Chapter 95: Under the Neon Glare
Micah’s POV
"Drugs?" Eve asked, tilting her head slightly as she watched my expression through the mirror. "What do you mean by drugs, Micah? Drugs are strictly prohibited at the Phoenix Club. Phoenix has a zero-tolerance policy. Anyone caught touching or bringing anything illegal onto these premises gets permanently thrown out—or worse."
"Oh..." I breathed out, lowering my head immediately as a massive wave of relief washed over my chest. "I... I was just wondering."
Thank goodness. Thank fucking goodness.
A heavy, suffocating weight lifted off my shoulders, allowing me to finally draw a proper breath. That meant Camille had been completely lying to me. He was just making up sick, desperate assumptions in the elevator to terrify me. Maybe he was trying to manipulate my anxiety so I would forfeit the VIP room and run away. I felt a sudden spike of anger toward Camille, but it quickly dissolved back into relief. I wasn’t going to get raided. I wasn’t going to end up in a police station.
"What about Raven?" I asked quickly, desperately eager to change the topic before Eve could pry into why I was asking about drugs in the first place. "Is she alright?"
Eve’s hands didn’t stop as she continued brushing my hair. "She’s fine physically, but emotionally she’s a mess. She went out with Phoenix a short while ago to file an official report with the police department. Sunny must be found as quickly as possible."
A sudden blade of intense guilt stabbed straight through my heart.
My breath caught in my throat, and I had to stare hard at my lap so Eve wouldn’t see the sudden panic flashing in my eyes. I knew. I knew exactly who had taken Sunny. Bernard Miller... my adoptive father, the monster who killed my family... had kidnapped her on orders from his criminal syndicate. The information was burning a hole in my chest, screaming at me to open my mouth and spill everything to Eve right now. If I told her, Phoenix could rescue Sunny faster.
But I couldn’t say a single word.
There was zero concrete evidence to back up my claim, and even if there were, I had given Noah my word. I had promised him I wouldn’t tell a single soul about what he revealed to me. If I opened my big mouth and ruined Noah’s revenge, Bernard might kill Sunny instantly, or worse, Noah might get hurt.
Suddenly, a warm, embarrassing flush crept up my neck, burning into my cheeks as I remembered the feeling of Noah’s hands on mine. My heart thudded wildly against my ribs. Noah had trusted me. Out of everyone in the whole world, he had chosen to share his darkest, most dangerous secrets with me. He was risking his entire life to pull off this revenge, and he was doing it all to protect me, to hand me back the legacy that was stolen from my real father. Knowing how much Noah trusted me made my head spin with chaotic feelings.
I can’t betray him, I thought fiercely to myself, pressing my lips into a tight line. I have to keep my mouth shut. I have to trust Noah.
"Have you read the information from that paper I gave you yesterday?" Eve’s sharp voice broke through my thoughts, snapping me right back to reality.
I swallowed hard and nodded, raising my head to look at her through the mirror. "Yes. I read through all of it."
Eve gave a satisfied nod, placing the hairbrush down on the vanity table. "Good. You’re quick."
I looked at my reflection in the glass, blinking in mild surprise. I didn’t know what kind of magic Eve had just worked on my hair, but I genuinely loved it. It was soft, styled with effortless elegance, framing my face in a way that made my eyes look larger and brighter.
The hairstyle perfectly complemented the gown she had picked out for me tonight. It was similar in cut to the dark, elegant outfit I had worn yesterday, but this one came with a luxurious, snow-white fur shawl wrapped delicately around my shoulders. The fur felt incredibly soft against my skin, giving me a strange, fragile sense of protection.
"Can you wait at the VIP room from yesterday?" Eve asked, pulling her smartphone out from her blazer pocket and glancing at a fresh notification on the screen. "There will be others waiting there with you tonight, since Sir Jenson will be arriving with a group of his personal friends."
My entire stomach dropped.
Sir Jenson. George Jenson. The mere sound of his name sent a cold, terrifying shiver straight down my spine. I desperately wanted to open my mouth and tell Eve that I didn’t want to see him. I wanted to beg her to assign me to literally any other client in the entire building. But how could I say that? I was here on a trial. I couldn’t just throw a picky tantrum like a spoiled child when I desperately needed the cash to build my own independent life.
"I’ll be heading up to the executive office now," Eve said, missing my subtle hesitation as she gave me a quick thumbs-up. "Phoenix is back, and something urgent has come up."
Before I could even muster the courage to utter a single word, Eve turned around and swept out of the room, her high heels clicking rapidly against the floor until the door clicked shut behind her.
I was left standing completely alone in the quiet, private fitting room.
I let out a long, shaky sigh, taking a moment to steady my trembling hands. I couldn’t hide in this small room forever. Taking a deep breath to steel my nerves, I turned around, pushed open the door, and walked out into the massive, shared dressing area.
The moment my feet crossed the threshold, the noisy room suddenly went dead quiet.
Several other hosts and entertainers were sitting in front of lighted mirrors, applying heavy layers of makeup, fixing their wigs, and chatting among themselves. But the instant I walked into the space, every single conversation ground to a sudden halt.
Dozens of sharp, hostile eyes swung toward me.