Becoming the Secret Sugar Baby

Chelsea let out a soft sigh. Her lips pursed, and she stirred the cold mochaccino in the tall glass. She seemed to be discussing her parents with her friend, Indri.

Taking advantage of their lunch break, Chelsea used the time to seek advice. It was something she always did when her mother was caught having another affair, again!

"Cheating again?" Indri interjected, leaning back in her chair. She seemed weary of Chelsea's recurring issues. She was tired of dealing with the problems Chelsea faced, and tired of trying to prevent her friend's mother from seeking another lover.

Even though Chelsea's father was still alive, albeit in poor health, their family had been struggling since then. Financial difficulties, her father's declining health, and her mother's infidelity had started to affect their household. It began with dwindling finances, Chelsea's father's worsening health, and her mother's affair, driven by her desire to find a wealthy man to satisfy her socialite aspirations.

Accustomed to a lavish lifestyle, Margareth, Chelsea's mother, had started looking for a replacement for her husband, given that her company had gone bankrupt and her health was deteriorating. Now, it was Chelsea who supported them on her meager salary.

Chelsea nodded weakly. "This time it's going to be tough, Indri." She murmured.

"Why? It's usually easy, isn't it?" Indri pressed. The bespectacled girl couldn't wait for Chelsea's answer. So far, they had always succeeded in deterring Margareth from getting too close to other men.

"That man loves Mom, and he's serious. He wants to marry her soon, and this morning he even asked Dad to divorce her," Chelsea whispered, resting her cheek on the table.

Chelsea couldn't fathom how her mother could be so heartless just to marry a wealthy widower. Despite her own income being sufficient only for her father's medications and their daily needs, which often meant eating with the simplest of dishes.

"Alright, that means we'll have to work harder after this. Do you have a picture of the target, right?" Indri said, adjusting her glasses.

Chelsea nodded. Without lifting her head from the table, she handed her phone to Indri.

"Oh, Chelsea! Seriously, you've hit the jackpot!" Indri exclaimed joyfully, seeing the man's photo on Chelsea's phone.

The girl with long black hair raised her head. She blinked twice, puzzled by Indri's reaction.

"What do you mean?"

"Wait!" Indri pulled her phone out of her sling bag. Her thumb danced swiftly across the screen, searching for the chat app that people were using to find romantic partners.

"His name is Carlos Sanders, forty years old," she said, providing the person's details from the app.

Chelsea shook her head. "Where did you get the complete profile of that home-wrecker?"

"Tsk, that's why you're a good sitter. Look, Olive posted a status recommending handsome older men who are looking for love. And our target is one of them. Crazy, right? Is he looking for a partner or a sugar baby? He wants someone under twenty. This is insane, Chelsea," Indri complained, shaking her head.

Chelsea was taken aback. "What? A twenty-year-old sugar baby? This is crazy! So, what's the connection to my mom?"

"Oh my goodness... Seriously, Chelsea! She said she wanted to separate him from your mom. Why are you so surprised now?"

"It's not like that, In. After he proposed to Mom, why would he be looking for a sugar baby? He said he's serious and wants to make Mom his last wife," Chelsea mumbled, resting her cheek on the table.

"So, he's playing both sides. If they're meant to be together, then maybe what people say is true. Destiny is a reflection of oneself," Chelsea continued.

Indri shook her head, looking at Chelsea who seemed to have lost her zest for life due to her parents' issues.

"That's exactly it, you see. You should become this guy's sugar baby, so he forgets about your mom and you can also tell your mom that you're already married," Indri suggested, sipping her juice.

"What?" Chelsea exclaimed, slamming the table hard.

"Cough, cough, damn you!" Indri cursed, barely avoiding spraying juice out of her nose due to Chelsea's outburst.

Chelsea's eyes rolled lazily. "You're the one who's damn, you started it. You just casually suggest that I become a sugar baby." She sighed in frustration.

Indri, who had come up with the crazy idea, looked at her friend. It was impossible for Chelsea to become a sugar baby for her mother's lover. Where would she even put her face? If anyone found out that she was involved with a man nearly the same age as her father, she would surely become the subject of ridicule.

