Part 19
Love Triangle
The following weekend, the dark pulse of Abyss thrummed in the air as Evelyn stood on the elevated stage, her cold gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd.
The contenders were arguing in the lounge. Elise and Nadia. Both women were poised, their rivalry palpable as they locked eyes, neither willing to back down. Nadia sat at a lounge table, clad in black matte latex. Her every movement shimmered with tension, and though her pose was statuesque, her fingers betrayed her - tapping slowly against the curve of her thigh. Her eyes tracked Elise like a blade seeking a throat.
The lights of Abyss shimmered in gold and black, reflecting off the polished obsidian floor like fireflies caught in obsidian glass. Patrons moved like specters - elegant, slow, curious. At the far end of the central lounge, Elise reclined with effortless poise on a velvet chaise, her gleaming black leather dress hugging every inch of her frame. Her mask was off, her expression bored and smug. She tilted her head ever so slightly, listening without truly hearing.
Across from her, Nadia stood, arms folded, jaw tight. Her outfit was plainer, a retail-tier latex number that clung to her curves without opulence, clearly not made to measure. Still, she stood upright, her chin held high, not caring about the difference in cut or shine. Her eyes were on Elise - sharp, cutting.
"Still seething, Nadia?" Elise cooed. "Isn’t it exhausting, playing the tragic lover?"
Nadia didn’t move. "I’m seething because you lie like you breathe. And because I see through it. You are so full of it, you think you are better than all of us."
Elise laughed, sharp and bright. "Darling, I don’t lie. I win. If you don’t like being second, perhaps try being… more. At least, I am better than you. But that doesn’t require much. Even Alexandru is not totally into you. I just need to snap my fingers."
Nadia flared. "You can't stand not being adored. You seduced Alexandru just to hurt me."
"Seduced? He came willingly. Maybe if you had spent less time pouting and more time captivating, he'd still be orbiting you."
Nadia stepped forward. "He wasn't orbiting me. He was dating me. You stole him."
Elise’s eyes sparkled with a cruel glint. "And yet, here we are. You, throwing your weight around like a sore loser. Me, simply thriving. Don’t confuse your emotional wreckage with theft."
By now, a crowd was forming. Laughter low, murmurs rich with interest. Abyss fed on conflict like wine.
"You think he prefers you?" Nadia asked, her voice lowering. "Because of your polish? Your cold? He told me what you were like when you thought no one was watching. He told me you were needy. Greedy."
Elise’s smile faltered for the briefest second. Then returned, even sharper.
"Oh, darling. You’re cute when you pretend you matter. But we both know I could have him in a moment if I wanted to. You think love protects you? In Abyss?"
Nadia took a step forward. "Then prove it. If you’re so sure, then take the stage. Challenge me. But you never risk anything. You are so entitled, thinking you are above all, but you are a coward."
Elise arched an eyebrow. She hissed. "How dare you!? You are a nothing compared to me. Are you truly that desperate to lose to me in public?"
"You’re stalling."
"I’m savoring," Elise purred.
"Then prove it," Nadia said, loud enough for the first row of onlookers to freeze. "If you’re so certain you're above me, then show it. Or are you afraid you'll lose your little trophy?"
Elise stood, slowly. The motion was feline, controlled, dangerous. The leather of her dress whispered as it stretched. "I'm not afraid of anything. Least of all you."
"Then dance me," Nadia said. "Publicly."
Patrons gasped. Elise froze.
Then, as if on cue, Evelyn stepped from the shadows, her corset emerald and laced with shadows. She stepped between them, her presence halting the growing tension like a blade of ice. "Elise," she said silkily, turning with theatrical deliberation, "perhaps it is time you issued the challenge, no? She has called you out so publicly as coward. Are you going to let such insolence pass unanswered?"
Elise blinked, taken off guard.
Evelyn’s smile deepened, her voice a whisper only for Elise, knowing which buttons to push. "Take the stage, call her out. Claim your place. You know how Abyss works - the challenger declares, but the forfeit belongs to the challenged. Or is she correct and you are a coward?"
The crowd held its breath. Elise hesitated. Her pride screamed to retreat. Her instinct to protect herself - to never gamble unless victory was guaranteed - burned hot in her throat. She had never risked anything of this weight. But Evelyn was watching. So was Alexandru. And Nadia stood too confidently for Elise to retreat.
