly. But as usual, she kept that to herself still. Then she sighed and forced a smile on her lips and finally spoke up softly.
"I'm.. I'm really sorry again, Mela. But I really can't accept your offer. A-And besides I'm still studying currently, working part time at a fast food chain and lastly, I already have a boyfriend and I don't want him to think bad about me. Y-You get my point so well right?"
"I don't, actually. Because, dear.. I'm just trying to help you here. As you can see, you're already an orphan. And that part time job of yours with just a single penny for a salary is totally not enough to provide your needs at home and your needs for your studies.. Being a nursing student needs a lot of money, dear. So you're going to stress yourself too much. And we both know and all the people living here in this squatter area that your boyfriend can't help you with that, financially and emotionally. Because we all know that your boyfriend is a total troublesome orphan guy right?" Mela said sweetly again but with a deep meaning that made her gulp secretly.
She looked away. "H-He's not like that Mel," she said and cleared her throat. Even if what Mela said was true. Ryan is indeed a very troublesome guy. But as long as their feelings are mutual, she always finds a reason to stay. And yes she would stay, even if he gave her a headache for getting into trouble sometimes. She loves him so much.. And because she loves Ryan dearly, she blinds herself with his flaws and just accepted him wholeheartedly.
Mela chuckled amusingly and blew the smoke from her mouth then puffed it on their wooden floor. "Oh you can hide his flaws every time, dear.. But you can never hide the fact that you need this once in a lifetime offer of mine for your own good if you really want to graduate without stress and be a future nurse real soon in the future."
"I'm.. I'm sorry again, Mel. But I really can't accept your offer. I don't need that."
Mela shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "Oh just think about it for two days, dear. This is a limited offer. But a big time one. So think a hundred times again before two day will end, because after all.. A million dollar cheque is teasingly waving at you now. That's how much you are for him."
She gulped hard while something thud her heart due to what the nightclub manager just said. A million dollar cheque was only her worth? How very disrespectful. She's priceless. No amount of money can ever buy her dignity. So she was quite firm that she would never need that job ever in her life. Ever! She's an old school. And her late parents raised her well and have put it in her mind before that she must be decent all the time.. And that decency includes the job that she's going to enter even if it is hard. She's not against courtesans or prostitute or even hostess. But she really doesn't like that kind of job. Because what would her late parents think? What would her neighbours in that squatter area think? And lastly, what would her boyfriend Ryan might think of her if she'll do that? Besides, she already has a part time job.. And she would stick to that no matter what.
"Alright, Annalicka. I'll wait for your final answer before Monday. And I sure hope you'd finally say "yes" before that two days million dollar offer would end." Mela said that made her gulped again and cleared her throat. Then she saw the nightclub manager slowly walk to the front door to finally go out. But before the latter could reach the door, it suddenly just slammed open, revealing her boyfriend Ryan's vision who's panting wearily that very moment, with his lips pale as paper.. and his school uniform stained with blood. She gasped.
"Babe!"
Anna flinched as she saw Ryan abruptly ran towards her and hugged her nervously. Then she gulped and gazed at Mela who looked so shocked looking at her and Ryan too. Her knees slowly wobbled. Especially when he suddenly pulled away from his hug and his handsome face obviously panicked at that moment while looking at her and nervously held his shoulders.
"Babe! Something happened. I'm f*****g f****d up!" He nervously said while holding her hand and glancing upon her small window every second.
She gulped again while her eyes flickered. "W-Why what happened?"
"I.. I killed someone!"
She gasped. "Y-You w-what?"
"But it wasn't my entire fault why I did that! He provoked me! I was just defending myself!" Ryan yelled in total panic, almost breaking down crying.
Her mouth hangs open, she was speechless.. Unable to move. But her mind felt like it was exploding continuously inside her head while looking at her boyfriend at that moment, helpless and obviously no one to run into except her.
"Oh God, babe, what.. W-What are we gonna do now?"
"I don't f*****g know, babe, please help me. The police are probably searching for me now. There's a witness, babe! There's a f*****g witness standing from a far when I killed that son of a b***h!"
She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh God.."
"Then.. Then when I wasn't able to catch him, I directly went here but those few people, babe! Our neighbours! They saw me! They saw me with these.. These blood stains! They saw that asshole fell to the ground after I stabbed him. So I know that the police are gonna be here any minute now. Please help me, babe! You're the only one who can help me! Please, babe, please! Do something!" Ryan nervously said and kneeled in front of her while crying.
So her tears started to fall from her eyes too and her mouth was trying to search for the right word to pacify him down. But before she could ever speak a word, she suddenly heard the loud sirens of police cars near her house and a loud shout of a police officer from outside using a megaphone.
"Ryan Patrickson Delos Reyes! Surrender now! You're under arrest!"
She slowly looked at Mela again. Now what.. Is she gonna do?