Jing reached out with a trembling hand to pick up the check on the table. She still couldn't quite believe it. As she looked at the numbers, Jing bit her lip, a sudden gleam appearing in her otherwise cold eyes.
*This... is this really four million?* Jing looked at Alex, who was still sitting on the sofa, leisurely drinking, and then back at the check in her hand.
"Don't believe me?" Alex asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. Suddenly, he reached out and pulled Jing, who was standing in front of him, into his arms, making her sit on his lap. Jing was startled by Alex's sudden move and struggled, but there was no way she could break free from his grasp.
"One good thing about me is that I keep my word. You don't have to doubt the authenticity of this check. So, I hope you can keep your word too. Shouldn't you fulfill your promise now?"
Hearing Alex's words, Jing's struggling body suddenly stiffened. She sat there rigidly, her expression unnatural.
"Hehe, you understand, that's good. The moment your hand picked up this check, you became my private property. So try not to go against my wishes, otherwise, even the best vase can shatter, you know." Alex smiled wickedly at her. In the dim light, Alex's hand had already climbed up to Jing's peaks, gently kneading them. Alex's cheek rested lightly on her back, his eyes closed, as if he was enjoying the moment.
Alex smiled faintly, one hand enjoying the untouched fullness and firmness, clearly feeling her rapid heartbeat. And with his ear against her back, he could also clearly hear her intense heartbeat.
Jing sat quietly on the man's lap, a hint of unnoticed blush seeping through her cold expression. She bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't resist, letting the man fondle her body. Although she felt it was the greatest humiliation of her life, the check she held tightly in her hand told her she had to endure this. Because she no longer belonged to herself. Perhaps her thoughts could still be free, but her body...?
"Very good!" Alex released his hands and turned her head, forcing her to look at him.
"I've paid the money. Shouldn't it be time for the... inspection?" His voice was low, almost a whisper.
"Could... could you give me a few days to prepare?" Jing asked, her voice trembling, her teeth still worrying her lower lip. Things had happened so suddenly. She needed time to process, to reconcile herself to this reality, despite having imagined this very scenario countless times.
"No!" Alex said, his voice firm, brooking no argument. "Go upstairs, wash yourself clean, and wait. I don't want to see anything that doesn't belong to you, including nail polish!"
Jing was taken aback at his words, then she lowered her head, a silent acknowledgment of his command.
"Grant, take her upstairs."
"Yes, boss!" Grant nodded, then led Jing, who had stood up, upstairs.
"Jing, you're in luck. The boss hasn't had his eye on a woman for a long time. In recent years, you seem to be the first!" In the corridor, Grant said to Jing, who was quietly following him.
"The first? How laughable!" Jing retorted, her voice laced with cold sarcasm. Submission might only be physical, after all.
"Really? But you should feel fortunate, and grateful for the boss's generosity. Four million dollars... you can ask any 'Miss' on the street, what is four million to them? How many clients do they need to serve, how many years would it take to earn that? Don't say you're beautiful, because there are plenty more beautiful than you, and they're all doing the same thing. Even high-class escorts in this city only charge a few thousand dollars a night. So, you should be happy!"
"Hmph!" was all Jing could muster, a noncommittal snort, unsure of what else to say.
"You've got spirit, I'll give you that. Maybe that's what the boss sees in you!" Grant said with a knowing smile, then pushed open a door, revealing a spacious and opulent private room.
"This used to be the boss's private quarters. The bathroom is huge, and it has everything you need. I'll bring your belongings up later. You don't have to worry about anyone barging in unless everyone downstairs is dead. Alright, I hope you can make the boss happy tonight!" Grant smiled faintly, then closed the door, leaving her alone.
Jing stood there, taking in the grandeur of the room. Although it was just a living room, the area was far larger than her entire home. It was luxuriously decorated, and the large windows offered a clear view of the beautiful night scenery outside. An entire wall was a bookshelf, filled with various types of books. A gleaming, golden spiral chandelier hung from the ceiling. In front of the window was a three-meter-long desk and a very large, imposing chair. A single character hung on the wall behind it - "忍" (Endure). A life-size replica of the Venus de Milo stood prominently in the corner. The plush, gold-upholstered sofa with an intricately carved nanmu frame looked like it belonged in a palace. In the innermost part was a door. Jing knew that inside should be the bedroom, bathroom, and such.
She unfolded the check she held tightly in her hand once more. Seeing the numbers on it, fresh tears welled up in Jing's eyes.
*So, this is it? Is this the beginning, or the end?* But her father's illness could finally be treated, and her parents, who had worked so hard to raise her, could finally rest.
*What about me?* Her parents had brought her into this world, so what did her own life matter? As long as her parents were well, everything was fine. Being with this man might be a kind of relief. No need to work frantically anymore, no need to bear the snide remarks of others, no need to face the debt-collecting relatives.
Suddenly remembering something, Jing took out her phone from her bag.
"Hello? Is that Grandma Wang? Could you please help me find my mom? Oh, okay...!" Grandma Wang was her neighbor, one of the few people who still cared about her.
