Chapter 68
Madame Beck couldn’t believe how quickly everything had unravelled. In one night, she had not only lost her most promising entertainer but also her most generous client.
“It all makes sense, but why does something still feel off?” she muttered, massaging her temples. Frustrated, she grabbed her phone and ordered, “Get me Diana Jones first thing tomorrow morning! No, not tonight—she’s probably still with Alexander Lancaster. And assign someone to tail Alexander. Make sure it’s done discreetly p>
Just as she ended the call, her assistant Arlene entered the room, panting. “We have a problem. Michael p>
“That bastard!” Madame Beck cursed under her breath as she hurried towards the private elevator leading to her underground facility. Michael Astor was her partner in all her illegal dealings, the powerful connection that had allowed her operations to flourish. But she was growing weary of constantly cleaning up his messes.
Madame Beck descended into the underground facility, her heart pounding with a mix of anger and anxiety. The elevator doors opened to reveal a dimly lit corridor, lined with reinforced doors leading to various rooms where her more nefarious operations were carried out.
She stormed down the hallway until she reached the room where Michael was supposed to be. The door was slightly ajar, and as she pushed it open, a foul stench assaulted her senses. The sight that greeted her made her stomach churn.
On the cold, metal table lay one of her star entertainers, Moonstar, barely recognizable. Her face was swollen and bruised, her once beautiful features marred by the brutal torture she had endured. Her body was covered in cuts and burns, evidence of the sadistic methods Michael had used to extract information—or perhaps just for his twisted pleasure.
Moonstar’s eyes fluttered open as Madame Beck approached, but there was no recognition in them. The vibrant, confident woman she had once been was now reduced to a broken shell.
“Michael, what have you done?” Madame Beck whispered, horrified as she moved closer to inspect the damage. She reached out to touch Moonstar’s hand, but the woman flinched, pulling away as much as her restraints would allow.
Madame Beck’s face hardened. She was no stranger to cruelty, but this… this was beyond anything she had sanctioned.
Arlene, who had followed her down, stood in the doorway, her face pale with shock. “Madame, what should we do? She’s… she’s in a bad way p>
Madame Beck took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. “Get our medic down here immediately. And find Michael—now p>
Arlene nodded and rushed off to carry out her orders. Madame Beck’s initial horror quickly faded into irritation as she stared down at Moonstar’s broken form. She clicked her tongue in annoyance, her emotions shifting from shock to frustration.
“What a waste,” she muttered under her breath, crossing her arms as she looked at the once-beautiful woman who had brought in so much money and attention to the club. “How many girls has it been now? Michael’s getting reckless p>
Moonstar’s eyes flickered with a spark of recognition as she caught Madame Beck’s voice. With what little strength she had left, she began to sob, her voice a hoarse whisper. “Madame Beck… please… help me… I didn’t do anything… Please… don’t let him p>
Madame Beck sighed, rolling her eyes. “Moonstar, it’s not about what you did or didn’t do. It’s about what you’ve become, an uncontrollable liability p>
Moonstar’s sobs grew louder, her voice filled with desperation. “I won’t say anything, I swear! Please, just help me… I’ll do whatever you want p>
Madame Beck stepped closer, her voice cold and unfeeling. “And how am I supposed to trust that? Look at yourself. You’re a mess. Even if you don’t talk, there’s no guarantee you won’t cause problems later. And I can’t afford problems, not now p>
Moonstar’s pleading became hysterical as she tried to reach out to Madame Beck, but her body was too weak. “No, please! Don’t do this to me! I’ll be loyal, I swear p>
Beck’s patience had worn thin. She turned her back on Moonstar, dismissing her pleas as if they were the cries of a distant, insignificant animal. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got no room for liabilities. You’ll be disposed of like the others, clean and quiet. It’s better this way p>
Arlene appeared in the doorway with the medic, who stood by silently, waiting for instructions. Beck waved them over with a dismissive hand. “Take care of her. Make sure there’s nothing left that can be traced back to us p>
As the medic moved to administer a lethal injection, Madame Beck walked out of the room, leaving Moonstar’s screams echoing behind her. She paused for a moment, letting out a frustrated sigh. Michael’s carelessness was becoming a major inconvenience, and it was only a matter of time before it caused a disaster she couldn’t clean up.
But for now, she would deal with Moonstar the same way she had dealt with all the other liabilities—by erasing them, one by one.
“Madame, Michael is upstairs, in his office,” Arlene informed her, her voice tinged with urgency.
“That bastard,” Madame Beck grunted as she stormed up to the office floor. She hurried down the hallway, pressing her palm against a mirrored panel that concealed a secret door. The panel slid open, revealing a hidden room no one would suspect existed.
Inside, Michael lounged in a bathrobe, casually drying his hair. “Seems I’ve given you too much freedom to invade my privacy, Beck,” he sneered.
Madame Beck’s temper flared. “Do you have to keep wasting the beauties in my club like this?” she snapped.
Michael’s expression darkened, his voice rising in anger. “This is what happens when you don’t follow my orders!” he barked. “I told you to bring me your new entertainer, Twilight, and instead, you send me someone I’ve grown tired of p>
Madame Beck swallowed hard, trying to explain. “But Twilight is just a newcomer, a temporary entertainer, so I p>
Her words died in her throat as Michael fixed her with a murderous glare. “And I hear she left with Alexander Lancaster before I could get my hands on her?” he growled, advancing toward her.
Madame Beck gasped as Michael’s hand suddenly gripped her throat, squeezing just enough to make her panic. “Do I need to remind you that what you have—this position, this power—is also temporary?” he hissed.
“I-I will bring her to you, no matter what!” Madame Beck choked out, desperately patting Michael’s arm in a plea for