Draped in a mask, Charlotte cautiously stepped onto the stage of the crowded club. As soon as the bright lights illuminated the area, she couldn't help but feel a heavy weight settle in her chest.
Anxiety coursed through her veins, intensifying with each passing moment, as the voices of the crowd echoed in her ears.
Just like her very first day on the job as a stripper, anxiety had always been her constant companion whenever she found herself standing on this stage. To her, the stage which was for stripping has transformed into a battlefield.
Charlotte struggled to catch her breath as she gazed out at the sea of faces in the audience. These faces belonged to men hungry for her body, stripping her down with their leering gazes and raucous laughter.
Disgust seeped into her being as she thought of the loathing she held for these men, a feeling that far surpassed her distaste for her job. But she had no choice. She needed to pay for her father's life-saving surgery.
Ever since her father was diagnosed with a blocked artery in his heart, Charlotte had worked tirelessly to fund her father's treatment, even if it meant sacrificing her dignity.
Coupled with the mounting debt from her father's loss of income, the burden to provide fell solely on her shoulders, and she was slowly fading away under the weight of it all.
It was her last night at the club. Her aunt had secured her a cleaning job at a prominent company in the city, and she was set to start the next morning. The pay would not be nearly as much, but it was a way out of the never-ending cycle of objectification and degradation she endured as a stripper.
With a shiver running down her spine, she whispered to herself, "Just one more time, this is my last performance." She took a deep breath, steadying herself for what was to come.
As the music started, Charlotte gracefully made her way to the pole, moving her body in sync with the seductive beat. Her skin glistened under the lights as she climbed the pole, swaying her body in a mesmerizing manner.
The sole means by which she had persevered this long was by entering a state of numbness induced by a drink every time she was prepared to take the stage.
"Fuck! I desire you!", the men echoed in the background, rooting for her as she moved.
"You are a seductive bitch!", another man echoed as he tossed money at her.
One man stealthily approached the pole, eager to touch her as he salivated, consumed by a desperate desire to claim her for himself.
"Take all of my money, bitch! I just want to have you all to myself", the man pleaded.
Her performance left the audience in a state of ecstasy, each man lusting after her movements and willing to do anything to possess her.
***
In the VIP section of the club, Lucas and his friends reveled and caroused while the women vied for his attention. However, he was not interested in any of them, considering them to be 'cheap'. Women had always been mere playthings for him.
Amidst his enjoyment, a girl stormed up to him with anger blazing in her eyes.
"Lucas! You are here partying while I've been trying to reach you for days. Did you block me?" she demanded.
Ignoring her as though she were not even there, Lucas continued sipping his drink. His friends erupted into loud laughter, causing the girl's face to flush with embarrassment.
Simon, one of Lucas's friends, remarked, "Dude, where do you even find all these bitches?" He laughed, glancing at Lucas.
"You know that women always crave me. I can't help it," Lucas nonchalantly shrugged.
He was accustomed to women flocking to him because of his wealth and handsome face. Yet, he had no interest in any of them.
He used them to satiate his sexual desires, paid them off, and demanded that they never return. However, like this woman, most of them believed that they could change him, and make him fall in love with them. They were simply delusional and seeking financial gain.
Despite her embarrassment, the girl persisted. "I'm talking to you, Lucas. I thought you cared about me. Were those sweet words merely lies?" she demanded, her frustration threatening to bring her to tears.
Her words only served to irk Lucas, and he could no longer hold his tongue. "Are you stupid? I'm done with you, bitch! And how dare you stand there and question me. Leave, before I show you how wicked I can truly be."
The girl flinched at Lucas's raised voice, her tears already welling up in her eyes. "You'll regret this. You're an asshole, and I hate you!" she cried in frustration before storming out.
As she left, Lucas and his friends couldn't help but laugh. They had seen this scenario play out many times before with other girls vying for Lucas's attention. Lucas found it amusing that girls still fell for his charms despite his reputation. Their tears held no sway over him; he never asked them to cry for him anyway.
"Bro, that was epic!" Ryan exclaimed, still shaking from the excitement.
"Lucas, the ultimate ladies' man. Do these girls even know who they're dealing with?" Simon added with a smirk.
"I can have whoever I want. These naive girls think I would lower myself to be with any of them. They're nothing but gold diggers and lowlife bitches," Lucas sneered as he took a swig of his drink.
The loud cheers and the sound of money being thrown caught their attention. Lucas wondered what was causing all the commotion, and then he noticed the masked stripper dancing provocatively on stage.
As he watched her for a few more minutes, Lucas couldn't help but be captivated by her flawless skin and alluring curves. He felt himself getting aroused as he continued to observe her, barely covered by the thin bra and thong she was wearing.
He couldn't help but wonder who was hiding behind the mask, and how he had never noticed her before.
Her sensual movements on the pole ignited a fire within him, and he couldn't wait to explore every inch of his desires with her.
“Fuck! I want her”, Lucas voiced out when he could no longer bear the wild thoughts from his imagination, he wanted her all for himself.
Lucas nonverbally signaled to one of his bodyguards stationed behind him, whispering confidentially in his ear. The bodyguard promptly excused himself, returning with the club's manager at Lucas's behest. The manager came running as he knew Lucas George to be an influential figure.
"I want that girl," Lucas stated bluntly, gesturing his chin towards Charlotte.
The manager's eyes widened, following Lucas's gaze, shocked and taken aback. "Pardon me, sir. Did you say...her?" he stuttered in disbelief.
"I want her," Lucas repeated coldly.
"I understand your desires, sir, but the particular stripper you mention does not engage in private sessions," Manager Tee responded tactfully, careful not to incite Lucas's ire.
"What do you mean? I explicitly stated my wish, and you dare to refuse me?" Lucas questioned, his gaze now fixated on the manager, who had begun to sweat under the chilled air of the VIP section.
"N-no, of course not, sir. I am just trying to explain that there are equally stunning strippers in our establishment that can fulfill your desires. I can arrange for any one of them to join you immediately," Manager Tee hastily clarified, trembling from fear.
"I have made my decision. Get her!" Lucas commanded, gesturing again to the same bodyguard, who retrieved a bag filled with a substantial sum.
The bodyguard handed the bag to the manager, who unzipped it and greedily eyed the pile of cash. His stance changed, unable to resist such a tempting offer.
"I will fetch her at once," Manager Tee eagerly declared, hastily exiting with the bag in tow, his face brimming with excitement.
"Lucas," his friends, who had been silently observing the exchange, called out with smug smirks.
After a few minutes, Charlotte finished performing for the men and made her way to the backstage room, seeking to calm her nerves and wash her sweaty hands. As she breathed a sigh of relief, the manager's assistant approached her, alerting her of the boss's request for her presence.
Charlotte's anxiety quickly dissipated, relieved at the idea that her boss was ready to hand her final paycheck. She could not wait to leave this degrading and oppressive environment and never look back.
In a hurried frenzy, she sped towards the Manager's office, only to be informed by her superior that before receiving her paycheck, she would have to perform a private striptease for a crucial client.
This revelation caused a myriad of shockwaves to surge through her body, triggering haunting memories of her past. It seemed history was about to repeat itself.
"What...? What did you just say to me? A private session?" Charlotte stammered in disbelief.