The person in front of her was none other than Victor Crane, the infamous loan shark.

The moment she set her eyes on him, she knew she was in trouble.

“Hello, princess,” he murmured, his voice calm yet cold.

Serena took a step back. “I’m working on the payment, Victor. I just need a little more time.”

Victor’s face turned unreadable as he nodded slightly. He waved his hand to one of his men.

Without warning, one of his goons, bulky and bald, stepped forward and struck Serena on the head with the butt of his gun.

She staggered, her vision blurring as tears welled up in her eyes. Clutching her head, she dropped to her knees.

“Consider that a reminder,” Victor said, crouching to her level. “You’ve had more than enough time, Serena. And I’m not a patient man.”

The taste of blood filled her mouth, metallic and bitter.

“Please… just give me more time,” she stammered, her tears streaming freely.

“Two weeks, Serena,” he hissed, his face inches from hers. “Two weeks. Or next time, it won’t be your head I break. It’ll be Mia’s.” He said it casually, like it was a threat he gave every day.

Her heart dropped.

“No… please, not Mia,” Serena pleaded weakly.

“I’ll pay you in two weeks, but please, don’t hurt her. Please, I beg you.” She bowed her head in surrender, her words drowned in desperation.

“You better do,” Victor uttered coldly.

With a mock-pat to her head, he tossed his cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his shoe before stepping back into the car. The tires screeched as they vanished into the night.

Serena wiped the blood from the corner of her lip and slowly picked up the burger bag, her hands trembling. Despite her shaking body, she forced herself to stand and continue home.

~

By the time she reached the house, her vision had cleared a bit, but her head still throbbed. She stepped inside quietly, hoping to avoid her sister’s questions.

Mia looked up from her book, her eyes scanning Serena’s disheveled appearance. “You’re back? But… why do you look tattered?” she asked, concerned as she took in Serena's rumpled clothes and tangled hair.

Serena quickly turned away, letting her hair fall like a curtain over her face. “I’m fine.”

Mia narrowed her eyes. “Why are you hiding your face? What happened?”

This was the first time she had seen Serena act like this. Something was clearly wrong. But before Mia could press further, Serena cut her off.

“It’s nothing,” Serena said quickly, unsure of her own words. “Just tired. Long shift.”

She handed Mia the burger bag and quickly escaped to her room before any more questions could come.

Once inside, she locked the door, collapsed on her bed, and buried her face into the pillow to muffle a scream of frustration. The weight of her life felt too much to bear in that moment.

Then, she grabbed her phone and called Lila, the only person who knew the full extent of her situation.

“Hey, babe!” Lila answered cheerfully. “You home already?”

“Yeah,” Serena whispered. “Lila… Victor found me.”

“What? Serena, are you okay?” Lila’s voice shook with concern. She knew how dangerous Victor was. He is selfish, sadistic, willing to do whatever it took to get what he wanted.

“Well… I’m fine...” Serena whispered, her voice barely audible but enough for Lila to hear.

“You don’t sound okay to me, Serena. Did he hit you? Did he threaten you again?” Lila asked, her tone soft but laced with concern.

“Hm… he didn’t, but one of his goons did,” Serena whispered.

“That bastard…” Lila’s voice was full of fury. “I thought you came to an agreement with him the other day. Why is he bothering you now? I knew that idiot wasn’t a man of his word. We shouldn’t have trusted him.”

“Yeah, we did. But Mia needed the money urgently, so I had to give it to her,” Serena murmured, tears welling up in her eyes. “I just need to find a way to pay him before he goes after Mia. I can’t risk her life, Lila. I can’t… I won’t let her go through what I’m going through.”

Lila’s voice softened, understanding the depth of Serena’s pain. “I get it. But you can’t do this alone. Let me help. I have some savings…”

“No,” Serena interrupted, shaking her head as if Lila could see her. “You need that money for yourself. I’ll figure something out.”

“But, Serena...”

“No buts, Lila. I’ll figure it out. Goodnight.” Serena ended the call before Lila could argue any further.

