The Immigrant Girl

Los Angeles is the dream city for any girl with ambitions to live in a glamorous world full of luxury. But that doesn't apply to Iris Barcova.

The girl who had just turned twenty-two years old was living a pretty dark life. Stuck in a tempting offer, then ends up being a woman of comfort, providing pleasure to any man.

Tragic and bitter ...

Arriving in a city that is famous for all the greatness in the entertainment industry, along with her family ten years ago, it was not that easy to struggle and live a decent life. They moved from a country full of economic conflicts at the time, Slovakia, in the hope of having more promising opportunities.

But the fact that happened was not as sweet as she expected. Her mother died in an accident, while her father is alive but has no legs. Now with her father's disability, Iris has to be the main support for the family, especially for her little brother.

Working as a prostitute at a young age and Iris sinks deeper into humiliation.

That night, the club's dim lights flickered wildly as the beat of the music grew faster. The entertainment seekers one by one left their drinking glasses and began to move according to the tempo of the song.

The hostess who worked for the club began to attract guests and spread to every corner.

Juarez is indeed famous for his cold hands in managing a five-star class hotel that also has the best club in the city of Los Angeles.

The comfort woman he chose was also the best selection. Within two years, Juarez managed to bring the hotel to be famous in the world of nightlife among other hotel lines.

From the ranks of women in his collection, Juarez has three mainstay women. Lori, Sherry, and Iris. These three women are not only beautiful but also the most charming. They are good at attracting guests with high skills, except for Iris of course.

The woman who has the most perfect physique is known for her quiet and cold character. Iris's distinctive European face clearly forms a classic beauty like no other.

The interest of all guests is always on her. Iris wasn't as skilled in bed as the other women in the club. Maybe her goddess-like beauty makes men infatuated, even her tame-tame dove arrogance is more challenging.

Unfortunately, the girl was always gloomy and didn't seem to enjoy her role. Unlike any other girls who are always flirtatious and wild, Iris tends to pull away and sit in silence.

That night, Iris was as usual the last to attend. As soon as she entered the club, several pairs of eyes turned to her.

With a calm and graceful demeanor, Iris stepped towards the table at the far end. The sleeveless red gown above the knee shows her seductive curves.

Big, round, and firm breasts with a slender waist and slender buttocks, confirmed Iris as a masterpiece of God that deserves to be highly appreciated.

Unfortunately, she had to fall into the valley of disgrace. Who doesn't want to get Iris? Even so, with various proposals to become a second woman and mistress, Iris flatly refused.

Being a pleasure entertainer, no matter how high the title is attached to her, she still feels humiliated!

Iris chose to stay single, with no relationship. Being free without being owned by anyone has been a firm principle she has held so far. Iris had never been in love before in her life.

None of them can attract her.

Because Iris knew, all men only wanted her body. Who still deigned to accept Iris? After so long in the profession as a prostitute, every man would probably feel disgusted to choose her as their wife.

Just as Iris sat down, the club manager approached and whispered to her. The woman nodded and went back to busying herself with her phone.

Not long after, there was a man who was quite famous as a national film producer. He greeted Iris and offered her a drink. The woman replied with a weak nod and a faint smile.

After a few minutes of boring small talk, the man who was almost middle-aged started groping her. Iris gently pushed the man's hand away.

"Sorry, you only get me to have a drink, Mr. Hernandez. If you want more than what we're doing right now, please talk to the club manager first," Iris asked slowly but firmly.

"I-I can't stand just sitting around and drinking, Iris? Sleep with me, please?" asked Marten breathlessly. The man could not contain his own desire.

"Not tonight," Iris refused as she began to inch away.

"I can pay double your rate!" he cried trying to restrain Iris. The woman turned her head, though not completely, and didn't budge.

"What about my tips?" Iris asked.

She needs ten thousand dollars tonight for a very urgent need. Iris thought maybe she would ask more for a stingy guy like Marten Hernandez.

"I'll pay you whatever you ask for! A thousand dollars?" said Marten.

Iris sighed softly.

"Unfortunately, I need more than that. Sorry, excuse me," said Iris as she prepared to leave.

"Wait! Ok-ok! How much do you need?" persuaded Marten impatiently.

Iris weighed and now turned around completely.

"Ten thousand dollars for one serving!"

"What? Are you crazy? I can get ten girls for that price!" cried Marten. Iris really got up without any burden.

