The day started like any other. I went to Desire, put on something nice, and went to the VIP lounge. As always, I had to find some idiot who would give me all his money if necessary. Most of the time these guys were all the same. Always in some kind of middle position in their company, not too low, but low enough that they were very insecure. They would do anything to prove to people that they were a big shot, even to a low life like me, especially to someone like me.
Typically, they also looked pretty much the same. They wore overpriced suits that didn't really fit them, let alone make them look good. Gold rings and a watch from a popular brand were essential. And one of the most obvious clues as to what they were was, of course, their sleek hair.
I wasn't even able to scan the entire lounge area before my eyes found a target. A blond man in his fifties, wearing a black suit of one of the most expensive brands, was standing awkwardly at the bar, trying to put on a confident pose. I was about to burst out laughing, but I managed to pull myself together and start walking in his direction.
Before I could begin my work, I was approached by Vik, a new boy who had climbed the ladder very quickly and who oozed arrogance and jealousy. He had a very baby-like face, short blonde hair, and a very slim body. A perfect doll for all the perverts. The fact that he wore almost nothing, just a very see-through shirt and leather pants, probably helped attract customers too. My present look was quite different from his, which was a tight black suit adorned with thin metal chains, a coat thrown over it, and slim black rings filled with gold around my fingers.
There are two ways to make yourself desirable. Being something mysterious and unattainable or a cheap whore. He chose the latter.
"Look who finally decided to grace us with his presence." He smiled at me and gave me a wink, as if he wasn't just insulting me while trying to cover it up under the pretense of us being friends.
"I know you're like the godmother of us all, but shouldn't you set an example and be on time for work?" he asked in his shrill voice, looking me up and down.
I watched him with my eyes. I scanned his clothes and posture, feeling more disgusted with every second. How could such an idiot work on the same floor as me? He doesn't belong here at all, but it just goes to show how much you can get if you sleep with the boss. But who am I to judge, after all, he is just trying to survive like everyone else in this shithole. It still doesn't excuse his stupidity.
"Hello! Are you going to answer me or just give me a death stare until I leave? Because that's not going to happen." He seethed at me in frustration.
I looked him up and down, wondering why he would even think that I would be upset by anything he had to say.
"Go back to work, kid." I replied as I walked past him and returned to my actual reason for being here.
I sat down one seat away from the man and raised my hand to order a drink. You can't be too obvious about your interest, or you won't be able to wrap them around your finger.
"Lisa, could you please make me a gin-tonic?" I asked our bartender with a smile.
She was probably the only person in Desire I liked. She was a tall Vietnamese woman with waist-length black hair and a birthmark under her right eye. Lisa was the only "normal" person in that den of animals. Whenever I had a problem or just looked annoyed, she could take away all my worries with a simple smile and a nice cocktail. I don't really know what it is, but every time I talk to her, it's like I've finally met a long-lost friend.
"No problem, sweetheart. How was your trip to the Oracle last night? I heard it's like the number one club in all of Midas." She gave me a sweet smile as she started to prepare the drink.
Oracle is one of the most exclusive clubs in the galaxy. Only very high-profile people can get in, and they can only take one person with them, who is also screened from head to toe. My last client was the head of a mid-sized company and somehow was able to get a pass to get into this club. He took me with him to make it easier for the big fish to approach him and talk business. I suspect he spent almost all of his savings on the occasion, or so it seemed from his frantic behavior and panic after one of Micro Corps' major shareholders rejected his offer.
It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life when the security guard threw us out after my client started begging the shareholder to change his mind.
The moment Lisa mentioned the Oracle, I could see the man next to me looking up at us frantically. He seemed shocked and intrigued that I had somehow gained access to the Oracle. His shock didn't last long as he finally looked at me and started smirking. It is always the same with perverts. All they have to do is see my face and body and all other thoughts instantly disappear.
"It was eventful." I smiled back while making eye contact with my target.
He tried his best to not show that he was nervous as hell, but his reddening ears demonstrated to me how insecure that man was.
After contemplating what he should do for at least five minutes he finally was able to stand up and approach me. Again, he tried to look relaxed and confident but his trembling fingers that were clenching his pants just showed me what he really felt.
It's good that he's nervous, it will be much easier to seduce and control him than if he were some arrogant bastard.
"Hey gorgeous, would you like it if I paid for your drink?" he strutted in my direction after giving himself a quick pep talk, I guess.
I looked at him with a smile and was ready to answer when Lisa put my drink down. She winked at me and turned to the guy.
"It's his favorite gin and tonic, I presume you want to pay for it, sir?" she asked him with a professional smile. He nodded eagerly, completely ignoring the fact that all employees get free drinks at our club.
"I hope you like it." He chuckled in my direction as I took a sip. Oh, how I would love to laugh at him, but I guess he makes my job really easy, so I should show him some gratitude.