At twenty years old, Chelsea couldn't possibly be in a relationship with a forty-year-old man like Carlos.

"I absolutely won't accept your suggestion."

"Fine, it's up to you if you don't want to, whatever. I'm not forcing you. It won't be me who destroys your mother's marriage. It won't be my father who becomes your father's replacement," Indri was annoyed that Chelsea rejected her idea, even though she thought it was quite brilliant.

"Indri, please, come on, don't be like this. I asked you to come here to help me find ideas to keep my mom away from that jerk. Instead, you're adding more problems. You usually come up with brilliant ideas, but this time you're just making me lose face."

"Chelsea, listen, this is the only way to separate your mom from that man. Think about it, he proposed to your mom and now he's looking for a sugar baby like this. That means he's not a good guy. Just accept what I'm saying, and you can swim while drinking water."

"What's the connection between swimming and drinking water?" Chelsea was curious.

"Here's the thing, you get close to him to break him up with your mom, right? Well... since he's wealthy, you can also use the opportunity to get financial support for your father's medical expenses and your tuition fees. Can you?"

"B-but..."

"No 'buts,' don't be hypocritical. Life requires a lot of money, so don't act like your life will be fine without money. There's no harm in trying. Besides, it's not just you; many of our friends are in professions like this. Look at Riana, she was just fine a while ago. Now?"

Chelsea nodded.

"But what about Rendy?"

"Don't even think about that broke guy, it's pointless." Indri waved her hand dismissively.

"What do you mean broke? He's a professor's son."

"That's right, he's a professor's son. But if he can't earn his own money, that means he's still broke. There's no way he could help with your father's medical bills if he keeps dating him. Forget about him. It's time for you to take a step forward like other friends, like a few other female students you've seen. Take Olive, for example. When she first started college, she only had a regular scooter, but after getting to know that older man, she started coming to school in a Pajero. Imagine how much money that Batubara guy transferred to her, he's bald and scruffy too."

"This is better, he's handsome and doesn't look his age."

"So, what do you think?"

"Don't ask again. Here's his phone number, call him soon. If you're lucky, there might be a vacancy for you."

Chelsea hesitated but still noted down the phone number that Indri showed her. Nervously, she saved Carlos' number on her phone.

"What happens next?"

"In my opinion, the sooner, the better."

"Today?" Chelsea asked hesitantly.

"Of course, why wait? It's time for you to turn a new page with a new job. How much is your salary at this café, anyway?"

"But I'm not ready to spend the night with a man."

"Yeah, I know that, but I'm sure you can start with the initial steps. Olive once told me that being a sugar baby doesn't necessarily mean going straight to a room and servicing the man who hires you. In the beginning, you can accompany him for meals or outings, chat with him, or even go karaoke. Don't jump to the core of the matter right away if you're not ready, but if you're looking for something bigger, you'll naturally have to spend the night."

"So, I..."

"Don't ask me again. I'm sure you know what I mean." Indri grabbed her sling bag. "Well, I'm off now. I still have some things to take care of. If you need help, contact me quickly."

Chelsea nodded. "I'll try to meet him. Maybe after work at the café, I'll contact him and set up a meeting before I go home."

"Great!" Without hesitation, Indri snatched the phone from Chelsea's hand. She greeted Carlos from the phone, inviting him to meet later in the afternoon after her work is done.

"Um, In..."

Chelsea was startled as Indri snatched her phone and casually greeted Carlos, inviting him to a meeting around four o'clock in the afternoon at a cafe by the lakeside.

"Are you crazy? I'm still thinking." Chelsea sighed, irritated because Indri had really invaded her personal space.

"Well... what can I say? You were taking too long. Oh, he replied."

Chelsea snatched her phone back to read Carlos' message. Her body tensed up; he was genuinely inviting her to meet around four in the afternoon at a cafe by the lake.

"Well, just go back to work. Meet him after you go home. Let me know what you talked about." Indri hurriedly got up as her partner's car stopped in front of the café.

