CHAPTER TEN - THE END OF FLEETING FANTASIES
744 Words
Cassius slammed the telephone down abruptly, the receiver crashing against the cradle with a loud clang. He let out a frustrated sigh, feeling a mix of relief and annoyance wash over him. He wished he had done that sooner, but he couldn't—not while he was on the line with one of his most powerful and demanding clients, Leonardo Rutherford. The man's condescending tone and endless demands had tested Cassius's patience to the limit, but he knew he had to maintain a professional demeanor, no matter how difficult it was.
It was probably around 6 p.m. when Leonardo called, instructing Cassius to arrange an elaborate body care session for Scarlet. He had specifically requested a luxurious rose petal bath accompanied by soft music, along with a manicure, pedicure, massage, body scrub, hair treatment, aromatherapy, and waxing—all for Scarlet.
At first, Cassius attempted to counter the request, arguing that the girls, including Scarlet, were already well-groomed and that such indulgence was unnecessary. But Leonardo was adamant. Their conversation quickly turned into a back-and-forth debate until Cassius, frustrated, demanded extra money to fulfill the request. However, Leonardo was not one to be negotiated with—he threatened him instead. Cassius had no choice but to comply. He knew all too well what Leonardo was capable of, and he wouldn’t dare step on his toes.
Scarlet sat hunched in the angular corner of the dimly lit room, sulking in pain. Her stomach churned with hunger, a dull ache gnawing at her insides. The growling of hunger triggered a clear fantasy of biting into a crunchy, golden-brown apple pie.
Around her, several other girls silently endured their own torment, their gaunt faces marked by suffering. Cassius deliberately starved them, finding amusement in their misery while also using it as an excuse to cut costs rather than spend money on feeding them.
“Blackwood,” Cassius called the moment he stepped into the room.
Scarlet barely reacted. She was weak—too weak to even respond. Cassius noticed her frailty and strode toward her, yanking her to her feet. She staggered, her body barely able to support itself, so he held her upright, propping her against his arm.
“I don’t know what trick you used on Leonardo, but he seems to have developed a liking for you,” Cassius sneered. “I suppose it’s your survival instinct that led you to succumb to him, isn’t it?”
Scarlet’s vision blurred. Her eyes ached, and the dim atmosphere of the room seemed to darken even more. She felt lightheaded, but Cassius didn’t care. Ignoring her feebleness, he dragged her out.
Within thirty minutes, Scarlet had been fed a proper meal. After she had devoured the food hungrily, two maids led her to a warm bath and began tending to her.
As she sank into the soothing water, Scarlet couldn’t help but wonder what this sudden "princess treatment" was all about. She recalled Cassius mentioning Leonardo earlier, but she had been too weak to grasp what he meant. Now, as she sat through the meticulous process of a manicure and pedicure, realization dawned on her.
Leonardo must have arranged all of this for her.
A small smile crept onto her lips.
She admired how intentional Leonardo was—how thoughtful. She regarded him as heaven-sent.
Leonardo fired up his Bugatti Centodieci and drove through the streets of Nevada, his thoughts consumed by Scarlet. He hoped he would finish up in time. More than anything, he hoped she understood his message.
He wanted her to look even more captivating than she already was. Not just for vanity’s sake, but because he wanted to see the beauty that lay beneath the exhaustion. The last time he saw her, she had been drained and frail, yet still breathtaking. With this enhanced treatment, she would be nothing short of a jewel to behold.
But for how much longer would he keep coming to meet her at the club?
The auction had always been temporary—men bought girls for a while, then discarded them when they grew bored, returning to purchase new ones. The system was designed to be discreet, with Cassius ensuring that no girl left the confines of the club.
But Leonardo was tired of playing games of fleeting fantasies.
He longed for permanence.
He wanted one woman.
Someone he could call his soulmate.
Someone he could look at and, for once, feel truly fulfilled to call his own.
- Writer
