DYLAN\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blew a loud sigh of defeat and brushed my palm along my face as I sat on the bench in the locker room. I lost count of how many times I\u2019ve been blowing a loud breath while thinking, Where would I get the money I needed to pay for the apartment?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was staring at the floor when suddenly a pair of feet appeared right in front of me. I slowly lifted my head, and my eyes immediately caught a card that was a few inches away from my face. I ran my eyes along the hand that was holding the card and found a woman standing in front of me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I frowned as I looked at the card that she was handing me. I don\u2019t exactly know what was going on.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGet it. It might help you,\u201d she finally said. My frown deepened as I tried to catch up with what\u2019s happening. \u201cForgive me, but I heard your conversation with Diane. You said you needed money,\u201d she explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the only time that I decided to accept the card that she was offering. I looked at it and slowly read the tiny letters written on it. That\u2019s when I realized that it was the name of a famous high\u2013end bar in the city. You can only get inside through invitation. Not once did Beckett and I manage to get invited to this place.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t understand. What does this card have to do with my problem?\u201d I asked in confusion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said you need some money, and that\u2019s your answer. I think they still have a spot left for one more dancer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed hard, forcing the words out before I could stop myself. \u201cI\u2014I appreciate your offer. But I\u2019m not that kind of dancer.\u201d The words tumbled from my lips too fast, my voice tight, betraying my nerves. I hadn\u2019t even had time to think about how it would sound.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The woman\u2019s eyes gleamed with amusement, and then she let out a sharp, sarcastic laugh. The sound sent a shiver of humiliation down my spine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor someone who\u2019s truly desperate for money, you sure do know how to be picky,\u201d she sneered, crossing her arms. \u201cIn case you need someone to remind you, you\u2019re not a princess anymore. Don\u2019t look at me as if you were better than me just because I chose to do what I had to do.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cT\u2013That\u2019s not what I mean.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She smirked, tilting her head slightly, her gaze sharp and assessing. \u201cI know exactly what you mean,\u201d she said, her voice dripping with condescension. \u201cYou think you\u2019re better than us, don\u2019t you? Just because you come from a well\u2013known family, you think you\u2019re above dancing here.\u201d She let out a scoff, crossing her arms. \u201cWell, let me remind you, princess, you\u2019re standing in this place for the same reason as the rest of us. You need money.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her words stung, but I refused to let them show on my face. Instead, I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. That wasn\u2019t what I meant at all. I wasn\u2019t looking down on her or any of the women who worked\u00a0<\/p>\n
there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t mean to offend you,\u201d I said carefully, my tone softer this time. \u201cI wasn\u2019t trying to judge you or anyone else for what you do. I respect it; I really do. It\u2019s just\u2026 I don\u2019t think this is the right fit for me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:24 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 11\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYour opinion doesn\u2019t offend me, honestly. I only wanted to offer some help.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
94\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hesitated, because honestly? I had no idea. I had no plan, no safety net. All I had was a pile of problems and an empty bank account.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks for the offer,\u201d I added, forcing a small smile. \u201cI really appreciate it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a moment, the woman just studied me, like she was trying to decide if I was worth her time or not. Then, she huffed out a laugh, shaking her head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re either really brave or really stupid,\u201d she muttered. \u201cProbably both.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the floor, leaving me standing there alone, wondering if I had made the right choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
*\u00a0<\/p>\n
*\u00a0<\/p>\n
I went home feeling drained, my mind heavy with everything that had happened. I sank onto the couch, absently turning the small card over in my hands. I should have tossed it the moment it was given to me, but something kept stopping me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My fingers traced over the golden embossed letters, the name of the bar practically taunting me. I used to dance on grand stages, beneath elegant lights, and in front of audiences who came solely for the art before I threw all of that away for a man who never truly loved me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The more I thought about it, the more I realized, was it really so different? At the end of the day, both were about performing, about captivating a crowd with movement. Maybe this wasn\u2019t such a bad idea. Maybe, just maybe, it was worth a try.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I could decide, a sudden, violent bang echoed through the apartment, shattering my thoughts. My heart slammed against my ribs as I jumped to my feet. The noise had come from the front door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I took a hesitant step forward, but before I could even get close, the door gave way with a splintering crack, crashing to the floor with a deafening thud. A cold wave of fear surged through me as three men stepped over the fallen door, their presence filling the room like a dark cloud.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLook who we have here,\u201d one of them sneered, his voice laced with amusement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I instinctively stepped back, but my stomach clenched when I realized I had nowhere to go. The other two men stood near the entrance, blocking any chance of escape.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stand my ground. \u201cWho are you?\u201d I asked, trying to sound steady, but the slight shake in my voice betrayed me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The man in the center\u2013tall, broad\u2013shouldered, and exuding an air of dangerous confidence\u2013tilted his head, as if sizing me up. A slow, unsettling grin spread across his face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
