ᴇꜱᴄᴏʀᴛ ᴍᴇ

2.1

With each step she took, her high heels tapped against the polished floor, echoing through the hallway, and as she moved forward, her gaze swept across the row of doors that adorned the corridor. Each one bore a number, a symbol of ownership that made it easier for people to know which door belonged to whose.

Eventually, the woman reached her destination and after contemplating for a while, she knocked on her chosen door hesitantly, and as expected, the sound-evoked unwanted attention from doors around her.

"Help me..." The voice from inside the door was trembling, laden with fear and vulnerability.

"Let me out..." Another voice inside a different door joined the plea, its tone filled with a mixture of desperation and frustration.

"I wanna go home..." A third voice, tinged with melancholy, carried the ache of longing.

The corridor was immediately consumed by an overwhelming chorus of distress, as multiple voices blended together in a symphony of despair; screaming, crying, begging, and pleadingーthe woman gritted her teeth and punched the wall, the harsh sound causing the voices to go silent out of fear and surprise.

As if on cue, the door that she knocked on earlier then finally opened wide, revealing a man with tousled and unkempt white hair. His grey eyes furrowed in irritation at the sight of her.

"Cookie?" His face was the epitome of annoyance itself and it made her flinched. "You better have a good explanation for interrupting my time."

Cookie clenched her fists, scowling at his attitude, yet she didn't lash out, fearing the consequences.

"You're booked for this whole month," she told him begrudgingly. "I don't know much about this client as she was approved by the founder herself, but that must mean she's a rich person with a high status like the founder."

At the mention of that womanーthe founderーthe man sneered as coldness started emanating from him, engulfing the assistant as she could feel it seep through her bones. She shivered, teeth chattering as she pointed her finger at him.

"Youー can you stop?! Not everyone can stand the cold like you!" She finally snapped. "Whoever it is that bought your service in this winter season must have had a few screws loose inside her head! How is it that Kael can find you cute?!"

He frowned, glaring at her. He grabbed her by her jaw, forcing her to face him. Cookie glared at him back defiantly. Gradually, she could feel the coldness dissipating.

"I'm not cute," he said solemnly, letting her go. "That reminds me, how's Kael?"

She rubbed her jaw, silently expressing gratitude to whatever entity that made him change his mind from breaking her face. "Don't know. He resigned after finding true love."

The man went silent at the information, his expression turned to disbelief. "That freak? Finding true love? She must have been one hell of a torturer then."

Cookie was instantly reminded of you; Kael's last client. You don't seem like what this man described, then again, she shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Who knows? Beneath that innocent facade that you wore was actually a powerful dom that could bring Kael into submission and love.

Though, recalling that you once inquired her regarding Kael's heat because you wanted to understand him more and prepare what deems as necessary for Amorii who's experiencing heat, Cookie felt like even if you were a dom, you must have been a dom that pampered her sub, lest how was Kael able to fall for you when there are harsher doms outside eyeing him to make him theirs. Ah, if only she had someone who would go to that length for her during her period.

She sighed, shaking her head. Jealous, jealous.

"So? Do you really have not an ounce of information regarding my newest client? Not even a photo?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"Noー"

At that time, the conversation was interrupted by a distant sound of something shattered and a weak cry for help. Cookie went quiet, knowing that this sound came from the inside of this man's room.

"Hollis," she looked at him in accusation. "Youー"

"Cookie, you've been working for ROMANCE for years yet you still don't know how to mind your own business," he leaned closer to her face. "Don't utter a word. Don't look at me like you're better than me. You're just as much trash as I am."

The said woman clenched her fists, knowing that his words were the truth.

Hollis pulled away, looking at her coldly. "Don't worry, I will clean up my own mess, you won't even have to do anything."

He then closed the door.

Once the door was closed, Cookie could hear the noises inside; a woman's wail, shattering glasses, Hollis's angry tone, and then complete silence.

Cookie stood there for a few seconds, laughing humorlessly as she wondered; the founder is so rich, can't that woman at least spend money on sound-proof rooms for her deranged employees? At least that way a poor little human like her wouldn't have to experience this every day each time she went looking for the escorts in the staff quarters.

She then remembered the question that Amorii asked her;

"Can you shamelessly claim that you are pure and righteous, Cookie?"

At that time, she was too stunned to speak. Her guilty conscious won't let her answer, but if asked again, she knew what to say.

ーfuck with being pure and righteous, can that feed her? 

Walking away from the hallway, her footsteps echoing with each step. So what if she's not pure and righteous? So what if she wasn't chosen by heaven? Is she not alive and kicking right now? Is she not doing well? Cookie sneered, ignoring the wails of many women inside those doors. As long as it's not her, what does she care?

Those unfortunate women at least have someone to feed and dress them whereas Cookie? She still needed to work to stay well-fed.

So she's definitely not the one in the wrong.