She entered the hotel and took the stairs to her room. Her head ached, and she felt exhausted. She checked the time and realized it was almost eleven. She was about to walk into her room when her phone rang, announcing a message.
She frowned. The number wasn't saved...
"The money is in your account..."
She read the first words and instantly knew who it was. She gripped the device tightly in her hands and leaned against the wall, feeling her heart begin to race.
"... tomorrow at nine, I want you well dressed, waiting for me at the hotel restaurant. Leave your phone in your room. I don't want any interruptions. I suppose the money I gave you for your services is enough for you to buy a decent dress..."
The blonde finished reading the message with tears in her eyes, feeling more than humiliated. She slid down the wall until she ended up sitting on the floor. "Tomorrow night." "Money..." "Your services." Those words echoed in her mind again and again, making her pain grow more intense...
She stood up and wiped away her tears. They were useless now.
The decision had been made, and the money was already in her account. She smiled—after all, something good had come out of all that misery.
She searched for the doctor's number among her contacts and sent him a message to share the good news… She had gotten the money for the surgery. The doctor replied, congratulating her, and told her they would schedule the operation first thing in the morning.
She thanked the doctor for everything and promised herself that she would pay off the bank to get out of that mess.
She entered her room and saw her friend sleeping. She wouldn't tell her anything about what she was about to do—not until she kept her word… Tomorrow, she was going to sleep with him. She would lose more than just her dignity that night, but she wasn't willing to lose her father, knowing that the chance to save him had been in her hands.
She turned off her phone and left it on the nightstand. Then, she got under the sheets and closed her eyes, trying to sleep...
Thursday
Jade woke up in a terrible mood.
Even though she wanted to be happy for her father, the memory of how she got the money haunted her. It was two in the afternoon, and to her, time had passed too quickly.
She had called the doctor to ask what time the surgery would take place. Even though she was dying to be there, unfortunately, she couldn't. There had been a delay with the arrival of one of the doctors, so the operation was pushed back five hours—and it looked like it would take even longer...
Jade sighed.
One of the first things she had done when she woke up was go to the bank. She paid off every last dollar she owed and felt relieved. She was also able to pay the hospital, since her father's stay was billed separately from the surgery... Everything was money, money, and more money.
With the thousands of dollars she had left, she opened an account for her sister to pay for a good education. She wasn't going to spend a single dollar on herself, apart from the dress she had to buy at Dominick's request—one she swore she would throw away later. She also finished paying for the treatment and the medications from the pharmacy...
She walked out of the room she had just cleaned and ran into her friend in the hallway.
"Jade," she called. The blonde looked up to see her friend, who had a frown on her face.
Nerea had been handling the whole David situation better than expected. Since Monday's drunken episode, they hadn't brought it up again.
"Hey, Ner," she greeted.
"Are you feeling okay?" she asked, moving the cleaning cart aside and stepping closer to her friend. "Are you eating well? You seem off—low energy." She touched her forehead, checking for a fever. "Do you want to tell me something?"
"No," she shook her head. "I'm fine. I'm just tired," she smiled—or at least tried to.
"Jade..." she groaned. "You can't fool me. Something's bothering you."
"I went home yesterday and got into a fight with Janeth," she said, hoping that would spare her from having to confess the real reason behind her state. "It was horrible. I finally told her everything I felt... I felt free, calm, but I have to admit I didn't recognize myself when I tried to..." she closed her eyes. "I almost hit her, Nerea. I was about to slap her."
"Oh, Jade..." The brunette hugged her friend, while Jade cried—for everything. Lately, that was the only thing she had left... Cry.
Let every tear fall, hoping that maybe, just maybe, she'd dry up completely.
"That woman deserves to be cheated on all the way to China and back," she said. "And I wouldn't be surprised if she already has been. I'm glad you told her the truth. Now you can be at peace—you let it all out. All that's left is for your dad to recover."
"Today is the surgery..." Jade accidentally let slip.
"Did you get the money?" Nerea frowned. "How?"
"I asked for another loan to add it to the one I already have..." she lied.
"I'm so glad! You'll see, everything's going to turn out fine!" her friend said cheerfully, flashing a big smile. "Wipe that tragic look off your face, girl! Smile, because everything will be okay."
"I love you so much, Nerea." She hugged her. Today she was going to tell her everything—her reasons, all of it—but shame held her back…
She would tell her everything about Dam…
"I love you too, Jade. Now go clean, or the manager will kill us for sure this time."
The blonde gave a faint smile and left…
The hours passed like drops of water, one after another, after another... Her shift ended before her friend's, and by seven, she was back in her room, getting ready.
She took a long shower, shaved, and brushed her teeth. She couldn't hold back the tears when she saw herself in the mirror. She straightened her hair and picked out the black dress, telling herself that today, even her soul felt black… She was in mourning.
She looked around the room and noticed her phone was missing. "Where did I leave it?" she wondered, but didn't give it much importance—she was going to throw it away soon anyway. She didn't want anything to do with it after tonight...
She thought of Robinson. Even though she cared about him deeply, she wasn't in love with him. But after tonight, there could be nothing between them… Tonight, she was going to give herself to a man she didn't love, and it weighed heavy on her soul.
