Ariana's phone buzzed. A text message from Noah.
"Did you get the money?"
She didn't answer immediately . She couldn't. Not yet. Not until she had something concrete.
Noah had borrowed a small sum from some of his school colleagues, barely enough for the hospital bills. Nothing more. She made a decision earlier to not tell him the full extent of their fathers debt. He wouldn't have been able to lend her anything at all. She swallowed the guilt that clawed at her throat and put the phone away.
She tried her mother next.
No answer.
Nothing.
The silence became heavier than the hospital itself. Every corner she turned for help, every call she made, ended the same: No help. She was running out of options, and the time the doctor gave her was running fast.
At the restaurant, one of her coworkers pulled her aside during a short break. She lowered her voice and leaned closer.
"You need quick cash right ?" she asked.
Ariana frowned at her. "What place?"
"The club downtown. Private. Work a few hours. Make money fast."
"A club?"
"Yeah. Don't worry about what kind of work. Just show up. You'll see. They pay well, cash upfront. No questions. Just… you know, entertain."
Ariana hesitated. The word entertain made her feel uneasy. Then she thought of the hospital bill. The debt. . She swallowed. "Fine. I'll come."
She took a taxi downtown. Her heart raced against her ribs, louder than the engine. Every red light stretched her nerves. She had never done anything like this before, not even close. Her heels clicked against the floor as she stepped out.
The club was black, lit in neon. Music hit loud. The crowd pressed close.Ariana paused at the door. She swallowed her fear and stepped inside.
She followed her coworker through the crowd.
"Here," the coworker said,"You'll work with him."
A man stepped forward. Friendly. Calm. He smiled.
"I will show you how it works," he said. "Follow me."
He led her through a quieter corner of the club.
"Listen," he said, lowering his voice. "This place… it has sections no one sees. Rooms, corridors. Some things happen here that aren't meant for anyone outside."
Ariana swallowed. "Like what?"
He shook his head. "Doesn't matter. You stay where I tell you. You follow instructions. That's it. Do not go near that door," he said, pointing to a heavy, black door at the end of a hall. "No reason. Just… trust me."
She frowned, curiosity burning, but fear held her back.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because if you open it, you'll regret it. Stay alive. That's the goal tonight."
She nodded, hands tight on the tray. Her pulse raced. Every instinct screamed to obey.
He smiled faintly. "Good. Stick close. Watch. Learn. You'll survive if you follow rules."
He handed her drinks. "Serve these," he said.
She moved through the crowd. Men noticed her. They leaned closer. Whispered. Laughed.
"Come sit with me pretty," one said.
She hesitated. She looked at the man who guided her. He nodded. "It's okay," he said. "Do as they ask."
She beside him and pulled her onto his laps. She stayed still, obeying.
The drinks she served felt wrong almost immediately. A subtle dizziness prickled at her temples. Her hands shook, and the room tilted. Voices became distorted, music louder than it should be.
Her stomach turned. Panic clawed at her chest. She tried to steady herself.
"Sir," she whispered, her voice shaky. "I… I don't feel well."
The man guiding her was gone—lost in the crowd. A hand grabbed her arm. She tried to pull away, but it was too late. The room blurred. Colors merged. She stumbled, barely able to stand.
Something cold brushed against her skin. Her vision swam. She realized, too late, that she had been drugged. Her body refused to obey. She tried to call for help. No words came.
A man loomed over her, intent clear in the way he moved. Fear gripped her, solid and sharp. She tried to shrink back.
Then: a knock at the door.
The man ignored it.
The knock came again. Louder. Insistent.
Xiaver.
The attacker turned toward the sound. That split second was enough. Xiaver struck. Fast. Precise. One blow, then another. The man crumpled.
Ariana could only watch, too weak to move, as Xiaver crossed the room. His movements were calm, deliberate, unshakable. Without looking at her, he covered her with his jacket and lifted her effortlessly into his arms. She tried to speak, but darkness pulled at her consciousness.
He carried her to his car. He placed her inside, closed the door and drove away.
He did not speak.
The city passed silently outside as he headed to his home.
He led her inside. White walls. Minimalist. Too quiet.
"Where am I?" her voice trembled.
He didn't answer.
He placed her on a bed. The sheets were white and soft.
She lay there, staring at the ceiling. Her mind feeling uneasy.She wanted to scream.
"Why was he at the club?", she said out loud.
Her fingers pressed into the sheets. Minutes stretched into hours.
The door opened.
He entered. No words. No explanation. Just presence. The kind of presence that demanded attention without asking.
Fear clung to her like a second skin.
He moved closer. Not menacingly. Not angrily. Just closer. Each step is deliberate. Each motion calm.
She swallowed, heart pounding, mind racing.
"You…" she began, then stopped. Words were useless. Everything she could say had no power here.
He stopped just short of the bed. Eyes locked on hers. Not a smile. Not a frown. Just control. Absolute.
He touched her face.
"I do not tolerate any man touching what belongs to me," he said.
She froze.
Her body stayed still. Her mind raced.
He stopped a step away. His eyes never left hers.
She noticed the room. White walls. Minimal furniture. Everything was clean.
He guided her to the arm chair beside the bed.
She tried to move. He caught her wrist. Her pulse raced. She looked at him. He studied her. Calm. Precise. Dominant.
Her eyes scanned the room. Windows locked. Door solid. Nothing she could use.
She pressed her hands to her lap. Every muscle tense. Every nerve alert.
He handed her water.
She took a slow sip of water and looked at him.
"Are you following me? What do you want?" she asked.
He stiffened. Anger flashed in his eyes.
"I am no longer being lenient with you," he said.
"You do as I say. No questions or there would be consequences ."
He turned and walked out. The room became silent.
Her phone buzzed.
She grabbed it quickly.
A message from the doctor appeared.
They received the money.
Her father's surgery would be first thing in the morning.
Relief hit her chest.
She pressed her hand against it, breathing shallow.
"How?" she whispered.
Questions raced through her mind. Who arranged it? How did it happen?
Her eyes flicked toward the door. Was it him? Xiaver?
Her fingers trembled slightly on the phone.
She sank back into the chair.
Her mind refused to rest. Relief and fear tangled together.
Tomorrow her father would survive.
Tomorrow she would face Xiaver again.
She closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself breathe.
The room remained silent.
The weight of the night pressed on her, but for now, she had a small victory.