Dear Nina

THE FIFTY GIRLS

At MADAM ROSIA'S CLUB

At exactly six-thirty in the evening, Nina stood outside Madam Rosia's club with Favor.

She checked the time on her phone again.

6:31 p.m.

She sighed.

"You've checked that phone about ten times," Favor said.

Nina glanced at her.

"I'm nervous."

"I know."

"You don't look nervous."

Favor shrugged. "I'm good at hiding it."

Nina gave a small laugh.

Before she could say anything else, the sound of a vehicle approaching made both of them turn.

A black van stopped directly in front of the club.

The side door opened.

A man dressed entirely in black stepped out.

"Get in."

That was all he said.

Nina's smile disappeared.

She looked at Favor.

"Are we supposed to get inside?"

Favor nodded.

"That's what Madam Rosia said."

Nina tightened her grip on her handbag.

"Okay."

They climbed into the van.

The moment they entered, Nina realized they weren't alone.

There were girls everywhere.

Some sat quietly.

Others whispered among themselves.

A few were checking their makeup in their phones.

One girl was staring nervously at the floor.

Nina sat beside Favor.

The door slammed shut.

Bang.

She jumped.

Favor leaned toward her.

"Relax."

"I'm trying."

The van began moving.

Nina looked through the window.

The familiar streets slowly disappeared behind them.

The market.

The roadside shops.

The crowded buses.

The food sellers.

Everything became smaller as the van moved farther away.

After several minutes, the streets became quieter.

Nina looked around.

"Where exactly are we going?"

Nobody answered.

She looked at the other girls.

One of them noticed her staring and smiled.

"First night?"

Nina nodded.

"Yours too?"

"Yes."

"I'm Trisha."

"Nina."

She pointed toward Favor.

"That's my best friend, Favor."

Favor smiled.

"Nice to meet you."

Trisha nodded.

"I heard they're paying us one hundred dollars tonight."

Nina's eyes widened slightly.

"One hundred?"

"Yes."

Trisha smiled.

"My rent is already three months behind. If I get paid tonight, I'm paying everything."

Favor laughed.

"Don't spend the money before you receive it."

Trisha laughed.

"I already have plans."

The girls around them laughed.

For the first time since entering the van, Nina relaxed.

Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she imagined.

Then the van suddenly slowed down.

Nina looked outside.

A huge black gate stood ahead.

Two armed guards stood beside it.

The driver lowered the window.

One of the guards walked toward them.

He looked inside.

His eyes moved slowly across every girl.

One.

Two.

Three.

He counted them.

Nina sat still.

The guard's expression didn't change.

When he finished counting, he stepped away.

The gate opened.

The van drove inside.

Nina looked behind her.

The gate slowly closed.

Clang.

Her fingers tightened around her handbag.

Favor noticed.

"Nina."

"I'm fine."

But she wasn't.

She didn't know why.

Something about that gate made her stomach tighten.

The building ahead was enormous.

Nina stared through the window.

The entire structure seemed to rise into the night sky.

Glass walls.

Bright lights.

Luxury cars.

Men in dark suits standing at different entrances.

She swallowed.

"This is where we're working?"

Trisha nodded.

"Looks expensive."

The van stopped.

The doors opened.

"Out."

One by one, the girls stepped down.

Nina followed Favor.

The moment she entered the building, music hit her ears.

Loud music.

Laughter.

Glasses clinking.

The smell of expensive perfume mixed with alcohol and food.

The place looked more like a private party than a workplace.

A woman in a black dress approached them.

"Stay together."

The girls became quiet.

"You've already been given the rules. Tonight, you will mingle with the guests, assist when necessary, and follow instructions."

She looked around.

"No fighting."

Nobody spoke.

"No stealing."

She paused.

"And nobody leaves their assigned area without permission."

Her eyes moved across the girls.

"Is that understood?"

"Yes."

"Good."

She walked away.

Favor leaned toward Nina.

"See? Nothing scary."

Nina glanced toward the guards standing near the doors.

"Hopefully."

The first hour went surprisingly well.

Nina served drinks.

She greeted guests.

She smiled.

She listened to conversations without becoming involved.

At first, she felt awkward.

But slowly, she adjusted.

One of the guests even complimented her perfume.

"That's a beautiful scent."

Nina smiled.

"Thank you."

"What is it?"

"Rose and vanilla."

"Interesting."

He walked away.

Nina looked down at her wrist.

Rose and vanilla.

One day, she wanted to create a perfume exactly like it.

Maybe even better.

For a moment, she imagined herself standing behind the counter of her own perfume shop.

Her own name on the door.

Her siblings running around.

No debt.

No fear.

No begging.

She smiled.

"Nina."

She blinked.

Favor was standing beside her.

"Where did you go?"

"Nowhere."

"You were smiling at nothing."

Nina laughed.

"I was thinking about my perfume shop."

Favor smiled.

"You'll get there."

"I hope so."

"You will."

Nina looked at her.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

They smiled at each other.

Then a loud crash came from somewhere behind them.

CRASH!

Everyone turned.

A glass had fallen to the floor.

A young waiter immediately bent down.

"I'm sorry."

His voice was barely audible.

Nina watched him.