Chelsea let out a long sigh, still staring at her phone. She couldn't believe Indri had just made an arrangement with Carlos. That meant if she showed up, everything would have to unfold as it should.

But if she didn't show up, she wouldn't be able to reel Carlos in for a meeting. Chelsea was weighing her options on how to save her parents' marriage and fund her father's medical treatment.

"Yeah, Dad, what is it?" Chelsea greeted at the other end of the call as her phone rang. Her father was calling her.

"C-chelsea ..."

"Hello, Dad. What's up?"

"Can you come home, dear?"

"I'll be home soon, Dad!" Chelsea hurriedly ended the call. No need for many questions; her father's heavy and intermittent voice could explain the situation at home.

Chelsea rushed to the parking lot, riding her old scooter to leave the café area and catch up with her father. Unbeknownst to her, her actions had negative consequences on her job. Despite only having worked at the café for a month, she had somehow managed to leave without seeking permission from the café's management.

This resulted in a stream of complaints from her co-workers as Chelsea left suddenly, especially since her break time had already ended.

"Dad, what happened?" Chelsea tried to help her father stand. He lay weakly on the floor, and there was no one at home to look after him.

"Your mother is demanding a divorce, dear. She says she wants to get married and needs a divorce decree from the religious court."

"Mom?" Chelsea repeated, making sure she heard correctly.

"Yes, she said her boyfriend proposed, and she even showed me the ring he gave her. As a sign of his seriousness about marrying her."

"Oh my... Mom!" Chelsea growled. She couldn't understand how to get her mother to reconcile with the situation, especially since the middle-aged woman knew how much her husband loved her.

And the bankruptcy they were experiencing was partly her doing as well. It was very unfair for her father to be left alone in such a dire state.

"Dad, are you sure you want to let Mom go? You want her to be happy?" Tomas tried to sound accepting at this point. Rather than holding onto Margareth and making her resentful, divorce seemed like the right path now.

"Are you sure, Dad?"

Chelsea checked. It was the path she wanted too, but she didn't want her father's condition to deteriorate further.

"Of course, if it's best for your mother."

Tomas responded, resignedly forcing a smile as a sign that he was fine, even though his heart was shattered by losing the woman he loved so much.

"Well, if we have to let Mom go, that's okay. As long as Dad is okay."

Tomas simply nodded, putting on a smile to show that he was fine even though inside, he was shattered by the loss of the woman he cherished.

"Dad, wait here. Chelsea will get your medicine," Chelsea said after ensuring her father was lying down comfortably on the bed.

She hurried to the nightstand to retrieve the medicine but let out a long sigh. There wasn't a single pill left there; she had completely forgotten to buy more, even though she had seen earlier in the morning that the weekly supply had been completely used up.

"Ayah, I need to buy medicine, I'll go out for a moment," Chelsea excused herself.

Tomas simply nodded, letting his daughter buy the medicine at the pharmacy. He felt utterly resigned to living with half of his body and dependent on medications. The last doctor's visit had revealed swelling in his brain that required immediate surgery. He wanted to ask Chelsea to give up and stop caring, but the determined girl was insistent on fighting until he fully recovered.

Even though Chelsea had to work tirelessly day and night to earn money, it was all for herself. Tomas felt like a burden, and instead of his condition improving, it seemed to be worsening.

Not long after, Chelsea returned. Luckily, she had been paid two days ago and had enough money to buy the medicine. Before entering the room, her steps halted, frozen in place as she heard her father's sobs coming from the room.

"I really can't bear to lose you, but what can I do? It's the only way that can make you happy. Be happy there, Chelsea and I will try to live without you."

Chelsea sighed deeply. If this continued, her father's condition would only worsen.

"I will try to bring Mom back," Chelsea muttered to herself before entering the room. She put on a smile, hiding her anger and deep-rooted resentment towards the woman she called 'Mom'.

After tending to her father, Chelsea bid farewell to him and headed back to the café. It was difficult to leave her father alone at home, but there was no other option since she had to work.

