Carolina's POV

It was Friday evening. I left home in search of a job. After an unsuccessful hunt, I returned and found my mother, Lilian Edmond, standing at the entrance.

"Carolina, you are 26 years old. Yet you have no job or a boyfriend. You cannot continue to eat in this house with us. Take your things and leave my house!" My mother shouted, glaring at me.

"Mom…" I groaned, exhausted from the search.

I knew my father wasn't home, and my siblings had gone out except for my youngest sister, Cassie.

My mother was a 48-year-old woman of average height, with fair skin, long blonde hair, and a curvaceous body like mine. Though I was slender and tall, she wore a light blue dress that hung loosely around her frame, paired with black slippers. Her eyes glared at me disdainfully.

I wore a faded yellow top and an old brown flared skirt I had owned for years, paired with black shoes. My worn-out black bag hung from my shoulder as I stood in front of the rented house. Other tenants peeked from their windows, trying to glimpse the commotion.

"Carolina, you are not entering this house tonight. You better go back and search for a job. If you do not find one, then do not come home again."

"If your father and I had known that sending you to university was a waste, we wouldn't have spent our money and saved it for your younger ones."

"How do you expect us to keep feeding a grown woman like you in this house? If you do not want to work, then stay out there!" My mother went back inside and slammed the door in my face.

I knew she wasn't happy that I didn't have a job. I sighed, staring at the door.

I am Carolina Edmond, and I had graduated with a first-class degree in business management. So far, I hadn't secured a good job in this city.

I grew up in a family with five siblings—two younger sisters and two younger brothers. I was the eldest, and yet I had nothing serious going on. No job, no lover, just me alone.

I drew a deep breath and turned toward the road. I knew my mother carried all our family responsibilities because my father was a deadbeat. He didn't truly care what I did. He came home to eat, and we might not see him for days since he worked as a mechanic.

I stood by the roadside, wondering what to do and how to get a job fast. When I checked my phone, it read 7pm. I knew most agencies had closed. So what work could I find tonight?

I decided to contact my best friend, Lucy Campbell. She worked at a club here in Mohills City. I was certain she could lend me money to cover my bills for the weekend.

"Hello, Lucy," I said as she picked up.

"Hey, Carolina. What's wrong?" Lucy asked, shouting over the noise.

I could tell she was at work. The loud club music reverberated in my ears.

"I am homeless, Lucy. Can I come and stay at your place?" I asked, knowing she lived alone. I tried to fight back my sobs but ended up sniffing.

Lucy was my childhood friend. We attended the same college, but she didn't have a family like mine. She chose to live alone and work in a club.

"Why? What happened with your family again? Your mom threw you out?" Lucy asked, guessing the problem. "This is 8pm. How can she send you away in the night?" She sounded furious, and I tried not to cry.

"Lucy, I cannot blame my mother. The economic situation is too hard now, and my mother is just trying her best to provide for us. I need to get a job to support her. If I can find any work tonight, I do not mind doing it—even if it's prostitution," I told her, sobbing at last. She sighed.

"It's alright, Caro. I am at work now. Can you come to The Blues Club? It's the biggest club in this city, and they have a five-star hotel too. I will try to speak to my boss about employing you. But you must quit speaking so casually and speak fluently or seductively like me. That way my boss will take you seriously. Also, you must be friendly with the male clients. You will have to endure their touch and how they interact with you," Lucy said.

"Really? I must do all this if I want the job. Will it involve kissing or what?" I asked, my eyes widening in shock, my heart pounding faster.

"No. What is wrong with you, Carolina? You will just have to put on a smiling face. Well, you know you're a pretty woman, so some of the men might want to ask you out," Lucy said. I thought about it.

"Alright. I do not have a problem with that. What matters is that I earn money. Even if it means selling my body. I feel like a failure right now," I told her as I sobbed.

"It's okay, Caro. You are not a failure. Where are you? Start coming over. Do you have transport fare, or should I lend you some money? Although, I do not have money to spare right now. My elder sister's wedding is next month, and I need to make preparations for it," Lucy said.

"Alright. I will pay you back. Please help me, Lucy. You are the only best friend I have," I told her, and she laughed over the phone with her contagious laugh.

"Don't mention it. I am sure I am not your only friend. Anyway, I will send the money to you. Get here quickly," Lucy said. She knew how hard I had been trying to get a job, all to no avail.

I sighed, pacing by the road, when I got a message alert for 5000. I smiled. The amount was more than I needed, but I knew I had to pay Lucy back.

Looking ahead, I hailed a taxi and told the driver, "To The Blues Clubhouse."

The taxi driver looked me over from head to toe.

"Are you sure you are going to the Blues dressed like this?" He eyed me suspiciously, and I frowned.

"Why? I am going there to meet a friend," I told him, and he shrugged.

"Get in the car. That isn't my problem. But your fare is 1500," the driver said as I pulled the door open and slid into the back seat.

"Why? Isn't it 500?" I tried to ask, but his eyes darkened.

"You can walk. Why get in a taxi," he said coldly, and I frowned.

"It's fine. Take me to the club," I told him. He nodded, started the car, and drove off to The Blues Club.