Page 6 of Viral Affair

“Hey, girl, it’s me. I was so bored at work that I started scrolling through the pictures from our time in Europe, then I found this video of you dancing in that bar in Greece. Remember the guy who fucked you ten ways till Sunday? He’s on that video. I had it on my phone the whole time and I didn’t even realise. Maybe now you can finally find him.”

I frowned, wondering what my friend was even talking about, but pressed ‘play’ on the video. The music was playing, and it was that song by Katy Perry, ‘Hot N Cold’. In the video, I swayed with the rhythm of the song, holding a mojito in my hand when suddenly Rupert walked past me. This was so freaky. I used my phone to slow it down a bit so I could see him more clearly. My heart beat faster when I saw the way he stared at me at that moment. He hadn’t even talked to me at that point, and I was in my own world not paying any attention to anyone around me. Damn it! I should have been more observant. It felt like in that moment, he was only staring at me. It was like there weren’t any other women in that bar … like the world had stopped as his whole attention was focused on me.

I kept playing and re-playing this video over and over again, wondering if I was overthinking the whole encounter. Rupert’s face was clearly visible, and he’d gazed at me as if in that exact moment he’d fallen madly in love with me. Shit, no one had ever looked at me that way. This felt real and raw.Very raw.

Maybe that was the reason he had decided to spend the night with me. We had an instant connection, instant spark. I paused the video and screwed shut the bottle of nail polish and then opened TikTok. I hadn’t used the app all that much, but the few videos I had posted had gone viral for some odd reason.

“Maybe someone will recognise him from this video and help me track him down,” I muttered to myself and edited the video within the app. Then I added a funny text that said: This is how I met your father, kids. It was stupid, and I was sure this probably wouldn’t go anywhere, but I still hoped to find Rupert again one day, and social media could be very powerful in finding people. I see it happen all the time. I added the soundtrack by Ava Max, ‘Sweet but Psycho’, which accurately described my personality, and then hit ‘upload’.

I also wrote a quick caption: Okay, TikTok, do your thing! Help a sis out! Then added some emojis, and waited for it to upload. My new video was good! I locked my phone, distracted by memories from that night back in Greece.

It was a truly unforgettable night; he had made me feel so special. We were complete strangers, but Rupert had fucked me like he’d known me for years, like he knew exactly what my body craved. I had slept with plenty of men after him, but I could never compare them to him. I remember him telling me that he was going to ruin my cunt. He did. No other man has compared since, That night with him was so unforgettable. It kept playing in my head over and over again.

After I’d come back to London from Greece, Laura and I moved in together. Clara started a new job with an advertising agency, and I continued to work as a stripper, still hung up on Rupert. A year later, Rowan Matthews, the club owner I stripped for, offered me the opportunity of a lifetime. He wanted to create an exclusive club that provided a high-end escort service for the wealthy and affluent. I was very apprehensive at first because it was a huge decision. I didn’t want to sell my body, but the money was tempting. I was always confident in my own skin. Sure, I had my own issues and traumas from the past, who doesn’t? But, over the years I had honed the skill of how to use my charm to get the things I needed. Long hours of meditation and therapy helped with the majority of my troubles, but sleeping with someone for money wasn’t something that I would jump into right away.

Over the next few months, Rowan had kept trying to convince me to trust him. He’d told me he wasn’t planning to give up; he kept saying he sensed I had huge potential and he wanted me to work for him.

“What’s your dream, Veronica? Let’s say if money wasn’t an issue, what would you do?” he’d asked after taking me out for dinner once again, hoping to finally persuade me into giving him a chance.

Rowan had taken me to a posh restaurant that was located on the fifteenth floor in Kensington. I could see the whole of London from there. The view and the food was absolutely mind-blowing. I always wanted to earn money, but I never wanted to work for anyone. After finally graduating a few years back, I’d learnt pretty quickly that the corporate world wasn’t for me.

“I would like to be a content creator. I like being on social media,” I’d answered, almost instantly. I was only stripping to earn decent money, but I felt like being an influencer would finally give me the life that I deserved.

Rowan Matthews had smiled, and in that moment, I’d realised he was very handsome and he would make some girl very happy one day, but I wasn’t interested in him that way. I’d already met the guy who I wanted. Besides, I didn’t think sleeping with him was a good idea for starting a business relationship.

