The Billionaire’s Biggest Regret

3|| The Friendly Betrayal

Sarah was the only person I trusted at Golden Skillet. Maybe even in the entire world if I didn’t count Lily.

We had met during the first round of interviews for the job, and from the moment I saw her, I was in awe.

Sarah was everything I had ever wanted to be.

She was always smiling, effortlessly warm and confident. She was in university, working part-time for pocket money, not survival. She had a good family, real friends. And somehow, despite our differences, she had chosen to be friends with me.

I had never taken that for granted.

“So you’re saying you need five thousand dollars by tomorrow?”

Sarah’s voice pulled me back to reality.

We were standing in front of her apartment complex, a clean, comfortable building in the better part of Ashpoint. A place where people didn’t have to worry about loan sharks banging on their doors or stepmothers trying to sell their little sisters.

I didn’t even have time to envy it.

I was too terrified.

“Yes… or she’ll sell Lily.”

“Oh, we can’t have that,” she muttered.

I swallowed hard. We really can’t.

“So what do you want me to do?” she finally asked.

I let out a deep breath shakily. “Look, Sarah, I really need your help. Today was a nightmare, and after everything that happened at the restaurant, I looked for you, but you weren’t there—”

Her expression shifted. “Are you blaming me for what happened?”

“No—no, that’s not what I meant. I’m just—” I ran a hand through my tangled hair, trying to stay calm. “I’m going crazy right now. But Sarah… How did Miss Vanderbilt know about my father? You were the only person I told about him gambling.”

Sarah blinked, then scoffed. “What, you think I told her?”

I opened my mouth, but she cut me off.

“Maybe someone overheard you. You know how cliquey the other waitstaff are. They never liked you, never invited you out when we went to eat after work. I was the only one who tried to make them like you.”

My stomach twisted.

Had I just made a terrible mistake?

I shook my head trying hard to stop those nagging distracting thoughts. I didn’t have time for this.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Forget it. Forget the Golden Skillet. Please, Sarah, I need that money.”

Sarah sighed, turning her head as if I just told her I wanted pure gold. “Selene, honey, do you think five thousand dollars is chicken change? If it were that easy to get, it’d be lying on the street.”

I clenched my fists. I already knew that. But I was desperate.

“Then… What about your uncle’s club?” I whispered. “You told me women make good money there. That I wouldn’t have to—” I swallowed hard. “I wouldn’t have to lose my innocence.”

She started smiling like she’d just heard the funniest joke “But when I told you that, you said you’d never do such a thing.”

I closed my eyes. I had said that. I had sworn I’d never fall that low. But how much did my pride worth anyway, my self respect, my life. Compared to Lily’s innocence, compared to Lily’s future. It meant nothing.

“Please, Sarah,” my voice broke as I fell to my knees. I didn’t care about dignity anymore. I didn’t care about anything. “I can’t live without Lily. I don’t want to live without Lily.”

I started sobbing out loud, allowing myself to cry. Even as my tears made it hard to see, I didn’t wipe it away. I needed her to see my pain.

Sarah grabbed my hand, pulling me up with a sigh. “Please stop crying. Fine, fine. I’ll take you to the club now. But you have to promise—you’ll do anything I tell you to.”

I nodded immediately. “I swear on my life.”

She turned to look over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening before turning to lock the gate behind her. “Come on.”

I followed her without even thinking twice, getting into the taxi beside her. The ride was silent as we left Ashpoint behind and crossed into the bright, pulsing heart of the city—Hampton Grove.

The streets were different here. Neon lights glowed on sleek buildings, laughter and music pounding from bars and clubs where the rich played.

We didn’t stop until we reached one of them. A tall nightclub, its entrance full of people dressed in designer clothes.

Sarah paid the driver and grabbed my wrist, leading me away from the main entrance, through the alleyway beside it.

My gut screamed at me to turn around. To run. But I didn’t.

We reached a metal door marked only by a gold star. Sarah knocked once before pushing it open.

I almost coughed from the thick smell of perfume and smoke.

I blinked.

Half-naked women were in the room, pulling fishnets over their thighs, adjusting short tight dresses, blending foundation over bruised skin. Some laughed, fixing their lipstick in the mirror. Others were quiet, their eyes dull- lifeless as they wore their stilettos.

