Chapter 41

I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly, but a few days later, there she was, waiting for me in my office.

“Bella Rosa,” I greeted with a hug and a kiss. I took a real look at her. “It doesn’t matter how much makeup you put on, I can still see that you look like shit.”

“Thanks, Madam, I didn’t come for the pleasant conversation. I need you to do something for me, and I will do something for you in exchange, which I’m sure will make you ecstatic,” she stated in a sarcastic tone.

“Oh yeah.”

“I need you to change my number and move me to another location.”

I nodded. “Hmmm…trouble in paradise, I presume?” I was secretly jumping for victory inside. It looked like the ball was in my court, and the tables had finally turned.

“After you do this for me you can put me back on the schedule. I just need some time to clear my head and get my shit together.”

“Well…I’m not much for gloating, but I think this needs to be said-”

“I’m fully aware that I fucked up, all right? There is no need for the I told you sos, call it being young and careless, and trust me when I say it will never happen again.” I nodded. Though it didn’t take away the urge from wanting to say, “I told you so.”

“Are you all right, darling?” I empathized. I didn’t want her to feel this way, but it was a must for her to change.

“I will be.”

I left the room and returned with a new phone and two sets of keys. Presents always make everything better.

“I’ll have all your contacts transferred to that phone and the movers will be there first thing in the morning. That’s the set of keys to your new condo, it’s located in Marquis Residences unit 1613; it’s already fully furnished, and all you need to pack are your clothes and whatever personal belongings you would like to bring. I imagine you want to start fresh, yes?” she nodded.

“All right…well consider this a lesson learned; and a gift from me for coming to your senses,” I stated, handing her another set of keys. I wanted to believe, but too much had happened.

“It’s an Audi A8, it’s parked in the garage; you can leave the set to your current car and home.”

“Thank you, Madam.”

“Of course, Bella Rosa, I’m always here for you, you know that. Now enough of the melodramatics, it’s not our style; we’re far too pretty for it. The White’s Annual Gala is exactly four weeks away; do you think you will be better by then?”

“Mmm hmm,” was all she could reply with. I knew that she was thinking no other man other than Sebastian had touched her for at least a year. She was nervous, it was radiating off of her and it infuriated me. Where did my strong independent woman go?

“Lovely, I know the perfect gentleman, darling,” I snickered.

“Great. Well then, I don’t want to take up too much of your time, I’ll be going.” She got up to leave.

“Ysabelle.”

She turned. “Hmmm.”

“Don’t ever fuck with your heart again. Do you understand?”

“Of course.”

I nodded and she was excused.

I opened my drawer and brought out my vile. I broke up two thick lines and snorted one up each nostril. I was going to need it for what I was about to do.

This is where you will hate me, again. I blame my mother; she fucked me up. I placed a call.

“Slavic,” he answered.

“Good afternoon, darling. It’s Madam,” I replied.

“Oh yes, I have been expecting your call. How are things?”

“Just peachy,” I exclaimed. “I heard through the grapevine that you were interested in a VIP for The Gala next month. Did I hear right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, Slavic, I have the perfect girl for you. But I need you to do a little something for me. Can you do that?”

“Of course,” he asserted with a devious tone.

“See, when my girls are bad, they need to be punished. You think you could handle that for me?” I warned.

He didn’t say anything; he didn’t have to, because I knew he was rock hard on the other end.

"What do you have in mind, Madam?"

"I trust you to know what to do." Slavic has been on my payroll for some time now, he usually handles the dirty work so my hands stay clean.

"I need some boundaries; you know there are no limits to what I can do when teaching lessons," he stated.

"Don't kill her and don’t hurt her too much."

I know you're hating me as you're reading this, but I don't care. You aren't in my shoes; you don't live my life.

I don't judge you.

You shouldn't judge me.

My mother did something similar to this to me once. I didn’t understand it and I hated her for it. I do believe it made me stronger, though. It gave me the perception I needed to take on VIP. And I don't think I'd be the same Madam without having learned that lesson the hard way.

