But when he looked behind her, his frown melted and he smiled drunkenly.
“Back off,” a deep voice rumbled out a warning from behind her. He was about to pull her close and stuff the money into her pocket when someone’s arm held the drunkard’s collar and shoved him away. He suddenly caught the front of her long jacket. He pulled out a thick bundle of notes and waved it in front of her. “Are you naked under that long coat, darling?” he asked.ĭisgusted, she tried to step around him, but there was no place to go as the room was filled with drunk men and scantily-clad women. He was holding a glass of whiskey and swaying on his feet. Just as she was about to go towards the room her brother had directed her, a man blocked her way. The crowd began to thicken, and she could barely see much or breathe well due to the heavy smoke. Pushing away anger and worry, she continued to go inside. Her brother had gambled away one of his apartments and a car that night.Īnya knew her father was going to blast him when he found out. But it was where rich men got drunk and gambled in high stakes, most of them losing their family’s wealth in the process. To the outside world, it was an exclusive club.
As a professional architect, she could see that a lot of money was put into the décor and maintenance of the place. Despite her nervousness, her eyes took in the high-end interior of the club. After begging her to bring some documents from his apartment, he had given her instructions to enter the club he often visited.Īnya sucked in a deep breath.
She had been about to go to bed after having spent a relaxed evening watching a movie with her friend when she received a call from her brother. “Unless she is hiding a surprise under that jacket.”Īnya felt her cheeks heat, but she tried not to show any outward reaction.Īnya cursed her brother for the hundredth time that night. “She doesn’t seem to be the kind to gamble or entertain,” a woman said aloud. Anya tried not to lower her eyes and kept walking. The man standing next to the woman had his hand under the dress. She passed by a woman wearing a short dress. Anya was thankful her hoodie and long overcoat hid her identity. With giggles and slight swaying, they seemed drunk. She mostly saw men and a couple of women standing in the corners and smoking.Īnya felt their curious eyes directed towards her. A few more steps revealed a dimly lit, large foyer with a reception desk. She felt strangely trapped and alone in an unknown place. As soon as she took a few steps inside, the doors behind her shut closed.
“Thank you,” Anya murmured before stepping inside.Ī blast of cold air hit her, making her shiver since she was wet even with her long overcoat. The guards then pushed open the heavy doors. A small green light flashed, indicating it was approved. With slightly trembling fingers, Anya entered the passcode given to her. The guards exchanged glances before one of them handed her a small keypad. “This club is for members only.”Īnya pasted on a smile. Their eyes swept over her long overcoat and hoodie with a small frown. Two guards stood in front of the main door. She then got out of the car and quickly shut the door before running towards the building’s entrance. Taking a deep breath, Anya twisted her hair into a knot and placed a small pink hairclip before pulling on the coat’s hoodie. I’ll call you if I need help.”Īnya had wanted to come alone, but her friend insisted on joining her. She tucked a small package into the inside pocket of her long overcoat.Īnya’s friend continued to look worried. “I’ll be back soon, Trupti,” she promised. But instead, she and her frien d sat in a car parked outside the club. Anya wanted to call the police too, to warn them of the illegal activities going on inside an exclusive club. It was dark outside the car and raining heavily. If you don’t return in thirty minutes, I’m calling the police.” May we emerge stronger in our lives with hope and compassion. I will cherish our memories together forever. I feel privileged to have been loved by a kind, wise and generous-hearted man like you. And thank you for always being proud and supportive of me. Thank you for instilling the reading and writing habit in me from a young age. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner.