"I got it," Adam said. "And it's good that he asked you to stay at his mansion. He trusts you more than I thought. Let's consider it an opportunity to get closer to him."
Jacqueline pursed her lips and asked, "How long do I have to stay here?"
Living with a mafia don was insane, she thought. She had no idea how she would navigate life in this mansion.
"I'll let you know later," Adam gave a vague answer.
It wasn't the first time Jacqueline received such a response. They never disclosed any part of their plans to her. She didn't even know why Madam Claire wanted her to approach and marry Benjamin. Was it to harm Benjamin, or for some other purpose?
She was just a pawn in Madam Claire's chess game, Jacqueline concluded. Initially, she felt she wasn't getting the respect she deserved. But when she remembered why she was here, Jacqueline stopped dwelling on it.
Nevertheless, their treatment still made her uneasy.
"One more thing, Miss Kelly. Find an opportunity to get into his bed," Adam said.
Jacqueline frowned, "Get into his bed? What do you mean?"
"Have sex with him," Adam's tone remained unchanged as if he was stating a normal request.
But in Jacqueline's mind, it was like a bomb had just exploded. It took her almost a minute to digest his words.
"What did you say? Have..." Jacqueline almost shouted. Then, she covered her mouth immediately, realizing she was causing a scene, and it would be embarrassing when someone heard what she said.
Adjusting her volume but unable to hide her indignation, she asked, "What do you mean?"
"Do I need to tell you the steps to have sex?" Adam said. "You can do that, right?"
"I..." Jacqueline hesitated. Having sex with a stranger was beyond her limits. Jacqueline still held onto her modesty, even though many people were more open-minded in this era.
On the other end, Adam's mocking laughter echoed, "Are you too innocent? Sooner or later, you'll have to service with Mr. Turner. You agreed to marry him but still think you don't have to have sex with him?"
Jacqueline pursed her lips, unable to refute Adam's words with any logic.
Reluctantly, she had to accept the task of having sex with Benjamin as part of her duties.
"But..." Jacqueline hesitated, feeling her cheeks burning as she was about to ask a foolish question. "How do I do that with him?"
"Don't refuse him," Adam replied casually. As a man, Adam understood too well how most men's brains worked. Benjamin wouldn't be able to resist Jacqueline's allure; he would have to act sooner or later.
After giving some instructions, Adam simply hung up.
Jacqueline had become somewhat accustomed to Adam's impolite attitude. By now, realizing it was late, she placed her smartphone on the bedside table.
"It's time to sleep, Jane," she muttered and slipped under the covers.
Although she tried, Jacqueline couldn't relax her mind. Now, she not only had to stay in this mansion but also had to sleep with Benjamin.
Damn it, she was too confused at that moment to ask what "don't refuse him" meant.
By 1 a.m., she still couldn't sleep. Frustrated with trying to fall asleep, Jacqueline got out of bed. She carefully opened the door and silently stepped into the hallway.
Her initial intention was to go to the kitchen and pour herself a glass of warm water.
As she approached the stairs, she realized that the last room at the end of the hallway still had its lights on.
Jacqueline wasn't a curious girl, so she ignored it and continued her task.
Unexpectedly, the sound of a door opening echoed from that room.
Jacqueline was startled, looking towards it. Her eyes widened when she saw someone stepping out of the room. The dimly lit hallway didn't allow her to see the person's face.
The person seemed to notice her presence. Jacqueline felt them looking at her.
Except for Benjamin, Samuel, and Helena, she didn't know anyone in this mansion. Perhaps she should just ignore it and continue her work.
Just before Jacqueline could set her foot down the stairs, the person spoke, "Can't sleep, Jane?"
"Benjamin?" Jacqueline exclaimed as soon as she heard the familiar voice. Remembering the task she had, she felt her face heating up. Fortunately, the darkness helped conceal her embarrassment.
But right after, Benjamin turned on the light in the hallway and approached her, saying, "Having trouble sleeping?"
Jacqueline lowered her head so Benjamin couldn't see her flushed face. She murmured, "Yeah, just a little."
Unable to face Benjamin, Jacqueline hastily said, "I'll be able to sleep after having some warm water."
Jacqueline descended the stairs before Benjamin could say anything else to her. It was embarrassing, but she couldn't deny she was avoiding Benjamin.
Meanwhile, Benjamin, left behind in the hallway with his mouth open, felt dismissed. It was the first time someone had ignored him. It was crazy and infuriating.
Benjamin Turner, the predestined sole heir of the powerful Turner family, was raised as a lord from the moment he was conceived. He always stood at the center, a focal point that commanded the attention of everyone around him.
Many admired him, lured by the wealth he possessed, but most were intimidated by the overwhelming authority he held. No one dared to go against him. And when he showed kindness to someone, it meant he was bestowing a favor upon them.
However, just a few seconds ago, Jacqueline shattered that established dynamic. Benjamin clicked his tongue, contemplating where the issue lay. It was challenging for those always praised like Benjamin to accept that they might not be as attractive as they thought.
Slowly descending to the lower floor, he entered the kitchen where Jacqueline was.
He wanted to confirm whether his natural charisma was useless against Jacqueline.