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536words2026-01-26 09:07

I stumbled into a lavish cruise ship party for the ultra-rich, and their games were filthy.
At the center of it all, in the prime seat, was my boyfriend.
The man who claimed he was homeless, working six jobs a day to save up to marry me.

Now, he was throwing around thousands, gifting another woman a diamond-encrusted crown.
He pinned her down, kissing her passionately.
And he didn't even realize that the person his friend had tortured to death right in front of him was me.
The salty sea breeze hit me, making me shiver. At this rich kids' party, we servers were forced to wear heavy makeup and revealing maid outfits.
The costume was too exposing. I turned to leave.
As I did, I overheard the manager: serving trays paid$10,000 a night, plus tips from the wealthy guests.

$10,000!
Nathan Carter, working six jobs, couldn't earn that in a month.
Against my better judgment, I changed into the outfit.With trembling legs, I carried a tray toward the private suite as instructed.
The door was ajar.

Inside, raucous cheers filled the air.
"Zoe,you've got some pull! Only you could get Nathan to drop a fortune just to make you happy."
"Exactly! A European royal crown—priceless. How're you gonna repay our big shot?"
"Gotta...offer yourself, right?"
The teasing went on, and the woman receiving the gift, blushing, kept giggling," Stop it."
I sighed inwardly. The rich give gifts expecting returns; the poor give gifts fearing rejection.
Last week, Nathan gave me a pair of earrings.
"Thirty bucks—cheap stuff. Don't hate it."
He'd hung his head, cautiously placing them in my hand.
Idiot. How could I dislike a gift from the man I love?
My heart warmed, tinged with bitterness. Nervous, I pushed the door open.
When I saw the man in the center, my mind exploded with a buzz.
The guy whose clothes were always faded from washing, who swore he'd save to marry me, now sat impeccably dressed, his arm around another woman, kissing her deeply.
His slender fingers pressed her head, pulling her closer, nothing like the restrained, careful way he was with me.
A cold chill ran through me.
My hands shook, and the tray of glasses crashed to the floor.
What now?
Instinct screamed to run. I stumbled back two steps, but someone grabbed my waist, lifting me off the ground.
"Hey, little maid, you messed up."
"Mistakes mean punishment from the master."
A familiar voice. I looked up, shocked.
I'd seen this guy before—chasing Nathan, demanding money.
The room fell silent until someone whistled.
"Evan Price, what game are you playing now? Easy—remember, you almost killed someone last time."
"Yeah, don't go too far…"
Ambiguous laughter rippled through the crowd.
The hands gripping me dug into my thighs.
Even a fool could tell this Evan Price was dangerous.
Terror jolted me. I looked to Nathan for help.
He seemed oblivious, shifting positions to pin the woman to the couch, kissing her intently.
Was he that desperate?
I remembered Nathan wasn't keen on intimacy. He'd always stop short,saying," Sissy, I don't want to hurt you."
Turns out, he just wasn't keen on me.
My throat tightened. I couldn't speak, could barely breathe.