~

Club Hollow

The next day, Serena dragged herself back to Club Hollow. Her head throbbed, and her eyes were heavy with exhaustion, but she forced a smile as she stepped in.

She spotted Dante near the bar.

“Hey, Serena,” Dante greeted excitedly.

“Hi, Dante,” she returned with a weak smile. “Is the boss around?”

“Lucky for you, he just came in,” Dante said, still arranging the wine bottles.

“Thanks,” Serena murmured, nodding as she made her way to Mr. Shawn’s office.

She knocked gently.

“Come in,” came the voice from inside.

Serena entered and saw Mr. Shawn organizing some files on his desk.

“Good evening, Mr. Shawn,” Serena greeted while standing at the door.

He looked up at her. “How can I help you?”

“I’d like to apply for another shift,” she said firmly, her voice steady.

Mr. Shawn raised a brow. “Are you sure? You already work more nights than most girls.”

“I’m sure, sir. I can do it,” she urged.

He paused and looked at her for a moment, before he nodded. “Actually, tonight might be your lucky night. A VIP booked a private suite. He asked for the best, so since you’re free, you can take the job.”

Serena blinked in surprise. “You mean, the VIP?”

“Yes, the VIP. You’re not interested?”

Private dances paid double. While general club rules prohibited touching, the VIPs had no such restrictions. It might be humiliating, but the money was worth it. Serena thought inwardly.

“No, sir. I’m interested,” she said, her voice firm. “I’ll take it.”

She bowed slightly and left the office.

~

That night, in a private suite dimly lit with red light and velvet-lined walls, a tall man with broad shoulders sat sipping vodka.

The leather couch beneath him creaked as he shifted, uncomfortable in the atmosphere. His suit jacket lay discarded beside him, his tie loosened, an unusual sign of relaxation.

His jaw clenched. "Boardroom battles. Ungrateful clients. It’d been a long day,” Daniel Hawthorne murmured.

Daniel Hawthorne the most powerful and wealthy man in the whole city.

“Come on, man. Loosen up,” said Marcus Tate, his best friend since childhood. “You’re always working. One night off won’t kill you.”

“This is your idea of helping me relax? A strip club?” he muttered, annoyed.

Marcus smirked. “Don’t act like you’re new here. Besides, I asked for their best girl. You won’t be disappointed. Trust me.”

“Are you…” Daniel began to argue with Marcus, but before he could finish, the door cracked open.

Soft, sultry music floated into the room.

And then she walked in, like she owned it.

Serena Voss.

Her heels clicked softly as she entered, wearing a sheer black fabric, delicate yet dangerous. Her hair cascaded in waves, framing a face both sharp and soft.

She didn’t look at him. Her eyes were fixed on the pole in the room.

She danced with tease, and control every sway a slow burning invitation.

Her hips swayed slowly with calculated rhythm. Every move was more seductive than the last.

Daniel watched, transfixed. His spine tightened, as his breath quickened. A heat spread low in his gut.

She wasn’t just performing. She dominated the room.

But beneath the control… something flickered.

A shadow in her eyes. Not nerves.

But pain.

He leaned forward, intrigued, finger tapping on the glass. 'Interesting,' he thought inwardly.

Then, her eyes met his.

Her body stiffened for a moment. Her lips parted, and something unreadable crossed her face.

He noticed her lips were plump, and trembling.

Who was she?

Why did she stir something inside him?

All his life, he’d never cared about women, not in this way. He’d seen many, slept with some, played with others. But this one? She was different.

Was it interest? Or something else?

He didn’t know her name, but in that moment, he wanted to. And whatever Daniel Hawthorne wanted, he got.

The music ended, and Serena stepped out of the room.

Marcus tapped his friend. “Bro, why are you staring? Don’t tell me…”

“Excuse me,” Daniel stood up abruptly and left the room, ignoring his best friend’s protests.

“Daniel?!” Marcus shouted after him.

But Daniel didn’t look back.

Marcus sat back, shaking his head. “Who would’ve thought the Almighty Daniel Hawthorne would ditch his best friend to chase after a girl?”

Marcus lamented inwardly.