TAINTED HEARTS (ENGLISH)

Chapter 01 I was a sweet, young, and innocent girl. But life really knows how to change people brutally. My eyes are so used to the dark. While dancing on stage, almost exposing my whole soul. Smiling and throwing seductive looks at men hungry for flesh. Dancing and climbing the tall steel pole just to be able to bring home a big income. “X!” I looked up at the club manager. I was retouching my make-up when she came closer and handed me a bundle of money. “For me? Who gave this?” I asked in surprise, shifting my gaze between the money and the manager. “It’s from the VIP guest upstairs! He wants to table you so get ready! I’ll come back for you later!” “I can’t—” “Just go there! You need money, don’t you?” “I’m going home early—” I bit my tongue to stop myself from answering when I noticed the scowl already waiting on her face. “Just go see him even for a while! He’s over fifty but it doesn’t show on his face! Don’t worry, it’s just a table, no need for touching or anything! He just wants to talk to you, so get ready!” The manager flashed a wide grin before turning her back. Most likely the guest was big-time, that’s why he was upstairs. I massaged my nape and hurried to fix myself. Afterwards, the manager came back and brought me upstairs. I stared at the closed door, still outside and thinking. This was the biggest room in the whole club. If I ran away, I would be the one in trouble. Besides, I had already accepted the money. Before I could completely change my mind, I knocked three times before slowly opening the door. A dim yellow light greeted my eyes. In the middle of a large sofa sat a man. A handsome man with a neat bearing. His age could not be guessed, just as the manager said. His presence was intimidating even without speaking. I swallowed hard. I gave a small, hesitant smile before managing to approach and introduce myself. “Good evening, sir. I’m X.” I stretched my arm. He stared intently at my face as he smiled and took my hand. I quickly pulled it back even before his grip lasted long. I had been working at the club for a while but I still couldn’t get used to this. I only danced and didn’t entertain tables, but sometimes it was unavoidable, especially when managers forced me—like now. “Sit down,” he said while pointing to the seat beside him. I answered mostly with smiles and nods as we talked. He was easy to talk to and not rude, so eventually, I felt comfortable. Two hours passed before he excused himself. He left a large amount of money, which made me so happy I almost kissed the manager who had brought me to him. “Ate Xena!” Coming home from work, I saw my younger sibling running toward me, crying. Exhausted, it was already daylight when I finally arrived home, only to be greeted by this scene. “What happened again, Along?” I asked, anger and confusion mixing in my voice. “It’s Mama… Uncle is beating her again!” He hadn’t even finished speaking before I rushed past him and ran immediately, my anger boiling. This wasn’t the first time, but both rage and pain consumed me as I made my way home, imagining that man hurting Mama and my siblings again. “If I can’t get anything from you, I’ll just kill you all one by one!” “Just hurt me! Leave the children alone!” I wasn’t even inside yet, but I already heard the shouting and crying. Before entering, I grabbed a hard pipe I found at the side of the house. “You’re always broke! All of you are useless!” “Ate!” cried Mena, my youngest sibling, hiding under the table. She was the first to notice me, probably because she had been waiting for me out of fear. She was only seven, yet this was what she grew up with. My jaw clenched tighter as my eyes landed on the bruise on her little arm. I glared at Mama’s live-in partner and struck him hard with the pipe from behind. He groaned and fell to his knees in pain, but quickly turned on me with fury in his eyes. “Get out of here!” I shouted. I swung at him again, but this time he blocked the pipe, snatched it from me, and shoved me aside. Now it was me he was striking with the pipe. “Amel, stop! Don’t hurt the children!” Mama cried as the beast struck me again, the blow landing on my arm. Even calling him ‘Uncle’ was something I couldn’t stomach. “You’re all burdens!” he yelled. “You! Let me see your bag!” I quickly shook my head. “I don’t have money! It’s empty!” He didn’t believe me. He tried to grab my bag but I held on tightly. Everything I had earned was inside, and I knew if he saw it, he wouldn’t leave anything for us. He’d spend it all on his vices. “Damn it! I said let go!” He kicked me in the stomach and slapped me. In the end, I had no choice but to let go of the bag. He rummaged through it quickly. Soon enough, a greedy glint shone in his eyes. “Nice! You brought home a lot of money! So, being a w***e actually pays off!” Even though my arm ached, I pushed myself up with it and tried to snatch the bag back. I managed to grab it, but he kicked me hard, sending me crashing to the floor. “That’s not for you! Give it back! That’s for Rico’s medicine!” He laughed, pointing toward my sick brother. “Medicine for Rico? You’d actually waste money on that mongoloid? Just let him die of his heart disease so there’s one less problem!” My teeth ground in fury at his words. I almost cried from anger as he stuffed the money into his pocket. Rico was only ten and had been diagnosed with a heart condition. I couldn’t afford proper treatment at the hospital, so I at least bought him medicine—and this bastard took even that away. He was a monster! If killing were legal, and if my siblings had someone else to depend on if I went to jail, I would have ended him long ago! “I said give it back!” “Give what back? There’s nothing left!” He laughed again, showing his empty hand, the money now safely tucked away in his pocket. Tears welled in my eyes, but I quickly held them back. I couldn’t let my siblings see me cry. I stood, ran to the kitchen, and grabbed a knife. I turned sharply, pointing the blade at him. “Give it back to me!” He struck my hand with the pipe, but I refused to let go of the knife. I stepped closer despite knowing he was stronger, despite his relentless blows on my arm. I managed to scratch him, but he quickly snatched the knife away. He slammed my head against the wall, grabbed me by the neck, and pressed the blade to my throat. My glare was sharp, but I couldn’t move—a single twitch and he could slit my throat. “Don’t test me, Xena! The next time you do this, I’ll kill all your siblings right in front of you! Do you understand?” I didn’t answer. I just kept my eyes locked on him with fury. He laughed, patting the money in his pocket again. “Be thankful you brought home a lot today. Otherwise, I would’ve beaten you all until you lost consciousness!” He yanked my hair roughly, shoving me toward Mama and my siblings. The little ones clung to me, sobbing. I wanted to cry too, to release my anger and grief—but I couldn’t. I was the only one they drew strength from. If I broke down, they would too. “This will only last a few days! I’ll be back when it’s gone!” He spat on the floor in front of us before walking away, smiling as if proud of stealing all that money. “Ate!” Rico was crying too. Even with his condition, he understood what was happening. I forced a smile and approached him. “Don’t worry. Ate still has a little money. We’ll buy your medicine tomorrow.” I hugged all my siblings tightly, holding back my tears though my heart ached for them. “Xena.” Mama’s weak voice trembled with tears. I shook my head at her in disappointment. “Mama, there are so many men. Why did you have to choose someone like him to replace Papa?” She cried again. We were powerless. Even if we drove him out, he always came back—especially when he needed money for his vices. I comforted my siblings. Then I entered my room, only to find my hiding place ransacked, my small savings gone as well. I sat down, leaned against the wall, covered my mouth, and wept silently. My body ached, I hadn’t slept, but I still had to go back to work later just to earn a little money for food and Rico’s medicine. I also needed money to have Mama’s lung condition checked. No one would hire her because of her illness. She couldn’t even handle laundry work anymore without gasping for air—it might only worsen her condition. “What am I going to do now, Pa?” I bit my lip, sobbing quietly. There was no one else who could find a way but me. No matter how many tears I cried, they would never turn to gold to pay for our needs. “Papa…” I closed my eyes and continued crying silently. Wherever you are, I hope you see me and give me strength—enough strength for them. For them, and not for myself.