"Thanks for the drink, I really appreciate it," I put my hand on his right leg as he sat down next to me.
Within seconds, he started to blush, but after a few coughs, he regained his composure and turned his full attention to me instead of the hand that was still on his thigh.
"So, what's your name? I'm guessing it should be something really nice because so far all the other girls and boys who have introduced themselves to me have had really nice names. And if my theory isn't wrong, it all has to do with how good they look. The prettier you look, the prettier your name is, I guess. And if that's the case, you should have the most beautiful name of all." He ended his flirtatious attack and looked as smug as he could.
It is common in Desire to get a nickname that you use for all your work. The first names that come to mind are Lotus or Snow. We tend to look for names that are common but have a meaning, at least to us.
Vik is currently the only worker who does not have one. He probably thinks that if the customer knows his real name, he will not forget him so easily and might be more inclined to be his sugar daddy. If you ask me, this is total bullshit, the only thing it does is give all those rich assholes an easy way to find out everything about your life and use it against you.
"Oh, you really think so. Well, my name is Wish and what do you think, was your assumption correct?" I giggled and gave his thigh a little squeeze.
"Yes, my assumption was definitely correct." He leaned to me and touched my hand that was placed on his leg.
As I was about to continue our conversation, we were interrupted by a hand on my shoulder. Looking behind me, I was greeted by the one and only handsome David.
"Could you please come with me to the back room, I have had a very stressful day." He gave me a smile and guided me with his hand to stand up.
"Hey, you can't just come in here and take him away, we were just having a conversation!" the old man jumped up and snapped at David.
"Yes, I can because I'm one of the diamond members, which means I can take Wish as long as no other diamond member is talking to him and looking at you, I guess you're not one of them, or did I guess wrong?" David gave him a stoic look while his grip on my shoulder tightened a bit.
The idiot was stunned and needed some time to compose himself, after which I could see that he wanted to talk back. We can't have that, so I walked over, put my hand on his cheek, and gave him one of my weaponized smiles.
"My dear, I'm sorry, but Mr. Lopez is telling the truth. If you want to talk again, just come tomorrow and I will definitely have some time for you, okay?" he took some time to nod in a haze and then his eyes widened when he heard the last name David. There are no other Lopez on Midas who work in a company, so even an idiot like him could immediately recognize who was standing in front of him.
Before I could take another look at him, he jumped out of his seat and left with a quick "I'm sorry, sir, for the inconvenience".
"Can you please stop this? Any more of this shit and I will only have you as a customer." I sighed as I looked at David and his smug face.
"Well, I wouldn't mind, I think I'm paying you enough to be my personal servant." He said laughing. I could only roll my eyes at his stupid remark.
"As if I wasn't already your personal servant. Now why did you destroy my chance to make some easy money?" I walked over to him with a subtle smile, even more fake than the one he gave my fleeing customer.
"I have some new gifts for you, so come to the back room and let me show you." He said as he took my hand and led me in the direction of our private rooms. I have some new gifts' is our code for 'I have work for you', which immediately sent me into a frenzy.
After all the shit that happened a week ago with the robberies, David had given me some questionably dangerous jobs that made me not look forward to his visits, which was something new. Normally I was happy when my walking money bag came to Desire and wanted to meet me, but now I just hoped I wouldn't die doing stupid shit for him.
The back room of Desire was a place few ventured without explicit permission. It was reserved for VIPs and high-paying clients, and its dim lighting and plush furnishings gave it an air of exclusivity and secrecy. As I walked down the hallway, I could feel the looks of envy and curiosity from the other workers. It was a mixed blessing, the attention. It marked me as valuable, but it also painted a target on my back.
David always books me through the club, so there's no suspicion of our relationship, no one wonders why David takes me to the back room, they just assume he's my sugar daddy and wants to have some fun with his boy toy. Still, everyone wonders why David, one of the most desirable men in Midas, would have anything to do with a pleasure boy when he could have any women and men he wanted for free. Another thing that makes me more desirable and at the same time puts a target on my back.
Once inside, David closed the door behind us, and the sounds of the club faded to a distant murmur. He motioned for me to sit on the velvet sofa while he took a seat across from me. His face, usually composed and confident, was marked with a hint of tension.
"Wish," he began, using my professional name with a familiarity that was both comforting and unnerving. "Things are getting more complicated than we expected."
"Tell me something I don't know," I replied, leaning back and crossing my legs, trying to project an air of nonchalance. But inside, my heart was pounding. I had a feeling that whatever he was about to say would push me deeper into the web of deceit and danger that had become my life.
David sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We have a lead on one of the groups responsible for the robbery. It's a faction within Solstice that operates under the radar. They've been planning this for years, and now that they've made their move, they won't stop until they've consolidated their power."
