Beg For Me, My Love

had discreetly retreated to the back room, leaving Sophia and me in a bubble of tense silence. Her p

ay she looked at me, with a trust so complete it scared me. Then, the image shifted to the present: this cold, polished woman whose eyes held no trace

shame that was consuming me. My own studio, once my sanctuary, now felt like a c

ppy," Sophia said, her voice cutting

g the same old things, I see. All that passion, all that talk of 'authenticity.' And it led you... h

I managed to say, my voice

ed, snapping the sketchbook shut. "

art being co-opted and sanitized before it was even created. I wanted to tell her about her parents, about the che

I said weakly. "You

w, don't you?" Her eyes darted to the medical bill again. "Your sister. How convenien

or of my pride and pinpointed the desperate truth underneath. I was

attoo on my forearm, a simple wave pattern we had designed together years ago. Her touch was cold,

phy artist,' to be precise. You'll work exclusively for me, on projects I choose

me to a possession, an object she could own and display. The very thing I had fea

our pet. I'll do the tattoo, I'll take the money

"You're not in a position to negotiate, Etha

and held it between two fing

watch your 'authentic' world crumble around you. The choice is yours