Chapter 3

Rosalie's POV

I slumped on the couch in the living room, feeling utterly defeated; I failed the job interview I went for earlier, and It had been a long day, and exhaustion weighed heavily on me as Athena walked in through the door.

"Hey, baby! I'm back!" she exclaimed cheerfully, rushing over to wrap me in a warm hug.

I was taken aback as she finally pulled away. "I have some great news for you, Rose!"

My heart lifted at her words. "Really? What is it?" I asked, a smile spreading across my face, eager to hear what she had to share.

"I finally found you a job!" Athena exclaimed, her face beaming with excitement, and my eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you serious?" I asked, a wave of happiness washing over me as she nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh my goodness! What kind of job is it?" I asked eagerly.

"There’s a vacancy at our club, and you’d be working as a stripper," Athena revealed, and my expression instantly darkened as I stood up from the couch.

"What do you mean, Athena? What kind of job is that?" I asked, disappointment evident on my face.

"But Rose, you need a job urgently, and this is the only opportunity available right now."

"I've said it before: I'm looking for a job, but not this kind of work. I have high standards, and I refuse to lower myself to stripping," I shouted.

"But it’s really not that big of a deal, Rose," Athena insisted, trying to change my mind.

"Can you hear yourself, Athena? If you think it’s nothing, then you should do the job yourself."

"Of course, I can do it, but they won't accept me since I was already working as a waitress there," Athena replied.

"This is about my pride; I can't do it, and that's final," I said angrily as I made to head to my room.

"But you're not just stripping for anyone—it's for wealthy clients in the VIP room, and the pay is incredible," Athena countered. I paused, intrigued by what she was saying.

"What? Rich people? How much do they pay?" I found myself asking, intrigued despite feeling a bit embarrassed.

"I’m not sure, but someone I know works as a stripper there, and they make a lot of dollars in just a few hours," Athena replied. My eyes widened at the thought; that was a significant amount of money, and I couldn't help but feel drawn in by the prospect.

"Just for the money, I’ll give it a shot, but am I really going to have to strip?" I asked again, the idea of undressing in front of a man's hungry gaze sending a shiver of fear through me.

"Not completely—you'll still be wearing your bra and panties," Athena assured me, and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Alright, but first I’ll go to the interview tomorrow morning. After that, I’ll work at your club to help cover my mom’s hospital bills and Carter’s school fees," I said, and Athena nodded in agreement.

"You made the right decision," Athena murmured, and I smiled before we headed to bed since it was already late.

Still, I couldn't shake off thoughts about the money. I had Googled how much strippers earn, but I didn’t find the exact figure I was looking for—just that it was a huge amount.

I tossed my phone onto the bed and decided to get some sleep so I could wake up early.

My phone alarm blared, jolting me awake. I glanced at the time: 7 AM. I had to be at the interview by 8 AM.

I jumped out of bed, rushing to take a shower and get dressed for the day.

_____

I arrived at the company well ahead of schedule and settled into the waiting room until it was time for my interview. A woman emerged from the interview room and called out, "Miss Rosalie Evans." I stood up, a smile spreading across my face.

"We're sorry, but someone else has already been selected for the position you'll interviewing for, so we won't be able to offer you the job," the woman said. My smile faded, replaced by a deep sense of disappointment as I left the office, feeling hurt.

When I got home, I could have easily broken down in tears, but the prospect of the job at Athena's workplace kept my spirits up.

I let out a heavy sigh, knowing I wouldn’t be able to visit my mother in the hospital. The thought of her being sad weighed on me, but I simply didn’t have the time. As I checked my phone, I saw several missed calls from the hospital.

"I'll come see you as soon as I can, Mom," I murmured to myself, then stayed in my room until it was time to head to the club.

I pulled out a stunning blue gown adorned with a shimmering silver stone; it was strapless and perfect for the job.

