CHAPTER 6

After that, she came out of the bathroom, opened the balcony door, and unrolled her yoga mat in front of the balcony because there was nothing else she had to do except take care of herself. For the past six months, she had indeed stopped working as a commercial sex worker. She readily admitted that she had worked in this field for seven years.

Now, she truly wanted to break free from the dark world that had ensnared her. Being a sex worker like herself was not easy; first, she had to fulfill the desires of those who hired her, even if it was something she didn't like. Often, she encountered men who didn't match her preferences. Most of the men who wanted her were only concerned with their own desires and didn't care about their partner. Furthermore, many of them were not good in bed. She couldn't avoid the fact that some of these men had sexually transmitted diseases, which was very detrimental to her. She had to undergo a monthly check-up to monitor her body's condition. Another thing to note was that this country was not as accepting of free sex as in America, and her profession was a stain on her dignity as a woman, risking everything she had.

It's crucial to understand that commercial sex workers like her, who rent out their bodies to others, need to have a beautiful body and a pretty face. If she no longer had these qualities, the chances of being hired were low. Therefore, she took great care of her body to maintain its beauty, especially since she set a high price for each encounter.

Since entering this world, her finances had indeed been very stable, and often her clients gave her generous tips. She could afford luxurious houses, cars, and even her own apartment. Many of her clients, whether they were widowers, single, or married men, wanted to take their relationship to a more intimate level, such as dating or sometimes even marriage.

For her, if a guest proposed dating, it was a trap. She wouldn't consider it, as she saw it as very disadvantageous. Because if they became a couple, it would undoubtedly come with expectations from them. Price negotiations were definitely not part of her vocabulary.

She once had a handsome, wealthy client who was a young actor, charming, and loved by the public with a religious image. The entire Indonesia admired him, but he often slept with her. The man treated her well, not harshly, and he wanted a serious relationship with her, even marriage. However, she refused the man's seriousness; she only considered him a business associate, nothing more. She didn't like men who appeared religious but secretly engaged in reckless behavior.

Bianca remembered businessmen A and businessman B, who asked her to marry them. She had been used repeatedly, even hired just to meet businessman A's family with an hourly fee. It was not uncommon for guests to request her to come to upscale residences to entertain them. There was once a businessman who claimed to be a widower, but when she saw him at the mall, he was walking with his wife and child. He just glanced at her and smiled.

Those were the bitter times she had already gone through. One of the reasons why she accepted Mr. Peter was because he was one of the top 10 richest people in Indonesia. She didn't care how old he was; what mattered was that when they got married, her life would be secure and filled with wealth. She wanted to gain control of some of his companies. The only path to amassing wealth was to marry him.

It's true what people say that this world is full of deceit. Everyone in this world is in a symbiotic relationship. There must be self-interest that benefits oneself. No one truly cares about her.

Bianca tried to relax; she closed her eyes and watched the live streaming on her TV screen. Afterward, she meditated to keep her mind calm. But as soon as she closed her eyes, she was once again haunted by Alexander's face.

Bianca tried to push her thoughts away, once again haunted by the man's face. Why did that man suddenly fill her mind? It seemed like she failed to meditate; she walked towards the kitchen, feeling confused and lost. Damn! Why was that man in her thoughts?

Bianca opened the fridge, seeing its contents depleted. She needed to go to the supermarket later at 10 in the morning. She just realized that her bread was gone, so she opted for a cup of warm tea instead. She then sat on the sofa, gazing at the Jakarta cityscape.

Bianca heard her phone vibrating; she looked at the screen, "Lovi Calling," and slid the green button on the screen.

"Yeah, Lov," Bianca said.

"Where are you, Bi?" Lovita asked.

"At the apartment, why?"

"I'm coming to your apartment."

"Sure. What brings you here so early in the morning?"

"I ran away from home," Lovita finally admitted.

Bianca raised an eyebrow, "How come? Why?"

"It's a long story. Yesterday, my dad went berserk because my mom wants to divorce him. The whole house got wrecked because my dad couldn't accept it. My mom and I escaped to a hotel last night. I bought my mom a ticket to go back to our grandparents' house in Bali. I told her not to ever see my dad again. I'll tell you the whole story later."

"Where are you right now?"

"I'm on my way, heading to your apartment. I don't have a destination, it was all so sudden. I can't rent an apartment in the blink of an eye."

"Okay, that's fine. I'll wait for you in the lobby. Let me know when you're close."

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