The neutral tones of the furnishing, fixtures, and artwork brought a new day kind of feeling. For a new beginning. Most importantly, new prospects. The white cushion sofa carries two toddlers waiting for their mother while slamming their toy trucks together. Two rectangular chalkboards are covered in pink chalk displaying all types of beverages.

A green-eyed two-year-old tug on my arm, shaking it as whimpers leaves his lips. A frown mars my forehead as I glance down at the toddler, clutching onto my hand and his baby shark. I couldn't put my finger on why he was sobbing, but I couldn't be a bitch to a child.

That verdict varies on my mood.

Kneeling, I wipe the tears streaming down her soft chubby cheeks. "What's wrong, munchkin? Did you lose your mama?"

The toddler chews on her fingers, gently nodding her head. "She says five minutes, but now she was gone."

Emotion is what makes us human. That's what separated us from robots, computers, and other AI waiting to take over. I am human, but the very concept of emotions seize to exist within me. Guilt, pain, sadness, happiness, worry. My soul is a black, dark, brooding void, an area with no return.

This toddler lost her parents, and if I am being honest...

I fucking couldn't care less.

What does that say about me? Who knows? But I could easily walk away from this child without batting an eyelash. Though today, I woke up on the good side of the bed, so I decided to do the toddler a favor.

"When was the last time you saw Mama?" I ask, darting around the coffee shop for a disheveled mother.

She pounds her feet against the marble floors to get my attention. "By plants."

I shrug. "Let's go look for her."

Frowning as I glance at the length of the line, I ditch my spot to roam around the shop with someone's child. I tried to search for a mother losing her marbles, but apparently, this toddler disappearing must've been their dream. Multiple rotations around the shop later and still no mother.

Jesus, where did she go? 

"Stop her! She's trying to steal my baby!" A shrilly, vanity, ear-shattering scream fills the coffee shop, countering the blasting pop music.

My face scrunches up in aggravation as I pivot on my heel to face an angry, beetroot face mother stomping over. Am I really getting commended for doing a good deed? The logic isn't making sense here.

"She ran up to me while I was waiting in line," I assert, meeting the enraged woman halfway. Might as well save her the energy. "We've been looking around searching for you. I don't have any interest in your daughter, so why spew out lies?"

She forcefully snatches her daughter from my grip, clutching her close to her hip. "That's hard to believe," she scoffs, rolling her eyes. "My daughter is the perfect prey for you."

I laugh, my eyebrows crinkling. "Prey? What am I, a lion?"

Her jaw ticks. "A woman like you is clearly in the sex industry. It's a shame, really. Does it make you feel better about yourself to go around half-naked? Our innocent children don't deserve to be exposed to this type of conduct."

With an unbothered expression, I dip down to admire my incredible outfit. The way the fabric fits around my waist is like second skin. The aqua blue irregular patchwork cutout mini dress is as conservative as it gets. A row of small, geometric cutouts runs down the middle of my breast to my pierced belly button.

I don't see a problem with my outfit.

It could be my pierced nipples since it's quite cold in the shop, and I didn't bring a bra with me.

"It's not my job to bend to your nonsensical rules. If it bothers you so much, there are over ten coffee shops on this block alone. So, bye!" I shoo her as if I was spraying bug repent.

She glares daggers at me. "Never in my life have I met a woman proud enough to be known as a whore."

My tongue drags across the seam of my lips. "Are your comments supposed to demean me or something? If anything, you're humiliating yourself. It's a shame you aren't confident enough in yourself that you feel the need to bring down another woman with you."

Her gaze burn holes in my direction. "I don't support whores who fuck and steal other woman's husbands."

A giggle threatens to crack through. "That sounds a little personal... Is your husband cheating on you?"

Her green eyes widen probably in shock at how easy it is to decipher her. She isn't exactly doing a great job at hiding her animosity for escorts. Life is too short to be spent fighting with irrelevant people. At the end of the day, I am going home to my expensive, lavish penthouse, and she...

Should I give her the benefit of the doubt?

Without another word, she pushes through the horde, knocking coffee mugs with her shoulders. A few people whistle as she exits the store, but it didn't stop her from glaring back and sending a fuck you. For a split second, I feel bad for her daughter when she gets older. Hopefully, she doesn't turn out like her mother.

"That was awesome!" A woman exclaims, her airy voice coming from behind me.

Rotating on the heel of my stiletto, I'm faced with a short brunette, carrying her baby in her arms, jiggling him back and forth. Black frame glasses overwhelm her face, stealing attention away from her lovely, sweet complexion.

She's perfect for Diablo's Paraiso.

A smug smile stretches across my face. "I don't like people making assumptions about me because of the way I dress. She might've been right about my profession, but I'm not ashamed of it."

Her eyes bounce from my breasts to my eyes. I couldn't blame her for staring. My boobs are having a wonderful today, full, voluminous, perky. How could I not show them off? It's a crime to keep them hidden and compress them into this skin-tight dress.

"Hi, I'm Nancy." She puts her hand out for a shake, and I comply. "During the altercation, I purchased an extra caramel ice latte... Do you want it?"

I tap my chin with purse lips as I pretend to think about it. "Sounds good to me! I still got a few minutes to waste. Can I sit with you, or is that intruding?"

She switches her baby onto her other hip. "Of course! Don't mind my other daughter. If Cocomelon isn't on, she gets a bit antsy."

