Luo Xian transformed into a predator in an instant, pinning Su Jin beneath him. Her body was now firmly within his control, his voice low and dangerous. "Say that again," he demanded.
Su Jin's fear was palpable. This man was lethal—a walking, breathing danger. But she couldn't back down now; she had resolved to follow through with her plan. As long as she repaid him, their entanglement should come to an end.
Her voice trembled, but she forced herself to speak. "Not one year… three years. I know I'm shameless! Ten thousand dollars a day—even if you've 'reserved' me, no one else would pay a million dollars for three years. Call it shameless, call it audacious, or whatever else you want. Five million dollars for three years of my life. In these three years, you can do whatever you want with me. All I ask is that you let me go after that."
Her heart ached as the words left her mouth. She loathed herself. How had it come to this? Not just her father—she, too, had changed. The once-pure version of herself was long gone. She had reduced herself to a commodity, bartering her own worth for money. She despised this pathetic, ridiculous version of herself.
Luo Xian didn't reply. Instead, he captured her lips in a brutal kiss, biting down hard enough to draw blood. It was as if he wanted to devour her completely. Tears streamed down Su Jin's face.
When he finally released her lips, he spoke. "Three years for five million? Fine."
Su Jin stared at him in disbelief. He agreed?
But then she saw his smile—the kind of smile a devil would wear. "Don't expect me to let you go after three years," Luo Xian said coldly. "I've already told you, I won't let you go. Ever. If you want to use this 'three years for five million' agreement to settle your debt, fine. But the terms of the agreement are based on the patron's will. If I choose to keep you for a lifetime, you'll stay by my side for a lifetime. After three years, you may have repaid five million, but I'll still continue to care for you. And don't forget, you're already my wife. We're legally bound."
Su Jin felt like she had walked into an elaborate trap. She protested, "No! That's not what I meant. After three years, we should divorce and go our separate ways…"
Luo Xian's voice was merciless. "Do you think you have the right to refuse?"
Su Jin struggled in his arms, her defiance showing. "Fine! If you want to support me for a lifetime, do you even know how much that will cost? My dear patron."
Luo Xian's reply was cold and calculating. "If you live to a hundred, that's approximately 36,000 days. At ten thousand a day, that comes to 360 million. Do you think I can't afford it? Don't worry. On the day you die, I'll ensure we're buried together. By then, you'll have received the full cost of being mine for a lifetime."
Su Jin stared at him, wide-eyed. He's insane!
Luo Xian leaned down to kiss her again. This woman still dared to dream of escaping him? Impossible.
"I'll annul the agreement," Su Jin said desperately. "I'll talk to the owner of the club. I'll get him to void it. Three years, and it'll all be over—including this marriage."
But Luo Xian's revelation shattered her hopes. "The owner won't agree to void it," he said. "Because your boss, your patron, and your husband are all the same person."
Su Jin froze. "What… What are you saying?"
"The owner of the club is me," Luo Xian said firmly. "Remember who I am. I'm Luo Xian—the man who will support you for a lifetime, your husband who will protect you for a lifetime."
Su Jin felt her strength drain away. "Why me?" she whispered.
"It can only be you," Luo Xian replied. From the moment he had held her at the masked ball, he was lost. Perhaps it sounded crazy or irrational, but once Luo Xian set his sights on something, taking it by force was in his nature.
But Luo Xian wasn't done shocking her. "Didn't you say that for five million over three years, you'd do anything I wanted? Is that still true?"
Su Jin hesitated before nodding. "Yes, but…" Before she could finish, Luo Xian cut her off.
"Then I want you to be my wife," he declared. "You'll take care of my every need. Wherever I go, you'll follow. That will be your job—to fulfill your end of the deal for the five million."
Su Jin's eyes widened. "But—"
Luo Xian's dominance was absolute, cutting her off again. "Don't want to take care of me? Fine. I'll just take back that five million. Except, the check has already been cashed, and your father has already spent two million."
He continued, "As for the lifetime support, I'll put assets in your name and deposit money in your account. But my dear, those funds will only ever exist on paper. You'll see them, but you won't be able to touch them."
He'd ensure she could never fly away. This arrangement would both silence her and bind her. She'd have no way to escape him.
"You're shameless! This isn't fair!" Su Jin protested.
Luo Xian only laughed. "Darling, the rules are mine to make. Haven't you realized that yet? So be good and stop being naughty. From now on, you're my wife and the one responsible for looking after me. And let me warn you—if you slack off, I'll charge you interest. We'll have such fun in bed. I promise to make sure you'll stay there for an entire month if you don't meet expectations."
Su Jin's face burned with anger and embarrassment. "You… you're despicable!"
Luo Xian's smile was wicked, his voice low and seductive. "Now, let's start with the punishment I promised earlier."
His eyes blazed with intensity, and Su Jin's heart raced. Those electrifying eyes could make her whole body tremble. "What are you going to do?" she asked nervously.
"Remember what I said in the car? No tears," Luo Xian reminded her. "But you cried just now. So…"
He had warned her. If she cried, he'd make sure she cried only for him—and he'd make her cry until she couldn't anymore.
When Su Jin finally fell asleep from exhaustion, Luo Xian watched her slumbering face. He gently brushed his fingers against her cheek, murmuring, "Fool. I told you to prepare yourself. I want your heart. And once I have it, do you really think you'll ever be able to leave me? You never learn, do you?"
He smirked, already planning their next "little games." After all, wasn't this how couples built their "special moments" together?