"Mom, I... I have to work overtime tonight, so I can't go to see Dad. The medical expenses... I've already raised them. Don't worry, it's my bonus. Tell the hospital not to stop the medication. I'll bring the money tomorrow. Okay, I have to go now. See you tomorrow...!"
Jing put down the phone, leaned against the door, and tilted her head back. Hearing her mother's worried voice, full of familiar admonishments, finally broke through her resolve. Tears streamed down her face, each one a testament to her sacrifice, yet a faint smile played on her lips. Perhaps only in this moment, when talking to her mother, did she feel warmth.
She carefully tucked the check away in her bag, took a deep breath, and walked resolutely towards the innermost door.
...
"Ugh...!" A low groan escaped Alex's lips as he doubled over, retching violently onto the plush carpet, expelling all the wine he had just consumed. After Jing left, he had downed another bottle. His alcohol tolerance had never been good, and he had drunk so much so quickly. It would be strange if he didn't vomit.
"Boss, are you alright?" Grant, who had come downstairs, asked with concern, seeing Alex in such a state.
"This... this is nothing," Alex slurred, leaning back on the sofa, his face flushed, his eyes blurred. "Back in college, I could've put this down without breaking a sweat."
"Boss, here's your tea!" Grant offered him a cup of strong tea, procured from a waiter.
"What tea? Get lost!" Alex suddenly stood up and pushed Grant away, then staggered towards the stairs. "I'm going up to fulfill my dream. If anyone dares to go in there, I'll break their bones!"
Staggering and leaning on the wall, Alex made his way upstairs.
Grant motioned to a waiter who was about to go up and help, signaling him not to. Although Grant didn't know what kind of past the boss had with this woman, he could feel that the boss was in a lot of pain tonight. Let him indulge, then! Indulgence could be a taste of freedom!
Alex pushed open the door and entered the bedroom, finding Jing draped in a white bath towel, sitting on the bed, lost in thought. Seeing Alex enter, Jing frowned slightly, her gaze darting away to rest on anything but him.
Her face, still damp from the bath, held a delicate flush beneath its usual mask of composure. The cool, almost ethereal beauty she exuded, heightened by the damp tendrils of hair framing her face, made Alex's fingers itch to touch her. She looked like a rare and delicate flower.
Despite being twenty-six, she possessed the skin of a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, fair and smooth, as if it would bruise with a touch. Her bright red lips were tempting, inviting a bite.
Her eyes, like pools of clear water, evasively avoided Alex's frankly appraising gaze. In that instant, Alex felt his throat tighten, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps.
Her collarbone was delicate, the line clear and straight, her shoulders full and round but not bulky, with a hint of muscle, maintaining a visual elasticity and smoothness.
Alex approached and pulled her into his embrace, her long, damp hair cascading over her shoulders. The proximity, the intimacy of the moment, amplified her allure, a captivating blend of coolness and sensuality.
"You never imagined it would come to this, did you?" Alex murmured, his hand gently caressing her cheek, his fingers tracing the delicate contours of her face. Her skin was cool to the touch, like finely crafted porcelain.
Jing remained silent, allowing him to hold her. She had already made peace with her decision in the bathroom. Life was often a series of compromises, of gains and losses. While this man disgusted her, he was also, in a way, her benefactor.
"Back in high school, all the girls obeyed me, except you. That's why I remember you so clearly, Senior," Alex continued, his voice husky as he held her close. "You were always so kind to everyone else, but to me, you were cold, aloof. You called me a degenerate, a prodigal son, a scumbag. Maybe it was because I had a thick skin, but your words didn't bother me. But when I saw you with that guy, Wang De, I was truly disappointed. Why would you choose that brat? Just because he was a better student? I told you then that you two wouldn't last. My intuition has never been wrong. See? They say women have a strong sixth sense, but men's intuition isn't bad either. Back then, you were a princess in a school, unaware of the real world. There are some things that naive people like you will never understand. Perhaps to you, I was the epitome of evil, the worst person in the world. But it's precisely the 'bad' people who experience the side of the world that 'good' people like you never see. Meeting you was a pain, but I'm still grateful for it, because it taught me a lot. Life is unpredictable, full of twists and turns, just like how you're sitting in my arms now, at my mercy."
"This is my job," Jing said coldly, though her body trembled slightly as Alex's grip on her breasts tightened.
"Well answered, I love your pride!" Alex chuckled. "I had actually forgotten about you, but a few days ago, I ran into that Wang De, which reminded me of you. Seeing how well he was doing, I began to wonder about your situation. And who would have thought I'd meet you here today? I have to admit, it's fate!"
Alex gently removed the bath towel draped around her. Jing felt a chill and instinctively covered her chest with one hand and her lower body with the other.
"Take them away!" Alex commanded.
Jing hesitated, then slowly, tremblingly, lowered her hands, exposing her body to Alex's gaze. She knew that even if she didn't yield mentally, she couldn't show any physical resistance. This body was no longer hers.
"Beautiful," Alex whispered, pulling her closer, savoring not only her visual beauty but also the softness and smoothness of her body.
"Sometimes, fate takes over the world from God's hands, and what's happening between you and me is definitely fate!" Alex turned and gently laid her on the bed, his demeanor both commanding and tender.
"So, don't fight against fate, unless you meet God. And right now, I am your God!"