“Perfect,” Marielle practically purred. “And you’re not on birth control, right? That’s important for the process.”
“No, I’m not,” I confirmed. “I don’t have a boyfriend or husband, so there’s no need. My system works great on its own, so I’m good to go!”
Again, Marielle smiled like a cat who’d gotten into the cream.
“Perfect,” she reiterated. “But let me be upfront with you, Haley. This isn’t egg donation with a lot of drugs or machines. Instead, we’re looking for girls to donate their eggs in a more traditional manner.”
I scrunch my brow.
“What do you mean?” I ask in a slow tone. “I’m sorry, I haven’t done this before so I’m not super-familiar with the process.”
The middle-aged woman leaned back, steepling her hands before going in for the kill.
“Basically, we’re looking for girls to be auctioned,” she clarified. “You will be primped and prepped until you’re a vision, and then powerful billionaires will bid on your assets. You will share your curves with them for a special night and be paid handsomely as a result. Many of our girls adore the experience and come back to be sold again and again.”
“Sold?” I gasp, the blood rushing to my cheeks. “As in for money? Like an escort?”
“We don’t like to use the word ‘escort,’” Marielle said in a measured tone, as if we were discussing a completely normal business transaction. “But yes, you’d be expected to fulfill a handsome billionaire’s needs for one night. That’s not so bad, is it? Quite a few of our girls are very wealthy women now, solely from this job. It beats working at Starbucks, that’s for sure.”
I gaped at her, unable to believe my ears. But then my mouth emitted words before I could control the impulse.
“How much are we talking for one night?”
Marielle smiled wickedly, one corner of her lips turning up.
“Well, let’s see. You’re twenty-one and very beautiful, with an air of innocence that many of our customers value. But let me ask you a very personal question: are you also untouched?”
I stared at the middle-aged woman.
“Do you mean if I’m a virgin?” I managed to squeak.
“Yes, exactly.”
Oh my god, where was this line of questioning going? But I swallowed hard and nodded.
“I’ve played around with boys a bit, but yes, I’m a virgin,” I managed in a choked voice. “I’ve never gotten to home base with anyone.”
“Perfect,” Marielle said. “It raises your going rate by quite a lot, you know. Men will pay good money to be a young woman’s first. It’s the teaching experience they enjoy. I’d say you’d go for ...well, let’s see,” she mentally calculated. “Minimum a hundred thousand, if not quite a bit more.”
My jaw dropped to the floor as my eyes grew as round as saucers.
“One hundred thousand dollars for one night?” I whispered, my heart beating erratically.
“Oh yes, minimum,” Marielle said in a breezy voice. “We set floors for our girls, and the minimum bids generally start at a hundred thousand for a virgin. But you’re very pretty, so I’d expect you to go for much more.”
My mind whirred as my palms grasped the arms of the chair. A sweat broke out on my brow as my pulse raced, but I already knew what I had to do.
“I’ll take it,” I managed in a reedy tone. “Just let me know when and where.”
“Perfect,” Marielle said with a smug smile, not at all surprised at my acquiescence. “Of course, you will be examined by a doctor first, and we’re going to run a background check as well. But girls your age generally have clean records, so I’m not worried. Here’s my card,” she said, handing me a clean ivory rectangle with a number printed on it. “I’ll be in touch.”
I nodded while getting to my feet, my knees weak. Oh my god, was this really happening? Was I agreeing to sell my body to an anonymous man in exchange for a night of sex? But just as I turned to go, one last question crossed my mind.
“So why did you phrase this as egg donation?” I asked in a slow tone. “I understand you didn’t want to speak exactly to what’s going on, but why egg donation specifically? And what about allthat stuff about making sure I wasn’t on birth control? Wouldn’t it be better if I wasonthe pill?”
“Oh that,” Marielle said with a wave of her hand like it was no big deal. “Yes, we use euphemisms around here for obvious reasons. But egg donation is an accurate descriptor because quite a few of our billionaires like to enjoy their women bare and unprotected. No condoms, no IUD, no nothing. They like their women fertile and ripe, especially when she’s a virgin.”
I gasp, my eyes wide.
