CHAPTER 13 RAIN-SOAKED REDEMPTION

Bianca walked through the room like a ghost, her smile a perfect mask of seduction, her body moving with the practiced grace of a dancer. But her heart wasn’t in it, not tonight. All she could think about was Ethan, his warmth, his kindness. The promise of something real. And so, when the night finally ended and the club emptied, she found herself in the back room, counting her earnings with a hollow sense of accomplishment. She would be able to pay her rent, pay off her debts, pay for Emily’s braces and medicines. She would be able to buy her daughter a little more time. But at what cost? As she made her way back to her apartment, the streets empty and dark around her, Bianca couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of loneliness. She stood alone on the deserted street, the chilly wind tugging at her clothes. She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as she glanced up at the ominous clouds gathering above her. The air was heavy with the promise of rain, and she could feel the f