Unveiling Fate

The sun rose, and every lady in the brothel was woken up by the normal bell, while I was already awake, staring out the window.

The door opened to reveal two women who walked towards my bathroom to run my water, then one of them moved to pull off my clothes while the other added a mixture to the water.

"Sink in this for ten minutes straight," said Taylor, who happened to be the same woman who was being talked about the previous day.

"I'd have wrinkles," I said to Taylor, who shook her head.

"No, you won't; it would make your skin radiate more beauty."

"What if the water gets cold?" I asked once again to the ever-patient Taylor while the other woman rolled her eyes. Jealousy was obvious in her dark green orbs, which didn't make her look pretty.

"You'd be fine," answered Taylor before holding my hand to let me sink slowly into the bath.

Both ladies moved into the room to prepare their tools for dolling Rose up. The girl who looked like she couldn't kill an ant some seconds ago now stared blankly at a wall with her brows furrowed in annoyance.

"They are coming earlier than we planned." I heard words from the other room, and I already knew what was going to happen, of course.

It meant my time was limited and ticking fast; I had to prepare fast.

Taylor and the other woman, whose name was Grace, helped me out of the bathtub before wrapping me fully in a towel and drying my body and my beautiful silky hair.

They rushed me into my dress for the day, which was a very beautiful and light gown with a very tight corset.

I am used to it all and didn't complain; I watched in the mirror as they adorned my face. My eyes were moving to every one of their moves as if trying to learn the art of applying makeup.

"Are you trying to learn what we are doing, Rose?" asked Taylor, who noticed my stare.

"Hm" was my only reply before Taylor chuckled.

"Why isn't she ready yet?" The door was opened by Lucy, who was the head of the brothel. She knew the meaning of an important guest needing the exclusive was very clear, so why weren't they done?

"We just need to make her look dumber than she already is." When Grace said this, Taylor frowned, but Rose didn't even lift a finger.

"We are giving her innocent-looking make-up," Taylor corrected Grace, who didn't care.

"I do not care about what you are doing; get her out of this room this instant; they are coming in.

I stood up barefooted, assisted by Taylor. We both walked out of the room with Lucy leading the way, while Taylor had to stop at an ointment. At this moment, it felt like she was giving out her child's hand in marriage.

I turned around to look at Taylor one last time before I picked up the hem of my dress and followed Lucy.

I did all this while barefooted; the floor wasn't too cold, nor was it too hot, but it was my sign of working in a brothel.

While others had hot irons used to make signs on their backs, mine was the rule of not wearing footwear. Except for a pair of socks.

"Bow," Lucy said, but I stood without a sign of submission. Staring straight at the man who walked in.

An epitome of perfection, looking like I couldn't stare to my satisfaction, but I knew it was time to bow my head after all my aim had been achieved.

He looked like he could crush the earth beneath his feet with just a word. The word about the bastard son of Mr. Mars had gone out, and now the man who seemed to be feared by all had the fate of his family right in his palm. After all, the son born to his father in marriage didn't have the strength to carry the bloodline.

For goodness’ sake, the news covered it every day, and it could be seen clearly that these two brothers would forever be at war with each other.

The news carried different reports daily about the dirty life of the bastard son who dared challenge his authority.

The man who only needed to raise his hand to determine the faith of the world. But they said he looked like a monster; after all, someone that smart is meant to look ugly with a potbelly, but seeing him right now, I couldn't help but be shocked yet satisfied.

Looking down quickly, my beautiful porcelain hands held my gown in fear.

He walked right past me like the fresh ocean breeze, carving away all that seemed to be my worries and fears. The same eyes that could freeze the world made me feel like I felt peace for the first time. Something I haven't felt for the past nineteen years.

I felt something was wrong somewhere; I hadn't even talked to this man nor had any contact with him, yet those gray eyes looked like they could carry me to the moon and back. Even if it was a sin or a curse, I had to hold on at all costs.

Rule 5: Have no emotional strings attached to any customer.

"Come with me." Now that rule never felt harder.