Elise, boxed in and knowing the trap had already closed around her, lifted her chin. Her voice rang clear, with an edge of fury: "Nadia, I challenge you. Let's see if you can handle being on the same stage with someone like me."
Evelyn's smile widened. "Then, Nadia, as the challenged, the forfeit is yours to set."
Nadia didn't blink. "The loser will be belted. Chastity. One year."
The murmurs turned to stunned silence. Evelyn's smile brightened, she didn’t think Nadia was ready for a long-term forfeit.
Only now did Elise’s mask crack. Her breath caught, and for a second, her eyes darted to Evelyn, then to the crowd. A year? A full year? She had never wagered herself. Never placed her sex, her orgasms on the line. Never risked anything too extreme. Never risked anything that lasted longer than the night. She had danced, teased, played the stage for years - but always safe, away from the edge, but never truly committing her own pleasure to the flames. She played games, but with her own rules, taking wagers when she was sure she would win. Like Claudia. Risked a whipping when she was certain about the outcome. This would be different. This would be real.
Her mind raced. She’d never done a public duel, and neither had she danced against someone with so much burning to prove something. And worse, she couldn’t back down. Not here. Not now.
"That's absurd," she managed.
"Then walk away," Nadia snapped. "But you'll do it in front of everyone. And we both know you're not going to."
Evelyn stepped forward. "A full year. Clean, powerful, undeniable. Abyss will honor it. The belt, of course, would be only coming off for hygiene under the attendants supervision. Locked. Sealed. No relief."
Elise said nothing more. But her silence was its own surrender.
The crowd parted as the two women ascended the stage. Gasps and whispers followed.
Evelyn took center stage, her voice smooth and commanding. "Tonight’s entertainment promised to be particularly enticing - a duel between two women, rivals, now vying for the affection of the same man. Tonight, we witness their clash of desire, a battle for love’s fickle favor. Elise and Nadia stand before us, each seeking to claim the same man’s heart. But only one can triumph."
She turned theatrically to Nadia. "Please, for all our audience, repeat the forfeit."
Nadia stepped forward, her voice steady but edged with disdain. "The loser of this duel steps down. Not just from Alexandru. From touch, from sex, from seduction. She embraces total abstinence. Chastity."
Elise rolled her shoulders back, as if already victorious. "How quaint. I do hope the belt is comfortable as you will wear it a long time. I’d hate to be inconvenienced if she loses."
The crowd murmured, intrigued by the request. Evelyn’s smile widened, her interest piqued by the suggestion, given the recent events unfolding in her personal vendetta. "A very bold proposal," she said, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "A fitting chastity punishment for the loser. Ensuring she becomes a mere shadow of her former self. For tonight we shall again languish a pussy instead of soles. This can perfectly be accomplished by long-term chastity. And I approve - wholeheartedly. We haven’t had a serious chastity duel in months. We all remember Alina, who is still locked. And Mina and Lena, with their special jewelry, the Caps of Despair. Chastity duels are my personal favorites, and here in Abyss we are never afraid to go long-term."
As a reminder for the audience, a screen above the stage lit up, showing a magnified view of Alina’s portrait adorning the lounge area of Abyss, along with other failed contestants.
ALINA
ICE PRINCESS. CHASTITY. 5 YEARS.
4 y, 4 m, 17 d, 14:04
Nadia turned, her mind spinning. She didn’t want to fight over Alexandru again in twelve months. She just wanted to be in peace with him. A thought formed into words. Her voice sharp, defiant. "But since you mentioned that we shall not be afraid to go long term. One year is long, yes. Unless…" she paused, the stage light catching the gleam in her eye.
Elise tensed. "What do you mean?"
Evelyn shooed her. "Yes, go on, dear."
Nadia stepped closer to Evelyn. "This is about the winner being with Alexandru. Isn’t that more fitting? The loser is belted, yes, but for as long as the winner remains with him. She becomes untouchable. Sexually uninteresting for him. For as long as the winner is in a relationship with him."
The air turned still. Even the whispering stopped.
"You manipulative little - " Elise’s words caught in her throat.
Evelyn’s grin was sharp. "An escalation. Nadia wants to raise the stakes. One rooted in emotional consequence. The challenged still retains the right."
Evelyn turned to Elise, who stood silently, her jaw clenched. "Do you accept the challenge under these terms?" Evelyn asked, her tone teasing.
