Chapter 5 Their Insults
1139 Words
"Because you signed the contract. Here's a card. You'll receive a monthly deposit of 100 thousand dollars. Spend it as you wish, but once you run out, I won't give you any more."
One hundred thousand?!
I stared at him, eyes wide, before quickly plastering on a smile. "Of course, Boss! I'll quit all my jobs right away."
But Blake wasn't having any of it. He frowned. "Don't smile like that anymore."
I quickly wiped the smile off my face.
He continued in his usual authoritarian manner, "I'll pick you up tonight. Send me your address, and before I arrive... clean yourself up."
"Understood," I replied.
Only after his black McLaren roared away did I allow myself to let out a few frustrated punches into the air, silently protesting his orders.
Then, I had no choice but to obediently quit all my jobs.
Most of them were easy to leave, but I was worried about Lily...
After showering three times at home, making sure I had no strange odors, I headed to the hospital.
Lily was still unconscious, showing no signs of waking up.
I placed her favorite sunflowers on the table in her room.
"Lily, a lot has happened lately. Too much, actually. I'll tell you all about it when you wake up..."
I sat by her bedside, talking softly to her. The doctor had said that it might help with her recovery.
"Carly, here to see Lily again?" Dr. Bruce Austin said from the door. His blond hair was striking, and his blue eyes were full of gentleness.
His features were chiseled, making him look like a handsome, sunny guy.
"Yeah, I'm about to leave," I smiled at Bruce.
He suddenly called out to me, "Are you free this Saturday?"
"Why?"
"I booked a table at a restaurant, but the person I was going to take canceled. If you're free, would you like to join me? My treat."
Saturday?
I thought about the contract I'd just signed that made me feel like a slave and said, "I'm not sure yet."
"That's okay. Let me know if you're available," Austin smiled, showing off his perfectly white teeth.
"Sorry," I said, feeling a little guilty about possibly turning down his invitation.
"No worries, no need to apologize. By the way, be careful when you go home. Things have been a bit chaotic lately," he said kindly.
After leaving the hospital, I made my way to the bar. I wanted to see if I could find someone to cover Lily's shifts, just in case Blake summoned me to his side at any moment.
When I arrived at OneNight, the bar was just opening.
I went to the back to talk to Vincent. "Is there any way you can find someone new to cover Lily's shifts? I'll stay until you find someone."
Vincent's eyebrows, messy as they were, knitted together as he glared at me. "I'm not running a charity, Carly! Sure, I feel bad for Lily's situation, but who feels bad for me? What about my rent, my utilities, and my clients?"
I knew better than to talk back. Arguing would only make Vincent angrier.
"Besides, I'm already short-staffed! Do you know how hard it is to train someone new?"
"I'm sorry, but you know how bad Lily's situation is. She has three younger siblings and an alcoholic mother to take care of. If she loses this job, their only source of income is gone."
I tried to play the sympathy card, hoping to soften his stance.
Vincent's expression grew darker. "Fine, but only for a month! If she's not back by then, I'll find someone new to replace her. In return, you'll need to cover her shifts for a full month."
"Okay, thank you."
Even though I wasn't thrilled with the outcome, I still had to thank him.
As I left the noisy bar, I let out a deep sigh.
My phone buzzed. It was a message from Blake.
Blake: Give me your address.
I sent him the location of OneNight and waited by the entrance.
Nervous thoughts ran through my mind. Was he going to make me do something perverted?
If he did, how would I escape?
Maybe I could just endure it if it wasn't too bad. After all, he...
"Oh, who's this? Isn't it Carly?"
A familiar voice made me frown. I turned to see Grace and a few of my "old friends."
"Carly, heading out? Not staying to have a little fun at the bar?" Noah, the one who spoke, was smirking.
He was the last person I wanted to see. In high school, he and Grace had tormented me relentlessly.
He was even worse than Grace.
"She works here," one of Noah's cronies joked.
Everyone burst out laughing.
I ignored them and turned to leave, not wanting to be jeered at any longer.
However, Noah grabbed my wrist, and his grip was painful.
"Let go!" I said, refusing to look at him as I tried to break free.
But Noah just smiled, a smile that wasn't friendly at all. "Come on, we're former classmates. Let's have some fun. Pour us some drinks and strip for us. Isn't that what you're best at?"
They all laughed again, the sound like nails on a chalkboard, poking at my already wounded pride.
My anger and frustration surged as people around us started to whisper and stare.
That familiar sense of dread from being the subject of ridicule wrapped around me like a web that I couldn't break free.
My soul was screaming, urging me to get away from this place.
"I said, let go!"
In a panic, I shoved Noah and finally broke free.
My wrist was already red and sore from his grip.
The pain began to numb as anger took over.
Noah's brown eyes darkened with anger as he glared at me. "Looks like you don't want your job anymore."
"Maybe she's already hooked a rich guy?" Grace chimed in, her eyes gleaming with malice.
"Could be. We all knew back in high school that Carly had an old and greasy sugar daddy," someone else added, egging him on.
"She's just a w***e pretending to be innocent," Noah sneered, his tone dripping with contempt.
"Maybe her mom was the same, sleeping around until she caught something and died in that slum!"
I couldn't hold back anymore and slapped him hard across the face. "Shut up! Don't you dare talk about my mom!"
My eyes stung, but I forced myself not to cry.
Anger and humiliation mixed together, making my blood boil.
I looked at Noah, this vile man I once had feelings for.
I didn't understand why he hated me so much.
Just because I liked him in high school? Did he hate me enough to attack me and my family with such vicious words?
- Writer
