"You're mine now," Reynaldo Humphrey declared as he cuffed me to bed.

I loved Reynaldo’s younger brother more.But at an alumni reunion, I got drunk, and Reynaldo took advantage of me.

The scandal exploded—everyone knew.

Out of options, my dad let me marry him.

Reynaldo had a miserable childhood. His dad began neglecting him after he divorced his mom and remarried.

He had a dark, brooding presence I never liked, but my dad did.

That was why he approved of this marriage.

But I was unhappy, for the man I wanted was Reynaldo's brother.

Frustrated, I took every opportunity to pick on Reynaldo. I made him sleep on the floor, and we never shared a bed.

At the dining table, my elder brother Quentin and I mocked him all the time, refusing to let him have a single bite.

Once, when I was out with friends and it started to rain, Reynaldo brought me an umbrella, but I snapped at him anyway.

I wouldn't feel at ease unless I lashed out at him.

But Reynaldo was a weirdo. No matter how my family and I bullied him or insulted him, he never got mad, always amicable.

To be fair, he was good-looking. But back in school days, he was so taciturn, doing poorly on tests and constantly repeating grades. Every time his name was mentioned, the students shook their heads with disappointment.

In contrast, his brother Winston Humphrey was optimistic and handsome. Coupled with his good grades, he was quite a star at school.

The thought of how Reynaldo had crushed the budding romance between Winston and me filled me with rage.

In the middle of the night, I got out of bed and kicked Reynaldo, who was soundly asleep on the floor, and told him I was thirsty.

He got up briskly to pour water for me.

It was early autumn, so he thoughtfully got me a glass of warm water.

However, I recalled the night of the alumni reunion, when he took advantage of me. Anger took the better of me, and I poured the glass of water on his face.

Even so, he didn't get angry, just quietly going to the bathroom.

A tinge of guilt stirred in my heart as I watched his tall, silent figure. But it vanished instantly when I thought of how he ruined my happiness.

Just like that, he lived with me for three years, enduring my bullying and insults.

A lot of things happened in the past three years. For example, my family went bankrupt; I developed feelings for him; And ... he told me he wanted a divorce.

When he handed me the divorce agreement, he said the girl he liked came back.

I had to admit it saddened me to hear that, like a big hand was squeezing my heart, making it hard for me to breathe.

But as spoiled as I was, my pride didn't allow me to show any sign of sadness or dejection. I signed the divorce agreement without hesitation.

Then, he asked in a lukewarm voice, "Do you want the chauffeur to give you a ride?"

It was a while before I realized what he meant.

Right. This house, where I'd lived for over 20 years, was no longer mine.

My family was broke, and all our properties had been sold.

And Reynaldo—the man who married me by underhanded means, the man we once scorned as a worthless live-in son-in-law—started his own business behind our backs. His company had been thriving, and he bought our villa.

However, I couldn't blame him or demand a share of his wealth. He earned it. For years, he swallowed his pride and suffered in silence. He was a self-made man. He didn't spend a cent of our money.

Reynaldo just looked at me quietly, not pressing me for an answer.

His gentleness reminded me of how horrible I was to him, making me blush with shame.

The tables had been turned. I was weak now, and he was in power. It was understandable if he got back at me for the humiliation he suffered.

But he didn't. He was as tender as ever.

I quickly replied, "No. I'll go back on my own."

I ran out in a panic.

His calm voice came from behind me, "Did you come here for something tonight?"

"No, nothing." I darted out of the yard without looking back.

It was raining outside. I squeezed the gift in my hand.

Today was our third wedding anniversary.

I had been a horrible wife. But now that I knew I had feelings for him, I wanted to celebrate our anniversary with him for once.

To my dismay, he gave me the divorce agreement instead.

I smiled bitterly, letting the rain pour on me until I was soaking wet.

The next day, I lay in bed, sick and feverish.

A commotion came from outside.

I stumbled out, only to find my dad sitting on a wall with peeling paint, threatening to jump.

We lived in a run-down residential building now. It was a messy, sketchy neighborhood, but the rent was affordable.

My mom was crying her eyes out. She said if he jumped, she'd jump, too.

My head throbbing, I comforted my dad that being broke was no big deal. As long as we were alive, there was hope.

My dad suddenly fixed his gaze on me, the intense look in his eyes making my heart skip a beat.