Elise’s pride fought against her dread. She couldn't back down. Not now. She couldn’t allow her reputation be tarnished by not being able to take and manage risk. Not in her industry, not in her position. She could not become laughing stock in Abyss. Careers were made and unmade here. But a retail girl challenging her to something like this, she had to win this, at all costs. Even if she had to shred her soles in the heels. And Nadia was going to pay.
Elise’s dagger-filled eyes flicked to Nadia, then back to Evelyn. "I accept." She hissed. "But when she loses, I will make her suffer. I want her forgotten."
Evelyn raised her arms. "One dance. One duel. The heels shall judge. One winner walks away with desire. The other with a lock."
And in that moment, Elise swore to herself: she would not be bested. And if she won - Nadia would suffer more than chastity. She would suffer Elise’s full attention.
And Evelyn’s voice echoed over the room, rich and gleeful.
"Let the duel begin."
From the shadows, a silent attendant emerged, carrying two pairs of gleaming heels. The familiar Glass Agony Heels - sleek, transparent, and adorned with intricate designs, their translucent soles revealed rows of dormant needles in their black nodules.
"These," Evelyn explained, holding up one pair, "will ensure our duel is not merely about grace but about endurance. The needles will activate with each misstep, pressing into the soles of your feet. And," she added with a wicked smile, "the loser’s chastity punishment will be accompanied by my own addition - as you insisted on the loser becoming untouchable. Club Abyss is always prepared for these types of stakes. I provide a chastity belt that not only locks desire away but will also emit a reminder of this night’s failure whenever she feels longing, as it will come designed with its own small needle pad over the clitoral area."
The crowd’s murmurs turned to gasps and delighted laughter, their fascination growing with each word. Evelyn’s twist was as devious as it was fitting for the club’s dark atmosphere.
Elise and Nadia slipped into the Glass Agony Heels, their faces betraying a mix of determination and apprehension. The music began, a haunting symphony with erratic beats and shifting rhythms designed to challenge even the most skilled dancers.
The two women moved with grace, their bodies swaying to the music, each step carefully measured. The needles beneath the soles remained dormant at first, but as the tempo increased, the challenge revealed itself. Nadia faltered slightly, and the needles responded, pressing into her feet with sharp precision. She gritted her teeth, pushing through the pain, determined not to show weakness. Elise, too, struggled as the music’s pace quickened, her movements becoming more frantic.
The crowd watched in rapt attention, each misstep eliciting gasps and murmurs. The duel was fierce, both women driven by their desire to win and the fear of the punishment awaiting the loser. As the symphony reached its crescendo, the intensity became unbearable. Nadia stumbled, her face contorting in pain as the needles jabbed into her naked soles. She fought to regain her balance, but the damage was done. The moment of hesitation gave Elise the upper hand.
With a final flourish, Elise completed the dance, her movements fluid despite the visible strain. Nadia collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath, with the weight lifted off of the shoes, the needles extended fully and pressing into her tender soles with relentless precision.
Evelyn stepped forward, her expression triumphant. "And so, the victor is decided. Elise, you have proven your worth."
The crowd erupted into applause, their cheers reverberating through the club. Evelyn turned to Nadia, who still knelt on the stage, her face pale with exhaustion and defeat.
"Nadia," Evelyn said, her voice dripping with false sympathy, "you have lost. It is not wise to fight over a man who is apparently undecided between you two. And now, you shall face the consequences for your foolishness."
The silent attendant returned, carrying a sleek, dark metal chastity belt on a velvet cushion adorned with intricate locks. Evelyn took it, her smile cold as she approached Nadia. "This will be your constant companion," she said, holding the belt up for all to see. "But remember, this is no ordinary chastity belt. Whenever you feel the stirrings of desire, when you press down on the crotch piece, it will painfully remind you of your failure, ensuring your longing is met with nothing but echoes of this night."
Nadia was led behind the curtain and undressed. The attendants, with precise, swift, unnatural speed, fitted the belt around her, adjusting hidden mechanisms to ensure a tight but endurable fit. Nadia’s eyes filled with tears, her hands trembling as she adjusted to the tight, unforgiving fit of the belt. She was instructed to come back whenever she would require cleaning, hygiene or other maintenance.
Emerging back from the curtain, naked expect for her belt, her arms crossed before her breasts out of modesty, she stood trembling. The crowd watched with fascination, the weight of the punishment settling heavily on her shoulders.
