Steel and Silk: Blood, Wealth and Legacy.

ISLA'S POV

I had just filled in the last item in the system at 6pm when my phone blared; it was an alarm reminding me to get ready for my job at the club.

I worked three jobs; from Mondays to Wednesdays, I worked at Premier Tech Innovations Limited as the secretary in the finance and file keeping departments, from Thursdays to Saturdays, I worked at my parents bakery, Merry Bakes and bites, and then, Saturday and Sunday nights are for the job at the Nightlife Club as a bar girl.

Taking these multiple jobs has never been easy for me, but I had to do it for my family. Although I'm not the first child, all responsibilities have been placed on my shoulders.

I picked up my phone to stop the alarm when a call came in; a voice banged against my ear.

"Where are you? We won't be late again, not anymore"

"Annie I know I have to be at work by 8pm. The time is just 6pm, and I'm getting ready. Chill" I rolled my eyes, Annie has always been a bother.

"That's what you always say Romy. We would eventually get there late and work overtime, apologizing like beggars." she spoke at the other end of the call, her tone laced with irritation.

"Don't you ever call me by that name, ever again bitch?" I hissed.

"Why do you always charge whenever you're called Romy? And that's not the topic of interest here you know. Calling me a bitch is offensive, I'll see you by 7pm on the dot or else you will walk alone to work" the call ended.

I heaved, sadness was beginning to becloud my mind, and no one seemed to understand me. My anger and outbursts has made me loose friends; I have just Annika and Oscar now. I have really sat down to think about why I always get angry when I'm being called Romy. I couldn't get a vivid memory of the incident but I know there must be a reason for my outbursts.

Without wasting any more time, I rushed to the back of the bakery shop. Our house was an apartment on the first floor of the bakery, it was a storey building and the stairs were just at the back of the bakery's workshop.

I ran upstairs immediately and changed into my bar clothes; a white top with a tennis skirt and a bowtie. I made a quick dinner for my mom and dad; they had gone to the hospital for Dads' monthly check-ups ever since he was sick, my younger siblings were at school as boarders while my older siblings no longer live with us in our cramped apartment.

By the time I was done, it was 7pm on the dot.

'Shit!' Luckily for me, Annie's apartment is few blocks away, but I had to run. I checked my time and made an alarm to be at her place on time.

I knocked on her door and entered her house; the sight I'm seeing right now is despicable, she was in the arms of a man cajoling him to be patient with her till she gets back from work.

"Arrgh! Annika, what the hell?!" I yelled angrily, she was always in the arms of a man, and unfortunately, my poor eyes always had to behold the scene. It was tiring and infuriating. The duo stood up immediately and the guy ran out of the house and past me in shame, I stared angrily waiting for an explanation.

"What?!" she yelled. "That's my money ticket for this week; you just chased him out like that! This is my house and I can do whatever I want" she hissed.

"Get. A. Job" I responded, stressing on every word.

"Duh, I have a job"

"Get another one!"

"Bossy much" she muttered. "Its 7:20pm, we should get going".

"Oscar would definitely hear of this" I pouted.

"Whatever"

~ ~ ~

The club was reeking of smoke, alcohol and loud noises, I've always detested working at the club but it paid well and better than the other jobs I had. I couldn't quit neither could I be like my best friend Annika, who slept with any man whose wallet were thick and full.

I scanned the area for the customer who made the order request I was carrying. In this club, we the bar girls are grouped into two; the first group receives the order request and sends it to us waiting at the desk. We the second group, receives the order request and deliver it to their owners.

The fog and smoke from the Cigarettes the men smoked was thick and nearly blinded my eyes. I squinted and there I saw my first customer, another filthy man who sat with slender ladies in skimpy dresses.

He probably has a family back home, but decided to come here and mess around with other women.

I walked over to his table, he was seated with ladies in skimpy clothes laughing, rubbing his belly and taking wine. He was round and chubby with a big fat stomach, he looked disgusting.

There were two other men seated at his table, young than he is, apparently.

"Your order sir" I said with a forced sweet smile, stupid courtesy to undeserving customers, I placed the tray of another set of beer, again! There were lots of wine, beer and liquor bottles on his table. My cheeks were hurting from the fake smile I was putting on my face. I had just set the tray when the man rubbed his hands seductively; he looked all over my body, scanning me.

"Hey beautiful. Mind an alone moment? Just you and me" he grinned. "Don't mind these other ladies, you could be the queen of them all, by my side. You don't have to work in this lowly place" the other men nodded in agreement. The ladies with him were obviously angry about being side lined.

"I could be the queen if them all huh?" I raised an eyebrow; must the stupidity of a man always be on display? I thought helplessly.

"Of course" he smiled even more.

"What's the difference between me and these ladies? We are both in the same place, so even if I become a queen, your queen like you said, I'll still be in this lowly place as they all are"

My boldness surprised them, and I could see the expression written all over their faces even with the dim light that shone in the hall. I stood tall, with a look of pride.

Suddenly the men burst into a fit of laughter that could have easily attracted people's attention but it didn't, thanks to the loud music. So, it was just me against them. With a raised eyebrow I wondered if what I said was funny.

He made a sign to one of the men and he left, I also turned to leave too but I was held back by the other man.