I searched for a pair of shoes to match but couldn’t find anything that worked, so I decided to check Athena's closet. Luckily, I found a pair that complemented my dress beautifully.

After applying a nude lipstick, I took a moment to admire my reflection in the mirror.

"Wow!" I exclaimed, taken aback by how stunning I looked in my simple outfit. It had been so long since I felt this beautiful, as I was always caught up in work.

I smiled at my reflection in the mirror, grabbed my purse, and stepped out of the room, gorgeously.

When I arrived at the club, I could feel the hungry gazes of men digging holes into my body as I walked in.

I nearly changed my mind to leave because of the way they were looking at me, their gazes filled with desire.

But then Athena spotted me and called out my name.

"Rose!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide. I walked over to her. "Oh. My. God! Is that really you?" Athena gasped, dropping the tray of drinks she was holding.

"I feel uncomfortable; I look cheap," I admitted, and Athena stared at me as if questioning whether I understood what I was saying.

"Are you kidding me? Those guys would blow their entire savings on you because, girl, you’re absolutely stunning," she replied.

"Really?" I asked, surprised.

"Definitely," she said, pulling me toward the bar.

"Whoa!" The bartender exclaimed as he turned to see me and Athena. "Who’s this gorgeous friend of yours, Athena?" he asked, and I felt a tightness in my chest.

I already despised being here, especially in this situation, and all I wanted was to go home and slip into my comfy pajamas, free from the prying eyes that seemed to undress me with their stares.

"Look at her like that again, Dylan, and you won’t have eyes left to look at her or any other attractive woman," Athena warned, causing Dylan to clear his throat nervously.

"Do you think you could escort her to the VIP area? I heard the boss is around and he’s been asking the strippers questions himself." Athena continued.

"She'll be stripping?"

"Dylan!"

"Alright, yeah, I can't do that," he replied with a grin. "Just follow me." He motioned for me to come along as he walked ahead, and I trailed closely behind.

We arrived at a more secluded area that felt completely separate from the club I had just been in. This space was quieter and more orderly, with men gambling, laughing, and enjoying their drinks.

It resembled a well-organized casino, quite different from the chaotic ones I was used to seeing.

I surveyed the room and noticed the other strippers, who were heavily guarded, with no one allowed to approach them. The men simply tossed their money in as the girls claimed their earnings.

Eventually, we reached a room where Dylan briefed the guard at the door about my purpose for being there, and they granted me entry while restricting Dylan's access.

I could sense the men's eyes on me, and I did my best to shake off the uncomfortable feeling that washed over me.

"What's your name?" a husky voice asked. It sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.

I couldn't see his face either; he stood in front of a red light, wearing a cap that obscured his face.

"R... Rosalie," I stammered, unsure of how to respond. "Rosalie Evans," I added hesitantly.

"I don't need your last name, woman. Strip," he replied, his tone icy—much colder than when he had asked for my name.

"What? Here? Right now?" I asked, glancing around, and I could have sworn I saw him smirk.

"If you're not ready to follow instructions, you might as well walk out. You’ll be working for me, making money for me, and before I can trust you to do that, I need to see how you perform," he replied, his voice so devoid of emotion that it sent a chill down my spine.

I had considered leaving, but as I watched men tossing money at the girls who were stripping when I walked in, I changed my mind.

I carefully slipped off my gown, exposing the white lingerie beneath. Unsure of what to do next, I stood there, waiting for him to speak.

"Is that all?" he asked, leaving me uncertain about his meaning. Was I expected to do more?

He rose and approached me, his cold palm grazing my skin, causing me to flinch. He smelled incredible, and I found myself inhaling his scent more deeply until the lights flickered on.

I gasped when I saw his face; I knew I recognized him. It was the devil from the club, the same man from my disastrous interview.

"Definitely needs more work. You'll be trained on how to act and please the men. You're hired."

Before I could respond, he was gone from the VIP room, leaving me in stunned silence. His name echoed in my mind: Cameron Rodriguez.