Chapter 4When the Ashes Were Scattered

But the seedy, chaotic world of a nightclub was no place for a novice like me.

Night after night, I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to endure the grasping, malicious hands. I begged and pleaded, finally convincing two gold-toothed executives to buy a single bottle of champagne.

I survived like that, day after day.

On the fifth day, the bar owner took pity on me.

He sighed, his face etched with weariness. “I hear you’re in a rush for two thousand dollars. How about this? I’ll advance you your wages and tips from the past few days. I’ll have two thousand for you in the morning. After you’ve taken care of your business, you can come back and work in the back office. Away from the customers.”

“A young girl like you… it’s not good to go through this kind of hardship so early.”

This small act of kindness shattered my composure. I burst into tears, dropping to my knees and bowing my head to the floor three times in gratitude.

That night, I called the funeral home and arranged a time for Nina’s cremation.

But the next morning, when I arrived at the bar, I was met by the owner’s troubled face.

A knot of dread tightened in my stomach.

His expression was a mixture of guilt and pity. He let out a long sigh. “Scarlett, I’m so sorry.”

“The two thousand dollars…”

“I can’t give it to you.”

The feed, which had been celebrating with me just moments before, went silent.

My mouth opened, but no words came out. I started to tremble, tears blurring my vision.

Then I saw the feed light up again.

【Scarlett, it looks like your parents pressured the owner. If he gives you the money, he’ll lose his bar…】

【This guy has it tough. His mother has a heart condition, his son is autistic… the bar is all his family has. He had no choice but to say no.】

【But what is Scarlett going to do now? The funeral home is already preparing for the cremation.】

I looked at the owner’s bloodshot eyes. Numbly, I bowed to him.

“Thank you. I’m sorry to have caused you trouble.”

I wiped my tears with a stiff, mechanical motion and turned away, wandering aimlessly through the streets.

I was completely and utterly hopeless.

Why was it always like this? Every time a sliver of hope appeared, they would crush it, forcing my sister and me deeper into despair.

I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably in the middle of the sidewalk, my grief cut short by the ringing of my phone.

It was Nurse Thompson from the hospital.

“Hello? Young lady, you are coming to pick up your sister today, right?”

“Every extra day is another fifty dollars…”

“Nurse Thompson, I…” I didn’t know how to explain. The words caught in my throat.

Before I could speak, a sharp blow struck the back of my head.

Someone clamped a cloth over my mouth from behind.

A sharp, suffocating smell filled my lungs. The world swam. The last things I saw were the frantic messages on the feed flashing 【RUN】 and the nurse on the other end of the line, her voice faint and distant as she called my name.

But I couldn’t answer.

A wave of cold washed over me.

I forced my eyes open, squinting against a blinding light.

“Heh, told you a splash of water would work.”

I flinched, trying to move, only to realize I was bound.

The man who had spoken walked over, grabbing my jaw and forcing me to look at him.

“Tsk, tsk. Not bad looking. This should be a profitable job.”

“Don’t be scared, little girl. We’re going to take good care of you.”

He smiled, his hand stroking my cheek, then moving slowly, deliberately, downward.

With a jolt of horror, I realized I was completely naked. Panic seized me.

“What do you want? Who hired you to kidnap me?”

The man chuckled, twirling a lock of my hair around his finger. “You pissed off the wrong person. Don’t you even know who?”

“A little girl like you… why would you pick a fight with the great Miss Sterling?”

Miss Sterling…

The name clicked, and just then, Stella emerged from the shadows.

Her face was a mask of disgust. She circled me, filming me with her phone.

“This is the price you pay for trying to compete with me for Mom and Dad’s love, Scarlett.”

“You needed two thousand dollars for Nina’s funeral, right?”

She laughed, pulling a bank card from her purse and tossing it at my feet.

“Consider this a gift from me. And I was thoughtful enough to find you a few men to help you experience the joys of life.”

“You’re welcome. I know you’ll thank me for it.”

“Oh, and one more thing.”

She smiled, pulling a piece of paper and an ink pad from her bag. She grabbed my hand and pressed my thumb onto the paper.