The Devil's Game: A Deadly Bargain

Wasson had served nearly everyone in the room. The men had hurled vile comments at her, some even tugging at her hair or complaining that her dress was too modest for their liking. She swallowed her pride, determined to get through this without breaking down. But as she walked past one table, a hand reached out and smacked her hard on the backside, causing her to stumble forward. The tray of drinks she was carrying crashed to the floor, the shattering glass echoing through the room.

She bit her lip to keep from crying out, getting back on her feet as the man who had hit her smirked in satisfaction. The humiliation was almost too much to bear, but she forced herself to stay composed. She glanced at her wristwatch and sighed in relief—only five more minutes. Five more minutes and this nightmare would end, and she could finally get the money for Riley's surgery.

"Hey, Jasmine!"

The call snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see the same man from earlier seated at the far end of the room, motioning for her to come closer. Her stomach twisted in knots as she approached him, her irritation barely concealed. "May I help you?" she asked, keeping her tone as neutral as possible.

As she drew closer, recognition flickered in her eyes. It was him—the man who had insulted her, calling her lowly. The man she had sworn to teach a lesson, and now, here she was, at his mercy once again.

"Have you gone deaf, or are you just ignoring me?" he taunted, his mocking tone drawing laughter from the surrounding tables. Alison felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Are you a stripper or a model?" he asked, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"What do you mean?" she shot back, unsure of where this was heading.

"Strippers don't wear jewelry—or at least, the ones I know of don't."

"They're not jewelry," she replied defensively, clutching the items that held so much sentimental value to her.

He raised an eyebrow. "Take them off. Now."

His command sent a chill down her spine. "I'm sorry, I can't."

His surprise was feigned, but it still made her stomach drop. "Really?" he said, reaching for his phone. "Then I'll just have to call the owner and tell him I'm not satisfied with the service."

Alison's heart raced as she realized what this could mean. If he complained, Mr. Mayer would ruin the deal, and Riley's chance at survival would slip through her fingers. She couldn't afford that. "Wait," she said, her voice barely audible.

He paused, his expression unreadable. "I'll take them off," she conceded, her heart sinking with every word.

"Good," he replied, leaning back in his chair, watching her every move.

Alison's hands trembled as she unclasped her wristwatch—the one Riley had given her for her 20th birthday. Next was her locket, the only piece of her parents she had left. Then came the necklace, a gift from Jayden for her last birthday. Finally, she removed the bracelet Kaira had given her as a token of their friendship, a piece she had sworn never to take off. Each item she placed in his outstretched hand felt like a piece of her soul being torn away. Alison blinked back the tears threatening to spill over, determined not to show any weakness.

She turned to leave, desperate to escape this humiliating encounter, but his voice stopped her in her tracks. "I'm not done yet."

Alison froze, her heart sinking further. "What do you want now?" she asked, struggling to keep the tremor out of her voice.

"Take off your mask," he said, his tone as cold as ice.

0Alison shook her head, "No... I can't."

"Why not?"

So many thoughts raced through her mind. 'Because I can't be recognized,' she thought, but she couldn't say anything. She didn't realize that he had already dialed the number and was waiting patiently for the club owner to appear. The owner arrived almost immediately, his demeanor alert as he walked towards Alison and the mysterious stranger.

"How can I help you, sir?"

From the way he addressed the man, Alison understood that he was someone of significant influence, someone not to be trifled with.

"Your stripper here isn't willing to do as I tell her... She seems to have quite an attitude," the stranger complained, a small smirk on his lips. Mr. Mayler turned to Alison, giving her a deadly glare, then turned back to the man before him, feigning a smile. "What is it that you requested her to do?"

"I really don't appreciate strippers concealing their beauty with a mask. It makes the show less enjoyable, don't you agree?"

Mr. Mayler nodded slowly and turned back to Alison. "You heard him. Take off your mask."

Alison blinked in shock. "What?"

"Are you deaf?" He taunted. "Take off the mask."

She felt a strong urge to refuse but knew she couldn't. If she had to sacrifice her dignity for Riley, she wouldn't think twice. She turned to the heartless stranger, clear hatred in her eyes. "Fine, I'll take off the mask."

"Good."

She reached for the mask, her hands trembling as she slowly removed it, revealing her face to everyone, including the man before her, who smiled in satisfaction. "Such a truly obedient beauty."

"Very good," Mr. Mayler grinned. "Is there anything else you want her to do for you?"

