CHAPITRE 5

Sasha Jones Morales

He stands there, clearly uncomfortable, admiring the decor of my apartment until he notices me staring at him.

“How we meet again…” He says with a touch of sarcasm to start the discussion.

“Explain to me why I shouldn’t attack you with my heels?” I responded coldly.

He huffs before sitting down on the couch. He finally takes off his celebrity glasses.

" I made a mistake."

“You cheated on your fiancée!” I start screaming, unable to keep my cool. “And she had to be my best friend.”

“She never told me about you.”

“It wouldn’t have changed absolutely anything!”

I spit, hallucinating at his attempt to make excuses.

“Why cheat on Ella? The only person at Ella's level grace and class it's Jackie Kennedy! Or Lady Diana.. Or…”

“It’s okay, I think I understand, Sasha”

I stop talking, it's the first time he says my name.

- "What ?"

- “I hate when you say my first name”

He nods and an awkward silence settles in the room.

He chuckles lightly and the atmosphere automatically calms down. I relaxed a little.

 “Look, we can keep this to ourselves,” I end up saying. I won’t say anything.”

 “If you want to tell him I won’t blame you.”

I furrow my eyebrows, looking at him. He's playing with his glasses, I don't know if it's

nervous. I expected him to beg me not to tell him anything.

 “I don't want to go to war with the Kingsleys, it's your mistake and I shouldn't pay for it. And I really don’t want to hurt Elsa,” I respond, shaking my head. “I’m going to find an excuse not to attend his wedding.”

 “It won’t be possible. She came to New York for the wedding. You’re not going to be able to avoid it.”

  "I can try."

  “I swear you won’t make it.

   "Believe me."

He stands up and I take a stupid step back even though I'm already leaning against a dresser. He's way too intimidating.

 “We will try to avoid each other as much as possible.”

 “More than trying, I respond far too quickly.”

  "Yes"

He runs his tongue over his lips before looking me up and down. My body temperature rises too quickly.

 “You’re not really helping me.”

- "What ? But-"

- “Stop acting innocent, will you?”

  “You were ogling me.”

   "Me?" he repeats insistently, a smirk on his lips.

  "Yes you" ! I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

- You devoured me with your eyes. You even bit your lip.

- I didn't bite my lip! » I reply, bewildered. Or maybe yes.

   “Anyway, go away. This is not going at all.”

- "No problem."

He walks past me and I follow him to the door. Glad to finally get rid of it.

    “Goodbye Damon.”

   “Goodbye Sasha”

I open the door waiting for him to finally leave but instead his green eyes continue to watch me. I let myself be overwhelmed for a few moments but I shake my head.

    “ She waiting for you. She doesn't deserve this. Please."

If he continues there is no chance that I will be able to resist.

     “You’re right” he nods before walking out the door. He turns around one last time and I feel like I'm running out of air for a few seconds.

     “Goodbye Sasha.”

   “You already said it! Come on, go away,” I demand, waving my hand.

     "Close the door."

I roll my eyes.

     “I’ll do it,” I say.

-    "Do it."

I part my mouth and he starts laughing.

     “It’s okay, I’ll stop.”

I feel my phone vibrate and I decide to put an end to this torture.

    “Goodbye Damon”

He smiles at me and I finally close the door.

What the fuck was that? He cheated on Ella with me and I felt like I was angry for a minute.

I breathe before finally reading my messages

and above all respond to it.

<Messages +555173...

You come ? Lexa, if you screw me up again, no more opportunities for you, you've been warned.

As if you could. It's okay, I'm coming, but I have to finish before 7 p.m.

Are you serious ? It's too bad for you, you'll have less.Options, Take it or leave it.

Distributed

Hurry up.

I close my eyes and exhale before starting to gather some things.

I'll never get used to it.

……………………

  “It took you a while.”

    "Sorry." I reply not very sincerely as I sit across from Sam in a limousine with tinted windows. She moves as I close the door and I cross my arms, looking up at the cold redhead in front of me.

