"...But fret not…our business relationship has barely begun," Asher said as the corners of his lips curved to form an unsettling smile.
Upon hearing his words, Esther's emotions were a whirlwind, a maelstorm of anxiety, determination, and an unbidden flush of embarrassment that painted her cheeks a rosy hue, "I...I want to renegotiate the terms and make a new contract with more favors from my House towards you. But I want to destroy the present one," she declared, her voice a mix of defiance and desperation, a gambit laid bare in the hopes of regaining some semblance of control.
Asher's laughter, rich and unfettered, filled the space between them, a sound that made Esther's resolve waver and her brows knit together in cold frustration.