Then he said, "Ask Reynaldo to help me, will you? He's your husband. He'll surely help us out."

My mom echoed, "Yes. We were mean to him, but he'll help us for your sake. Go beg him."

I smiled bitterly. They didn't know Reynaldo had dumped me already.

I said no, but my dad threatened to kill himself.

I had no choice but to compromise.

For that purpose, my mom bought me a deep V-neck dress and a pair of sexy stilettos with the meager money she still had.

She even hired a makeup artist for me so I could have nice makeup and a pretty hairdo.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I sneered.

I didn't look like someone going to beg Reynaldo for help. It was more like I was gonna seduce him.

However, even if I stripped myself naked in front of him right now, he wouldn't be interested.

One thing still haunted me: why had he slept with me that night? Was he drunk, too? Did he mistake me for the girl he liked?

I expelled the upsetting thought from my mind. To shut my parents up, I decided to go and ask Reynaldo for help anyway.

I asked around and learned he was in his office, so I went there in that outfit.

My parents waited outside the office building for my "good news."

Their expectant looks broke my heart, and I didn't know what to say to them.

The staff gave me strange looks when I reached the floor his office was on. Harsh comments and mockery came to my ears.

I pretended not to hear them. Straightening my shoulders, I entered Reynaldo's office.

But the moment I saw him, I crumbled.

Seated in the chair, Reynaldo was smiling at me with a distinguished air...

My fingers interlocking, I voiced my purpose, embarrassed.

Reynaldo's eyes darkened. He asked with a smile, "What makes you think I'll help you?"

I knew this would happen. So, I smiled awkwardly, "Well, forget it, then."

His response didn't surprise me at all. My family and I used to pick on him all the time. We were lucky that he didn't take revenge. How could we expect him to help us out?

It was stupid of me to come and ask him for a favor.

I was so ashamed.

I meant to run. Just then, he said, "Tell me. What are you gonna trade for my help? If it's worth it, I may consider it."

I stopped to think about it. What could I trade for his favor?

My body?

Huh. We were married for three years. We lived in the same room every night. If he wanted me, he had tons of opportunities to have me.

But he never touched me in the past three years.

With my head bowed, I said with embarrassment, "Pretend you didn't see me today."

Reynaldo suddenly walked over and stood before me. He was a head taller than me.

He slightly bent over and whispered with a chuckle, "Dressed like this, why bother to pretend to be restrained?"

My blood seemed to curdle all of a sudden. This was too humiliating. I wished to run out at once.

Before I could react, he wrapped his arms around my waist and smiled meaningfully, "We were married for three years, and I slept on the floor every night. I haven't touched your body for a long time. Why don't you...trade yourself for my help?"

I gaped. Did I mishear? "Wh-What did you say?" I asked.

He stared at me. There seemed to be a vast sea in his eyes, sending my heart racing inexplicably.

Silently, he looked down and gently pulled off the strap of my sundress with his slender finger.

I blushed and shoved him at once.

I snapped, "Don't help us if you don't want to. I didn't expect you to lend us a hand in the first place. You can't humiliate me like this."

Reynaldo looked at me. The expression on his face was unfathomable to me. He appeared upset, but there also seemed to be a half smile.

He asked, "You think I'm humiliating you?"

"Aren't you?"

He adored someone else, but he was being handsy with me. If it weren't humiliation, what was it?

Reynaldo sat back in the chair. When he raised his head again, the look in his eyes turned cold.

He said, "Your outfit tells me you're sincere, but your attitude tells me otherwise. In this case, you should go."

This was what I had anticipated. So, I left without another word.

My parents came to me as soon as I walked out of the office building.

My dad asked anxiously, "How did it go? Will he help us?"

I shook my head.

My dad yelled instantly, "Ingrate! He belittles us just because he's rich now. If I had known this, I wouldn't have let you marry him! How irritating!"

My mom was also mad. "I'll say. He pretended to be polite and submissive. Who would've thought he's so ungrateful?"

I sighed, "That's unfair. He didn't use our connections or our money. How is he ungrateful?

"It's understandable that he doesn't wanna help us. We were never nice to him."

My parents pressed their lips and fell silent with a troubled face.

My headache worsened when I saw them like that.

In the evening, Quentin called his buddies, hoping they could lend a helping hand.

They came one quicker than the other when he asked them out for drinks before. Now, however, none of them would take his call.

