I had just closed a ten-million-dollar deal. The entire compound was popping champagne and lighting fireworks. Suddenly, the Young Master stormed into the compound, an assault rifle in hand, and pressed the cold barrel against my forehead. "Who the f*** taught you to flirt with eight men at the same time?" Trembling in terror, I pointed a shaking finger at the man next to me, who was calmly lighting a cigar. "Your dad." The Young Master: "So, it was you who made her play with my feelings?" His Dad: "So, this ten million dollars... you scammed it from my son?" 1 In the damp, gloomy basement, I was clutching my phone, playing hard-to-get with the man on the screen. "Stop contacting me. I’m getting married." "If I fill the gap in your father’s company funds, does that mean you don’t have to marry that other guy?" "What do you take me for? I wouldn't take your money even if I were selling my body on the street." "You’d take that other guy’s money but not mine? What does that mean?" "You’re different." "Don’t give me that bullshit. If you don’t send me your account number tonight, we are done. I’m blocking you immediately." I feigned helplessness, typed out the offshore account number, and added a final hook: "Even if you send it, I won’t touch a cent. If you force me, I’ll kill myself." After sending that, the sound of glock slides racking echoed around me. Several guns were pointed at my head. I felt like my head would be blown off in the next second. Then, the software chimed: Received $1,500,000. The compound boss, Victor, slammed his hand on the desk. "That's a wrap. Light the fireworks." Only then did my soul return to my body. I immediately blocked and deleted the contact saved as [Bryce / 6'2" / London / Rich & Lonely]. 2 Outside, the roar of fireworks was deafening. In the office, people surrounded me. "Chloe, you’re a legend." "You just became our Top Earner in one shot." I smiled awkwardly. "Honestly, he was just easy to trick." They started analyzing the 'kill'. "True, that idiot was dumb as a rock. Wiring over a million without even meeting?" "What do you guys know? Single parent home, studying abroad, just went through a breakup. People like that are starved for affection. Buy him a Starbucks and he’d probably die of gratitude." "I wonder what kind of moron father raises such a moron son." Hahaha. The room erupted in laughter. Victor knocked on the table to summarize. "Indeed, a total moron." He stood up, grabbed a stack of cash, and shoved it down the front of my shirt. "Tomorrow, your team leader Shane will take you to the mall. Don't worry about saving me money." I clutched my chest. "Thank you, Boss." But Victor didn’t let go. His rough hand moved recklessly inside my clothes. The others acted like they saw nothing, continuing to joke. I was covered in goosebumps, about to give up resisting, when— "Boss, another whale just came online." Team Leader Shane walked over with a phone. Only then did Victor reluctantly pull his hand back. After they left, I walked back to the basement, still shaken, carrying a piece of cake. The moment I opened the door, a broom handle smashed into my face. "You sell out your own people! Your conscience has been eaten by dogs!" I didn't care. I even forced a smile. "Anyone want some cake?" They rushed me, slapping me wildly. "Another family ruined because of you, and you have the nerve to eat cake?" "We’d rather starve to death than eat that blood-soaked cake." They knocked the cake onto the dirty floor, calling me a bitch, a traitor. They didn't stop until I hit the emergency bell and Shane arrived. After that, they didn't dare touch me. I cursed at them—starving for two days and still having that much strength—while picking the cake up off the floor. I ate the whole thing, then went to sleep. The moment I closed my eyes, I saw the last message from the man I scammed: "I love you. Please don't die." But right after he sent it, the message turned into a red exclamation mark. He must be regretting everything right now. 3 When everyone was asleep, I pulled out a burner phone hidden inside my mattress. I sent screenshots of all the chats and transfer records to a strange number. The reply came quickly: "Are you injured?" "No. I can go to the mall tomorrow." "Tomorrow, 12:00 PM. By the flagpoles. White van." "Okay." I stared at the phone for a few seconds, then typed: "Can I bring the other girls?" "Can you guarantee there are no moles for Victor among them?" I couldn't. I didn't even dare talk to them for fear of my life. "They will die." "But this is your only chance to go home." I stayed silent for a few seconds, deleted the screenshots, and hid the phone. I stared at the ceiling. Thinking of the word "Home," my heart skipped a beat. I tried to trace the letters in the air, but my hand was shaking too much to write. My fingers brushed against the tally marks scratched into the wall. I sighed. The girls in my room had changed eight times already. The current batch arrived a month ago, lured by high salaries for customer service or livestreaming jobs. When they realized it was a scam factory, they protested, cried, and refused to work. I knew their fate all too well. Either you