Evelyn turned back to Elise who was sitting on a chair on the stage, a smirk playing on her lips. "And as for you, enjoy your victory. But remember, Abyss is a place where desires are fleeting, and triumphs are never guaranteed." Louder and into the microphone she announced, "Behold. Nadia has been sealed, her desires not her’s to control but only to endure." The crowed roared with approval.
As the crowd fell back into its dance rhythm, still excited of the events of the night, Evelyn remained on the stage, watching Nadia as she was led away. The chastity punishment, paired with the constant reminder of her failure, was a fitting end to the evening’s entertainment.
Nadia was in disbelief. This was so unfair. How could she have lost to that bitch. She wasn’t even so much into him. This was more about conquering her than him.
Evelyn reveled in the power she wielded, the control she held over the fates of those who dared to step onto her stage. The duel of desire had been a success, and Evelyn’s hunger for spectacle was sated - at least for now.
In Abyss’ lounge a new portrait was to be admired, next to Alina’s. Only the timer was absent.
NADIA
SCORNED LOVER. CHASTITY.
The city outside Abyss pulsed with its usual indifference - taxis weaving through traffic, neon signs flickering with relentless advertisements, the faint thrum of music leaking from apartment windows above the streets. Elise waited with an elegant kind of impatience. She was already seated at the corner table of the rooftop café, legs crossed, fingers lightly drumming the handle of her porcelain cup. The tablecloths were white, the cutlery minimalist chrome. She wore a fitted gray coat with high lapels and a belt cinched tight around her waist. Her sunglasses shielded her eyes, but her smirk needed no disguise. Alexandru arrived exactly on time.
Tall, effortlessly stylish in a black wool overcoat and dark scarf, his presence turned more than one head as he approached. His dark eyes scanned the rooftop, locked onto Elise, and narrowed slightly. She looked stunning, as always.
"You chose a very public place," he said as he sat down.
"It seemed fitting," Elise replied, waving a hand. "Besides, victory tastes sweeter with a skyline view."
A silence stretched as a server approached, took Alexandru’s order - a double espresso - and vanished again.
"You were impressive last night," Alexandru said finally, folding his hands over the table. "You danced with more fire than I expected from someone who calls herself above these games."
Elise arched an eyebrow. "You think I didn't take it seriously?"
"I think you usually don’t bother unless the result flatters you."
Elise took a sip from her cup, considering. "Maybe I found the stakes worth it."
Alexandru exhaled softly, eyes flicking to the cityscape beyond her shoulder. "You risked yourself in a high stakes duel. For me. I’m beyond words. Nadia was serious too. Too serious. I didn’t expect her to put herself on the line like that. I couldn’t believe when I heard you accepted to dance with that forfeit."
"She thought she would win," Elise said lightly. "She imagined herself gallant, triumphant, adored."
"She cared."
Elise tilted her head. "So did I. I would not risk losing you to her. I had to step up. Nobody takes from me what is mine. I could not allow that retail girl stand between us."
He looked at her for a long moment, and Elise didn’t flinch under it. She never did. She was more than confident, calling him her possession. He would need to be on his strongest side to handle a woman like her.
"It was a spectacle," Alexandru said at last.
"She chose the forfeit."
"You accepted it."
Elise's voice dipped a little. "You think I didn’t gamble anything? You think I enjoy the idea of being chaste, locked, irrelevant?"
Alexandru hesitated. "Honestly? I didn’t think you cared enough about me to wager anything real."
There it was - the truth, raw and plain.
Elise leaned back, removing her sunglasses slowly. Her eyes, sharp and dark, searched his.
"I care about you. And I care about winning. I care about not being second place. But more than that, I care about you thinking I don’t feel. That I don’t bleed. I risked … metal around my waist."
He said nothing for a moment. The wind toyed with a strand of hair at his temple.
"You know," he said, "she cried when she left Abyss last night. Not in public. But I saw it."
Elise didn’t blink. Her expression didn’t change. She stirred her tea slowly.
"And you?" she asked. "Do you feel decided now?"
He didn’t smile. "It was not a decision, was it? Not mine anyway. But I feel chosen. It’s a gift you risked so much."
That pleased her more than she let on. "Then don’t pretend I did this for sport."
The espresso arrived. Alexandru took a sip, studied her over the rim.