She stopped crying, put on her makeup and the dress, and slipped on the heels last. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and said out loud:
"Any sacrifice is worth it, if it means I can give a little more life to the one who gave me mine." She closed her eyes for a few seconds and smiled, remembering her father.
Once ready, she left the room. She wasn't taking anything with her…
She locked the door and took the elevator. After a few minutes, the metal box opened, and she stepped out. She walked the short distance left and entered the restaurant.
"Good evening, miss," a man greeted her with a smile, stepping toward her. "Do you have a reservation?" he asked.
"I'm here to meet Mr..." Saying that word was hard—it wasn't right. He wasn't a gentleman; he was a despicable man. "Dominick Jackson. I don't know if he made a reservation."
"Of course!" the man said with a wider smile. "Follow me. He's already waiting for you."
The blonde nodded.
In silence, she was led to the table, where she saw him... Her heart sped up. Everything felt more real as she got closer.
Dominick's hair was messy, as if he had run his hands through it multiple times. If it weren't for his change of clothes, she would've thought he was still drinking since...
"I'm here," she said as soon as she reached the table. The man who brought her over helped her take a seat. "Thank you."
Dom motioned for the man to leave.
There was an almost empty bottle of wine on the table. The blonde swallowed hard.
"How long have you been drinking?" she asked, alarmed.
"Does it matter?" he replied with a question of his own. His hateful tone made Jade frown.
"It matters to me, and I want to know," she insisted.
"I'll just say... it's been a while." He twisted his mouth into a grin that Jade didn't like, but she only sighed.
A waiter approached.
"Are you ready to order?" he asked.
"Another bottle of your best wine!" Dominick chuckled.
"I'm not hungry," Jade replied.
"You're going to eat because I say so. Tonight, you do as I say. Or did you forget?" He downed the last of the bottle. "Bring her the best dish in the house..."
The waiter nodded and walked away.
"I said I wasn't hungry," she growled, clenching her fists under the table.
"The money in your account says you belong to me tonight, and I've paid a lot," he said, grabbing a napkin from the table. "So I expect you to do your job well."
Jade made a superhuman effort not to cry, not to run, and especially not to leap across the table and slap him.
"As you wish," she said, swallowing what little pride she had left.
Dominick gave her a serious look she didn't understand.
"That's it? No fight? No lashing out?"
"Why would I?" She rested her elbows on the table and placed her chin on her fist. "The money in my account says I'm supposed to obey you and be pleasant, right?" she spat with venom.
He glared at her.
The waiter returned and handed Dominick the bottle, which he wasted no time opening himself. Jade forced herself to eat, and only after tasting the delicious meat covered in sauce did she realize how hungry she actually was. She hadn't eaten properly in days.
"Did you leave your phone?" he asked, drinking straight from the bottle.
"I don't know where it is, honestly," she admitted. The food was amazing.
"And you weren't hungry..." he said, staring at her. "Are you eating well?"
"That's none of your business. Or is that also part of the terms of my purchase?" she hissed.
The blonde shot him a look filled with all the contempt she couldn't say out loud.
Dominick kept drinking and didn't speak for over an hour. Jade had to sit there and watch him get drunk. And to say she wasn't scared would be a lie... She knew he was going to hurt her in the state he was in.
She swallowed hard. Dom's eyes were dilated and red. He looked angrier with every sip, and every passing minute made her feel worse.
He stood up, startling her. He left more money than necessary to cover the bill and grabbed her wrist tightly, dragging her out of the restaurant under the concerned stares of the other diners.
"Slow down! You're hurting me!" she complained, digging her nails into Dom's hand.
He stopped abruptly, causing her to crash into him.
"You're just like her, you..." He shoved her against the wall. Dom was lost in the alcohol, beginning to confuse the girl in front of him with his ex-fiancée. "Why did you do it?" he asked, caressing her face. "Why?"
"Dominick, what are you talking about?" she asked, confused.
"You're a disgrace!" he shouted, slamming his fist into the wall, making Jade flinch.
"Dominick, you're scaring me..." she whispered, terrified.
He didn't answer. He simply grabbed her wrist again and dragged her to the elevator. Once they were inside, he let go. Every second felt like an eternity beside him. Dom's chest rose and fell rapidly, while the poor girl backed into the corner, trembling with fear...
When the elevator dinged to announce their floor, the sound made her jump. Her nerves were completely on edge.
Dom grabbed her wrist again and yanked her toward his room. He pulled out the key and managed to open the door, then pushed her inside and closed it behind them.
Jade stood in the middle of the room, watching Dominick's every move. To her growing dread, he headed straight for another drink.
"You're still drinking?" she asked in a murmur.
Dom turned around, glass in hand.
"You always liked to drink. Why are you complaining now?" he said before downing the drink in one gulp.
"I think you're confusing me, Dominick. What if we wait until tomorrow?" she asked, wringing her hands.
"No," he said sharply. "Take off your clothes. Undress for me," he demanded. "And let your hair down."
Jade removed the dress, letting out a resigned sigh. There was no turning back now. She slipped off her bra and underwear, let her hair fall free, and stepped out of her heels.
She was completely exposed before him...
Dom walked up to her and gently stroked her cheek.
"I still think about you… even after your betrayal."