"It's okay if you can't afford it. Maybe next time, when you have that budget to get my service," Iris replied politely but her tone sounded disdainful.

Marten cursed softly and finally gave in. His desires were too high, and all this time Iris was always busy serving others. He accepted the nomination with an irritated look.

"I'll wait in the room," Iris said, still in a flat tone.

Marten nodded and immediately got up in a hurry.

Who could turn away the charms of a woman like Iris?

***

As expected, Marten only lasted five minutes. Iris got up and headed for the bathroom, leaving the old man sprawled out exhausted.

After bathing and cleaning her body, Iris immediately sauntered outside. Marten was already asleep and without waking her client, Iris took the pile of money they had agreed upon. Once the money was neatly tucked away in her bag, she headed for the door. Iris turned her head one last time.

"Stupid man," she muttered under her breath and opened the door without intending to close it again.

Her steps swung quickly towards the elevator in the middle of the corridor.

Her jaw tightened and her gaze was haughty. But actually, deep down inside, her heart screamed. Iris couldn't take days like this anymore.

The thought of a human-like Marten, who stinks and is also violent when she has to spend time with him in bed, sometimes makes Iris almost throw up. That disgust always afflicted her; she couldn't enjoy any bit of that intimacy.

On the way home, while in the taxi, Iris was crying silently.

Arriving in front of a two-story apartment in a slum area, Iris stepped inside with silent steps. Her father was probably asleep and Jan, her little brother, is not around.

Iris again flushed her body. When her complicated thoughts came back into her mind, under the shower the woman collapsed and slumped to the floor with her shoulders shaken.

Never imagined in her life to have to live such a dark and shameful life like this.

The beauty that Iris should be proud of, turned into a burden to her. When the urgent conditions had cornered her, doing this profession is the only option.

In the deepest recesses of her heart, Iris wished she was just an ordinary woman who had more opportunities to be happy and have a better life.

The beauty that she has, puts her as a beautiful woman who can destroy the men, who seek pleasure, overnight. Life doesn't treat herself fairly!

This is the dark life of Iris Barcova!

That morning, Iris accompanied her father to the nearest clinic. While waiting for the dialysis process to finish, Iris spent time reading a book.

Usually, the process will take about three hours more. Iris had to reach into her pocket for her father's dialysis for about five hundred to seven hundred dollars, and that had to be done three to four times a week. Her father's condition was pretty bad and they didn't have health insurance.

Last night's income Iris used to meet the necessities of life which are not cheap. She even had to pay the rent for the apartment which was three months in arrears and was always billed every week. The owner had already started issuing threats, Iris was forced to pay four months at a time, a total of over three thousand dollars.

Iris also provides a number of tuition fees for her brother, Jan, which is not a small amount. In a day, Iris had spent seven thousand dollars, not including medical expenses.

Such was her fate. No matter how much money she earned, her father and brother always needed money. She couldn't stop and left her job as a prostitute.

Even though it was painful, Iris was able to endure every time she saw her father and Jan.

In the nighttime musings, Iris could sometimes only whimper in suffocation.

She vividly remembers the day she spent the first night when losing her virginity because she had no other choice.

The pain of being forced to serve men the same age as her father, made Iris feel disgusted with herself at the time.

This wasn't the dream she wanted. Iris, who is good at singing, hopes to start a career in the world of music and not become a woman of pleasure like what she does right now. But at the age of fifteen, her father was no longer able to work, and their mother died.

They need to eat and pay rent or staying homeless will be the end of their life. It was impossible to return to their country because there was nothing left!

Iris stopped reading and took a deep breath her heart throbbing in pain. After seven years in a profession that makes her tormented, Iris begins to want to get rid of all this.

***

"Iris Barcova!" call Juarez.

The woman who had just arrived that afternoon immediately came and entered her office. The chief director of the hotel where she worked invited her to sit down.

"There was a complaint from Marten Hernandez, your customer last night!" said Juarez with sharp eyes.

Iris gasped and felt her heart start to feel bad. But the girl chose to remain silent, not responding. The man who still had a thick Mexican accent was really mean-looking and cunning.

The acne scars on his face make Iris sometimes think of Juarez as a monster.

"He complained and refused to pay for the room as well as the booking fee. The reason is, Marten has already paid you ten thousand dollars, in CASH!" The last words were spoken loudly and firmly.