Quentin smashed his phone out of rage, saying the so-called friends of his were unreliable.

Under the quilt, I comforted him, "Don't be mad, Quentin. Nowadays, people are selfish."

My mom cried nonstop aside.

In this situation, it was impossible for our family to make a comeback. We were up to our necks in debt.

Creditors came to collect debt every day. We could hardly lead a normal life.

My dad said, "Ralda, go seek Reynaldo's help again. He's rich now. I guess he won't mind lending you some money."

My mom put in, "Yes. Even if you two get divorced, you're entitled to his money, right?"

I curled up in bed. I didn't tell them Reynaldo and I were divorced and that he didn't give me a cent. Otherwise, they'd blow a fuse and curse Reynaldo nonstop.

Quentin objected, "Forget it. Ralda can't go. It's humiliating. We were horrible to Reynaldo. Now, you sent Ralda to ask for his help. It's equivalent to asking for humiliation."

Something occurred to my mom. She asked me, "Did Reynaldo insult you when you approached him in the daytime?"

I shook my head hurriedly. "N-No."

My mom said to herself, "It makes sense. Reynaldo was honest, and he listened to you. Although we're poor now, his feelings for you remain the same. He adores you. Why would he humiliate you?"

Surprised, I smiled and said nothing.

My dad sighed. Looking at the open balcony, once again, he said he wanted to die.

My mom cried every time he said that.

It gave me a throbbing in the head.

Money was our priority currently. We would try to pay off our debt little by little.

I got better several days later and went out for job hunting immediately.

Ordinary jobs were low-paying. It would take forever to save up enough to pay off our debt. But I knew wine promoters in fancy clubs were handsomely paid.

When I consumed alcohol with my friends in a club, if I was in a good mood, I'd give the wine promoters a generous tip.

So, I went to the club I frequented before.

The manager knew me. For old times' sake, he hired me on the spot as a win promoter of the big shots' private room.

The big shots always gave wine promoters a tip.

Against my expectations, I ran into Reynaldo here.

He had never been to such places before. It was so, at least when we were married.

He used to hate it even when I visited a club. Every time my friends and I went out for drinks, he'd stop me, saying clubs made people degenerate.

Certainly, every time he did that, I'd insult him and ask him to get out of my way.

Come to think of it, Reynaldo had been a good husband.

At this moment, seated in the seat of honor, he had a cigarette between his fingers. With a half-smile, he looked wicked and seductive.

I couldn't help thinking the warm, meek Reynaldo was just a pretense.

He stared at me quietly. His arrogance made me feel embarrassed.

I wouldn't have come if I had known he was here.

If only the floor cracked and swallowed me right there and then. Out of the blue, some people in the room whistled frivolously.

I turned my head and found that the men with Reynaldo used to work for Quentin and me.

Damn. They sucked up to Reynaldo now.

They knew I mistreated Reynaldo before. Now, to please him, they'd humiliate me mercilessly.

I'd better go.

Pushing the cart, I meant to leave with feigned composure. Just then, a man spoke.

"Oh, isn't this Ms. Duffy, Mr. Humphrey's wife? What? You came for drinks? Eh? If it's drinks that you want, why are you in a uniform?"

The others laughed out loud when the man finished speaking.

I tightened my grip on the handles of the cart and took a deep breath.

Never mind. They'd seen me, anyway. And they meant to humiliate me. I couldn't get away. I might as well bite the bullet and try to sell alcohol to them. Perhaps I could get a tip in the end.

The creditors were pressing us harder and harder. My dad was always saying he wanted to die. My mom cried every day. To make a living, Quentin had become a deliveryman. How could I care about the insignificant self-esteem and pride at this point?

I walked to them with the cart, maintaining a stiff yet courteous smile.

"Small world. Since you're here, why not buy something from me? If you like it, a tip would be good."

Zane smacked his tongue and shook his head, laughing.

This guy used to flatter Quentin and me whenever he had a chance. As a man, he had a honeyed tongue. Just because my family was broke, he thought he could strut before me now. If only I could whack his face!

But now wasn't the time for being willful. The tip was important to me.

With a smiling face, I said nothing more.

Suddenly, Zane bent over, leaned in, and gloated, "Well, well, is this still the haughty Ms. Duffy I know? It's only been a while since the last time I saw you. How did you end up like this? How sad..."

Everyone hooted again.

