February 6, 2021: Treppenwitz

Deucalion's Employment Agency, a business that catered to the needs of the sector who're in search of a company to work for. It was established by Rowan Lohnmeyer, Mina's paternal grandfather, and has been operational since the '90s.

As a humanitarian, Rowan had all the intension to help the population deprived of sources of income. Furthermore, he set-up a program that would provide some aid to untrained people, enabling them to gain experience for their desired jobs. It was an agency that was profusely sought-after by the masses since it only demanded payback, absent any added interests, when they begin to earn.

Leaving aside how altruistic Rowan Lohnmeyer was, his eldest son didn't follow a strand of his benevolence at all. Upon the death of Rohan back in 2001, Laius Lohnmeyer took over the business and promptly made changes to its system.

To say that the policies that Lauis established were minor would be the understatement of the century. Not only did he abolish the agency's practice of requiring no upfront payment, but he also implemented a scheme that exploited female workers and applicants alike.

Lauis Lohnmeyer started to operate an escorting agency that had the facade of an employment agency. He reached out for the hearts of prominent celebrities, politicians, and businessmen as his first set of clientele. At the outset, he didn't gather that many customers, by virtue of their unease of being forced out of their anonymity.

In accordance with that problem, Lauis took great risks in accommodating his target clientele's need for assurance. Thereafter struggling to acquire the assistance of several investors, his underground dealings involving prostitution and other illegal activities went through their launch absent a single issue.

To this day, Lauis Lohnmeyer still runs the Deucalion's Employment Agency, though a tad more focused in his greatly profitable unlawful business. Along with that fact, this man was responsible for recruiting Syn as one of the escorts.

Granted that Mina expressed her disapproval in her father's will, Syn welcomed the idea without qualms. Perchance, it was mainly because the lady had no real plan at that moment, just an understanding that she had to work to be capable enough to help her mother. Thus, any logic that refuted her desire to be hired was met with a shrug of her shoulders.

For normal clients, Syn Rosenfeldt was paid by the hour, the amount depended on the services requested. The minimum period that the customers could book was two hours with a maximum of five. On the other hand, VIP Clients were required to recompense their prospected escorts more than 18 times the base amount of €150, considering that they're literally buying the freedom of the women.

Before all else, Syn had no vision of entertaining a VIP Client, for the reason that there was uncertainty regarding when the contract would be concluded. She wanted to retain her freedom. However, she became aware that there was no other choice but to concede to a VIP Client, seeing that her current jobs hadn't made a dent on the millions of euros of debt that her family was bestowed.

Tristan was her first VIP Client, and yesterday, she arrived at a decision that he would be his last. Having formed that resolution, it turned into a thorn when her resolved was easily swayed by her curiosity connected to the client's possible identity.

"Meet me later?"

"Oh, are you willing to? You said you don't want to accept any VIP Clients for the time being?" The corners of Mina's eyes crinkled as she asked Syn about her query.

Meanwhile, Syn was pursing her lips, out of words to serve as an excuse. Her fingers repeatedly tapped on the glass table, diverting her gaze to the window thereafter. Her throat went dry at the thought of a certain man. How could she forget his dark eyes that captured her whole body, his hands that caressed every inch of her skin, and the sensations, still lingering at the end of her nerves, that he made her feel?

Following her few minutes of in-depth contemplation, respected by Mina with her silence, Syn returned her attention to the woman in front of her. She heaved a sigh, then addressed Mina's inquiry, "I will decide once I meet up with the client. Please give me the details.

With doubtful, yet genuine fascination, Mina vigorously nodded her head and unlocked her phone. She hurriedly opened the message containing the information that Syn needed.

"Okay, so it's at ten this evening. Make sure to be in your best behaviour."

"What kind of advice is that? Am I a budding teenager or something?"

"Well, kind of. Anyway, it's strange though." Mina gave Syn a look, then at her phone. Those very actions occurred a couple of times prior to the woman disclosing her reservations. "The manager told me that it's a first time client, but they didn't scour through our catalogue of escort profiles. The cliently directly asked for you. Do you know someone who might do this?"

Mina raised the question, not because she was oblivious, but it was clear on Syn's countenance that she had an inkling as to who it was that wanted her services. Her furrowed eyebrows and slightly trembling lips gained the wonderment of the woman.

To Mina's dismay, Syn just shook her head and said, "No, I don't know. That's why I'm meeting up with them."

"Fair enough." Mina didn't want to pursue the matter lest Syn backing out of the agreement. "Moving on, do you want to go to gathering place by yourself or have Louis drive you there?"

"It depends on where. You haven't told me."

"Ah, right, I haven't. I think you won't have any trouble finding this place. You've been there before."

When she heard Mina's statement, Syn tilted her head to the side. She pushed herself to a proper sitting position as she abided for Mina's continuation.

"Sors Bar, this is where you met Mr O'Connor. Do you remember? You we-"

At that point, Syn could no longer harken what Mina was saying. Closing her eyes, she staunched her tears of shame and reminded herself that it was too late to give her excuses. Her heart beat eagerly in an inconsistent tempo, attempting to escape out of her ribcage. Instead of excitement, it was the feeling of revolt to herself that dominated her mind, creeping in her muscles, shutting her senses.