Once she arrived at the café, instead of being allowed to work, she faced dismissal.

"You lack manners and are no longer fit to work here!" the café manager scolded as Chelsea tried to continue her duties.

"B-but, Sir!"

"There are no 'buts' here. Professionalism is key in the workplace. You often skip work and leave during your shift, citing your father's illness. I won't accept that anymore."

"But my father really..."

"I've already told you, we won't accept any excuses. You're not professional in your work. Pack up and don't show your face here again!"

Chelsea slumped, knowing that if she was fired like this, she wouldn't be able to pay her tuition fees. She had only about one million rupiah left.

Not to mention, she needed money for daily expenses and her father's medication.

"Dad's medication is only enough for a week. What am I going to do?" she muttered, squeezing the phone in her hand.

Chelsea wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks before getting back on her old scooter.

She aimlessly wandered around, weighing whether or not to follow Indri's suggestion. She couldn't imagine living without a job. Her tuition fees needed to be paid, and she had to cover daily expenses and her father's medication. How could she manage all that? Earning money without a job was nearly impossible for her, and finding work wasn't an easy task either.

Taking a moment to rest, Chelsea sat in a park. She contacted Olive to ask for guidance on becoming a sugar baby. Olive happily guided her and provided instructions. True to Indri's words, being a sugar baby wasn't just about physical intimacy; it could start as companionship or friendship.

Of course, the payment wasn't as high until things progressed physically. From there, Chelsea was determined to agree to Indri's suggestion. She contacted Carlos again and confirmed the meeting time.

To her surprise, Carlos was willing to move up the meeting time, so Chelsea headed to the café he had chosen.

Chelsea clenched her hands tightly, took a deep breath, and tried to appear composed. She walked gracefully toward the table where Carlos was waiting for her. It wasn't too bad; he still looked relatively young despite being in his forties.

"Hi, I'm Carlos!" Carlos extended his hand, introducing himself to Chelsea.

Chelsea turned up the corners of her lips slightly. "Chelsea," she replied, as friendly as possible to pique Carlos's interest.

"Alright, let's get straight to the point, shall we, dear?"

"Have you already known the purpose and intention behind my ad on the chatting app?"

Chelsea nodded quickly. "Of course, and I want to be your sugar baby."

"A sugar baby? Oh my... you're something else. My intention for finding a girl on the app was to have someone for my son to date, not for a secret affair. Let me set things straight, I was looking for a girl to be my son's girlfriend, not mine. Honestly, I would have to be in a relationship with someone as inexperienced as you," Carlos shook his head.

He couldn't believe that the girl who had approached him was asking to be a sugar baby. Carlos was actually looking for a girl for his son, someone who was very shy around the opposite gender. His eldest son was a bookworm who preferred to stay locked up in the library, engrossed in books rather than going out to play. He had no interest in getting close to others, let alone dating a girl.

Meanwhile, Chelsea intentionally approached Carlos to become his girlfriend, in order to keep her parents' relationship intact as it was before Carlos came into the picture and made her mother, Margareth, fall in love and file for divorce from her father.

"But I don't like your son, Sir. I like you. What should I do?" Chelsea teased, sitting on Carlos's lap and gently stroking the older man's firm jawline.

Growing irritated by Chelsea's behavior, Carlos pushed her off his lap, causing her to fall onto the hard floor.

"Don't act foolish in front of me, young lady. Watch your behavior before I lose my temper and do something drastic!" Carlos warned.

Instead of being scared, Chelsea stood up and lifted her chin defiantly.

"I'm not afraid of your threats, Sir. Where do you want to do it? At a hotel? A guesthouse? Or at your place? Come on, I'm not afraid!" Chelsea challenged.

"Alright then, meet me tonight at the Pelita Inn. If you're serious about becoming my sugar baby, prove it!" Carlos countered, confident that the girl would be scared and wouldn't show up.

"Deal! I'll be there at 8 PM sharp!" Chelsea declared firmly, standing on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on Carlos's right cheek.