Nancy's gaze keeps sinking to my boobs for an extended period of time. Sometimes they wander to my bare thighs. Red splotches taint her neck and cheeks as she tries to shift her gaze onto other things, like her baby. Once he finishes his bottle, she places him over her shoulder and gently smacks his back for a burp.

"How is it like having two kids?" I ask, twirling my straw around the coffee glass.

"Nuts! There's never a break with these two goofballs. I love them to death, but I'm in desperate need of a break." She laughs lightly, innocently, imagining a scenario without her children. "It's just me and my two angels, so the responsibility falls on me. Money is the tightest it's ever been. My mom is wonderful, but she can only do so much."

My eyes widen. "They seem like angels so far."

She snorts. "That's because they just had their breakfast. Give them an hour, and they will be a crying, cranky mess. It's probably nothing compared to being an..."

"Escort."

She pushes a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, an escort. How is it? I always wonder about the ins and outs of it."

My fingers thump against the white granite table. "It's an experience. Certainly not for everyone. The money is the highlight of the job, but it can mess with your mental health. It's apparent to have thick skin in order to survive in this industry."

Her mouth gapes. "Wow! Honestly, I admire you. We all live different lives, which takes us into unexpected turns. I don't know what got you in there, but you seem happy. That's what matters the most."

"Nancy," I whisper, my chair scratching the floor as I brought it closer. She blinks continually, visibly gulping as I creep closer enough for my breath to hit her cheek. Nancy trembles, her body oddly responding to my touch as I remove her glasses.

"Did anyone tell you how beautiful your eyes are without glasses?" I murmur, tracing circles on her pink cheeks, her chest rising up and down.

"I-I. U-Um. A-." She freezes, unable to form a sentence.

A slight tingle erupts in my stomach. It doesn't compare to the excitement I feel when Asiel is under my command, but I guess she will do. A temporary solution for my quenching thirst. Besides, I have other plans for her, an adventure, a do-over, a lifestyle change.

She will be thanking me in weeks.

It's the only reason I do this.

Nancy whimpers at my teeth nipping on her earlobe before dragging it out, and a shiver nearly knocks her over. She shakes her head, looking away with a lost, dazed, confused expression. From the way her body responded, it kept checking off the list of things needed to become an Angele.

"Nancy," I say, my tone dripping in sultry, poison, enough to get people addicted. "Life has a way of shifting in the matter of one decision. A struggling single mother can slowly evolve into an incredible, prospering mother. It's only an interview away with my boss which I can set up for you..."

"I-I don't know," she stammers, trying to push her glasses back up her nose until she recalls they were in my hands.

"It's only an idea, babe. All I want is for us, extraordinary women, to become something in this world. Just think about it..." I slip the business card over to her. "Everything. The money. Your kid's future. Your future. Maybe this is the right thing for you."

With a coy grin, I hoist myself from the table, shaking the nearly empty coffee mug. Exhilaration shot through my veins. It's like getting high off weed. Sweet, bliss, dazed high, buzzing through for an hour or so. Asiel-- he's straight-up heroin.

It's probably best he doesn't show up again.

I don't like getting addicted.

A dependency will only ruin the things I've planned for myself.

Before leaving, I bent down and place a quick, delicate kiss inches away from her lips.

"If you like, maybe we can touch each other. Fuck each other. I'm only a call away, sweetheart."

She sucks in a visible breath at my bold statement. Her eyes drop to my tits as I slowly swing around and head for the exit. On my calculations, she would show up at Diablo's Paraiso before the end of the week.

Maybe at the end of the day if I'm lucky.

My cell phone vibrates against my waist, coming from my chain purse. A cocky grin emerges on my face as his name appears on my cell phone. It's like he knew I was going to call him myself. He saved me the trouble.

"Hola sexy!" My nails tap against the pink fur on my steering wheel.

He lets out a gruff laugh. "My day always lightens up to the sound of your voice. What's the verdict so far?"

My lips gape as I wipe the rosy pink lipstick. "Three or four at most. I expect them to call for an interview in two days max. No one can resist an excellent offer when all they're used to is a shitty hand."

I could envision the pleased smile on his face. "Perfect. The Dungeon is in need of new contenders. Fresh, dedicated earners like you."

"Don't worry. We will have fresh faces by the end of the week, and there's plenty more where that came from."

"Mika, I'm going to need you to come in an hour earlier tonight," he says.

My eyebrows crinkled. "Why? Do I have an early client tonight?"

Diablo grunts. "As of now, no. However, I've been informed of a new assignment... for your other profession. They want to know if you're interested."

My eyebrows perk up in amusement. "If the price is right, then I'm always interested."

Humanity comes with a price tag. The emotionless you are, the better opportunities arise from the ashes. If we aren't willing to do the darkest thing, they will find others to do what we fail to do. When a life begins in the lowest rank on the food chain, it designs the individual to survive. To outrun, outlast, outlive.

See...

When a person has already been at rock bottom... the only thing left is to go up.

Mika just comes right off the paper I love her! All her evil flaws and captivation!! I love every single thing about her! I'm itching for you guys to see how every character evolves from the early chapters till the end! It's going to be a twisted, fucked up journey for everyone! Are you guys excited? I'm in need for some Asiel and Mika moments though! Maybe next chapter ;)

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I can't wait to read all your comments! I also appreciate every single vote, comment and just clicking to support me 😊!