94\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 11\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, sweetheart,\u201d he said, stepping closer. \u201cWe\u2019re just here to have a little chat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My pulse pounded in my ears as the man in the center took another step toward me, his grin sharp like a blade. The other two thugs remained by the door, their arms crossed, their expressions unreadable but no less threatening.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to stay steady. \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The man chuckled, shaking his head. \u201cCome on now, don\u2019t play dumb. You know exactly why we\u2019re here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shook my head. \u201cI have no idea who you are, and I don\u2019t owe you anything.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The grin faded from his face, replaced by something colder, darker. \u201cNo, but your parents do.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My stomach twisted. \u201cMy parents?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He nodded, taking his time as he looked around the apartment like he owned the place. \u201cYour dear old dad borrowed a lot of money. And let\u2019s just say\u2026 he wasn\u2019t exactly great at paying it back.\u201d His gaze flicked back to me, and he smirked. \u201cAnd since they\u2019re nowhere to be found, guess who gets to clean up their mess?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I clenched my fists. \u201cI don\u2019t have that kind of money.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, that\u2019s a problem, isn\u2019t it?\u201d He let out a long, exaggerated sigh, as if this was all such a hassle for him. \u201cSee, I\u2019m a reasonable guy. I like to settle things the easy way. But if you don\u2019t come up with the cash\u2026\u201d His smirk widened. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to get a little creative.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart hammered against my ribs. \u201cI told you, I don\u2019t have it,\u201d I repeated, my voice firmer this time. \u201cAnd even if I did, I wouldn\u2019t give you a damn cent. This is their debt, not mine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The man\u2019s expression darkened in an instant. \u201cThat\u2019s not how this works, sweetheart. When someone in the family can\u2019t pay, the debt rolls over.\u201d He took another step forward, and I instinctively backed up, my back hitting the wall. \u201cSo that means you are responsible now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I forced myself to hold his gaze. \u201cAnd what if I say no?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His smirk returned, but this time, there was no humor in it. Only something cold and dangerous. He lifted a hand, brushing an imaginary speck of dust off his jacket. \u201cThen things get\u2026 messy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sucked in a sharp breath. My mind raced, trying to figure out a way out of this. My parents had thrown me into this storm without a warning, leaving me to deal with the fallout alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And now, I had to figure out how to survive it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not as heartless as you think, sweetheart. In fact, I\u2019m so kind\u2013hearted that I\u2019m willing to give you until this morning to come up with the money. Your parents owe me five thousand dollars, plus the interest; that\u2019s a total of ten thousand dollars.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My eyes widened in shock. \u201cHow do you expect me to come up with that kind of money!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He just shrugged his shoulders. \u201cYou\u2019re a smart girl. You\u2019ll figure it out. And if not, don\u2019t worry, I have a lot of buyers who are willing to pay a hefty amount of money for a fresh piece of meat like you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:25 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 11\u00a0<\/p>\n
94\u00a0<\/p>\n
My breath caught in my throat as his words sank in. A cold shiver ran down my spine, and I instinctively took another step back, even though I was already pressed against the wall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t be serious,\u201d I said, my voice barely above a whisper. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, but I couldn\u2019t stop the tremor in them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The man simply smirked, his expression filled with cruel amusement. \u201cOh, but I am,\u201d he said casually, as if we were discussing the weather. He spread his arms, as if presenting me with some grand opportunity. \u201cYou see, when someone owes me money, I always get paid\u2013one way or another. Your daddy knew that when he took my cash. Too bad he ran off before he could face the consequences.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shook my head, trying to keep my breathing steady. \u201cThere\u2019s no way I can come up with that kind of money.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He tilted his head, pretending to consider my words. \u201cBe thankful that I\u2019m still giving you a chance. Either you find a way to pay up, or I sell you to someone who will.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A sickening fear curled in my stomach. My entire body tensed as my heart pounded violently against my ribs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t-\u201d I started, but the look in his eyes told me otherwise. He would.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And he wouldn\u2019t lose a wink of sleep over it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stepped closer, his smirk widening as he leaned in just enough for me to feel his breath against my cheek. \u201cYou\u2019ve got until tomorrow, princess. Get me my money, or I will make good on my promise.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to shove him away, to scream, to fight\u2013but I knew that wouldn\u2019t end well for me. Instead, I swallowed my fear and forced myself to lift my chin. \u201cFine,\u201d I said, my voice colder than I felt. \u201cI\u2019ll get your money.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He chuckled, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. I flinched, but I didn\u2019t let myself pull\u00a0<\/p>\n
away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s more like it,\u201d he murmured, before straightening up and motioning to his men. \u201cLet\u2019s go, boys. We\u2019ll check back real soon.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that, they turned and walked toward the door. I didn\u2019t dare move until the last one had stepped over the broken frame.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And even then, I stayed frozen in place, my breath coming in short, shallow gasps.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And I had no idea where to start. Then, my eyes landed on the card that I\u2019ve been holding all this time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
*******\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:25 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 12\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Alchemist of Broken Dreams by Sienna Rose Blackwell 11 DYLAN\u00a0 I blew a loud sigh of defeat and brushed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24362","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-alphas-golden-cage-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24362","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24362"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24362\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24362"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24362"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}