Lola

CAUGHT IN HER OWN WEB

The room spun – the weight of betrayal, the crushing blow of being caught, it threatened to suffocate me. Adler's gaze was a laser, drilling into my soul. Elena, ever the pragmatist, stepped forward,

“Adler…” but her voice was lost in the roar of my own blood.

"What… what is the meaning of this?" Adler spat, his voice laced with ice.

“What is going on here, Lola?” He asked again.

He turned to his friend, “Perhaps you know my woman?” He asked.

“Yours? Oh, don’t tell me you use her and used to her already. I could ask for a swap” his friend responded innocently and oblivious to what was happening right in front of him.

“Use?” Adler asked again. Fury clouded his words.

Before I could formulate a response, Vincent spoke up, his voice oily and smug.

"Mr. Adler, I believe you're… familiar with my associate here. A bit of a misunderstanding, perhaps?"

Adler ignored Vincent, his eyes never leaving mine. His gaze was a storm, a torrent of emotions – hurt, disbelief, and a cold fury that sent shivers down

My spine straightened in a desperate attempt to regain control. "Adler, listen to me," I pleaded, my voice betraying a tremor.

"Listen to you?" he roared, his voice echoing in the opulent study. "Explain this, Lola! What kind of life have you been leading behind my back?"

The anger in his voice stung, but I refused to crumble. "It's not what you think," I retorted,

“Oh it looks plenty, like what I think! I can’t even say what I think because I know it is true.” He said

Holding his gaze, I whispered "I had no choice."

"No choice?!" he scoffed.

“Yes, I do have some issues that needs to be solved and I have to solve them as an adult.” I retorted.

“Meaning…? Oh my God, do you know how embarrassing this is? I am ashamed!” He expressed and I winced. A pool of tears formed in my eyes.

“Adler…” I had to stop him from saying anything else.

"You could have told me. We could have faced whatever caused this together." He continued.

His words were laced with hurt, a sliver of pain piercing through his anger. Briefly, I saw a glimpse of the man I I loved, but the resentment quickly surfaced.

"Together?" I echoed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "In your world, Adler? Where I'm your trophy girlfriend, expected to be seen and not heard?"

“If I have issues, I doubt you’d even notice. Do you that I do not know that you date me just to show off? I have other pressing issues, Adler and it’s not you” As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted it.

Why was I being mean and rude to him when he has been nothing but kind to me? I’m the one who has lived a false life because I desperately wanted to be with him. Where was this resentment coming from?

The accusation hung heavy in the air. Vincent, sensing a shift in power, cleared his throat.

"Mr. Adler," he interjected, a sly smile playing on his lips. "Perhaps we can discuss this… privately. There's been a misunderstanding clearly."

Adler turned towards Vincent, his jaw clenched tight. "Get out. Now."

Vincent tried to make another interjection, “Mr Adler we can…”

Adler turned to him and held his gaze which was burning with fury and anger, “Get out now beg I will make you regret it.”

Vincent's smile faltered, replaced by a flicker of fear. He glanced at me, a silent threat hanging in the air. Then, with a muttered curse, he scurried out of the room.

Every other person sensed the tension and left the room too.

The moment we were alone, the tension in the room became suffocating. Adler stood, his towering frame casting a long shadow over me.

"So," he began, his voice low and dangerous. "Enlighten me, Lola. What's the real story?"

“Baby…” I said and walked towards him and placed my hand on his chest.

“Lola, that’s not working today. Lola, you’re my girlfriend and you are an escort.” He simply stated.

Each word felt like a shard of ice, cutting through the carefully constructed façade of our lives. Taking a deep breath, I began to speak.

“It’s not anything you’ll understand, Adler.” I told him.

“Oh really? Try me.” He answered.

There was thick silence.

“And the card from today? The membership card you claimed was Elena’s? The one that had L while Elena’s initial is E? You fooled me hard, Lola. I might give you that. I saw the clues, so many but I blissfully ignored them and it has come to bite me in the ass.”

More silence.

“How many of my colleagues have you rendered your services to?” He asked sarcastically.

“Adler!” I exclaimed, offended.

I poured out my story, “ I want you to know as a matter of fact that I had been an escort way before we met”

I told him it was desperation that made me become an escort, and the need to provide and pay bills.

As I spoke, a kaleidoscope of emotions flickered across Adler's face – disbelief, anger giving way to a flicker of understanding, and finally, a raw pain that mirrored my own.

Seeing that it could get worse than it already was, I blurted “And I have a Three year old Son, Adler.”