LOGINMercedes and Rivera's dance was interrupted by Camilla's yell. Mercedes burst into laughter and made a silly face at Rivera.Rivera couldn't help but burst into laughter.Mercedes threw her arms around Rivera and grinned, looking into Rivera's eyes. "That was so good. We should do that again soon. We should definitely do that again soon. I feel so different.""Me too," Rivera replied immediately. She didn't need to evaluate herself; she could already feel the difference.Turns out dancing was so fun. Rivera had only ever watched from the sidelines, but she had never tried dancing before in her life.Her fingers trembled. This place was starting to become both a blessing and a curse.In this dreadful place, she had gone through suffering and pain, yet also happiness and laughter.Camilla rolled her eyes, picked up a magazine from the pile of clothes, and stomped away, shooting them a dirty look.Rivera bit her lower lip and glanced at the door hesitantly. "Is she going to spread some f
"Are you affected by what they say…?" Mercedes opened the door, only to pause in her tracks. “What the… damn it! I'm thoroughly pissed now!”Rivera stepped forward to take a look. Mercedes' room seemed to have been completely upturned.All the clothes and shoes were thrown around, including the makeup palettes that now stained the dressing table.Mercedes shook her head and tried to smile. Although she tried to rein in the smile, it failed. She let out a breath.“My roommate. She…” She sighed.Tears formed in Mercedes' eyes, and she lowered her head. “I'm sorry, Rivera. I really wanted to make this day fun for you.”She blinked and wiped her tears, a smile suddenly lighting up her face.“Let's go out for a picnic. The castle has nice views. We can walk around. We can play with flowers and watch videos…”Seeing how Mercedes was trying hard not to be upset while still trying hard to please her, Rivera’s bad mood slowly disappeared.Who cared what any of them thought anyway? She had gott
Mercedes burst into laughter and exclaimed with a giggle, “It's so fun to mess with you! You're so cute!”“Well.” she cheerfully continued and raised two fingers in the air, “I was bid for 20 million, that makes me second, and I really don't like my roommate at all.”She pouted and complained in an aggrieved yet cheerful voice, “She is always on her phone, and she snores so loudly. I really can't take that for a month.”Rivera nodded in agreement. Mercedes had that look, presence and effect; there was no way men wouldn't fight for her. She tilted her neck curiously. “Why a month?”Mercedes wrapped her arms around Rivera's and explained, regaining her cheerfulness.“Well, it's like climbing a ladder. The higher clients spend on you, the faster you climb in ranks, and the faster you get to leave. At the end of the month, our worth is tallied, and if you slip in rank, well, bye to your comfort. But if it’s the other way around, well, congratulations. I have to wait until the end of the m
Before Rivera could ask if she was okay, Mercedes lifted her head, bursting with energy again."So I'll explain this place to you. This place, the North Africa castle where you were brought to, is like a guest place. We have different classes of guests, and not even I have an idea why you're here."Rivera tilted her neck, wanting to ask the question burning on her tongue. But recalling Mercedes' sad face, Rivera had the idea that Mercedes' memory must be too painful for her to talk about.She blinked, filled with curiosity, and asked, “Why?”"Because all the girls, including me, were sent to the dormitory." Mercedes explained, her attention grabbed by a beautiful sunflower.Mercedes plucked the sunflower and carefully tucked it into her hair. She twirled with a smile."Do I look beautiful?"Rivera tried to push down the thoughts, but she couldn't. Why was she always different? What did he plan to do to her?"Breathtaking," she whispered."Yes!" Mercedes giggled and pumped her fist in
Rivera stretched her hand and opened her eyes. She turned to her side, but it was empty. Candy must have left earlier.She tried to evaluate the pain down there, the pain down there had faded into a dull ache, no longer as unbearable as before.The pain from the whip had become nonexistent too, and the mark had almost disappeared.Knowing how this place seemed to be against her, Rivera knew she might have to fake it for a while.She might have to appear as miserable as possible. But that wasn't enough.Sooner or later, three weeks or a month at most, these people would want her on the stage regardless of her situation.Rivera could do everything but step onto that stage again…Rivera got off the bed. The dull pain that stretched through her didn't elicit a groan from her. She bit her lower lip and limped into the bathroom.Minutes later, Rivera stepped out of the bathroom with a towel clad around her waist.She tilted her neck slightly. Did she wake up early, or was Mercedes late toda
Candy shook her head and mouthed under her breath, “Crazy.” Just where the hell did they find her? Her energy never seemed to deplete.She leaned forward, grabbed Rivera’s hand, and handed the bag to her. “I went to the city and got you this.”Rivera lowered her head and looked at the Belle-tiful restaurant package, inhaling its exquisite aroma that had already begun spreading around the room like it owned the place.It was an expensive restaurant in the city known for its quality menu and special orders—they even served a lot of local French confectioneries.Whenever she passed by the vicinity, its aroma always took over the whole place, and she had heard many people praise it.All her life, Rivera had always craved a taste of the Belle-tiful confectioneries.But the price wasn't something an ordinary poor waiter with draining bills could ever afford.Rivera bit her lower lip and stared at the package hesitantly.Even though it had been a dream of hers to taste this, Rivera was sensi
"River?" Candy called, snapping Rivera out of her thoughts.“I'm sorry." Rivera silently took off her clothes and then placed them on the floor."Get into the bathtub." Candy gently smiled after adding sweet-smelling bath essentials into the tub.Rivera nodded and entered, a sweet scent and refresh
"Take off your clothes.” Harvey turned back to his table to pick up his instrument the moment Shadow and Fox stepped out of the office.Rivera froze, tugging her clothes closer with trembling hands and red eyes. Tears clung to her eyelashes, and there were traces of dried tears from earlier.Heari
“Stay in the room. Don will come over soon. One warning, don't make any funny attempts.” Fox declared and threw Rivera on the tiled floor.Before Rivera could process it, the door had been shut.Rivera's brain was sluggish for a few seconds, yet her body trembled out of trauma.The events replayed
“Dad! Mom! How could you?” The ground seemed to spin beneath her feet.“How could you do this to me? Why? Why me? What the hell have I done to deserve this?” Rivera shook her head, her eyes filled with shock.Rivera had spent all her life trying to please her parents, her family.She couldn't belie