"But Marten said...."

"Mr. Hernandez! You don't deserve to address people in such a disrespectful way!" cut Juarez hard.

Iris took a deep breath, then raised her face in annoyance.

"Mr. Hernandez promised me that worth of tips! Not including the booking fee and also the room payment!" repeated Iris this time loudly and sarcastically.

Plakk!

A slap flew across her face. Iris has pushed aside with a stunning face. There was a little blood flowing from the corner of her lips.

"Listen, Bitch! Do you think you're worth that much? Don't be so pretty and think too highly about yourself!" Juarez hissed intimidatingly. "You are nothing more than a poor immigrant girl!"

Iris straightened herself up again. Her long, slightly wavy black hair looked messy.

"Pay all the bills and I want it done right now! If you don't settle it, I'll report you to immigration!" threatened Juarez, no longer tolerated.

A flick of his hand shooed Iris away harshly. Without trying to wipe the blood off, Iris came out with heated eyes. She could taste salty in her mouth, and Iris ran to the nearest bathroom.

Iris was crying and holding back sobs as hard as she could in the toilet. Her heart ached and her world felt even more congested. There was no more room left for her to breathe freely.

Why is her life taking longer to lead to the abyss of destruction? It's better to end breathless than living a life like this, she thought with a painful heart.

After washing her face with gargling, Iris rushed to the club manager's room, Peter. The steps are long and hasty. As soon as she was ushered in, Iris pushed the door quickly.

"Iris?!" cried Peter in surprise. There were bruises on Iris's face.

"How much does Marten have to pay?" Iris asked in a trembling voice. The man who was only thirty-five years old sighed heavily.

"I've told you so many times! Do not involve yourself with Martin Hernandez! That guy is sneaky! He used to get free girls who wanted to be new actresses! Why don't you ever listen to me?!" cried Peter in annoyance.

Iris held back the tears that had covered her retina. But as soon as she blinked, one by one they fell.

"I'm in danger of being kicked out of the apartment, Peter! My brother needs college tuition, while my father also has dialysis! Tell me, Peter! Where am I supposed to get the money, if not from selling myself?!" Iris asked, holding back sobs.

Peter cursed regretfully and handed her the bill.

"I already paid fifteen hundred dollars. That's all I have, you'll have to find out for yourself the rest, Iris."

Iris grabbed and looked at the nominal. Her eyes widened and Iris's face turned pale.

"Five thousand dollars?!" Iris shrieked.

"Marten didn't pay for his drinks and he stayed two nights at the hotel."

"But why do I have to pay all the bills? Including the second night?"

"Iris, that's Marten's cunning. He will drag you to the deepest hell to avenge his loss."

"But I didn't harm him, Peter! I served the disgusting man, and we agreed on the price!"

"Sorry. I can't help you this time."

Peter raised his hands languidly. Iris sat limply. There are only one hundred dollars left. How did she get the rest in five hours?

"I don't have that kind of money, Pete. Where do I get so much money?" Iris complained.

Her voice sounded desperate and helpless. Peter clasped his hands together with a concerned face.

"Again, I'm so sorry. I really don't have a solution for you. You know what Juarez is like." The club manager couldn't help her at all. Juarez had threatened Peter not to interfere too far this time.

Iris got up and wiped her tears carelessly. Without saying goodbye, she walked past Peter.

***

Iris entered the hotel's payment room and after asking for time to pay off, but she was disappointed again.

The manager asked for immediate payment and no postponement.

"Give me whatever you have. The rest should be this afternoon!" said the man coldly.

Iris handed her all the money and with unsteady steps, left the room.

With a pounding heart, Iris sat inside the locker room, where they got dressed to prepare themselves. Misfortune after misfortune she faced today.

Working for years she was never able to save. All she spends on treating her father and Jan's school. Iris didn't know anymore whether she was still able to continue to work with Juarez.

The man was like a loan shark. Forcing poor immigrant women at suffocating pay. Iris has no identity, except for an expired passport. The three years after they arrived in the country, her father did not have time to take care of anything and was already disabled.

"Iris, Juarez is calling for you!" Lori exclaimed with a surprised face. Iris, who had just sat down and hadn't finished dressing up, finally nodded.

She knew Juarez was going to intimidate her again about the payment. She has not been able to pay it off until this second.