      “So who do I honor today?”

        “Lewis.”

I roll my eyes.

      " Again ? Can’t he be fed up with me?”

      “Apparently not.”

     “I’m hateful to him!”

     “I think he likes that,” she replies with a laugh.

I do not laugh. There's nothing funny.

      “In short, what does he want to do?”

      “He’s having a party on his Yacht.”

      “At the marina? I don't like working here, I might run into someone I

know.

“It’s a closed party with New Yorkers, Sash you’re safe. And you

Where were you expecting to go since you only have three hours?”

I sigh and cross my arms against my chest.

“He bought you a swimsuit.”

“I’m not really surprised.”

I take it with a wave of my hand and Sam quickly types on his phone.

“You can go, he’s waiting for you, you can change in the bathroom facing

at the entrance."

“Come back for me”

“As usual Lexa”

I get out of the limousine and place my pair of black glasses on my nose before moving forward.

towards the luxurious Yacht that awaits me, I know the way. I entered the first bathroom I came across, as I was told to do. before quickly changing.

I am reassured by seeing what I look like. Not bad. I still put on the caftan provided so as not to feel too uncomfortable. I walk out, taking a deep breath before climbing the steps to the roof of the yacht, where the party is taking place.

       “That’s the apple of my eye.” exclaims the fifty-year-old as I climb the last step of the stairs. I don't answer, I just grab the hand he holds out to me.

        “How lucky you are Lewis.” To always be with her. » declares a tall bald man, dressed in a very classy suit and tie. He observes me with his satisfied look, I remember him.

       “How could I leave such a pearl?” he replies before placing his lips on my hand. I clearly miss rolling my eyes, but I manage to plaster an over-the-top smile on my lips.

      “You’ve never tried any kind of career in modeling?” another man asks me, his eyes trained on my cleavage.

      “Too small,” I reply furtively. “I’m thirsty Lewis.” I say, touching the tie of the salt-and-pepper-haired man I'm accompanying.

      “Excuse me, come on sweetheart.”

He takes my hand and I sigh with relief, being alone surrounded by perverted multimillionaires is definitely not fun”

     “Why am I here exactly?” I ask, changing my tone completely.

        “As usual Jane.”

       “Okay, then no need to put me in an embarrassing situation among your colleagues.”

       “How many times am I going to have to tell you to use familiarity with me?”

      “I use familiarity with you in public. Apart from that we are two strangers.”

I take the glass in his hands before starting to empty it. It's certain

that it will be much easier for me with a little alcohol in my blood.

      “Are the girls in the pool their partners for the day? I ask, watching the girls splash around and laughing way too hard.

     “Some are, some aren’t, but we’ll never know which are which.”

    “Oh, I think I could spot them with a little concentration.”

    “But what I love is that none of them surpass you. I win every time.”

Should I feel flattered to be considered a woman object? A trophy ? Because that's not the case. I sigh at his stupidity before turning around. I walk towards the deckchairs, my cosmopolitan in hand and he follows me like a puppy.

I sit down and place my glasses on my nose. He sits down on the deck chair next to him, and he

watches me dive in.

      “This swimsuit really suits you.”

     “I admit. It is a very good choice."

    “I’m glad you like it.”

I tilt my head slightly towards him before lifting my pair of glasses.

    “What am I entitled to today, Lewis?”

I ask gently.”

    “If everything is perfect…” he takes out a large black box from the pocket inside his jacket before opening it before my eyes.

A huge diamond necklace. Old.

    “Wow, he’s beautiful.” I say in the silliest way possible. At a glance, I don't think it should be worth more than $2,500. That's enough for three hours of my time on a boat.

     “Only if everything goes well,” he reiterates, closing the box.

     “And what should I do to make everything go well?”

I ask, leaning slightly towards him, destabilizing him without difficulty.