scam, or you end up in the Red Light District. If you still don't listen, one needle in the arm turns you into a slave to your own addiction. I was different. I was the biggest idiot. I had a legitimate tech job after graduation. The company offered a "team building retreat" overseas as a reward for top performance. Greedy for a free trip, I worked my ass off to be number one. I came, and I never left. To stay alive, I used to close small deals—a few thousand here and there—just to meet the quota. But last month, I overheard Victor and Shane. Victor said my numbers were too low. He was planning to sell me to another syndicate. I didn't want to die. I just wanted to go home. 4 I didn't sleep a wink. The next day, I wore my nicest dress and got into the van with Shane. Shane looked decent, handsome even. You’d never guess he was a scammer. But to sit in the Team Leader's chair, his hands couldn't be clean. He put a black hood over my head as soon as I got in. There were a few other "top earners" in the van. They were excited. I didn't say a word. My fingernails dug into my palms, cold sweat trickling down my neck. After buying a few random clothes, I sat in a café by the window, staring at the flagpoles in the plaza below. Shane sat opposite me. "What are you looking at?" I jumped. "Just... that kid dropped his ice cream and is crying. Kind of funny, isn't it?" He followed my gaze and warned me, "Don't even think about wandering off." "I used to cry for three days if I dropped my ice cream." He looked like he wanted to say something, but his phone rang. His expression turned grave as he answered. He glanced at me. My heart sank. I had a bad feeling. While he was distracted, I slipped into a lingerie store next door. I grabbed a few items and ran into a fitting room. I locked the door immediately. I pulled the phone from my bra and texted the number. "Can you come early?" "Something's wrong." No reply. I was frantic. Suddenly, a knock on the door. Shane's voice. "Chloe, we have to go." "Okay, coming!" My heart was in my throat. I texted again: "Please, pick me up now. They are making me leave." Reply: "The van is 30 minutes away." "30 minutes is too late." I couldn't stall for thirty minutes. The knocking got louder. "Chloe, what are you doing? I'm breaking the door down." My scalp went numb with fear. "The zipper is stuck! Just a second!" I started stripping off my clothes while waiting for a message. Reply: "We have to wait for next time." I lost it. "My grandparents won't survive until next time." Just as I hit send— BANG! The door was kicked open. Shane walked in. His eyes scanned me for a few seconds, then checked the fitting room. Confirming there was no other exit, he threw the clothes at me. "Put them on." "I'm watching." I was already naked before he entered. Being watched by a man while changing is humiliating, but in this hellhole, shame is a luxury we can't afford. I had accepted my fate long ago, but I still couldn't stop my face from burning red. Terrified he would find the phone hidden in the pile of clothes, I was shaking the entire time. After I put on the lingerie, he finally spoke: "Take the black set. It suits you." "Okay." He finally turned his back, letting me finish dressing, then dragged me out. The others were waiting outside. Seeing me and Shane walk out of the fitting room together, with my face flush red, they exchanged knowing looks and dirty smiles. Shane paid, and we were herded back to the van. In the car, Shane suddenly said, "You all know what to say and what not to say, right?" The group nodded in unison. "We're all men here, blood runs hot. We understand." "Leader, we get it." Shane didn't explain. I had no energy to explain. I stared at the spot by the flagpoles. The white van never came. I felt like my soul had died. 5 The moment we got back to the compound, Victor grabbed me by the hair and dragged me into his office. He slammed me onto the desk. "So the million dollars you scammed... it was from my son?" I was confused. "I don't know." "He didn't tell you his name is Bryce White?" "He just said his name was Bryce." I raised my hands to block his fists. "You taught us! When working the overseas market, never ask for real names. It looks unprofessional." I survived this long because I have a degree in Creative Writing. I graduated with honors. I never thought I'd use it for catfishing. Victor froze for a second, veins bulging on his forehead, then backhanded me across the face. "Who the f*** taught you that?" I shook with fear. "Shane... It was Shane." Great. Now both Shane and I were in for a beating. As for why I threw Shane under the bus... I admit, it was personal. He shouldn't have watched me change. He's just Victor's dog. I was beaten until my face was covered in blood, then thrown back into the basement like trash. I found out later the money had cleared the night before. Victor only found out today. His son transferred a million dollars out of his account, and he was furious. Victor is a sophisticated monster. He usually kills with elegance. This was the first time I'd seen him lose control. Honestly? It felt a little good.
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