Reese leered at me. "You want us to buy something from you? Buy what? In a place like this, don't tell me you were referring to your body. Haha. If you were, you'll have to strip yourself first so we can examine the product. If it's bad, we can't pay. Hahaha."

Grabbing a bottle of wine, I turned to Reynaldo.

He was smoking silently, as if not hearing his companions' obscene remarks. Or rather, he just didn't care.

I looked down and put the bottles of wine on the counter. Then, I smiled, "Guys, you misunderstood. I was referring to the wine. We were acquaintances, after all. For old times' sake, if you want wine, please buy it from me. Then, I can get the commission."

"Why, you're so strapped for cash now?" Zane slammed a card onto the table. As if talking about charity, he said to me, "There's 5,000 dollars in this card. Get down. Bark like a dog. Then, the money is yours. What do you say?"

His words invoked another fit of laughter. There went the mocking whistles again.

The onlookers all stared at me, intrigued.

Even Reynaldo looked at me. His face was calm, but the look in his eyes was too deep to explore.

Seeing that I didn't move, Reese also flung a card onto the table. "Here. Take this 15,000 dollars, too. Bark like a dog, and spend the night with us. Then, you can take both bank cards."

I looked at Reese, petrified.

My family might be poor now. But I was still Reynaldo's wife. How dare Reese say that in Reynaldo's presence?

Unless Reynaldo told them about our divorce and said he hated me. Otherwise, they wouldn't have dared to humiliate me like this in his presence.

"What? Don't you want money? If you can't forsake your self-esteem, how can you make money?" Reese scoffed. "We're offering a high price. On the street, you have to solicit many times to make so much."

Yes. I needed money desperately. What was the point of holding onto impractical self-esteem?

But still, there was a bottom line.

Reese's evil, frivolous smile nauseated me.

I took the card, threw it at him, and raised my voice. "You think 15,000 dollars is enough to spend one night with me? Try 1.5 million dollars!"

I knew Reese. Coming from an ordinary family, he idled around every day and liked to pretend to be generous. In fact, he was petty. When he lived off Quentin and me, he was even too miserly to buy a purse for his girlfriend.

Even making him pay 1,500 dollars would be equivalent to killing him.

To humiliate me, he was willing to spend 15,000 dollars. That proved how much he loathed me.

"Was I so unlikable?" I couldn't help wondering inwardly.

"Hahaha. Reese, you're too stingy. She's the daughter of the formerly powerful Duffy family, after all. How can you only offer 15,000 dollars for one night with her?" someone ridiculed.

Reese's face turned flushed. He glared at me and commented disdainfully, "I'm already offering too high a price."

I ignored him. Instead, I picked up Zane's card and asked, "You mean it? If I bark like a dog, the money is mine?"

Zane was surprised I'd take it seriously.

He was as cheap as Reese.

Most likely, the 5,000 dollars was all he had.

He said awkwardly, "You're always arrogant and conceited. How can you possibly bark like a dog in front of us? You're kidding me."

He tried to take the card back.

I moved it away and said seriously, "I'm not kidding. It's just barking. How hard can it be? A few barks and 5,000 dollars is mine. It's easy money. Why would I refuse?"

Zane looked rueful. He stared at the card, wishing to snatch it away from me anytime.

Reese smirked, "Then, bark. Let us see how the formerly powerful Ms. Duffy waggles her tail like a dog."

I put my pride aside. All I could think of was the hideous faces of the creditors, my devastated parents' tears, and how hard Quentin worked.

I took a deep breath and said, "Alright."

Before I dropped to my knees, a big hand elevated my elbow.

I turned my head in confusion. When I saw Reynaldo's intense eyes, my heart pounded.

"You all go," he said coolly to those men.

Too afraid to upset him, everybody moved toward the door.

When Zane left, he didn't forget to take the card from me. It was funny.

Reynaldo fixed his eyes on me. "You want money so much?"

I withdrew my elbow from his hand and moved away from him. "Mr. Humphrey, question asked, and question answered."

After the collapse, my family was deep in debt. Everybody in Freybourne knew it. Of course, he knew it, too.

"Mr. Humphrey?" Reynaldo repeated with a chuckle.

I didn't know what he was thinking. Nor was I in the mood to chat with him.

Pointing to the bottles of wine on the counter, I said, "Mr. Humphrey, this is the wine you and your companions ordered. I delivered it. If you're satisfied with my service, a tip would be fine."