"So, what's my role in all of this?" I asked, already dreading the answer.
"Andersson has asked for you again," David said, his eyes meeting mine. "This time he's holding a private meeting at his estate, and we believe it's a cover for a meeting with other conspirators. His company is a subsidiary of Solstice, and we know he has deep ties to the parent company, which makes him a perfect suspect, especially after he invited so many other CEOs of other Solstice subsidiaries. We need you to infiltrate and gather as much information as you can."
I felt a shiver run down my spine. Infiltrating a private meeting at the estate of Jorvik Andersson, CEO of Hel, wasn't just dangerous - it was suicidal. "And what exactly am I looking for?"
"Anything that can link Andersson to the robbery," David replied. "Documents, conversations, anything. We need concrete evidence that can bring him down and destabilize the Faction."
I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. "And if I get caught?"
David's expression softened, and for a moment I saw a flicker of genuine concern in his eyes. "You won't get caught. You're too good for that."
His words were meant to be reassuring, but they did little to quell the unease gnawing at me. I had survived in Midas by being careful, by knowing when to take risks and when to lay low. This felt like a risk too far, a step too deep into the darkness.
"When is this meeting?" I asked, already mentally preparing myself for the ordeal ahead.
"Tomorrow night," David said. "I'll have everything you need ready by then. Just be careful, Wish. We're getting closer to the truth, but that means we're also getting closer to danger."
I nodded and rose from the sofa. "I'll be ready."
As I left the back room and reentered the main lounge, the noise and lights of Desire seemed almost overwhelming. I forced a smile and returned to my duties, but my mind was already racing, planning how to navigate the treacherous path that lay ahead.
Tomorrow night, I would walk into the lion's den armed with nothing but my wits and charm. And I would have to hope that it would be enough to keep me alive.
I awoke the next morning to the soft chime of my alarm clock, the early sunlight filtering through the heavy curtains. My first thought was of the mission before me. Today was the day I would infiltrate Andersson's estate, the day I would risk everything.
A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. I quickly got up and opened it to find a package waiting for me, marked with David's familiar handwriting. I took it inside and carefully unpacked its contents. Inside was a small recording device, a hidden camera, and a detailed floor plan of Andersson's mansion.
I spread the floor plan out on the table and studied every room, every exit and entrance. The mansion was a labyrinth of corridors and secret passages, a testament to Andersson's paranoia. The office where I would find the incriminating evidence was on the second floor, heavily guarded.
The recording device and hidden camera were state-of-the-art, designed to be easily concealed. I practiced with them for a while to make sure I could use them seamlessly without drawing attention. The recorder fits perfectly into the lining of my jacket, and the hidden camera was small enough to fit inside a button.
Once I felt comfortable with the equipment, I turned my attention to my appearance. I needed to be more than presentable; I needed to be irresistible, a distraction so complete that no one would suspect my true purpose.
I spent the next few hours meticulously preparing myself. I chose an outfit that was elegant and alluring, a suit that clung to my body in all the right places. My makeup was subtle but enhanced my features, making my eyes appear larger and more innocent. I styled my hair carefully, making sure it looked effortlessly tousled.
When I was done, the person staring back at me in the mirror looked every bit the desirable plaything I needed to be. It was a mask I had worn many times before, but today it felt heavier, burdened by the gravity of what I was getting myself into.
A message from David appeared on my phone, confirming that Andersson's men were on their way. I took one last look in the mirror, steeling myself for the night ahead. This was it - the point of no return.
Soon there was a knock on my door, and I was escorted out by two of Andersson's men. They were polite but distant, their eyes scanning me with a mixture of professionalism and mild interest. They led me to a sleek limousine waiting in front of Desire.
The ride to the mansion was silent, the only sound was the low hum of the engine and the occasional murmur from the driver's radio. I stared out of the tinted windows, my mind racing over the plan. I had to stay calm and remember the information I received.
We arrived at the estate, and the sight of the imposing mansion brought a new wave of nerves. The high walls and armed guards were a stark reminder of the dangers ahead. The limousine pulled up and one of the men opened the door for me.
"Mr. Andersson is expecting you," he said, his tone polite but firm.
I stepped out of the car, straightened my jacket, and took a deep breath. The mansion loomed before me, a fortress of wealth and power. As I walked toward the entrance, I reminded myself of the stakes. Only the premise of finally getting much closer to my escape from this sickening planet made my legs move further into the mansion.
The heavy doors opened, and I was ushered inside. The opulence of the interior was overwhelming, with expensive artwork and luxurious furnishings. The air was thick with the scent of wealth and privilege.
Andersson's men led me through the grand hallways to the main lounge where the meeting was already underway. As I entered the room, I could feel the guests' eyes on me, a mixture of curiosity and desire. I put on my best smile, ready to play my role to perfection.
The mission had begun and there was no turning back.