My Greatest undoing: How did I End Up So Unfulfilled?

I remember the first money I earned from being a call-girl, it was ₦200,000. I couldn't believe my eyes. I had dressed up as early as 4am, I sat on the side stool and texted Susan, "Susie I'm about to go, he's still asleep".
"then wake him up" she texted back almost immediately, like she was expecting my text all along.

I tapped Mr. David on the belly, the man was snoring, he was slightly overweight. He opened his eyes and blinked several times in quick succession trying to make his eyes get use to the light.
"I'm leaving" I said, wearing a very smug look. The look that screamed "give me my money let me get the hell out of here"

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He got up wearily and trudged to the bathroom. I scanned the whole room for where the money could be, I was expecting to see a suitcase or box, anything, Just anything that had money in it, but I saw nothing. My pay was ₦150,000.
Mr. David came out from the bathroom after two long minutes. Carried his phone, and kept pressing it.
"what's the name of your bank" he spoke for the first time that day with the smokiest of voice.
"first bank"
"give me your account number"
"3029113656"
Within 20 seconds I got an alert of ₦200,000.
"I guess we're done here" he said looking very serious. I peered into his phone, I saw him deleting every trace of the transaction.

Of course we're done. I said as I got up and made for the door. I was about opening the door when he called me.

"Theresa, let's do this again once I'm in town"

"Sure" I replied, wondering how he was going to reach me when I had deleted my number from his phone earlier on.

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...............................................
Susan was my friend, I moved in with her after my uncle's wife pursued me out of her house, accusing me of seducing her husband.
Susie had a roommate Vera, a fellow escort.

I don't know how Susie earned her job but it was a good one. She was a pimp, yeah, you read that right. A pimp, a classy one. Big men especially politicians contacted her for escorts and she supplied them steadily. She usually recruited girls from the University for the deal and each of them will give her 30% of whatever income they earned.

I wasn't doing anything with my life, I mean I graduated from Bowen University two years back, I really wanted to start a business and do something for myself, you know earn my own money, but I had no funds or sponsor.

My dad died when I was 17. I was in year one then. My only guardian was my paternal uncle who sponsored my university education after daddy's death. Uncle had ask me what I wanted to do, I told him I'd love to start a clothe line, like own my own boutique. He said he was working on a contract that once he's done he'll give me a startup capital.

Of course that didn't happen as his wife discarded me beforehand, first she asked me to stop wearing body fitted clothes, that I'm seducing and manipulating her husband into giving me everything I wanted.

"you think I don't know what you're doing in this house, it will not work! Go and tell my enemies that you did not see me" she'll scream.

Alice was not a very pretty woman, so she being insecure was kind of okay. I had plans to leave the house once I got my startup capital.
One Thursday night, I came back from a comedy show by 11pm, I swear I didn't intend to stay that long, but the comedies got funnier every second. My uncle wasn't in town so I was free to stay out late. When I got to the gate, Usman refused to open it
"madam say make you dey outside" he said in a tick Hausa accent.
"Usman open this gate this minute" !
"walai, na Wetin madam talk be dat"

Few minutes later, my bags were hurled over the fence and that was it. I had nowhere to go.
Did I mention that my mum ran away when I was 10, I heard she married someone else, I don't know how true that is.

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The only person I could turn to was Susan. I moved in with her. I begged her for capital to start my clothe line but she said I had to work for it.

"Sisterly, money is hard to come by, monkey no fit work make baboon dey chop anyhow"
I was ready to do anything to have my own money, I got turned down in four job interviews, one because yours truly graduated with a third class and they were people with better certificates for the job. Three, because yours truly wouldn't have sex in exchange for a job.
Finally, I agreed to join Susan in her 'business'. My first client was an engineer.
"David is a Mobil engineer, he works at Lagos but he's in Eket to chill for the weekend, he's expecting you by 10pm, the pay is 150k because you're just starting....
"whatttt? 150 what? Just one night or the weekend or a week, what exactly am I doing for him," I exclaimed cutting Susan halfway.