     "Bea b-good girlfriend. Starting by not being like all these object women who are only there to enjoy the view and the swimming pool.”

     “You want me to speak with them?” I ask, grimacing.

      “I want to be credible Jane.”

I sigh before standing up.

     “Okay, if you want,” I say, quickly tapping one of the two lenses of his glasses. I'm about to get up but he holds me back by pulling lightly on my arm.

     “Do you like the necklace?”

    "I believe ?" I reply with a frown.

I gather in front of him and my hairs stand on end when his hand comes into contact with my thigh.

   “You know you could have more than a $2,000 necklace if you were a

a little more... open”

     “I don’t want more, take your hand away,” I threaten him through clenched teeth.

     “I’m talking to you about cars, houses, jets at your disposal. If I agreed to-”

      “I would never agree, now take your hand away I won’t say it a third time.”

He removes it and I plaster a fake smile on my lips.

      “Let’s go chat with your friends now, darling.”

………….

18 h 45,

A day finally over and a necklace and a swimsuit won.

Using my physique to get money; a lot of people call it immoral, but honestly, being paid that much to play for trophies is a golden opportunity for me. In the United States, more than 40 million students are in debt, all to be able to finance their education, all because they were not born into the right family. I refuse to be a new statistician, so I'm ready to make some verses about the girl who just spoke to me.

……

     “You served me coffee earlier.”

I look at her outfit, she is much too well dressed to go to this kind of place.

     “Did you forget something?”

She looks at me, completely ignoring what I just asked her, and takes a step forward.

      "You are very pretty."

Yes, she clearly didn't see herself.

      “Are you hitting on me?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. She bursts out laughing before showing me the big diamond on her right hand

      “I’m engaged so…”

I stare at her questioningly. I really don't know what's going on.

      “How would you like to make five times what you make in a month here, in one day?”

I furrow my brows as I shove my hands into my pockets.

     “It looks like an unwanted ad that appears on your screen when you watch a streaming video.”

      “I’m really serious.”

It's certainly a blow to find myself in a trade in human beings.

     " No thanks."

     “Take my card. Call me if you change your mind.”

I grab her card and she smiles at me.

     “I just want to help you.”

She smiled at me one last time before turning on her heel. I was sure I wouldn't

remember and yet I did.

…….

      “Lexa !”

I look up at Samantha and she stares at me for a few seconds with furrowed brows.

     “I’ll drop you off in front of the café”

      " No. Actually I have to stop by a friend’s house first.”

      "You have time ?"

      “Yeah, it’s important.”

She is perplexed, and above all she wonders if I lied to her by saying that I was only available until 7 p.m.

      “Come on Sam”

She sighs before giving in.

     “What’s the address?”

The truth is that I have no intention of going to work, I will fake gastro.

I just absolutely have to speak withShe and tell him that I won't come to his house

marriage. I ride the alley and I'm about to ring the bell when I'm interrupted.

      “Sasha?”

I turn my head and Damon is there. Blue sports shorts and sneakers on your feet,

It’s obvious that he was in the middle of his sports sessions. He removes an earphone before furrowing his brows.

       "What are you doing here ?"

     “I wanted to see Ella, isn’t she there?”

He shakes his head.

     “She went to get a pedicure with her mother.”

I sigh before looking at the time.

     “Are they coming back in a long time?”

     “An hour, maybe less...Is that important?”

      "Rather yes."

That's the case to say.

     “Wait here then, do you have time?”

It's a bad idea. That's a very bad idea.

     “I don’t know if… well… It’s whatever you want.”

I open my mouth before closing it. I didn't even think about my return, he

I have to see if Ethan can come get me. I can do it while I wait a bit for Ella.

      “Okay, I’ll wait about twenty minutes.”

      "OK." he replies impassively before walking towards me.

He glows like a glazed donut, and his hair falls in his face. I look away. He opens the door for me before letting me pass and I thank him. He follows me and

The further I go, the more I tell myself that this is a really, really bad idea.