"So tell me beautiful. What makes you so special and different from these other women?" he moved closer to me, "you're just like them, whores" he whispered with a mocking smile and smacked my ass.

I went livid and without a second thought, I punched him in the face. The punch was loud and finally, it drew people's attention. The customers gasped and small talks ensued.

The club had become disarray; everyone was disorganized, they were no longer concentrating on their businesses. I glared at everyone in the club.

"People are becoming daring these days. Imagine an employee punching her employer in the face!" one person spoke.

"So uncultured and uncivilised, she's even a lady. One that would need help from men one day" another added.

"But he isn't her employer, he just another regular customer. He shouldn't have done what he did"

"Customers are always right. He brings the money that gets to pay her salary, without people like us or that man, she would be jobless and broke" someone defended.

"This must be reported to the CEO of this establishment. Despite the uncanny behaviour, both parties ought to exercise discipline".

Such is the world and generation we have sadly grown up to know. The poor man was no man's friend and always did wrong, while the wealthy ones were always right and was even celebrated. It was pitiful.

"If you don't know how to treat a lady or talk to her properly, you might as well not need your mouth anymore!" I fumed. I made another attempt to punch his face when I heard a familiar voice.

"Isla! Annika yelled in worry, she ran towards and tried pulling me out of the scene.

"What in God's name is wrong with you?! You're fighting a man at your place of work, what has gotten into your head? Why am I even here defending you? I regret being here. Oh, Isla please just stop, you could still get enough time to apologise" she lamented.

I paid no attention to her, or anybody. I tried to remind myself of what threat and danger I was getting myself into, but madness and anger took over my senses. I dashed forward towards the man who had his ladies attending to him.

Before I could land the pig of a man another blow, I bumped into a tall, sturdy figure. My anger increased and I flung my hands in the air towards his face, unfortunately, he caught my hand.

"Ladies should learn to practise self defence like a lady that she is. Right now, you fight like a villain; that is so unladylike" I was charged and ready to also attack him further but the deep tone of his voice caught my attention.

I looked up and saw the most perfect creature God has given to mankind. A tall, handsome gentleman whose demeanour oozed luxury and affluence, I was caught up in the moment. I could swear that every lady in the club that saw him would definitely do the same or even worse like my friend, Annika.

His face was finely chiselled, with his blonde hair dropping to his face and covering a part of his eye. I couldn't see the rest of his body as he was in a suit but I was sure he would be a masterpiece; a work of art.

'Am I drooling?' I asked myself and shook my head inwardly. 'Isla wake up! Snap out of it! He's just a guy and he would treat you in the same perverse manner' I thought to myself.

With a frown on my face, I pulled my hands out of his. "You have no right to talk to me" I stated calmly, "did you see what he did to me?" I pointed my finger to the man who was now seated on the floor, his appearance in a complete contrast to when he arrived at the club.

The handsome stranger heaved; my point had obviously overthrown his. Clearly I was right; he turned to the man besides me and said. "You should learn to control yourself most times, not everywoman desires you".

"Humph! She should be grateful I paid attention to her; I only wanted to help her from her miserable background. She doesn't look appealing or attractive as she thinks. Does she even know who I am?"

I sneered at his annoying speech and lunged towards him again, the handsome stranger had me from doing so, again. I noticed the ladies had quietly left the scene.

"It doesn't matter to her anymore, if you think are a noble gentleman, act like one". He paused and looked at his watch "this interesting event seemed to have taken most of my time, I hate spending much time on irrelevant issues" he muttered and walked out without turning back.

"I swear I will make you pay for this!" he threatened.

"Scram you loser!" I hissed.

There were few grunts and looks of disapproval, disgust and fear from the faces of the customers as I walked back to the kitchen. Soon Annika ran after me and caught to my pace, she was heaving.

"Were you running?" I asked in surprise, Annika was fond of doing strange things.

"Oh, no I'm not. I'm just trying to exercise my body for the next Olympics" she replied sarcastically. "Really babe, what was that you did out there? That was not so cool"

I didn't give an answer, I just placed the plates in the sink and turned towards the pantry to get a mop and bucket.

"Let's get going. We need to clean up so we could go home and rest"

"And who is that handsome god over there? Where on earth did you go to? Because you clearly didn't meet him here in this club"

"What god?" I asked curiously, ransacking my brain in an attempt to remember the past event "the interaction I had with people this night was with a pig, a handsome stranger and the customers at the club. I don't remember seeing or meeting anything strange"

"The handsome stranger" she responded in mild irritation.

"This club is the biggest in this city. So why can't you meet someone as that here? Remember we don't work at the VIP section" I explained.

I was the reason Annika worked at the club with me, I referred her to my boss when I got fed up with her begging and freeloading from me.

Don't get me wrong, I love my best friend all the same; she's the only one who had stood by me alongside Oscar. But I needed a friendship with no parasitic attributes, I have had enough with the one my family does with me.

"Oh! Yeah, yeah. I almost forgot"

"Why do you have a dull brain?" I muttered inwardly. "What's so special about him anyways?"

"You know what? Forget about it. Come on, we need to hurry" she said in resignation and signalled me with hands.

I looked at the other girls that also worked at the club and I didn't see a speck of disgust and anger on their faces. Instead, it was appraisal and pride; they were happy concerning the bold step I took. It was a club, a business transaction hub, one that didn't care about the channels of distribution.