"You were… magnificent," he said finally. "And you really would have accepted the belt if you lost?"
"You know very well, I would not have been able to reject it after the duel. You know the contracts, you just want to hear it from me - that I was ready to risk my sex life for you. But even if I had been belted, you would have visited me," Elise said. "Maybe even grown to prefer me that way. Wrapped in orgasm denial. Helpless but mysterious. You would not have stayed with the sales girl, not for long."
Alexandru chuckled softly. "You think I’m that easy to seduce?"
Elise stirred her espresso slowly, savoring its bitter scent. She watched Alexandru over the rim of her cup. He looked relaxed, maybe too relaxed. She could see the questions in his eyes, the unspoken thoughts behind his charm.
"I think you're that easy to intrigue," she murmured, tracing the edge of her saucer. "Do not visit her. Don’t go out with her. I don’t won’t her belt to unlock because of that. You don’t want me to duel you, do you?"
He gave a half-smile, acknowledging her control without protest. "Only in your penthouse I'd duel you. Not on the stage. So what now?"
Elise leaned back, crossing her legs slowly, letting the silence do the work. "You always wanted me. And now I want you, too. So let’s see if you can handle what you thought you wanted."
He met her gaze, unflinching. "Try me."
Her smile grew, subtle and slow. "Very well. Let's go now. My place."
He leaned forward slightly, testing the edge. "Elise… you in latex. And heels. And you will be tied."
She blinked once. A tiny pause, not of fear but calculation. Latex on her was taboo. Not in the world of Abyss - there, it was currency, language, identity. But for Elise, rubber was a symbol of submission. It was for women like Nadia, like the display pieces Elise had walked past with mild disdain. She preferred satin and velvet, silk robes and tailored leather. Power through elegance. Not suffocation.
But for this? For him? No - for herself. To prove the point.
Elise tilted her head and smiled again, this time letting a sharper, silkier tone into her voice. "Latex is for the bound. But if you want a dominatrix in disguise as submissive, as your submissive…" she trailed her fingers along the side of her glass, then looked up. "Then you'll see how power moves even in rubber."
He hesitated, intrigued. "So you'll wear it?"
"Yes," she said simply. "As you demand, Master."
But her voice held mockery and magnetism in equal measure. Because for Elise, it was never about obedience. It was theater. She would let him think he was winning, let him play at dominance. But in her mind, she already saw the strings. And she was holding them.
Elise was never going to be his possession. But she would let him taste control, just long enough for her to teach him that dominance was an illusion she had long since mastered.
For taking Alexandru from Nadia, she would don the latex. She would secure her catch. Both of them; secure Alexandru as her lover, and securing Nadia’s lock. And in her carefully curated smile was the hidden truth: she had not only taken Alexandru. She had taken something from Nadia that could never be returned. And that mattered more than anything else.
Elise wanted to solidify their newly budding relationship - now openly branching into the erotic - not only to explore the pull she felt toward Alexandru, but to cement what she had taken. If not for being with him, not yet at least, then for keeping him. Keeping him from Nadia. Keeping Nadia belted. Denied. Powerless.
It was more than romance, more than flirtation. The clause in Nadia’s own challenge still echoed sweetly in Elise’s mind: "for as long as the winner is with him." Elise had seized the upper hand, and now she had only to maintain the illusion of closeness - maybe even real closeness - to keep Nadia locked, denied of every ounce of pleasure. That weight, that subtle leverage, thrilled her.
The idea that each touch she offered Alexandru, each glance, each shared coffee or night spent in lazy decadence, ensured Nadia’s ongoing denial - this was the fuel for Elise’s indulgence. Her motivation wasn’t simply affection; it was conquest extended. Every day she stayed close to Alexandru was another day Nadia spent locked in unrelieved yearning.
And Elise could feel it tightening, like a ribbon drawn around both women - one in visible satin and velvet, the other in invisible steel.
Nadia sat in the dim solitude of her apartment, the events of her humiliating defeat at Abyss replaying endlessly in her mind. The sleek chastity belt locked around her waist was a constant reminder of her failure. Its intricate design, a symbol of her loss, had now become an unrelenting prison. The smooth metal clung tightly to her body, leaving no room for comfort or relief. How would she get if off? In the heat of the duel and its aftermath, she did not recall on how long she’d have to wear it.