"Come in!" ordered Juarez who looked ready to leave.

The woman entered with her face down, while her jaw clenched.

"You haven't paid off as I ordered! Where's the money you've got?! It's gone for fun?!" Juarez denounced it without sympathy.

The old man drew closer to her. Iris could smell the pungent smell of cigarettes coming from his mouth.

"Serve five guests tonight! Assume to pay your debt! Don't argue or run! I'll sue the police for fraud! Got it?!" snapped Juarez with a sly face.

Iris agreed without fighting back. Her eyes were teary without a sob. Satisfied with the intimidation, the man left Iris with his briefcase.

Peter who was present in the room just stared in silence.

After Juarez left, Iris was shaken and choked by the suppressed sobs. She had to serve five guests, free of charge!

This affliction pierced Iris' soul too deeply. She was drowning in the greed of the more powerful.

Her body is like being shrouded in a disgusting dusty lust that she cannot clean and will continue to cling to. If she could choose, perhaps sudden death would be far more advantageous than her current life.

That night, on the same bed, Iris cried silently. The men take turns enjoying her body. Sometimes she bites her lip as hard as she can to endure the pain and fatigue.

Her tears continued to flow throughout the night without stopping.

After spending a tiring night without earning a dime, Iris fell ill.

Peter came to visit and slipped her two hundred dollars. Iris was silent in pain. In the small and cramped room in the apartment, Iris pulled the blanket up to her neck with a shiver.

This fever is excruciating. It was impossible for Iris not to get sick. She spent more than four hours non-stop serving the guests in bed.

She wanted to kill herself, but when her father's moans were heard from the next room, Iris burst into tears and the desire disappeared.

What's wrong and how big her sin is when she has to accept such a heavy trial? Why did life treat her so unfairly?

Jan appeared with a cup of hot tea in hand.

"You need this." Jan handheld out the cup to her. Iris smiled faintly and shakily tried to get up.

Jan was stunned when Iris' hand was touched by him.

"You have a fever! We'd better see the doctor. I'll take you!" said Jan anxiously.

"I've taken medicine, Jan. Everything will be fine, don't worry," Iris said, trying to avoid her brother's request.

"I know the risks of your job, Iris. Please, see a doctor and make sure you're okay," Jan pleaded in a trembling voice.

Iris was taken aback by that fact. She knew that some of her friends had died from contracting HIV. Sometimes Iris is afraid that someday she will be at that point, even though she has always applied safety sex all the time. Iris tried to appear calm and stroked her brother's arm with a smile.

"Okay, I'll see the doctor. But I'll go by myself. Papa needs an insulin injection in an hour, and I want you to do it for me, alright?" said Iris. Jan smiled in relief and nodded.

"Looks like I have to start working harder. Maybe dropping out of college and working full time in that shop will pay off."

"What? No, Jan!" said Iris hastily. "You have stayed in college because I have no future!"

Jan looked away and held back tears.

"I don't want you to be stuck in that profession, Iris."

Iris' hand grabbed Jan's face to turn to her gently.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. We have to make our dreams come true and stay a little longer, all will be accomplished soon. It'll be a happy ending for us, Jan. Trust me, will you?"

Jan was only nineteen years old and quite helpful to herself. But that's not what Iris wanted! Her younger brother is a very sweet and kind young man. Iris was so proud of Jan, who was going to be an economics graduate in a year.

Once he has his degree, Iris hopes that Jan will find a respectable job and not end up being a drug dealer or gang member like the young people in their neighborhood.

"Success is always accompanied by pain. Let it be my part because your success is the main thing. For the sake of this family as well as for us."

Jan hugged Iris tightly. His sister stroked the young man's thin back. Iris knew that Jan had studied and worked hard all this time. Sometimes she sees her brother working late into the night. Jan always tries to finish his college assignments punctually, so he can graduate on time.

"Hold on, Jan. Everything will end well, I promise," whispered Iris.

Jan nodded with bloodshot eyes.

**

After changing clothes, Iris headed to the nearest free community service clinic. The queue that afternoon was quite long, and Iris patiently waited while her body shivered even more.

Sitting in the waiting room for more than two hours and starting to doze off, Iris finally heard her name being called. With a stammer, she fixed her hair and entered the room. The young doctor forgot to greet the patient who had just entered. He so admired the charming creature that was present in front of him.

"Doc?" His assistant reminds him to be focused.

