Between Pride and Desire

Rachel

It's been a month since I left Seattle, practically on the run. I took advantage of the fact that Kael Graham, that fool, was on a trip to London. He used the excuse of acquiring a Formula One racing team, but the truth was he was madly in love with my naive sister and would come up with any excuse to be close to her, even if it meant mistreating poor Sarah.

Regardless, I wasn't interested in that. What matters is that I managed to take two million from that guy who thought he was clever but was a complete idiot. Now, I'm enjoying that money in Monaco, the perfect place to indulge in the finer things in life. However, despite the wonder of being in this small and luxurious country, it's also extremely expensive. My money won't last forever, something my father always warned me about, and I never listened. He used to say that when you take without replenishing, there's only one inevitable destination: the end.

And now, slowly, I'm experiencing that reality. It was only today, when checking my bank balance to admire my money, that I realized how it's dwindling. I was considering a trip to the Maldives with some friends over the weekend, but considering what's left in my account, it seems wiser to stay in Monaco. Maybe I can even find a man willing to support me. After all, the options are plentiful.

I've been in contact with various men, all interested in me. However, so far, I've only exchanged kisses with a few of them. I can't explain it, but something prevents me from progressing, from seeking something deeper or even engaging in casual sex, which I now consider acceptable since I no longer have virginity as a bargaining chip. It's like there's some kind of block in me. When things heat up, I retreat, which has damaged my relationships with these suitors.

I hope this doesn't happen again. How can I secure a wealthy husband, someone who can fulfill all my desires, when I can't even be intimate with someone? As I relax by the hotel pool after a lively night at an exclusive nightclub, where I meet up with my rich and famous friends, I observe the surroundings. It's so good to live the way I'm accustomed to, as I always have and missed so much.

However, I'm aware that money is quickly slipping away. Monaco is an expensive place, where only the wealthiest can afford to spend time. I urgently need to replenish my bank account. Otherwise, I'll end up living precariously again, as I did until recently. I see my friend Shirley approaching along the elegant poolside walkway. Shirley, who betrayed me before, revealed all my moves to Kael and collaborated in his foolish revenge. The real blame for everything that happened, however, lies with his mother, who got involved with a committed man.

Shirley and I had patched things up, and she told me about the circus Kael set up, and that there was no virginity auction app; it was created only to humiliate me and make me pay for something I truly have no fault in.

Kael Graham is a lunatic who doesn't realize how much his mother erred and wants to hold me accountable for something I did thinking only of the best for my family. Mary was involved with my father, and my mother was not doing well, going through complicated times in her marriage, all because her husband had a mistress. I just tried to separate my father from his lover, and Kael wants to blame me for something that happened before I was even born. This is complete nonsense!

"Finally found you, Rachel!" she said with annoyance. Shirley is a pretty girl, blonde with light eyes, and long curly hair. We are complete opposites, and she's not as attractive as me, always taking a back seat when we were together because men preferred me with my voluptuous body, full of curves and perfectly perky breasts. My attention-grabbing derrière was also something they made a point to compliment.

"I've been here for a while," I say, unconcerned with her visible irritation. "I hope it's something interesting, maybe a potentially wealthy husband, just waiting to meet me and put an exclusive Tiffany engagement ring on my ring finger."

I closed my eyes and leaned back into the comfortable chair, dismissing Shirley's presence. We had rekindled our friendship, but that didn't mean I forgot that she collaborated with Kael in his foolish plan. The worst part was her setting me up to go to Enrico's hotel and surrendering myself to him in a way I couldn't even remember. But some things happen for the best, and it was better that I didn't meet Kael when he had no real interest in me and only wanted to use me to satisfy his revenge fantasies.

I made a point to forget about this matter. After all, I didn't want to dwell on unpleasant things, especially when it came to Kael Graham and Enrico Bianchi, two men I simply detested.

"I ran into some friends from Seattle at the hotel restaurant while having breakfast and heard something I believe you don't know yet," she said, creating a cheap suspense.

"Just tell me what it is, Shirley," I request, not paying attention. "I need to decide whether we're meeting Jansen Brown or Orion Demetriou for dinner because I've been invited by both, and I'll take you with me for company. I'm tired of Jansen's dull conversation, and Orion is just an old bore."

Shirley seemed not to hear me, as she did not comment on my difficult decision. I noticed she took a seat next to mine, still creating that ridiculous suspense.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" I complained, opening my eyes and pushing my sporty sunglasses up onto my head. "I'm here in a complex dilemma, trying to sort out my life once and for all, and you're here with that funeral face. Just tell me what happened!"

"Our friends told me they found Sarah at a restaurant less than a week ago in Seattle," she said, looking a bit sad. Despite being surprised to learn that Sarah was back in Seattle, I didn't understand the reason for Shirley's sad expression. After all, where my sister was or wasn't had any impact on my life at the moment.

I was just steps away from finding my ideal husband, as suitors were not lacking, and the fact that they were in Monaco said a lot about the bank accounts of these men, which was a strong point in favor of all of them.

"Interesting," I said casually. "She must have lost her job at NessysCar to be in Seattle last week."

I didn't care.

"She was in a wheelchair, Rachel."