Chapter 11

• Crystal noticed that he appeared sad and was making an effort to hide it. She decided to engage in conversation with him for a short while. And he turned out to be a very enjoyable person.
• Surprisingly, he opened up to her. She was quite taken aback to learn that he was gay. Not that she disapproved of homosexuality, but she thought he was too attractive to be gay.
• He seemed fine until she brought up the matter of the dark room. Suddenly, he became tense.
• "What could possibly be in the dark room?" she exclaimed.
• Her phone vibrated on the bed, and when she checked the caller ID, it was Adrian.
• Oh no. She hadn't spoken to him since yesterday.
• "Where on earth are you, Crystal?!" he yelled angrily.
• "Relax, Adrian, calm down," she tried to soothe him.
• "Don't tell me to relax, you bitch!"
• he yelled again.
• She chuckled.
• "Do you have any idea how worried I was? Angel has been asking about you. She said you haven't been answering her calls, and why did you disappear last night?"
• Oh God, how could she forget about her job?
• "Adrian, I'll explain everything later. I'm on my way now," she said, hanging up.
• She checked the wardrobe in the room and fortunately found some women's clothes.
• But why were there women's clothes in the guest room?
• She pushed the thought out of her mind as she quickly took a shower, got dressed, and left the room.
• She walked through the hallway that led to the main gate.
• She paused and stared at the dark room
• once more before running out.
• ********************
• She arrived at the Eatery late, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over her. As she walked in, Lewis, a fellow waitress, greeted her with a warm smile.
• "Good day, Crystal," he said.
• She returned the smile, grateful for his friendly demeanour. However, her relief was short-lived as Lewis mentioned that the boss had been yelling since morning due to her tardiness.
• Before Lewis could finish his sentence, Angel, the manager of both the eatery and the club, called out her name in frustration.
• "Crystal!".
• Nervously, Crystal approached Angel, who seemed visibly upset.
• "I have been nothing but kind to you, Crystal, and I have been very patient. But that doesn't mean you can come to work anytime you want," Angel scolded.
• "I know, I'm sorry." Crystal replied, feeling a pang of guilt.
• "Don't make me upset to the point where I have no choice but to fire you. You have been a good employee." Angel warned before storming off.
• Crystal couldn't bear the thought of losing her job. Her mother's life depended on the money she earned, and she couldn't afford to let her down.
• Angel had been the one who convinced Crystal to join the club, which she still knew little about, including who the owner was. The events of last night flashed through her mind, causing her to feel a sudden fear about going to the club again.
• What if he comes back? What if Damien isn’t there to help her?
• Realising she hadn't informed Damien about leaving early, Crystal felt a pang of guilt. He must have noticed her absence and wondered why she had left without a word.
• As the day went on, Crystal served numerous customers, trying her best to push aside her worries. Eventually, she mustered up the courage to approach Angel and ask if she could skip her performance at the club that night. To her surprise, Angel refused her request, insisting that she fulfil her obligations.
• Although Crystal was disappointed, she felt a small sense of relief knowing that she wouldn't have to do any private shows.
• **********************************
• It was already getting dark when Crystal arrived at the club, the neon lights illuminating the entrance. She gracefully stepped out of the taxi and handed the driver his fare with a smile. As she approached the entrance, she confidently showed her ID to the guard, who nodded and let her through.
• Walking down the dimly lit corridor that led to the backstage area, Crystal could hear the faint sound of music and laughter. She pushed open the door and was greeted by the sight of her fellow dancers practising their routines on the poles.
• "Hey Jae!" Grace waved excitedly, her enthusiasm contagious.
• "Hey." Crystal replied, returning the greeting with a warm smile.
• Rose, however, seemed less than thrilled by Crystal's arrival. Rolling her eyes, she gave Crystal a disdainful look. Crystal couldn't understand why Rose seemed to envy her so much, but she brushed it off, knowing that it was not worth her time or energy.
• "Did you hear?." Grace asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
• "Hear about what?." Crystal inquired, genuinely curious.
• "Angel is no longer here," Grace revealed, her voice filled with anticipation. "The owner wants to take over and be in charge now. I heard he's a guy and a complete hottie." She couldn't help but smile mischievously.
• Crystal's heart sank slightly at the news. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right
• about the owner suddenly wanting to take charge. However, she pushed those thoughts aside, determined to focus on her upcoming performance.
• "Alright, girls, I have to change now. My show will be starting soon," Crystal announced, excusing herself from the conversation. She made her way towards the dressing room, where she found another stripper in the midst of changing.
• "Hi, you must be Jae?" the other dancer asked, her tone laced with mockery.
• Crystal raised an eyebrow, refusing to let the comment faze her.
• "I've been hearing a lot about you too," she added,her smirk evident.
• "Well, what can I say? It's not easy to be this sexy." Crystal responded proudly.
• "And Rose told me you almost had a fight with her," she said, her voice filled with accusation.
• Crystal sighed inwardly, realizing where this conversation was headed.
• "If I see a single bruise on my friend's face, trust me, you won't want to get on my bad side.” she warned, her tone firm.The other dancer's eyes narrowed, her anger evident.
• "Oh, Rose never told me she had a puppy bodyguard," crystal sneered.
• "If your saggy-breasted friend crosses her limit with me, you'll thank me when I'm done with her," she retorted, her voice dripping with confidence. "And it's not just her. If you try anything stupid with me, I won't hesitate to break your bones. So stop being a bitch while I'm still nice to you."
• The other dancer hissed in response, clearly taken aback by Crystal's boldness.
• "I can be a bitch if I want to, but lucky for you, I don't argue with people below my level.” Crystal spat before storming out of the room.
• **********************************
• Crystal began her dance routine as usual. The men in the audience went wild every time she moved with grace and confidence. They were easily entertained by her flawless physique, including her smooth body, shapely behind, and ample bosom. It seemed that they couldn't get enough.
• After finishing her performance, Crystal made her way back to the dressing room to change. She decided to wear the outfit she had borrowed from Damien's house.
• "Jae, the new manager would like to see you," Mike, the guard, informed her. Crystal nodded in acknowledgement.
• She adjusted her clothing and made her way to the manager's office. She knocked twice before entering.
• "And look who we have here. The inexperienced and stubborn stripper," the man sneered.
• Crystal froze in shock. It was the same man from the previous night. Oh my goodness, he was the owner?
• "You...you're the owner?" Crystal stammered, unable to hide her surprise.