𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐄 ↳𝐓. 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐛𝐲

chapter 3

Reclining on a bench, the brothel madam adorned herself with her daily face mask routine. Elijah, one of the guards, entered, making his way toward the madam.

"Madam, there's a client inquiring about Evara," he informed.

With a dramatic sigh, she retorted, "Which client arrives at 4 in the morning? She is asleep. Tell him to come tomorrow."

"He's insistent, Madam, traveled a long way for Evara," Elijah added.

Chuckling, she suggested, "Ask him for double the amount."

"Madam, there's something off about this man," Elijah remarked, holding up a mirror for her. "Should I escort him out?"

Pausing for a moment, she considered, "Actually... let him in. He seems perfect for Evara," she snickered.

Venturing into the room where the girls peacefully slumbered, she sought out Evara.

Locating her, the madam nudged her. "Evara, wake up," she whispered harshly.

Evara yawned, opening her eyes slightly to the disconcerting sight of the madam adorned in a green-colored cream. "What do you want?" she asked, annoyed at having her sleep disrupted.

"There's a new client for you," the madam informed Evara.

"At this hour?" Evara questioned incredulously.

"Do we even have fixed hours?" the madam tried to persuade her. "Look, he said he will pay double the amount just for you! We can earn a lot," she prompted again. "Come on, go and get it over with."

Entering the dimly lit room, she encountered a man clad in a two-piece suit, his long brown hair cascading down to his shoulders, complemented by a hooked mustache. A lit cigarette dangled from his lips.

As she started to remove the scarf draped across her neck, he approached and seized her hand. "Not like this," he ordered, deftly placing the scarf back in its original position.

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Outside the room, the madam complained that she was hungry and motioned for Elijah to go and get her something to eat from one of the local shops. Though he protested many times due to the strange man who had walked in earlier, he was forced to obey the madam.

The man held Evara's shoulders and slowly pushed her back against the wall. She watched carefully as he searched the inside of his pockets for something, taking out some notes and a gun, placing them on the desk beside him.

Worried and confused, Evara walked back to the door and called for Madam Marcella. The woman outside heard the girl's calls and smirked, choosing to ignore them.

The frightening mysterious man grabbed Evara. "Why do you need Marcella?" he asked. "We're 'ere together now, love." He smirked.

He pulled off her scarf and spun her around. Before she could even call for the madam again, he grabbed her throat tightly. Pushing him off, she ran towards the door, but he grabbed her long brown hair, dragging her back and throwing Evara onto the wall face forward. He grabbed her hair again and continued to bash her against the wall. Portraits and vases fell and crashed to the floor.

Outside the room, the madam started to become annoyed at the ruckus and leaped up. "This is such a nuisance, Evara!" she yelled in frustration.

The girl in the room, being tortured by the unknown man, called for the madam in tears. Marcella could hear the loud banging and thudding, the sound of plates falling, and glass shattering in the room. The madam, confused, planted her ear onto the wall to hear more, slightly enjoying the young girl finally finding a beating.