"Oh, yes! Good afternoon, uh, evening. Please have a seat over there," replied the doctor, looking embarrassed when being caught looking at Iris with awesomeness.

Iris nodded and climbed onto the small bed where the patient used to lie. She glanced at the name on the doctor's chest.

Rene Marschall.

She suspected that, because of his thick accent, the doctor was from France.

"What do you feel?" asked Rene as he put on his stethoscope.

"High fever and aches all over my body, Doc," Iris answered quietly.

Rene checked carefully. When he was done, he asked Iris to re-button her blouse.

While sitting down and writing notes on medical sheets, the young doctor asked some questions according to the regular standard of examination.

"Doc, I am...." Iris stopped her sentence hesitantly, "I-I... I'm a prostitute." Finally, Iris managed to stutter out the sentence.

Rene's hand stopped writing. His face lifted and looked at Iris with a look that was so hard to decipher.

"Could I have an internal or venereal disease?" Iris asked while holding back tears. A sigh came from Rene's mouth.

"It can't be that easy to draw the conclusions. There should be an inspection of the area... you know what I mean, don't you?" Rene responded. Iris nodded nervously.

"In addition, the blood test also will determine the completeness of the diagnosis. I happen to be an internal medicine specialist. If you don't mind, I can take your blood sample first, and then I will observe it with another specialist. What do you think?"

"Maybe not today, Doc. I don't have enough money right now," Iris countered.

"I can put you in a support program for women, Miss Barcova. Besides, it's a free clinic and you don't have to pay anything," said Rene gently. Iris nodded doubtfully.

"My nurse will follow up later. Everything will be handled with our best effort, ok?" continued Rene with a sympathetic smile.

With a pounding heart, Iris agreed. Her heart was too broken, and she didn't know what to think.

After drawing blood and also filling out the form, Iris went home. Her feeling was a little relieved. At least she had done the first step at this point.

After Iris left, Rene glanced curiously at the form the woman had completed earlier.

His eyes searched carefully for all the information. It turned out that the woman had been working as a prostitute for seven years.

He regretted that such a young woman had to live a bitter life. Iris Barcova, Rene spelled the name silently.

The eyes and the look on the woman's face were so engraved in his mind. He caught an honesty spoken with a desperate expression within Iris.

Iris' confession touched him deeply. Instead of judging with one eye, Rene actually felt deep sympathy for the woman.

Too many attractive women are present in his life. But the clear eyes with thick eyelashes without mascara and the plain face without makeup is really a simplicity that makes her captivated.

Rene has always admired the figure of a woman with a classic European facial line.

"Doc, next patient?" asked Rene's practice assistant for the third time.

"Ah, okay! Sorry," Rene stuttered. "Please call the next patient." His daydream about Iris distracted him at this moment.

"Still thinking about that woman earlier? Hundreds of beauties still hang around a lot, Doc!" denounced his assistant with a scornful expression. Her tone was very condescending.

"What made that woman not deserve my attention in your opinion?" asked Rene as he jotted down notes in his journal. Rene's assistant was nervous and realized that she had made the wrong suggestion.

"Sorry, Doc. Not intend to...."

"Insult her, is that what you mean? Mary, the society around us today is on average as judgmental as you are. Everyone is so cruel, judge without tolerating the cause!" snapped Rene sharply.

"She's still like the others, not the trash of society. If you want to call someone trash, corruptors, spreaders of hatred, and terrorists, it's much more appropriate and deserves than her." Rene's words were now softer than before.

Mary lowered her head in shame. Her mouth was too presumptuous, and her heart had already dropped prejudice.

"Sorry, Doc. I was wrong," she regretted.

Rene sighed and shook his head. The young assistant immediately called the following patient in.

***

Iris sleeps with a heavy head and tight chest. Her fever slowly rose again.

Jan peeked at his sister who was occasionally delirious. Iris didn't allow herself to compress. Deeply depressed by work and college schedules, Jan is forced to leave while Iris is still sick.

"The sooner you become independent, the better. Make us proud and you must be a human being who has rank and dignity in our society!" That's what Iris always said to Jan. He never objected. Iris is everything to Jan.

He will be graduating in a year and hopes that he will soon take over the burden of his family. Jan wants Iris to be happy, maybe marry a man. Even though her profession is now a disgrace, a dark soul like Iris also needs love.