I think that was when it hit me. What the hell have I put myself into.

“Get ready,” Sarah said. “I’ll be back with my uncle in a second.”

She left before I could say anything else.

I looked around, but the other women ignored me and with a deep breath, I grabbed the most covered-up dress I could find and pulled it over my head. The fabric clung to me uncomfortably, but I had no other choice. The only free pair of heels were a size too small, and when I slipped them on, I nearly twisted my ankle.

I forced myself to stand still. To wait.

The other woman fell into line as the door swung open. A short, fat middle-aged man walked in, dressed head to toe in golf and designer, like pimps in movies and Sarah followed behind him.

He grunted in approval as his eyes looked at the other women, nodding as if we were cattle at an auction. When he reached me, his dirty stare lingered.

I tried not to breathe too loudly as his greedy, hungry eyes crawled over me.

“This is the girl?” he asked.

Sarah nodded. “Yes, Uncle.”

He started smirking. “Good job. You brought me a nice piece of meat this time.”

A chill shot down my spine.

I turned to Sarah in horror, but she wouldn’t even look at me.

She didn’t say a word as her uncle pulled out a thick wad of cash . She took it with a smile.

Then, finally, she met my eyes.

There was no regret. No hesitation.

“Good luck”

“Wait… I—”

The man barely spared me a glance before turning to the guards outside.

“Take her to my office. I’ll deal with her once I’m done with business.”

“No!” I screamed, trying to run to the door, but they grabbed me before I could make it. “No! Sarah! This isn’t what I wanted!”

I pushed hard against them, but they were too strong. They dragged me deeper into the building, my heels scraping on the floor.

He pushed inside an office and one of the men grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back. My scalp burned as I gasped, but before I could scream again, something cold and bitter was forced against my lips.

I choked, shaking my head, but he held me down , forcing the liquid down my throat.

I coughed violently- almost coughing out blood when they let me go, my stomach twisting in pain. They didn’t even bother shutting the door as they left.

I tried to stand—

But the moment I did, my body fell back, my head spinning, it felt like the whole room had tilted.

Something was wrong.

Really, it really wrong

I gasped, forcing my fingers down my throat, desperate to force out whatever they had made me drink. But it was too late. My body was reacting to it—I felt hot, unbearably so. My chest heaved, my skin burned, and every breath felt like fire.

I had to get out.

Trying so hard to stand up, I pushed the door open, stepping out to the hallway.

“Shouldn’t we guard the door?” One of the men said. “What if she tries to leave?”

I barely managed to hide behind the door before they could see me.

“No need. Once that stuff kicks in, she’ll be like a dog in heat. Let’s go do something else.”

They laughed as they walked away. I waited, until their footsteps disappeared completely before stumbling in the opposite direction. I couldn’t see properly as sweat dripped down my forehead, and my legs felt like rubber, but I forced myself. I needed air. I needed—

A rough hand grabbed my wrist.

“Are you the girl Julius sent for the plan?” he asked, his voice was rough and impatient.

“…What?” What plan?

He didn’t wait for an answer.

Without another word, he dragged me down the hallway, pulling me into a private suite.

“Don’t forget what we planned,” he hissed, shoving me inside. “Do your job well and you will be paid handsomely. Don’t forget what master told you, make sure Mr Vanderbilt sleeps with you at all costs”

The door slammed shut behind me, making me flinch.

He had the wrong idea.

I wasn’t the girl for the plan.

I wasn’t—

The door opened again. Another man was shoved inside, the door locking behind him.

I blinked, struggling to see clearly, as the man swayed on his feet, gasping for breath. His fingers clawed at his tie as if it was suffocating him. And then our eyes met.

It was like a moth to a flame.

“I… can’t…” his voice was so deep and hoarse, like he was fighting all his sanity and losing.

Neither of us should have been here. Neither of us wanted to be there. But when our bodies touched, the fire in my veins reduced even though it was just a little. Enough to make me moan in relief.

I started crying as his trembling hands pushed me on the bed.

His jaw clenched. His icy blue eyes burned with anger and lust.

“I swear to God,” he said, hovering over me, “I’ll kill you.”

Then his lips crashed against mine.