The Sterling family was going bankrupt, and Declan Sterling was reduced to working as a host at a luxury club. I immediately drove straight to Cloud 9, threw down my black card, and announced with glee: "One dance, ten grand." "Shirtless, fifty grand." "In a place like this, you know what kind of dance I mean, right?" That jerk. He always stole my business deals. Now I was going to humiliate him until he begged for mercy. Declan looked at me, his hand slowly reaching for the top button of his shirt. Two minutes later, he stopped and handed me a tissue. Me: "?" Declan: "Wipe your nose. You're bleeding." 1 What the...? I swiped a finger under my nose and saw a smear of bright red. Me: ... I must have eaten too much spicy food today. This was humiliating. Declan probably thought I was bleeding because I saw him strip. I snatched the tissue from his hand, plugged my nose, and crossed my legs like I owned the place. "Keep going. The song isn't over. Don't stop." I lifted my chin, trying to look unimpressed. Declan glanced at me with zero emotion, then stepped back into the open space. The strobe lights swept across his bare chest, highlighting muscles that were lean and dangerously defined. This whole situation was absurd. Declan Sterling, the ruthless heir who used to crush me in boardrooms, was now dancing shirtless for my amusement. I expected him to look ashamed. Instead, his eyes were focused, his expression solemn. He was dancing a seductive routine with the seriousness of a military drill. I gritted my teeth. Damn it. We're both men. Why does he have an eight-pack? I felt like I was paying to make myself feel insecure. When the song ended, Declan stopped. "Seen enough?" "Huh?" I dragged my eyes away from his abs. "Oh, I was just—" "If it's not enough, I can do another song. You can pay again." Declan stood there with his perfect face, negotiating a lap dance like it was a merger acquisition. Me: ... Is this the famous Sterling work ethic? He's the most professional male stripper I've ever seen. Seeing my silence, Declan continued. "You can try watching one more. If you don't like it, you don't have to pay. From your perspective, it's a zero-risk investment." ... I was silent for thirty seconds, then slapped my card on the table. "Fine. One more. If I'm happy, I'll buy a bottle of your most expensive champagne. For your commission." 2 Walking out of Cloud 9, I felt like I was floating. Declan had just given a masterclass on how to use sex appeal to extract $60,000 from a man's wallet. I, who had never set foot in a host club, was now their Supreme VIP. The manager added me on WeChat, bowing like a bobblehead. My opinion of Declan had shifted. I used to think his success was just nepotism. But today, he made me spend a fortune and became the club's top earner on his first night. I have to respect the hustle. I couldn't learn six dance routines on my first day as a stripper. His skills were unmatched. My phone buzzed. It was the group chat: [Declan's Victims Support Group]. Rich Girl Ruby: [@Alex, update! Did you go? Did you book Declan? Spill the tea!] Sean: [I still think it's fake news. Declan is too proud. Even if he's broke, he wouldn't become a host.] I typed. Alex: [It's true.] Ruby: [!!! Omg hahahaha karma is real! That's what he gets for stealing my clients!] Sean: [Wait, he's actually for sale?] Ruby: [@Alex tell us everything! Did you humiliate him? Was it fun?] I thought back to the nosebleed. It was exciting, sure. I still had tissues up my nose. Alex: [...How do I put this? It was great. His abs are nice.] The chat exploded with question marks. Ruby: [Define 'nice'. Be specific.] Ugh. Describing it would get me banned. Alex: [Can't describe it. Go see for yourself.] Ruby: [Fine! I'm going tomorrow!] Sean: [Good luck, soldier.] I locked my phone and started my car. Declan should thank me. I just referred him a high-value client. 3 Without the Sterling family undercutting me, business was booming. Mr. Lee, a client I'd been chasing for months, finally reached out. I booked a dinner with him immediately to seal the deal. At 8 PM, I pulled into the restaurant parking lot. My phone started vibrating like it was possessed. Ruby: [What the hell! Why is Declan so arrogant even as a stripper?!] Sean: [Did he roast you?] Ruby: [No! I didn't even see him! The manager said Declan is the 'Top Host' now. He has the right to refuse clients. He said he wasn't in the mood!] Ruby: [I've spent millions at that club! I'm a VVVVIP! I said I'd pay double, and the manager just said 'Declan says no'.] Ruby: [Is this legal?! I cancelled a date for this! I'm getting wrinkles from the stress!] Sean: [...That sounds insane, but also very Declan.] While Ruby ranted, a message popped up from the manager of Cloud 9. Manager Chen: [Mr. Alex, hello! Will you be visiting tonight? We had Declan learn some new moves. Very spicy. Guaranteed satisfaction~] Me: ... This was not the experience Ruby described. Mr. Lee was waiting, so I replied quickly. Alex: [Not tonight. Business dinner. Next time.] Manager Chen: [Will you be drinking at this dinner?] ...Why does he care? Weird. But I was polite. Alex: [Yes.] I put the phone away. 4 The dinner went perfectly. Mr. Lee signed the contract. I celebrated with a few too many glasses of wine. After seeing Mr. Lee off, I opened my phone to call a designated driver. Suddenly, a blue electric scooter drifted around the corner, braked hard, and stopped right in front of me. A long leg extended to the ground. "Hello. Do you need a driver?" That voice... The rider lifted his blue helmet visor. Underneath was a face so handsome it made me angry. Silence. "You... are a designated driver?" The income gap between a host and a driver is massive. Declan's expression was stable. "It's my night off. This is my side gig." "...But an hour ago, Manager Chen said you learned new dances for me." "Oh. I applied for leave thirty minutes ago." Me: ... Declan Sterling driving a scooter for Uber Eats money. It felt like a fever dream. He took off his helmet, shaking his hair out like he was in a shampoo commercial. "It's hard to get a driver for a car like yours. One scratch costs more than their annual salary." "But I'm a good driver. I used to own cars like this. I won't be afraid to drive it. Alex, you should consider me." He made a compelling point. I'd been rejected by five drivers before because of my car. I handed him the keys. "You're hired."
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