He's here!
That's him, the beautiful, fancy man I saw today.
Did he recognize me? Is that why he was looking at me so intensely now?
Catherine's eyes remained focused on one gentleman in that crowd of strangers. There amidst a group of good-looking young male species was the person, whom she shared the bench at the Park this afternoon.
She started her dance number, clumsily at first until she got the appropriate tempo.
Please let him pick me.
Her nerves were all over the place but seeing this unprecedented guy made her restless heart somewhat limpid.
Nevertheless she couldn't keep her eyes away from him.
Thus, the people's lauds turned louder, and the men became aware that the coveted jewel had her eyes set on her own prize. One of them had been taken.
The offering had selected but would he choose her?
She awkwardly made her way down the stage and walked over to him. She made it a point that she strutted her round hips saucily.
What's wrong with me? Why am I reacting to his presence so fiercely?
She swallowed her pride and lifted her head high.
There was no room for failure.
Catherine stood in front of him as his companions and the other onlookers encouraged her to give this gorgeous man a proper lap dance.
And dance for him, she did.
As she strike her way towards his direction, her heart beat accelerated in a rhythm like she never experienced before. Then she straddled his thighs, not tarrying for his permission. Facing him, she could smell his clean, manly scent. His faint male perfume teased her nostrils.
Her eyes were downcast as she was afraid she might see indifference in his eyes. Her long eyelashes trembled as she did her dirty dance number upon him. Gyrating to the tune of the sensual music, her body movements wriggled provocatively.
Unbeknownst to her, his eyes never wavered. As she undulated her hips the way Agatha and Luchi taught her, she didn't discern that his lovely blue eyes darkened with desire for her.
She wrapped her arms around his strong neck and slid her lithe body against his hard, muscular physique. Brushing her rounded breasts against his chest. Teasing him. Accidentally she felt something hard against her inner thighs.
Huh? Could it be?
She paused and looked up. Their eyes met instantaneously. So stunned that she could excite him that way, Catherine became bolder with her alluring locomotions. That gave her hope maybe, just maybe he would contend for her this night.
Better him than anyone else.
Please let it be him tonight.
Her long eyelashes trembled against her dark brown eyes. He hypnotised hers. So lost was she in their visual connection that she couldn't hear anything else but the rhythm of their hearts beating as one and their steady breathing.
Who is this man? Why does he affect me so badly?
All of a sudden, the music had faded away.
Her required sensuous activity had ended.
The time has come.
Catherine felt as if cold water splashed all over her body. She stood up unsteadily. His hands automatically grabbed her waist to keep her from falling. Imminently their eyes never broke contact. His gaze so grave now that she had to look away. But before she left, she leaned over onto his ear and whispered...
"Please..."
Cupping his handsome face on her slightly shaking right hand, she made her exit and went back onto the middle of the stage where the auctioneer waited for her return.
At long last, the moment has come that the purity of Miss Catherine Meza would be procured tonight, to whoever it was that has the most money to burn.
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"Now we've come to the main event of this evening, our distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Another beautiful maiden stand before you. Introducing Miss Courtesan!"
People cheered.
"You may now take off your mask!"
Catherine's hand shook as she slowly lifted her hands and removed the covering from her face.
With her pride still enduring, she lifted her head and showed the audience her uncovered visage.
People gasped. The stunner before them took their breath away.
"Now you understand it perfectly ladies and gentlemen, why we kept her gorgeousness hidden away from you all? One lucky man can have her all to himself tonight. Who would want to compete with their cold cash for this enchantress... This angelic beauty before me?! Now is your chance!"
A round of applause and loud cheers boomed all around the club.
"The starting bid amounts to ten thousand dollars! You could go as high as you can afford to claim this goddess!
"Fifty thousand!"
"Fifty?! We got fifty! That's a large amount already, anyone going for-"
"Sixty!"
"We have Six-"
"Eighty thousand!"
And so it went on and on.
Catherine stood there, her gazed nailed on an antique chandelier. Her dark brown eyes remained unfocused. Her hands placed delicately on her hips and a fake, wide smile cracked on her reddened lips. Her body trembled in shame as she repeatedly heard the men vying for her untouched flesh.
Her eyes searched the crowd for him again.
Why isn't he raising his hands? Didn't he want me?
Their eyes instantly collided. She couldn't keep her attention away from him. She couldn't explain it but this stranger made her feel... it was as if... almost...
Safe?
What is it about him that I am comfortable just having him near me?
Then a sudden thought came to her mind and she felt embarrassment washed all over herself. Her eyes widened in realisation.
Oh my God! Was I wrong?
Do I disgust him?
Catherine gasped and tore her fixation away from him.
He wasn't gazing at me with passion, instead it was a look of revulsion!
Her assumptions were falsehood. He wasn't taken with her sexually explicit dance performance. Actually, he was one of the few decent men who weren't bidding for her.
Now she felt sudden fear and a pang of regret as she construed that he wasn't going to join the solicitation for her unmarred body.
But why does it hurts? Why does his rejection saddens me? I am a nobody to him.
"Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars!"
Catherine heard the loud cry of the auctioneer. Her mind stopped wandering. Someone had won and it wasn't him.
An unknown total stranger had bought her.
"This stunning maiden is sold to Mr. Geoffrey Scott!"
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Thirty minutes later, Catherine carefully removed the wig they provided her and gently brushed her tangled brunette, wavy hair that reached past her waist.
He didn't want me.
She took a deep breath, calming breath.
Then she smiled to herself. She poured too much thoughts in her stupid expectation. Not ever learning that nothing she wanted would ever be possible.
Keep yourself together, Cathy. You have to be thankful that it was another young man who's going to be sleeping with you tonight and not some older man. Old enough to be your grandfather.
She bit her quivering lower lip and tried to suppressed her sobs from spilling out of her mouth. She had her luck tonight. She should be thankful to the winner, Mr. Scott, for fancying her.
Catherine closed her eyes tightly, gripping the wig in her left hand as she clenched her fists. This wasn't the way she imagined her first night with a man would be. She saved herself pure for the man she would fall in love and share the rest of her life with. She wanted to giveaway her purity to her one and only.
However, things have changed. Destiny played a cruel game on her. Her dreams of love and marriage were far from her reach now because Miguel's survival was her number one priority.
I am worth three hundred and fifty thousand dollars!
She opened her eyes and looked at the plain looking Catherine in the mirror. Gone were the admirable courtesan who performed satisfactorily and gave her triumphant best for her keep. Standing before her now was the desperate woman who sold herself so sensibly to the highest amount she had earned in her entire life.
She took her used pink lip gloss from her old Guess black leather satchel, the last Christmas present she received from her parents, and applied it generously on her pink, pouty lips. She straightened up and tried to smile at herself.
Then kissed her reflection in the mirror goodbye.
As she left the ladies' room, Luchi came near her.
"Catherine, the car is ready for you now. Albert will take you to the Dark Shadow Hotel. You can pass through the backdoor over there", Luchi explained and ushered her down a hallway.
Catherine nodded her head, stopped and hugged Luchi, which stunned the latter.
"Thank you so much for your kindness", she whispered.
"You're welcome. Be safe out there and try to enjoy yourself tonight, okay? Mr. Scott is a handsome, young man. He will treat you right."
Catherine just nodded her head and walked towards the exit door, where an awaiting car was to take her away from the place that she vowed never to set foot again.
The highest paid prize this establishment had ever offered someone has left the building.
Miss Catherine Meza, the pricey value of a stranger's heightened victory was leaving behind her dignity.