"See you tonight, Sir!" She winked at him before leaving Carlos, who stood frozen due to her audacity.

As Chelsea distanced herself from Carlos, she wiped away the trace of his cheek on her lips, as if erasing any remnants that could cloud her sanity.

"Oh God... forgive me. I'm forced to do this so that my mother won't leave my father. I don't want my father's condition to worsen because of their divorce," Chelsea whispered within her heart.

Chelsea sat in front of her vanity table, gazing at her swollen face that had just stopped crying. Witnessing and hearing her parents' arguments, which always seemed to fill her days, was taking its toll on her. Life was becoming more complicated by the day.

Chelsea closed her eyes, the echoes of her mother's shouts replaying in her mind.

"I don't care anymore, Tomas. You have to divorce me right now!" Margareth, her mother, demanded a divorce from her father. She couldn't bear to continue living a life of poverty like this.

Meanwhile, Chelsea had been working tirelessly to help support her mother's presence. It wasn't that Chelsea was afraid of her mother leaving home, but she didn't want the woman who was so beloved by her father to go, which would only worsen Tomas's condition. Margareth had been Chelsea's father's main source of support and encouragement all this time. Chelsea didn't quite understand why.

"I can't give you a divorce yet," Tomas whispered, still hoping to salvage his marriage with the woman he had adored.

If only Margareth hadn't interfered in the company's affairs that day, and if only she hadn't fallen for the fraudulent investment, their lives would undoubtedly be in a better state. They would still be wealthy, able to buy anything without worrying about the cost. Such was the extent of Tomas's love for Margareth that he had granted her every wish. And it was that very love that had led them to being scammed and ending up poor like they were now. But Margareth never acknowledged her mistake and instead blamed Tomas, hurling insults at her husband.

Since falling into poverty, Margareth had changed boyfriends frequently, seducing businessmen to get branded items and anything else she desired. Unfortunately, she never shared anything she obtained with Chelsea or contributed to Tomas's medical expenses. She spent it all selfishly as if she had her own world.

Chelsea was actually tired of her mother's behavior and wanted to kick her out, but Tomas's condition was her consideration before doing anything drastic. After all, Margareth was still Chelsea's mother.

"I want to marry my lover. Can't you see this diamond ring on my finger? It's proof that he loves me so much. Please, help me find a way to marry him as soon as possible. I'm tired of living like this because of your foolishness and stupidity. We've come to this point!" Margareth's harsh words echoed in Tomas's room.

Tomas sighed deeply, trying to turn his body so he wouldn't have to face his wife. He had thought of divorcing Margareth at times, but he was afraid no one would ever love him the way she had. He was frail and could only function halfway, suffering from aches and pains.

Who else would take care of him? Even though Margareth hadn't cared for him, her presence still served as a source of strength. If they divorced, who would be his source of strength? There was Chelsea, but the love he had for her wasn't as strong as the love he had for his wife.

Margareth was everything in his life, the reason he had survived up until this point.

"Tomas, please, just divorce me. Sign this paper so I can get married. I'm begging you," Margareth pleaded, kneeling before the bed where Tomas lay. Even though he had turned his back to her, she didn't care. All she wanted was his signature so she could proceed with the legal process at the religious court.

She was determined, even willing to change her affection to Carlos, who had been treating her so well.

Chelsea's plan was now clear. She would finalize her divorce from Tomas and then find a suitable partner for her son, Vano, who she planned to marry off to Chelsea. Matching Vano with a potential wife wouldn't be a problem. Margareth intended to pair Vano with Chelsea, so they could both marry into wealthy families, securing their happiness.

Margareth had decided to forget about Tomas, who could no longer provide anything of value. All that mattered to her was that she and her daughter could find happiness in their new lives.

"Mas!" Margareth called out, frustrated by Tomas's lack of response. "Come on, don't make me force you with violence," she threatened as she got up and circled the bed to face Tomas.

Tomas closed his eyes, seemingly ignoring her words. Margareth was annoyed and, in her frustration, she threw the divorce papers she held onto Tomas's face.