Each time she felt even the faintest stir of desire, the belt responded with a subtle pain, sending waves of discomfort through her. This was accompanied by needles too sharp to ignore whenever she allowed her clitoris to become engorged. Almost as if a whisper came from within the belt: "You have lost. You will not forget."
In the days following the duel, Nadia tried everything to remove the belt. She attempted to pick the locks with improvised tools, only to find that the belt was impervious to tampering. Each attempt was met with an inexplicable pulse of the needle pad inside the belt, causing sharp discomfort and forcing her to abandon her efforts. It felt, as if the belt was angry.
At night, she pondered the question of how long she’d have to endure the belt? How long to life a chaste life? She had said the loser shall not interfere in the relationship, but how did Evelyn interpret that? She even contemplated seeking help from a professional, but the shame of revealing her situation kept her from doing so. The belt was unyielding, and her every attempt to escape it ended in failure.
By the end of the week, Nadia knew she couldn’t endure the belt’s torment alone. She needed answers. Desperation drove her back to Abyss, the place she thought might hold some explanation - or mercy. The club pulsed as ever, golden lights flickering like firelight through smoke, music vibrating through her chest. She cut through the crowd, a determined line toward the elevated dais where Evelyn sat in watchful repose.
"Evelyn," she called, voice cracking, her breath quick. "I need to speak with you."
Evelyn barely turned. Her lips curled with amusement. "Nadia," she purred. "So soon? Are you enjoying your little souvenir?"
Nadia’s face tightened. "Please. I didn’t think… I didn’t mean - "
"Didn’t mean to bind yourself so tightly?" Evelyn tilted her head, amused. "You made your demand clear enough. ‘The loser shall be denied as long as the winner remains with him.’ It was quite poetic, really. If Elise had lost, she’d be pacing in frustration by now."
"I didn’t think it would be like this," Nadia said, her voice low and desperate. "I was angry. I wanted to win. I didn’t imagine - "
Evelyn stood slowly, the motion deliberate, theatrical. "That’s the thing about forfeit design, my dear. Once spoken aloud, they are not suggestions. They are vows."
Nadia stepped closer, her voice almost a whisper now. "Isn’t there any way to… reduce it? A limit? Something reasonable? You know this could go on for too long."
Evelyn’s expression softened, but not kindly. "Yes. Or at least as long as Elise and Alexandru remain a pair. Which, considering her temperament and his… appetite… may last far longer than your patience."
Evelyn’s smile never faded, but her eyes narrowed. "Did you think about that before declaring your terms in front of half the club?"
"I didn’t think Elise would win. That she would handle the needles. I thought she is all words and no action."
Evelyn laughed softly. "A mistake many make. Betting on righteousness over rhythm." She moved closer, her voice wrapping around Nadia like velvet. "You may have been rash, but Abyss is not a place for second thoughts. You asked for duration - and so, duration you receive."
"I can’t live like this," Nadia hissed, the tension in her throat threatening tears. "I can’t sleep. I can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t touch myself. The needle pad. Even arousal sends me into pain."
"Then consider this an education," Evelyn said. "In endurance. In patience. In consequences."
She turned, half-dismissive, but then stopped. "There is one path forward."
Nadia’s breath hitched.
"You may train. Prepare for another duel. Win, and you may pass the belt on - should you choose an opponent and challenge them under proper stakes. But until then, it is yours. Entirely yours. Also, you can ask for a challenge if you really need relief. Of course I would consult with Elise first, as she has won over you, and retains the right to allow others or deny such a challenge."
She walked a slow circle around Nadia, her tone shifting into something colder. "You asked for Elise to be sealed away. To be untouched, uninteresting. You didn’t ask for the same in return, but that is the nature of Abyss. The rules you invoke, the terms you define, may yet become your chains."
Nadia looked away, shame prickling at her skin.
"And if you wish," Evelyn added, softer now, "I can have your plaque updated. Just to ease the uncertainty."
Nadia didn’t respond.
But later that night, as she passed through the velvet-lined lounge, her breath caught. There it was. Her portrait was updated.
NADIA
SCORNED LOVER. CHASTITY.
INDEFINITE
- - : - -
She winced as she looked at the red timer below that emptily blinked without any numbers. What a cruel joke. Evelyn had been mocking her. She headed towards the exit. The belt suddenly felt so much heavier. She needed time to clear her mind.