Chapter 7 Crawl to me

Chapter 7

Lucas's anger increased as he reminisced gazing at Karen's vulnerable figure. He couldn't understand why she'd returned to this city after betraying him, standing before him unfazed with no remorse.

Her audacity stunned him. Her teary eyes ignited his fury further, why would she try to make his decision waver?

He felt a pulling urge to torture her, she had to explain the reason for betraying him and running off with someone else.

He glanced at his watch. 8PM

It was late, he had to leave this office that felt suffocating with fragments of her memories around.

A shrill tone from his phone interrupted his thoughts, making his brows crease in a frown. It exposed the annoying duck face displaying under the caller's name

"I do not remember giving you the permission to call me while I work" his voice cold and laced with anger.

"Come on, it's already into the night. The last time you said you would consider this proposal; don't tell me the honorable top billionaire would go back on his words."

"If you're asking for a death sentence you should be more direct" He spat coldly, his voice deadly as the line went silent.

"I will be coming, prepare the paper work and do not dare to waste my time" He dropped the call and proceeded to the Ringers.

Moving in the office was already a problem for him, everywhere looked like she still stood there. As he stepped out of the building, his chauffeur was ready to take him but as stubborn as he was, he took the keys.

Turning the ignition he zoomed off into the well lit streets. His saw her in his mind's eye, as his patience snapped.

He hit the steering wheel severely in rage, his anger diffusing. He sighed out deeply in a bid to calm his nerves, the sooner he stopped, he could avoid breaking the steering.

As Lucas arrived at Ringers, he decided against using the VIP parking route and headed straight to the garage.

The moment he stepped out, he spotted a figure he couldn't mistake for anyone else. His curiosity piqued, he considered confronting the person, but the shrill noise from his phone interrupted his thoughts.

"Do you have a death wish?" Lucas snapped, his patience wearing thin.

"Please, sir, calm down. I won't call again; it's just that the investors have already gathered for over 30 minutes now," the voice on the other end pleaded.

"They can wait the whole night, I don't care," Lucas retorted, his tone cold and detached.

"Lucas, please reconsider, I beg you," the voice continued to plead.

"The next time you call me without caution, I'll feed you to Fang," Lucas warned, his voice dripping with menace before he switched off the phone.

Lucas walked through the back entrance leading to the VIP lounge and strode into a group of middle-aged men clad in black. Their eyes seemed hungry, yet they maintained a safe distance, avoiding eye contact.

"Welcome, Mr. Miller, it's been a while since we met on the same terms," one of them said, their voices laced with a mix of respect and fear.

Lucas took a seat, crossing his legs as he stared condescendingly at the men. They followed suit, but their posture remained rigid, as if they had roaches in their pants

He liked when people knew their place, the room was heavy as if pressed down by his overwhelming presence.

Meanwhile

Karen had reported early to the Ringers, serving drinks at each of the turns. She handed the trays to the other girl who worked with her. She had to use the bathroom and as she walked past the lobby, she stumbled upon a disturbing scene. A lofty woman in black and a feathery robe over the exposed gown towered over a brunette girl, who begged desperately at her feet.

The owner's words sent a chill down Karen's spine: "You need to serve them; they're powerful, and more than half of this place belongs to them."

The girl's pleas only seemed to enrage the woman, who stepped on her fingers with her stiletto, drawing blood. Karen's anger boiled over, and she burst into the room, freeing the girl from the her grip.

The woman's face twisted into a snarl as she retrieved a bat from the corner of the room. "You dare to intervene?" she sneered, swinging the bat at Karen. In a desperate bid to avoid the blow, the woman dragged the brunette girl away, using her as leverage.

Karen's heart sank as the woman's words hung in the air: "You'll go in her stead and serve well to the guest. Am I clear?" The woman's wink and disgusting smile made Karen's stomach turn.

With no other choice, Karen reluctantly agreed to her demands. She moved into the dressing room, her mind racing with the implications of her decision. When she emerged, the strippers and few worker's eyes widened at the sight of her, their reactions hinting at something more sinister.

As Karen negotiated the terms of her agreement, the woman's words sent a shiver down her spine: "Are you suggesting you'll do this every time we have a special guest?" The woman's chuckle and the brush of her hand against Karen's hair made her skin crawl.

She led Karen through a group of elderly men playing casino games and into an inner room with a hidden elevator. As they descended, Karen's unease grew.

Where were they going? What was she going to do?

The elevator's opened as she was pushed forward towards the door to the dark room.

It was dead quiet as the woman pushed a card over the pass beside as the doors opened slowly. She heard the words, from the entrance and she froze in response

"We prepared a present in advance for you; we hope it's to your liking," the portliest man spoke, his smile faltering.

Lucas sneered, his fingers steepled under his chin. "Send her in."

As she approached, Lucas noticed her frailty and the visible trembling of her body. He detested her weakness, yet he was amused by her actions.

She hesitated coming close to him, so he pulled her closer. The force made the wine she poured out into the cup dance dangerously in her hand till it spilled

The wine she poured spilled to the floor, ruining Lucas's expensive shoes. He wasn't angered by her clumsiness but rather intrigued.

As their eyes met, Lucas felt a jumble of emotions: disgust, pain, confusion, and anger. He shoved her to the ground, his jaw clenched in rage.

"What are you doing? Are you a prostitute now?" Lucas demanded, his thoughts swirling with contradictions.

He stared intensely, as if trying to bore a hole into her face. Lucas's mind wrestled with the reality of her transformation, and he couldn't help but wonder if this was some twisted nightmare.

His eyes widened in horror as he glared at each man in the room making their eyes droop to their feet.

They were too scared to meet his gaze, whenever his temper set in, he became a beast. No one dared to test his patience and at this point not even a soothsayer could let them understand that their presence was no longer needed.

They stood one after the other, leaving as quiet as possible. Some stood in unison but they all evacuated the room not taking one look back

His gaze was still fixed on her, cold and condescending

She kept her face down, refusing to meet his gaze. Lucas's anger simmered, his darkness growing.

"Crawl to me right now and explain yourself," Lucas commanded, his legs crossed in the opposite direction as a darkness crept slowly on his face.

He ordered coldly in a flat tone and his eyes stared icily at her.

No one had recognized that she was his ex-wife or else things would've taken another drastic turn for the both of them

"I am sorry but I cannot do that," She said in resolution, still bearing that defiant poise she always that made him want to torture her.