Forgive Me Love

You do as the guests say

Emilia had lingering fears, but before she could be relieved, she suddenly realized a strange man was hugging her tightly.

"Ah..." Emilia panicked. Other than her brother, no man had ever held her this close...including...him.

Edward Johnson' face darkened.

He reached out with his other hand and quickly covered Emilia's mouth. "Shut up! You're acting strange! Normal people would yell out of shock if they fell. You didn't scream when you tripped, but now you're screaming?"

"You, you...let me go first."

Seeing her stammering and suspicious, an idea struck Edward. "Hey, are you screaming because I hugged you?"

Edward looked down at the woman in his arms, her expression odd.

The corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch.

"...I guess so." As his eyes rolled, Edward gave a strange smile. "Hey there, haven't you ever been hugged by a man like this?"

Edward found her reaction intriguing. Looking at the flushed ears of the woman in his arms, he felt mischievous. He deliberately tightened his grip around Emilia's waist.

"Huh!"

Edward stared at Emilia's blushing face, as if he'd discovered something interesting. There were still women who blushed after being hugged around the waist these days! What a novelty! So amusing!

Edward was getting excited. Hugging Emilia tighter, he pinched her waist. The feel of the fabric was strange. Ignoring all gentlemanly conduct, Edward reached his fingers under the hem of Emilia's clothes. This touch made his heart race.

"What are you doing?"

Emilia struggled to push Edward away. Edward looked at her, stunned. "Your waist..." He couldn't form a complete sentence.

During that touch, had he felt the waist of a normal woman? Edward had been with many women. Supermodels, celebrities – you name it. But the waist he'd just touched was thinner than any he'd ever encountered. It was so thin he could practically encircle it with one hand!

"You..." He moved his lips several times, wanting to say, "It turns out you wear so many clothes on a hot day for a reason."

When he saw the pain in the strange woman's eyes, yet her attempt to remain calm, when he saw her expression that wanted to accuse but also pretended humility, he didn't know what to say.

Years later, Edward still couldn't forget the look on Emilia's face at that moment. He still couldn't understand how a person's eyes could express both defiance and humbleness, two completely opposite emotions, at the same time.

What kind of experiences had she gone through to develop such conflicting emotions?

Emilia shoved Edward away and ran. She couldn't run fast at all, and fell down within a few steps. She didn't care.

She propped herself up, leaning against the wall, and moved away from Edward as quickly as possible.

Her thoughts were a mess... As if the most unbearable thing had been discovered.

After being released from prison, all she wanted was a peaceful life, a full meal, a place to sleep, and to be self-sufficient. She hoped to save some money to visit Lake Garda, to see the clarity and blueness she could never experience in prison.

She couldn't handle any more storms.

Edward wanted to help her, but the faster he walked towards her, the faster she seemed to move away. She clung to the wall, half dragging her body in a panic.

Edward had no choice but to slow down.

Room 606.

Emilia knocked on the door and entered.

The moment she stepped inside, she noticed the strange atmosphere in the private room. In the dim light, several guests sat on the sofa, with barmaids by their side.

Only a young, innocent girl stood in front of the crystal table.

Emilia recognized her as Ruth Cater, a new waitress who lived in the same dorm and was a student at S University.

"Emilia..." Ruth called out to her suddenly, her voice trembling. Emilia flinched. Her entire body tensed up for a moment.

Seven or eight pairs of eyes in the room all turned to Emilia. With no other choice, she forced herself to speak, "I'm the cleaner." When she spoke, her rough voice was exposed.

Several people in the room frowned in disapproval.

After three months working at Royal Club, Emilia knew to keep quiet and do her job. She was just a cleaner.

Even if someone disliked her voice, they wouldn't make things difficult for her. But regarding Ruth's situation, it seemed Emilia didn't understand what was happening. Her intervention might not be wise.

Continuing on, Emilia kept her head down, avoiding eye contact with Ruth and heading straight for the bathroom in the private room. This VIP room conveniently had its own bathroom, complete with cleaning supplies stored in a dedicated cabinet that didn't disrupt the room's aesthetics.

Emerging with a mop and bucket in hand, Emilia began cleaning the floor silently. She couldn't ignore the pleading looks Ruth kept throwing her way, but three years in prison had taught her a harsh lesson: stay invisible, remember your place. If these men weren't happy, things could get far worse than being back behind bars.

She wasn't Ruth. While Ruth might come from a poor family, she still had parents and was a student at S University. Emilia, on the other hand, was just an ex-convict. Nothing. Incapable of helping anyone.

"Sing this song, then you can leave," a man said to Ruth.

Emilia discreetly lifted her head. Ruth bit her lip, clearly humiliated. "I don't..."

Suddenly, Emilia's mop wobbled, accidentally swiping across Ruth's shoes. Startled, Ruth forgot her protest and looked at Emilia.

Raising her head, Emilia offered a quick apology. "Sorry, I messed up your shoes."

This seemingly unintentional act drew unwanted attention from several men in the room.

Emilia heard Ruth retort angrily, "I'm not a barmaid! I don't sing. I'm just a waitress who serves tea and water!"

Regret washed over Emilia. She shouldn't have intervened. Unlike Emilia, who wouldn't risk completely upsetting these powerful men over a song, Ruth seemed unaware of the social hierarchy at play. These were VIP patrons at Royal Club, unlikely to tolerate disobedience from a waitress.

Refusing their request wouldn't guarantee an easy escape. They'd seen all sorts of women. Ruth's innocence and beauty were likely the reason for the song request. If she complied and left, they probably wouldn't bother her further.

Of course, Emilia couldn't explain this to Ruth, and her actions had only drawn more attention to the situation.

"Clean and get out fast," Emilia thought desperately. "No telling what could happen next. Trying to help just dragged me into this mess. Leaving now is the only safe option."

A cynical voice broke the silence. "Refusing, are we? Fine. Then down that bottle of wine on the table, and you can leave too."

"I don't drink! I'm not a barmaid!"

A chilling laugh followed. "Doesn't matter here at Royal Club. Waitress, cleaner, whoever – you do as the guests say."

The mention of "cleaner" sent a shiver down Emilia's spine. And just like a bad omen, her dread was confirmed in the next moment.