His hands were trembling.

"It's okay," someone said.

The waiter quickly gathered the broken pieces.

Nina took a step toward him.

"Are you hurt?"

The waiter looked up.

For a second, fear flashed across his eyes.

"I'm fine."

He quickly stood and walked away.

Nina watched him disappear through a side door.

She frowned.

"That was strange."

Favor shrugged.

"Maybe he's new."

"Maybe."

Nina looked at the door again.

Then she turned away.

Across the room, another girl wasn't paying attention to the party.

Her name was Melissa.

She stood with a glass in her hand, smiling whenever someone looked her way.

But her eyes were moving.

The security cameras.

The doors.

The guards.

The private elevator.

She quietly reached into her purse.

Her fingers closed around her phone.

She glanced around.

Nobody was watching.

She typed quickly.

I'm inside. Fifty girls. Security is heavier than expected.

She stopped.

Deleted the message.

Then typed another.

I'll get the information.

She sent it.

Her phone disappeared back into her purse.

"Melissa?"

She turned.

A girl was standing behind her.

Melissa smiled immediately.

"Yes?"

"Are you coming?"

"Of course."

She followed the girl back toward the others.

Her smile returned.

But her eyes remained alert.

She had not come for the money.

She had come looking for answers.

And she had no idea that someone else had already begun watching her.

Hours passed.

The music grew louder.

More guests arrived.

Nina's feet began to hurt.

She checked the time.

1:42 a.m.

"How much longer?" she whispered.

Favor looked at her phone.

"Almost done."

Nina sighed.

"I can't feel my feet."

Favor laughed.

"You'll survive."

"I hope so."

Around two in the morning, Nina stepped outside onto the balcony.

The cool air touched her face.

She closed her eyes.

For a few seconds, she simply stood there.

Then she heard footsteps.

She opened her eyes.

Favor came outside.

"You're hiding."

"I'm resting."

Favor leaned against the railing.

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

Nina looked at the city lights.

"I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"My siblings."

Favor smiled.

"You always think about them."

"They're all I have."

Favor became quiet.

Nina looked at her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You were about to say something."

Favor shook her head.

"Forget it."

Nina smiled.

"Okay."

They remained silent.

Then Nina's eyes moved toward the compound below.

A private door opened.

A man stepped out.

She couldn't see his face.

He stood with his back toward her.

Tall.

Broad shoulders.

Completely dressed in black.

Two men stood several feet behind him.

They didn't speak.

They simply waited.

Nina watched.

The man slowly looked up toward the building.

For one strange moment, Nina felt as though his eyes were searching the windows.

Her body became still.

"Who is that?" she whispered.

Favor looked down.

"Who?"

"That man."

Favor followed her gaze.

The man had already turned slightly.

Only his side profile was visible.

Then he walked through another entrance.

The door closed behind him.

Favor shrugged.

"Probably one of the important guests."

"Maybe."

Nina continued staring at the doorway.

Something about him had unsettled her.

She couldn't explain why.

She had never seen his face.

She didn't know his name.

Yet when he appeared, something about the atmosphere had changed.

Even the guards had stood straighter.

Nina finally looked away.

"I think I'm tired."

Favor smiled.

"Let's go inside."

At 3:45 a.m., the girls were called together.

"Everyone back into the vans."

They collected their belongings.

Nina's feet were aching.

Her shoulders were sore.

She was exhausted.

But she was also relieved.

She had survived her first night.

As she climbed into the van, she looked back at the enormous building.

The lights were still shining.

The music could still be heard faintly from inside.

Nothing looked wrong.

Nothing looked dangerous.

And yet Nina couldn't shake the feeling that she had been watched.

She sat beside Favor.

The van pulled away.

Favor rested her head against Nina's shoulder.

"We survived."

Nina smiled tiredly.

"Yes."

"And we're getting paid."

Nina suddenly remembered.

"The money."

When they returned to Madam Rosia's club, the girls were called one after another.

An envelope was placed into Nina's hand.

She stared at it.

Then opened it.

Her eyes widened.

$100.

She counted it.

Once.

Twice.

Then a third time.

It was real.

A smile slowly spread across her face.

One hundred dollars.

She could buy food.

Pay part of the school fees.

Pay the landlord.

Maybe save something.

Maybe her perfume dream wasn't impossible after all.

Favor opened hers.

She gasped.

"We're rich!"

Nina laughed.

"Don't spend everything."

"I already know what I'm buying."

"What?"

"Food."

They both laughed.

For the first time in a long time, Nina felt hopeful.

She carefully placed the money inside her bag.

Then she looked around.

The other girls were laughing too.

Trisha was already talking excitedly about her rent.

Melissa stood quietly in the corner, staring at her phone.

Nina smiled.

Maybe this wasn't so bad.

Maybe her mother had simply been afraid of something she didn't understand.

Maybe—

She stopped herself.

Her mother's warning suddenly flashed through her mind.

Stay away from anything connected to Miro Technologies.

Nina pushed the thought away.

She had already made her decision.

She needed the money.

And she would work.

Just for a little while.

Just until she could save enough to leave.

She had no idea that by stepping into that building, she had already entered a world where leaving would not be as easy as she imagined.