The stranger thought for a moment, then a sinister smile curved his lips. He stood up and moved closer to her until their faces were mere inches apart. He reached for the boa around her neck and yanked it off, making Alison gasp. The boa had concealed the most revealing parts of her dress; now, her back, chest, and cleavage were exposed. She blushed deeply, feeling like prey under the hungry gazes of the crowd. Before she could react, the sharp click of a camera echoed through the room. She turned to see one of the men taking a photo of her, and to her horror, Mr. Mayler did nothing to stop it, despite the no-photo rule.

This was the last straw.

She turned to him, "Hey, you can't do that—"

"Technically, he can," the heartless stranger said, his icy voice sending chills down her spine. "The rules don't say anything about taking photographs of strippers serving," he paused, smirking, "Right, Mr. Mayler?"

The manager chuckled. "Right."

The man who took the photo sneered. "I'm going to sell this online and make a fortune."

"Now, we're done with you," the stranger said dryly, seemingly satisfied. "You may go."

Alison blinked back tears and rushed out of the bar, having endured enough humiliation for one lifetime.

Mr. Mayler's POV

Back in my office, I relaxed into my chair and poured myself a glass of martini. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. The scene downstairs had been quite the show. It was odd, though; Mr. Allan had never taken a second glance at any other stripper. I wondered what Alison had done to incur his wrath. Almost felt sorry for her, but I had to play along. There was a slight knock on the door. I knew exactly who it was. Time to follow orders.

End of POV

Alison walked into the office, shutting the door behind her. She took a deep breath and faced the large desk where Mr. Mayler sat, grinning widely as he twirled his glass of martini.

"How may I help you?" His smile was sickeningly satisfied.

She struggled to keep her voice steady, though she was mentally unraveling. "I'm here to collect the money... for the deal."

A chilling silence followed. Mr. Mayler set down his martini, his eyebrows raised in feigned surprise. "What deal?"

Alison shifted uncomfortably. "The deal we made... The one that said I have to become a stripper for one night to get the money."

"I don't recall making any such deal."

She stared at him in disbelief. "That's not true."

"Says who?"

Alison couldn't understand why he was suddenly denying their agreement. "Look, Mr. Mayler, I've done my part. Now it's time for you to fulfill yours."

"You're clearly delusional. I'd advise you to leave my office and return to wherever you came from."

"You're joking. This has to be a joke."

When he didn't respond, the reality of the situation began to sink in. "Y-you can't do this to me."

"And who are you? The mayor's daughter? Get out." He pointed to the door.

That was the last straw. Alison broke down, tears streaming down her face. "This is my last hope. Please, Mr. Mayler."

"I said get the hell out of my office."

"I can't leave. You don't understand. I really need this money for Riley." She begged, her voice breaking. "Please don't do this to me. I won't be able to bear it if anything happens to Riley."

Mr. Mayler dialed a few numbers and placed the phone to his ear. It rang a few times. "Security, I'm going to need your assistance in my office."

Desperation gripped her. She moved a few steps closer to him, "Just hear me out. This isn't fair—"

Just then, the door burst open, and two large, heavily built security guards entered.

"How can we help?" One of them asked, eyeing Alison.

Mr. Mayler sighed. "Dispose of this filthy slut."

"No... you can't do this to me. You just can't!" She cried out. "We had a deal."

The guards grabbed her by the arms and began dragging her towards the door. She tried to resist, but their strength was overwhelming. They quickly overpowered her and pulled her out of the office while she continued to plead. Outside, they released her, and she fell to her knees, clutching them. "Please, just let me in. It's a matter of life and death."

But they ignored her and walked away.

Alison sank to the floor in despair. Everything was ruined. She knew she couldn't arrange the money in time, which meant Riley wouldn't get his surgery and wouldn't survive. Her whole world had crumbled.

After what felt like hours of crying, she scrambled to her feet and wiped her tears. Her head pounded, and her mind spun. She found herself walking away from that wretched building, not knowing where to go. She couldn't return to the hospital; the trauma of losing Riley was too much to bear. With her parents gone and now her twin brother in critical condition, she couldn't endure the pain any longer. She felt like her only escape was to end it all.

Alison walked to a narrow road and stood by the deserted pathway, watching expectantly for the perfect moment. A sleek black Lamborghini approached at high speed. This was it—perfect timing. She took a shaky breath and dashed into the road, the car speeding closer and closer until it was mere feet away. She closed her eyes, ready to end her suffering.