"I swear, you'll die because of your selfishness. You won't give happiness to your wife!" she berated before storming out of the room.

The scene was painful for Chelsea to witness every time Margareth and Tomas argued like that. Margareth always exploited Tomas's helplessness for her own gain. Despite the lack of intimacy between them, Tomas still loved his wife deeply. Chelsea sighed and reached for the dress she had placed on the bed.

The dress was revealing and extremely short. She had received it from Indri after their meeting with Carlos earlier. Indri had mentioned it was her favorite dress for her dates. The dress was beautiful, but it was unfortunately too revealing, with a very low neckline and an incredibly short hem.

Chelsea didn't know how Indri managed to date like that with her lover, but she was determined to make it work. She put on a long skirt underneath to cover up, wore a jacket to conceal her shoulders and the low neckline, and allowed her hair to cascade over her face, which she hid under a cap.

"Where are you going at this hour?" Tomas asked as he saw Chelsea getting ready to leave.

"I have a small job, Dad. I'm baking some cakes at Indri's place. The pay is good, so I'll be back soon. If you need anything, just call me," Chelsea assured, holding Tomas's hand and placing a kiss on the back of it.

"Take care," Tomas advised before Chelsea left. She offered a smile and nodded, feeling guilty for lying to her father. But she had to do it for the sake of getting money, and the bonus was potentially separating Margareth from Carlos.

"Penginapan Pelita," that's what the sign said on a dimly lit inn. The inn was slightly away from the bustling city. Chelsea was confused as to why Carlos had chosen to meet her there when there were so many luxurious hotels or apartments available.

Recalling her mother's claim about the diamond ring on her finger being a gift from her lover, it indicated that Carlos was incredibly wealthy. But he had chosen to meet her in this shabby inn.

Before entering the inn, Chelsea removed her long skirt, jacket, and cap. She caught a glimpse of her appearance in the motorbike's rearview mirror. She also whispered a prayer to Indri for strength as she approached Carlos. Walking gracefully, yet with determination, she headed towards the reception desk to inquire about the room registered under Carlos's name.

After learning that Carlos was waiting in room 04, Chelsea quickly made her way there. Her heart pounded as she counted the room numbers. "Here it is," Chelsea whispered, opening the door to room 04.

In the dimly lit room, Chelsea saw Carlos sitting in a chair, his legs crossed and his arms folded. The room's lights were turned off, with only the bedside lamp casting a soft glow across the room.

Chelsea stared at him, feeling a mix of nervousness and uncertainty. She closed the door and locked it, afraid that someone might suddenly barge in and see what they were about to do.

"Do it if you really want to be my sugar baby," Carlos requested, challenging Chelsea as she had suggested.

For some reason, Chelsea's inner voice told her she was doing this out of compulsion rather than her own desire. It was evident in her nervous demeanor and the way she seemed to force herself.

Chelsea nodded, though Carlos could barely make out her agreement in the dim light. Slowly, she began to remove the mini dress she was wearing. Gradually, the last remaining coverings on her body came off. There was nothing left to obstruct Carlos from fully enjoying her exposed form.

Chelsea squeezed her eyes shut tightly. She sat on Carlos's lap and took his large hand, guiding it to one of her soft mounds.

"Come on, Sir," Chelsea whispered, her voice trembling. She was afraid that Carlos would take away her innocence.

Carlos tried to remain composed, even as his passion surged uncontrollably. He had managed to resist Margareth's advances that went further than this many times before. But with Chelsea, he was struggling. In a matter of seconds, he felt the tenderness and suppleness of her skin, and he was aroused.

"$2000 for servicing me in bed, $10000 if you're still a virgin and can make my son Vano fall in love with you. There will be so much wealth in the future if you two get married," Carlos spoke, before Chelsea pressed her finger to his lips.

It was difficult to speak, but Carlos managed to express the agreement they hadn't discussed yet.

"$10000?" Chelsea repeated, pulling away from Carlos.

Carlos nodded. "Yes, I have the agreement letter. It's up to you whether you want to be my sugar baby or my daughter-in-law," he offered.