Ep 3 club job

Elara stared at her phone for a long time before finally pressing Iris’s name.

It rang twice.

“Ellie?” Iris answered, her voice bright, unaware. “It’s late. Are you okay?”

The sound of it—someone saying her nickname like nothing was wrong—almost broke her. Elara swallowed hard. “Iris… do you have a minute?”

Something in her tone must have shifted, because Iris’s voice softened instantly. “Of course. What happened?”

The words spilled out in fragments. The firing. The warning email. Her father’s worsening condition. The medicine they couldn’t afford. Elara spoke quietly, as if saying it too loudly would make it more real. By the time she finished, her hands were shaking.

“I didn’t know who else to call,” she admitted. “I’m sorry.”

There was a pause on the line—not silence, but thought.

“Don’t apologize,” Iris said firmly. “I’m glad you called me.”

Elara closed her eyes, leaning her forehead against the cool glass of the window. The city lights blurred. “I don’t know what to do anymore,” she whispered. “I need money. Fast. Six hundred at least. The doctor said Dad can’t wait.”

Another pause. Longer this time.

“I might know something,” Iris said slowly.

Elara’s heart skipped. “What kind of something?”

“There’s a club,” Iris continued. “Not far from downtown. High-end. Discreet. They’re hiring right now, and the pay is good. Really good.”

A cold knot formed in Elara’s stomach. “A club,” she repeated.

“Yes,” Iris said, quickly adding, “It’s not illegal. It’s… complicated. Mostly hosting, serving drinks, keeping guests company. Talking. Smiling.” She hesitated. “But it’s still a club.”

Elara imagined it instantly—dim lights, loud music, strangers’ eyes lingering too long. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her sleeve.

“I’m not like that,” she said quietly. “You know that, Iris. I don’t—”

“I know,” Iris interrupted gently. “I know you. You’re honest. You’re simple. You’ve never even flirted properly.” There was no mockery in her tone, only concern. “That’s why I didn’t want to bring it up unless you really needed it.”

Elara opened her eyes and looked at her reflection in the dark window. Long, silky hair falling over her shoulders. Dark brown eyes that always gave her away when she was nervous. She had been told she was beautiful before, but beauty had never felt like something useful—only something noticed.

“How much?” Elara asked.

Iris exhaled. “Six hundred in a week. Maybe sooner, depending on shifts and tips.”

The number landed like a weight and a lifeline at the same time.

Elara’s chest tightened. Fear crept in—sharp and insistent. The kind that made her want to say no, to hang up, to pretend she never asked for help. This wasn’t her world. She didn’t belong in places where smiles were currency and attention had a price.

But then she thought of her father’s cough. The way his hand had trembled in hers. The half-empty medicine bottle on the counter.

“I’m scared,” she admitted, her voice barely audible.

“I know,” Iris said softly. “And if you say no, that’s okay. I won’t think any less of you.”

Elara squeezed her eyes shut.

She didn’t have the luxury of pride. Or comfort. Or fear.

“When do I start?” she asked.

Iris didn’t answer immediately. When she did, her voice was serious. “Tomorrow evening. I’ll go with you the first time. You won’t be alone.”

Elara nodded, even though Iris couldn’t see it. “Okay.”

After the call ended, she remained by the window, phone resting in her lap. Her heart was still racing, her stomach still tight, but beneath it all was something steady and painful—resolve.

She brushed her hair back with trembling fingers.

Just until the medicine is paid for, she told herself...

Just until Dad can breathe again.

And if she had to step into the dark to keep her family in the light—

then she would.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***