I decide that I'm not settling for less than everything. I go for broke.
"Jordan." I say, standing from my chair and approaching her. I stand over her as is evaluating her work, but I'm also blocking her opportunity to leave the kitchen.
She tenses slightly but tries to remain calm. "Yeah?"
I use a firm, almost warning tone of voice and say. "Take off your clothes."
"What?!" She throws her hands up, splashing soapy water everywhere. "Mr. Smith, no, that's disgusting, I can't believe you would even-"
I cut her off by waving a smalls tack of fifty-dollar bills in her face. "I'll give you another four hundred dollars if you get naked right now."
That gives her a moment of a pause and I know she can be bought. It's just a matter of price.
She raised her chin in a tiny gesture of defiance and says, "Five hundred."
I know she's trying to negotiate but I'm not interested in giving her even that ounce of control over the situation. "That's right, five hundred dollars total if you strip down to your skin and clean my kitchen."
She looks up at my face and I give her a stern look, putting my figurative cards on the table. "You can take it or leave it, sweetie, but we both know you need this money. Be a good girl and show me you can be reasonable and maybe we can have a lot more business together. Or you can be a little bitch and quit without getting a cent from me. So what's it going to be, Jordan? Are you going to come through for your family?"
