Breaking the Heart

Chapter 5 The Bait

Because of Yuna's death, the authorities launched an investigation into the illegal dealings inside the club. For a while, business at Siren Lounge slowed to a crawl.

But Siren Lounge was the most exclusive entertainment venue in Harbor City, so the investigation was little more than a formality.

In the end, Yuna's death was quickly ruled a suicide. Not long after, no one mentioned her again.

The nights at Siren Lounge returned to their usual rhythm of music, money, and excess. But Kaelan never appeared again.

Ever since the night he left after answering that phone call, he had vanished as if he had disappeared from the world.

I was starting to grow anxious. I couldn't keep waiting like this forever.

One evening, I went to find Lena.

Lena was in her early forties. Her features were classically beautiful, and her figure was full and seductive. She loved wearing long dresses, and the mature elegance she carried was something none of the younger girls in the club could imitate.

Rumor had it her backer was extremely powerful. Because of that, almost no one in Siren Lounge dared to offend her. But she treated me well. Probably because of this face of mine.

If she could use me to climb higher by getting close to Kaelan, it would be worth far more than any number of ordinary clients. So, she never arranged other men for me.

I got straight to the point. "Lena, I want to work tonight. I need to make money."

She had been leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed, doing her skincare routine. The moment she heard that, she immediately sat up.

"Oh? You're sure?" she asked with interest. "Fine then. Let's go. We happen to have some important guests tonight."

Kaelan hadn't shown up in a long time. She was probably getting impatient too.

"But remember," Lena added as we walked, "drinks only. No going upstairs. Watch yourself. If Mr. Thorn hears about anything else, that will be hard to explain."

I agreed to everything.

Lena personally escorted me to the room. Inside the luxurious private suite were four or five men who clearly looked like powerful figures in the business world. Several girls were already attending to them.

When I walked in, one of the girls was sitting on a man's lap. Her ample chest spilled from her dress while his hand slid beneath her skirt, drawing crude laughter from the others.

I was assigned to the middle-aged man sitting in the center. His belly pressed tightly against his shirt.

Lena had chosen a champagne-colored sequined fringe dress for me. It barely covered the essentials, showing off my curves and slender waist.

I deliberately swayed my hips as I walked toward him. The fringe of the dress shimmered with every step, revealing flashes of skin as it moved. With each sway, my chest nearly slipped free.

The man's eyes widened. He swallowed hard. Clearly, he liked what he saw.

Someone nearby suddenly recognized my face. "Mr. Zane," the man said cautiously, "doesn't she look familiar? Isn't she Kaelan's woman? You're really going to touch her?"

Jimmy Zane had already grabbed my wrist and pulled me onto his lap. His hand squeezed my hip greedily.

"What's there to be afraid of?" he scoffed. "That's exactly why I want to try her. Let's see if Kaelan's woman really tastes any different. Besides, he's too busy negotiating with Aegis Global right now to worry about a woman."

I pretended not to hear a word. Leaning against him, I pressed my chest lightly against his arm. "Mr. Zane," I murmured sweetly, "why don't we have a drink?"

Another man slid closer, his eyes fixed on me. "I've got to say, she's really something," he laughed. "Way more tempting than that Elara ever was."

"But tell me this," he continued, swirling the wine in his glass, "where did Aegis Global suddenly find the nerve to challenge Thorn Holdings? Where's that confidence coming from?"

Someone else chimed in. "I heard they recently hired a director with overseas connections. A very capable guy. Pulled a few clever moves and forced Kaelan to step in personally to deal with it."

"Which means," the man added with a grin, "he's too busy for women right now. Mr. Zane, why keep all the fun to yourself? How about we all take a turn tonight?"

Jimmy was already excited from the way I leaned against him. There was no way he would share. "Get lost," he snapped. "She's mine tonight."

His hands grew even more brazen. Right there in front of everyone, he tugged at the tiny piece of fabric covering my chest and buried his face against my skin.

The room erupted in crude laughter.

I wanted to push him away. But I decided to gamble. So, I didn't move.

Just then, the door of the private room suddenly swung open. Several men dressed entirely in black walked in and lined up in a row.

The men who had been laughing moments earlier instantly fell silent. Not one of them dared breathe too loudly.

The man leading the group stepped forward. "Miss Nancy," he said calmly, "this way, please."