You pick and choose your battles; I chose mine that day. I hung up the phone feeling more confident, yet despondent at the same time. It wasn't until she came to me after The Gala that I knew I had fucked up.

<>-<>-<>-<>

The day she called me to tell me we needed to talk; I already saw it coming. I had her followed throughout that time and I knew where her head was at. She was lost. I had lost her. And she proved it to me the minute she walked into my office. I didn’t want to hear the words that were going to come out of her mouth. Although I prepared myself for it, it didn’t make it any less difficult to hear her say them. If I could go back

and change things, I would; but the damage was done.

I greeted her like I always had. She didn’t need to sense my apprehension and devastation over knowing what was to come.

“We need to talk,” she cautioned as I kissed her cheek.

“And what about, darling?”

She moved to sit on the couch. I followed her, placing my hands in her lap.

“I can’t do this anymore,” she spoke.

My heart broke, it was shattering, and I hid it all behind the façade that I am. I hid it behind The Madam. “Do what, Bella Rosa?”

“I can’t be a VIP,” she quickly stated before she lost the nerve.

I nodded. “And why is that? For the married man?”

“No, for me. That’s over. I appreciate everything that you have ever done for me. I’m not the same person anymore. I don’t know when it happened but I’ve changed. I don’t need or want the same things that I used to. I hope you can understand that.”

“And what is it exactly that you’re going to do now?” I sarcastically questioned.

“I’m not quite sure; I’m going to travel for a while. It’s amazing that I’ve been almost everywhere around the world and I never really took it in. I’d like to do that now,” she explained.

“All right. So you will do a little sabbatical and once you’re done, you’ll come home.”

“I don’t think so. Better yet, I know I won’t.”

“Ysabelle, I’ve been doing this a very long time. You’ll come back, you’ll get bored, you’ll need excitement; you’ll be back. Women like us are made like that, it doesn’t just stop because you want it to, it’s in our blood,” I stated. A part of me believed what I was saying, I told you I play dirty, but always keep my hands clean. I would get her back if it was the last thing I would do.

“I want more, Madam, I want it all.”

I chuckled. “You want the white picket fence, the 2.5 kids, and the husband. Jesus Christ, Ysabelle, have you learned nothing these last few years? I mean how many married men have you been with? Have you ever seen a happy marriage?”

“What happened to you? What happened to make you this way?”

Everything. She had no idea who I was, nobody did, and that’s what made me powerful.

That’s what made me The Madam.

“Oh…now we’re sharing sob stories? Nothing has happened to me, I’m a fucking realist. This is the real world, Ysabelle, I showed it to you.”

She put her hand on her chest. “Oh my God, you knew?” She affirmed, “You knew what Slavic was going to do. You set me up.”

I rolled my eyes and moved back to my desk.

“Why?” she demanded.

“You’re acting like a spoiled child, you’ve learned nothing.”

“Were you trying to punish me?”

I wanted to tell her everything. She had a right to know, but I didn’t. I used my words. It was who I was.

“I’ve told you since day one not to fuck with me or my business. You think I wanted it to come to this? You were my favorite and you repay me with letting all of it go for love. Well, Ysabelle, how’d that work out for you? Was it worth it?”

She hesitated a moment, taking in my hurtful words. “Yes, it was. I learned the meaning of my self-worth. I’m better than this, Madam, I know that now.”

“You’ll be back, they always come back.”

“I’m not doing this out of spite, Madam, I can’t sell myself anymore. I’m thankful for everything that you did for me, because I would be nowhere without you. You gave me what I needed, but I’m done with it. It’s time for me to try something else. Please understand that?”

I sighed deeply. “You will always have a family here, Bella Rosa. I will help you in any way that I can.” Even though I was saying the words, she knew I truly didn’t mean them.

She smiled. “Thank you.”

She hugged and kissed me goodbye. I went to the window and watched her walk out of The Cathouse.

I shed one tear.

This was not game over.

This was just the beginning…