The Client

chapter 5

I gritted my teeth hard trying to swallow down his words and remain silent.

"Whatever it is, that's the truth."

Every time he opened his mouth, I only got more furious.

I felt blood rush to my face with suppressed rage. I just let it burn and burst, "well Mr. Abhimanyu Raghavan, you're no saint either. You've fucked hundreds of women yourself."

At full tilt, I pulled my panty over and snapped my bra back on. I had to leave this place, right this minute. I couldn't tolerate breathing the same air as he did.

He perched up, getting his arrogant ass up from the bed, "well, at least I don't work at a brothel."

Every word stung, fuelling the fire in me, "that's the only difference between you and me," I bit back, throwing the dress Reena shopped for me over my body.

"Only if it were that simple," he derided. What was that supposed to mean?

"You don't have any idea about my life, so, shut up. Or should I have to tell you where to stick those judgements of yours?"

"Yeah, you fuck men day in and day out. I sure as hell have no idea." I scoffed.

Every violated phrase, every unmindful word, every cruel opinion, was as though he was reflecting the society for me.

"Just because you paid the money doesn't mean you get to talk anything you want. You paid me only for the sex. Although you have all the money and fame, you have zero consideration for a human. Get your head out of your ass. For god sake, get a fucking life."

"Presumably you have a better life than I do, get ahead with yours." He outstretched his hand towards the door indicating me to leave.

"I might not have a better life than yours. But I am a better person than you are."

"Close the door on your way out."

I stomped in the direction of the door, but before I could turn the knob, I stopped and looked at him in the eyes, "there is one thing where a woman sheds her clothes for a man and the other where a man accidentally walks into a naked woman. The only difference is that she does the former willfully." Without waiting for him to react, I stormed off the room to elevator and pressed the button.

I know I've been seen this way by most. But he's not doing some charity either. He's been sleeping with as many women. Every time he taunted me, it hit me hard. The pain, the realisation when I let his words in, I felt like I owned up to the shame of working as a prostitute. He just presumed that if he threw the money, he could do whatever he wanted. Initially, he really seemed different from the other clients. He was no different. Only worse. At least the other clients kept their opinions to themselves and didn't fling them so cold-heartedly at me.

When I made it to the ground floor, I dashed to the foyer and spotted Reena's car waiting for me. Throwing myself into the car, I instructed the driver, "we can leave."

By the time I arrived at Reena's place I had a splitting headache. A procession of traffic lights, cars bumper to bumper, the decibels at which they kept honking, exhaust fumes belching out, making it to the brothel through a standstill traffic jam, I was close to done. I was a furious fireball. I just wanted to get some sleep. I stretched my legs to my room.

"Mehr?" I heard Reena.

"Yes, ma'am?" I turned on my heel to face her. She was plonked on her easy chair and seemed like she diverted all her attention from her phone to me.

"You're earlier than I expected."

"I was done with my work."

"Did it make any difference?" She raised her eyebrows in anticipation.