“I’m glad you said that, because this kind of opportunity could give you exactly what you want. This is how much you’re expected to earn to start with, by seeing only one client per week,” he’d said as he slid a folded piece of paper towards me.

I’d flipped it open and my eyes had widened with shock. This was not possible! Sex workers didn’t earn up to ten thousand pounds per client. I’d smiled at Rowan, thinking he was fucking with me. There was no way I would earn that much.There is no possible way.

“Nice try, but these are unrealistic numbers,” I’d scoffed, sitting back.

He’d laughed. “You don’t get it, Veronica. I’m not opening a brothel. I am providing a high-end professional escort service. Mostly you will be required to accompany a rich man on a dinner date or to a function. This doesn’t always lead to sex. These men are lonely and they need dates for events. I have been told that there is a demand for this kind of service, and you will only be serving the elite: politicians, CEOs, and other men who have more money than sense. Every girl I’m going to hire will be thoroughly vetted and there will be a trial period. These numbers may seem unrealistic to you, but you have no idea how much lonely men are willing to pay for this kind of service.”He eyes me cooly as my mind starts to race.

I’d made my decision the very next day not even telling Laura what I was planning to do. I’d grown up poor, my mother had to work three jobs to keep the roof over my head, and I vowed that I would never be in that position in my adult life.Never,

There were a few other girls who had also decided to take up Rowan’s offer, and the beginning was tough. But, after receiving my first payment, I was blown away by this amazing opportunity and quickly decided to stay. I’d started working on my brand, started posting on Instagram, and I ignored TikTok, knowing that this platform was only designed for kids dancing in front of a camera. Growing my following was going to be a lengthy process, but I was willing to work hard.

It was Monday afternoon, and I had no clients booked in for tonight. I tried calling Laura again, but her phone kept going to voicemail, so I was curious to know what had happened.

The truth was- I was a little afraid to put myself out there. When I’d started working for Emperor and earning so much money, I’d neglected my aspirations. I liked this new lifestyle. I didn’t particularly enjoy fucking older men, but it was an eye-opening experience. I enjoyed going to all the galas and important events. That was what kept me going, but I hoped that one day I would be able to quit and pursue my dreams.

“How the hell did you manage to burn your foot?” Nav stared at me like I had lost my mind.

I really needed to get to A&E. My foot really hurt, but there was no way I could walk anywhere by myself, so she had to help me.

“I didn’t see the iron, all right? Please, I’m begging you, take me to A&E. I was getting ready for this huge meeting in the club with the new partner and I really can’t miss it,” I told her, furious with myself that I wasn’t more careful. My tone was short and clipped with her because of this.

After two long weeks of suspense and intrigue, Rowan had confirmed all the rumours that had been flying around. He had partnered with another businessman. Tonight, Rowan was going to officially introduce him to all of us, but now I would miss it because I’d stupidly stepped on a hot iron that I’d left on the floor when I went to the bathroom.

Nav was my and Laura’s neighbour. She worked as a carer and her shifts were all over the place. Luckily, she’d heard me screaming so she’d quickly come to my aid.

“All right, don’t panic. I’m going to call us a taxi. This shit looks nasty.” She made a face whilst examining my foot.That did not make me feel better about the situation.

It hurt so bad and it burned like hell. I didn’t even want to look at it.

Ten minutes later, after Nav had surprisingly managed to help me hobble into the taxi, we arrived at the Accident & Emergency Department. I, somehow, was able to hop downstairs while she held me around my waist.The kind taxi driver helped me get into the car safely and without any further injury. It was so hot outside. London was really going through an early summer heatwave.

After I spent four hours in the waiting room, the doctor informed me I had second-degree burns, but luckily I could go home after they took care of it. Laura was busy. She couldn’t leave Maja alone and all the girls I was friends with were at the big meeting in the club. So, in the end, I took another taxi home because I couldn't expect Nav to wait with me. I was fed up with going everywhere alone. Being in a relationship with someone had its perks. If I had a boyfriend, he would make an effort to pick me up from the hospital and spoil me to make me feel better, but, here I was, on my own. When I got back to my flat, I flopped down onto the sofa feeling sorry for myself. At that moment, my life really did suck.

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