Ramon looked up after someone slammed a hand onto his desk. His nail-trimming session, which he had been engrossed in for the past five minutes, was interrupted. He hurriedly lowered the leg he had been propping on the desk. The twenty-seven-year-old man was startled to see his biggest client standing there with his hands on his hips.
"Morning, Boss," he greeted him, smoothing down his hair.
The man immediately sent his assistants away. He invited his guest to sit with his best smile. However, the man only glared at him furiously.
"Skip the small talk. Here, I'm paying off what I owed from yesterday. Starting tomorrow, I won't be using your services anymore."
Before Ramon could answer, the man had already left the room in a hurry. Finally understanding the situation, Ramon immediately ran after his biggest source of income. Seeing their boss panic, Ramon's men ran after him too.
"Hold on, Boss. Let me explain first. Take it easy," Ramon pleaded after catching up with the older man.
"How am I supposed to take it easy? You gave me something this lousy after I paid a fortune."
The man handed his phone to Ramon. On it was a photo of the girl who had accompanied him the previous night. Ramon swallowed hard, then immediately turned to his assistant with a questioning look. Ramon's assistant could only lower his head, clearly unwilling to get involved.
"There was a little mix-up, Boss. Tomorrow, we'll give you one of the top-tier girls, how about it? Or would you rather have one tonight? Just give us another chance, Boss," Ramon offered, putting on a pitiful expression.
"I don't want anyone like this ever again!"
The man snatched his phone back and left Ramon's headquarters. A Bentley was waiting for him outside. Ramon quickly covered his mouth when he saw the ride worth billions. He was amazed, since just yesterday the client had arrived in a McLaren sports car. He let out several relieved sighs after successfully negotiating with him.
"Who handled his service yesterday?" Ramon asked Kiko, one of his right-hand men.
"Fania, Boss."
"Tell her to bring all the girls to the office tonight. The guys too."
Kiko and Awan, another of Ramon's assistants, nodded in understanding. They quickly asked permission to go check on things at the bar. Ramon merely acknowledged them and entered his office.
The man searched the special shelf for the member biographies from the past five months. He carried the stack of books to the guest table and opened them one by one. Ramon picked up the newest book and focused on the VIP section.
[Photo] Stela (17) Gorgeous and Bitchy, serve anything except sex
Ramon's gaze locked onto the girl who had been the top attraction for the past year. Always in demand and considered a best seller, the girl had contributed greatly to his income. He immediately picked up his phone and tried to contact her.
"Damn it!" Ramon slammed his phone down.
He was furious at having lost a diamond. It was all thanks to his team's stupidity when it came to judging clients. The business he had built over the past three years was in danger of collapsing, and Ramon's own life had become a gamble. He was still grateful that the place sheltering him had not yet been touched by the police.
Sanas walked over carrying coffee in both hands. She approached Teo, her lover and longtime fiancé, who had been waiting for her. The cafeteria was nearly empty that afternoon because the students had already gone back to class. Teo immediately smiled and thanked her.
"I feel like my head's going to fall off," the woman complained.
The large, dark circles beneath her eyes were proof enough that she hadn't gotten enough rest. Her messy hair and limp body only reinforced the fact. Teo smoothed Sanas's hair and stroked his girlfriend's cheek.
"Get some rest. Don't push yourself."
"I regret not listening to your advice yesterday. I'm sorry."
Teo smiled and held the hand of the woman who had occupied his heart for five years. He remembered the heated argument they had had when Sanas volunteered to join the investigation division. Sanas's fierce ambition and Teo's unwillingness to drag the matter out had led the woman straight into a hole of her own making. The excitement and high rank she had imagined had suddenly turned into a nightmare.
"Don't regret your own choice. If you chose it because you liked it back then, try to learn to like what you've chosen now."
"It's hard, Yo. Almost every bar we've visited was clean. Even if it's his place, we haven't found anything."
"Be patient. You'll find an opening."
"The four people we brought out have already told us what they know. But we still haven't found the key. It exists, but that girl refuses to talk and just stays silent. I'm frustrated." Sanas drained her coffee.
"Is she the girl you brought in today?" Teo asked.
"Yeah." Sanas nodded. "She's hard to approach and quick to fight back. According to the other three girls, almost all the higher-ups use his services. But the girl herself hasn't said anything. She only said that the moment she joined, she became a wanted fugitive."
"She needs time and the right person. A girl like her probably won't let just anyone buy her," Teo explained.
"So you think I'm not the right person for her?"
"Of course not. You're the right person for me."
Sanas immediately pinched Teo mercilessly. The man burst out laughing and tried to dodge her pinches. The cafeteria ladies who saw them could only shake their heads. For people their age, this behavior was an especially amusing contrast.
Stela walked alongside Vera and Mia. As they had agreed, the girl had to watch her class's basketball game before going home. The simple interclass match between the school's top classes had attracted a decent crowd. Besides being a chance to prove their skills, the competition was also an opportunity for the boys to show off to the girls at Immersion High School.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Teo," Mia greeted him when she saw her history teacher with a woman.
Stela's eyes widened, and she quickly lowered her head. Vera and Mia immediately turned toward her. The girl quickened her pace without stopping to greet him first.
"Stela!"
Vera and Mia instinctively exchanged a glance when the woman with Teo called out to their new friend. Curious, Vera quickly excused herself and followed Stela. They jogged a little to catch up with her.
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Vera asked, slipping an arm around Stela's shoulders.
"I just want to sit down already."
"Who was that? You know her? You looked like you were avoiding her." This time, Mia was the one to ask.
Stela remained silent and didn't answer right away. Her gaze stayed fixed straight ahead as she ignored the two girls on either side of her. Vera and Mia patiently waited for Stela's answer. They didn't say a word until she responded.
"I don't know her, and she doesn't matter."
Hearing the rather curt answer, Mia and Vera didn't ask anything else. They respected Stela's privacy and chose to focus on the game.
On the other side of the court, R and his friends were warming up while facing the spectators, as were their opponents. The young man's eyes followed a girl wearing a hat. He blinked several times before focusing on her again. Her minimal makeup and trendy style drew R's attention. The boy immediately touched his chest and smiled to himself.
"What's wrong?" Dean asked.
R had no intention of answering. His heart raced even faster after the girl sat in the front row. They were no longer far apart, and R was becoming more and more captivated by the girl in front of him.
"Hey!" Loen tapped his friend's shoulder.
R quickly brushed Loen's hand away and continued staring at the girl. He waited for the moment she would look back at him. As if God had heard his prayer, the girl's eyes met R's. He immediately winked at her and flashed a wide smile.
"Let's go!!"