The girl’s face was thrown to the side as a harsh slap landed directly on her cheek. For a moment, a stinging and burning sensation spread across her face.

“That’s your punishment. Remember, Miss, your position is nothing more than a prostitute. How dare you insult a man like me?” The man, stout and dark-skinned, boasted as he delivered the slap.

But then, the girl’s hands clenched tightly. She quickly looked up and retaliated by slapping the man back. She didn’t stop there—she slapped the other side of his face as well.

The girl’s eyes blazed red, matching the fiery anger burning in her heart. “Listen, you’re in the wrong here. You have no right to be violent with me or any of the employees here.”

The man’s face contorted with anger, his teeth grinding as he took a step closer to her. “How dare you do that to me?”

Just as the man was about to raise his hand to slap her again, a large hand caught it, stopping it in mid-air. “Never be rough with a woman, even if in your eyes she’s that low.”

The man was furious and forcefully pulled his hand away. But before he could, Lucas harshly pushed it back down. Yes, Lucas, who could no longer stand the drama unfolding before him, decided to step forward and defend the girl.

The stranger eyed Lucas up and down with a puzzled expression. “How can you defend a girl like this? Do you even know who she is?”

But Lucas calmly put his hands in his pockets, looking at the man with an even, steady gaze. “As long as she’s a woman, you have no right to treat her like that. Weren’t you born from a woman’s womb too? If you think of your mother, you’ll think twice before hurting another woman.”

“Fine, I’m leaving,” the man grumbled, holding his wrist where Lucas had gripped it.

But before the man could leave, Lucas grabbed his collar, easily lifting him off the ground. “You haven’t paid her yet, have you forgotten?”

The man, now dangling in the air, struggled to get free. “Let me go! What’s your problem? If you want her for free, I can help you with that.”

The harsh words struck the girl deeply. Wearing a red dress, she raised her hand to strike the man again. “You?!”

But her move was halted by Lucas, who stretched out his hand to block her. The girl glanced at Lucas briefly, then stepped back, folding her arms across her chest with a frustrated expression.

Lucas then lowered the man, though his sharp gaze never wavered. “She’s here to be paid, not to serve animals like you for free.”

Seeing Lucas’s glare, the man swallowed nervously, feeling intimidated. But he tried to appear strong, hiding his fear. “What if I refuse? What will you do?”

The corner of Lucas’s mouth lifted in a smirk as he stepped back slightly. “I won’t do anything. You’re free to go. Unless, of course, you want to lose something important to you right now.”

Hearing this, the man burst into laughter, relieved. “You? What could you possibly do? You’re just like this because you can’t afford to pay her, aren’t you?”

While the man laughed mockingly, Lucas calmly reached behind his vest and pulled out a black pistol, pointing it directly at the man. “So, what’s your decision? Will you pay or not?”

The man’s laughter immediately stopped. He gulped nervously as he stared at the gun in front of him. The girl, too, was stunned by what she had just seen.

The man’s attitude towards Lucas changed instantly, fear now evident in his eyes. “Hey, man, we can talk this out, right? I was just kidding earlier. I’ll pay, I swear.”

“Do it now!” Lucas commanded sharply, his tone brooking no argument.

Startled, the man quickly fumbled for some cash from his pocket. “Alright, alright.” He then handed a few hundred-dollar bills to the girl. “Here, take it all. Next time, remember I was only joking, okay?”

The man offered the girl an innocent smile, but she glared back at him coldly, making a move as if she was going to hit him again, causing him to step back.

The man then turned to Lucas. “I’ve paid, sir. I swear I won’t joke like that again. I’ll go now, and I hope we never meet again.”

Without waiting for a response, the man quickly ran off, trembling. Lucas could even see his legs shaking, but why would he care? Meanwhile, behind him, the girl burst out laughing at the man’s behavior.

“You’re really something, sir. That was entertaining.” The girl then looked at the five hundred-dollar bills in her hand, kissing them gleefully. “Not bad at all. By the way, do you always carry that weapon with you, Mr....” The girl trailed off, not knowing Lucas’s name.

Lucas tucked the pistol back into his vest, his expression disinterested. “Lucas. You can call me that.”

The girl nodded in understanding. Then her playful hands began to trace over Lucas’s chest seductively, a skill she had mastered as part of her job. “Alright, Mr. Lucas, if you want me to do anything for you, just say the word. Just for you, and just for tonight, it’s on the house. Consider it a thank you for helping me.” She ended her sentence with a flirtatious wink.

But Lucas’s strong hand stopped her, his gaze sharp. The girl smiled sweetly. After all, aren’t all men the same? Isn’t this what they always want from a woman? “You can call me Agatha. You might need that name later, in bed.”

Agatha moved closer to Lucas, even though her height was nowhere near his, even in heels. She tiptoed, and just as their lips were about to meet, Lucas whispered something in her ear. “I do need your help.”

Agatha smiled again, already predicting that all men were the same. She then moved her face away but kept her arms wrapped around Lucas’s neck. “I’ll make sure you’re satisfied with my service tonight. And if you ever come back, I’ll always put you first.”

“I want you to marry me.”