Incredulity

**Liandra**

The place I’d been taken to appeared to be a private, exclusive club. Despite its sophistication, I could sense a strange tension in the air that I couldn’t quite place. I struggled to suppress the questions buzzing in my mind, as well as the irritation creeping in.

When Petros made it clear he was dissatisfied with the outfit I had chosen, I assumed we were heading to a more intimate and private setting, just the two of us. However, the Marino Club lounge was packed with businessmen, most of whom I didn’t recognize. One or two faces seemed familiar, but I wasn’t certain.

Two things caught my attention almost instantly: the waitresses, dressed in outfits that could only be described as indecent, and the glaring absence of women. There were about thirty men in the room and only three women—making me the fourth.

I was tense, and it took me a moment to notice the platform with a crimson divan, starkly out of place in the room. The tension in my shoulders skyrocketed. Would there be a performance? I wondered. This was nothing like what I’d imagined for the evening.

I sighed resignedly as Petros began introducing me to some businessmen and their respective assistants. Jéssica, Leila, and Lilly were stunning, each radiant in their way. They were also kind and made an effort to help me feel more at ease.

While the men gathered in small groups to chat, Lilly asked if I’d like to accompany her to the restroom. The request struck me as odd, but the conversation in the room was far from engaging, so I welcomed the chance to step away from the suffocating atmosphere.

I followed Lilly to the restroom, curious about the girl who seemed as out of place as I felt at the event. There was something about her that put me at ease—perhaps her sincerity or the way her eyes lit up when she spoke.

“So, have you been to one of these events before?” I asked, touching up my lipstick in front of the mirror.

“No, it’s my first time. To be honest, I’m a bit nervous... They said tonight’s show is supposed to be special,” she replied, smiling nervously as she adjusted her earrings.

“Show?” I echoed, intrigued. Before I could ask for more details, the bathroom door swung open, and two striking figures entered—a blonde and a redhead, both exuding an air of superiority that instantly unsettled me.

“Hi, ladies. I’m Jéssica, and this is Leila,” the blonde said, flashing a rehearsed smile. “You must be Petros’ fiancée, and you’re the newcomer, right?”

Lilly responded politely, confirming her assumption, while I remained silent, observing them. Something about their demeanor bothered me—perhaps it was their overly confident posture or the calculating way they inspected our outfits.

“I hope you’re prepared. Tonight’s show is going to be... intense,” Leila remarked, her tone laced with insinuation.

Before I could press for clarification, they exited the bathroom, leaving behind a cloud of overpowering perfume and a lingering sense of unease. Lilly shrugged, seemingly unbothered, but their words stuck with me, gnawing at the edge of my thoughts.

We returned to the lounge together. Lilly seemed more at ease now, blending into the environment, while I still felt like a stranger in a world I didn’t belong to. It wasn’t just the setting that unsettled me—it was also the stares. Especially from Matias, one of Petros’ business associates.

The evening grew even more uncomfortable when I spotted Thomas among the attendees. The moment I saw him, a pang of something sharp hit my chest. He was seated with the other men, but his gaze found mine the second I entered. His expression held disapproval, a silent judgment that weighed on me as if he was saying I shouldn’t be here.

What was he doing here, anyway?

As Lilly drifted off to chat with someone, I approached a nearby table, trying to appear indifferent. But I couldn’t ignore Thomas’ presence. His eyes followed me, and it unsettled me in a way I hated to admit.

Perhaps it was the contrast. He seemed just as out of place as I felt but in an entirely different way. Something told me the night was only beginning, and I had no idea what to expect.

Despite the tension knotting my shoulders, I stayed by Petros’ side, who wore a cynical, frozen smile throughout the night. When Matias commented on my appearance for the third time, I couldn’t hold back a look of displeasure directed at Petros. He pretended not to notice, taking another leisurely sip of his drink with infuriating calm.

"I believe I've mentioned this before, but I must repeat it, my friend... you really outdid yourself, Petros," Matias said, practically devouring me with his eyes, his blatant sexual interest impossible to ignore. "Your fiancée is stunning, and I’m eager to see her in action..."

His gaze sent a shiver of disgust down my spine, and the fact that Petros tolerated such comments about his fiancée was pushing me to my limit. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could endure being openly ogled by every man who approached us.

"I couldn’t agree more, darling," Leila said as she joined our group, taking my hand and spinning me around as though I were some sort of display. "Kouris’ fiancée is truly gorgeous."

Leila's gesture caught me off guard, and I shot her a reproachful glare. I was increasingly uncomfortable with the position they were trying to put me in. I glanced at Petros again, hoping for some reaction, some sign that he would intervene—but nothing came.

Leila ignored my disapproval and called over Jéssica and Lilly, who were chatting with a group of men nearby.

"Have you met Lilly, Matias?" Leila asked, her smile laced with malice.

Matias turned his gaze to Lilly with obvious interest, grabbing her arm and sliding his hand intimately down her side. To my shock, he delivered a sharp slap to her backside, the sound reverberating through the room.

"I’m looking forward to getting to know her better," Matias said, and to my utter disbelief, Lilly’s only response was a satisfied smile. Was she not going to rebuke him?

"I’m quite eager myself, friends," Petros finally chimed in. "Tonight, we’re here simply to enjoy the show."

"What are you talking about, Petros?" I demanded, finally voicing the unease that had been gnawing at me.

"Jéssica, Liandra seems curious... What do you think about showing her how to put on a proper show?" Petros said, evading my question with chilling ease.

"Of course," Jéssica replied, and to my utter disbelief, she stepped closer to me, pressing her body against mine and trailing a kiss along my neck. A shiver coursed through me, involuntary and unwelcome.

"Come on, girls," Leila said, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the platform.

I still didn’t fully grasp what was happening, but I was certain I wanted no part in whatever they were orchestrating. Petros gestured for me to follow Jéssica, but every instinct screamed for me to resist.

The chatter in the room ceased immediately as Jéssica led me toward the platform, holding my hand. Leila followed, pulling Lilly along with her.

The lustful expressions on the men’s faces turned my stomach.

"You need to relax, Liandra... I’m sure you’ll enjoy what’s about to happen," Jéssica said, her voice low and coaxing as she moved closer. Her body pressed against mine, and her lips began to trace a trail of damp kisses from my shoulder to my neck.

I was frozen, unable to process or react to what was happening. Jéssica continued to touch and kiss me, while beside us, Leila embraced Lilly, pulling her into a passionate, explicit kiss. Unlike me, Lilly responded with equal fervor, their bodies entwined as they lost themselves in the spectacle unfolding for the eager audience.

The room blurred around me as my sense of violation and helplessness collided with the shocking indifference—or pleasure—of those involved. This was a stage I never asked to be part of, and yet here I was, trapped in a nightmare under Petros’ watchful, calculating eyes.

I looked around the room. Everyone was staring in our direction. Some men were even lowering their pants, and to my complete horror, exposing their genitals. They were about to masturbate, in front of everyone, while watching the scene on the stage.

It was, at the very least, shocking to me. But what snapped me out of the stupor I was wrapped in was the moment Jessica touched the zipper of my dress, ready to pull it down in front of everyone present.

Completely desperate, I grabbed her hand and pushed her away from me. Unable to contain the wave of nausea, I wiped the places where she had been kissing and said, in an almost inaudible voice, “I don’t want this!”