Chapter 46: A Self-Inflicted Demise
Emily initially believed the girl might not withstand the ordeal. However, each girl who entertained Neil ended up in a mental hospital or dead. After three such incidents, Hannah ceased assigning girls to serve Neil. From then on, Hannah personally attended to him, ensuring no further tragedies occurred. Neil’s visits were on the 10th of every month, and Hannah typically remained present. Yet, this time, for reasons unknown, Hannah had been absent for an unusually long period.
Emily had volunteered to come to Eclipse Nightclub’s underground. Her father had died in a car accident, and her mother, remarrying, brought her along, where her stepfather eyed her with lecherous intent, attempting to rape her. Her mother accused Emily of being a temptress, seducing her husband. One night, they forced Emily onto the bed for her stepfather to rape her. She resisted fiercely that night, but her stepfather succeeded.
In the aftermath, she turned on them, stabbing her stepfather and mother as they slept. She then surrendered to the police and was sentenced. Upon her release from prison, she sought refuge in Eclipse Nightclub’s underground because she was unable to live a normal life after her ordeals. She didn’t believe in family, in love, or in any of the emotions that others clung to in this world. The only thing she trusted was herself. She threw herself into work with a relentless drive, always topping the rankings. She was determined to make money. She desired never to be helpless, coerced, or humiliated again.
Claire’s presence disrupted Eclipse Nightclub’s established order, and Emily harbored a deep resentment towards her. Yet, her disgust did not extend to killing Claire by sacrificing her to Neil. Moreover, if things spiraled out of control and harm befell Claire, Hannah’s return would demand explanations Emily couldn’t provide.
“Forget it. I’ll call Hannah to see if she’ll be back by the 10th,” Emily said.
After mulling it over, she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that gnawed at her. With a sense of urgency, she reached for her cell phone to dial Hannah’s number. But all Emily heard was the cold, mechanical drone of an automated voice: “Hello, you’ve reached Hannah Evans. I’m not available right now, but please leave a message after the beep, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!”
Yet, she persisted, dialing the number several times, but each call to Hannah was met with failure. Over the next several days, Emily made countless calls, but Hannah’s phone remained stubbornly out of reach.
Claire, oblivious to these machinations, believed that diligence in her duties would ensure a stable life. That belief was shattered one night as she disposed of trash, overhearing a man and a woman engaged in sex in the stairwell. She curiously paused. This underground Eclipse Nightclub, known to many as a shadowy realm, was where men and women had sex to release their desires. Who would choose the echoing stairwell over the secluded rooms to have sex? Unless the affluent, whose wealth had crafted a world where conventional boundaries blurred, indulged in eccentric habits.
But regardless of how bizarre or outlandish it seemed, this affair was none of her concern. No matter who was involved, Claire had no desire to entangle herself in the affairs of others. She sought only to navigate her own path in peace. She allowed a smile to grace her lips, shaking her head and turning to depart. Just then, a name, achingly familiar, floated through the air, stopping her in her tracks.
“Emma, you know how much I love you? I love you forever. You’re the most beautiful in Eclipse Nightclub.”
“Why does Emily always top the ranks? When that lecherous Neil arrives, we’ll send her to him. Let her meet her end at his vile hands. Then, the entire underground realm of Eclipse Nightclub will fall under our control,” the voice sneered with venomous ambition.
“Speaking of which, there’s that newcomer, too. Emily wasn’t keen on dispatching Claire to serve Neil. Let her die on her own.”
Terror gripped Claire. She clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle any sound. Despite her brief tenure in this place, Claire was well-acquainted with the names Emily Morgan and Emma Price. Emily was the unrivaled queen of performance, but Emma was ever the close second.
Claire never imagined Emma capable of such treachery. Moreover, this sinister plot was intimately entwined with her own fate. For a fleeting moment, Claire felt her heart thunder with a wild panic, echoing her fear of detection by the conspirators. Without waiting to hear another word, she slipped away silently.
As Claire departed, Emma and a man emerged from a door in the basement corridor.
“Do you think she’ll fall for it?” one asked.
“Whether she falls for it or not, she’s already set to meet with Neil. Once we’ve handled this for that person, the two of us are set to pocket ten million dollars!”
“That sum is more than enough for us to live out our days in comfort, free from this den of iniquity.”