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Susan let out a short cackling laughter, "Tessy you have no idea how much that hole in-between your legs can earn you, do you?
girl trust me, if you do this one well, the next one I'll give you will be 500k or thereabout, Just know that you'll give me my 30%"

Later on Susan escorted me to the hotel, "Remember what I said, don't establish any contact with him, all he knows is your name and he has your number, you're my client and you're here for serious business"
I nodded in admission.
"also, remember to delete your number and the picture I sent earlier from his phone, you don't want any woman, wife or girlfriend on your tail"

I've heard you ma.
I replied as I made way into the reception of the hotel, I was very nervous.

"I'm here to see Mr. David Ogbuefi" I said to the receptionist on the counter.
She smiled and said welcome. she dialed a number. "Room 202" she said smiling.
I thanked her and made for the staircase. I heard her tell the guy that was with her,
"Nawa for that man ooo, na the third person be this, only for today"

"this night own make sense Shaa" the guy replied.
I wanted to turn back to let them know that I heard them but I didn't, it wasn't my business.

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Six weeks of static prostitution earned me about 2.1 million.
It was too good to stop, no, I didn't start any clothe line, I became very okay with my money and I could afford all the things I wanted.
I had a fallout with Susan after 4 months, so I moved out. I got my own place because I could afford it. This is the life I've always wanted for myself I thought.
That was some years ago, I was 22. I'm 33 now, a professional escort
I met Frank 5 months ago, he's a good person, he was talking about marriage and for the first time I realized I had to settle down, I didn't have a mother to give grandchildren, nor have any family, I just wanted a normal life. I wasn't just okay with my life.
Prostitution could be addictive and the world is small, very small, very very small.
We attended a dinner in Victoria Island last month, I recognized about 7 people, 7 of my clients were in attendance. I poured a drink on my cream colored dress on purpose and made for the ladies.
Frank followed me closely.
"it's really bad, I have to go now"

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The other time at Enugu, I saw two of them. They're everywhere.
Earlier this month someone tried to stab me in a mall.
"you this prostitute! Leave my husband alone"
I just stood there as security men dragged her away, some people took photographs of me. Photos I later saw on Linda Ikeji's blog with the caption, "Prostitute busted, as client's wife attempts to stab her in a mall" the comments there broke me, people hurled evil remarks at me, some were cussing me.
I tried calling Frank but he had blocked my number, he must have seen the post by Linda, in addition,it was even on the news, I had lost all contacts with Susie. I searched for her on Facebook, we weren't friends on facebook, I unfriended her when we had problems, so many years ago. What I saw shocked me,
Several posts were made regarding her death, and that was 2015, I mean Susie passed away and I didn't even know.
Most of the posts were: "RIP beautiful one" "why do the pretty ones keep dying" "only God knows why"
I saw a post by Vera, her former roommate. I clicked on the profile and chatted her up. We met the next two days. She came with a little girl. "meet my 2nd daughter, she won't let me go anywhere without her" she chuckled.
"I didn't know you were married " I said bewildered.
"yeah, people keep being surprise that I'm married now, it's been 4 years and trust me Tessy, I'm happy.
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There was silence for about 30 long seconds,
"what killed Susan" ? I asked finally.
"She was sick, she lost weight and was bedridden for a year before she died, she suffered a lot."
I stared into blank space, everything became blurry, I imagined Susie who was so full of life lying helplessly on a sick bed. I think I dropped a tear.

"Tessy, Tessy are you okay?
Vera brought me back to reality.
"how have you been, what have you been doing lately? Did you start the clothe line? Vera asked in quick succession.
I just stared at her, I mean she was doing so well. Vera was just 27 and was married with kids and had a running business and here I was, with nothing to boast of.
"I have no one Vera, I have nothing" I said blinking to keep back the tears but Vera didn't notice.
She answered a call thereafter.
"oh no, I have to go, that was my husband, he said my son tried to pull out a bottle of wine from the wine bar and pulled about 5 bottles down, hopefully we'll see again" she said as she hurriedly carried her daughter and left the eatery.
I don't know how long I've been here typing this, but the waiter just tapped me, they're about to close for the day.
Au revóir.

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