Reynaldo stared at me silently. I couldn't figure him out.

When I mentioned the tip, I wasn't hoping to get one from him.

Smiling, I turned to leave. Suddenly, Reynaldo said, "I'll give you 1.5 million dollars."

I stopped in my tracks and looked at him in disbelief. "What did you say?"

He walked up to me and looked me in the eye. "I'll give you 1.5 million dollars. Spend the night with me."

The corner of my lip twitched. I really wanted to ask him if there was anything wrong with his mind.

But he was rich now, not the pushover guy he used to be.

I refrained from cursing him and forced a smile, "Mr. Humphrey, stop kidding me. I have work to do. Gotta go."

"Why are you OK with Reese, not me?" Reynaldo suddenly asked, his voice with a cold air.

I frowned. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

"Just now, you asked Reese to give you 1.5 million dollars and you'd spend one night with him. Then why do you refuse my offer?"

I couldn't help rolling my eyes.

I knew 15 thousand dollars was already a lot for Reese. He could never give away 1.5 million dollars for one night with me. So, I deliberately asked for 1.5 million to irritate him. However, Reynaldo just took it for real.

He walked to me and sucked on his cigarette. Blowing a smoke ring, he said, "Aren't you short of money now? As long as you spend a night with me, you'll have 1.5 million dollars. How about that?"

I clenched my fists.

In fact, I was aware of why he was doing this. He merely wanted to humiliate me.

I tried my best to hold back my emotions and sneered at him, "Just because you're rich doesn't mean you're superior to me. Yes, I need money now, but I won't earn money in this way."

Then, I stormed out of the room, tears blurring my vision.

Human emotions were really strange.

I didn't feel sad no matter how my one-time lackeys humiliated me.

But Reynaldo's humiliation was different. It could easily cause a sharp pain in my heart.

I ran to the lobby on the ground floor only to see Quentin being insulted by Zane, Reese, and the others.

Quentin was kneeling in front of them for money.

For the moment, my dignity and pride collapsed.

I covered my mouth and tears streamed down my cheeks.

To raise money, Quentin could actually go this far. And Reynaldo agreed to give me 1.5 million dollars as long as I spent one night with him. Why would I reject it?

I turned around and ran upstairs, hoping that Reynaldo hadn't left.

After rushing into the private room, I saw Reynaldo sitting on the sofa.

He was smiling at me as if he knew I'd come back.

I walked to him and asked, "Do you resent me for humiliating you before?"

Before Reynaldo could reply, I added, "Fine, as long as you help pay off my family's debts, you can do anything with me."

Reynaldo lowered his eyes to look at the wine and asked with a smile, "Then, what about being my secret lover?"

I took a deep breath. "Yes."

He divorced me so that he could remarry his crush, yet still demanded I stay as his secret lover.

What a direct humiliation!

The next day, my father came home and told me and my mother excitedly that our debts had been paid off.

My mother rejoiced with tears and asked my father what happened.

My father said it was Reynaldo who paid off our debts and also bought us a fancy house.

Hearing that, my mother praised Reynaldo dearly, saying that he must love me so much that he had done this big favor for us.

I just smiled at them.

In the afternoon, Reynaldo's driver came to pick me up.

My parents thought I was still Reynaldo's wife and that he took me to his place for a good life. But the truth was that I'd be his lover for his humiliation and fun.

Reynaldo was now living in the villa owned by my family before. The housekeeper and servants weren't changed.

Previously, they also followed me to humiliate Reynaldo.

Now they were still working here. Evidently, Reynaldo was quite lenient.

I wondered if he'd be lenient to me as well.

But as I thought of how he humiliated me in the private room, I felt a bit dejected.

I was different from those servants. They only insulted Reynaldo verbally.

And I not only scolded him but also beat him and splashed wine on his face in front of many people.

A prickling sensation crept across my scalp as I recalled what I'd done.

"Well, I should have been nicer to him," I thought.

Madisyn, one of the maids, led me to a room. "Ms. Duffy, Mr. Humphrey asked you to wait for him in there. And..."

She seemed a bit hesitant. "He also said you must clean yourself before he came back."

I bite my lower lip bitterly.

Just as expected, he wanted to humiliate me.

But what could I do?

Since I agreed to be his lover, I should cast aside my dignity.

This room was where Reynaldo and I stayed.

Everything was the same as before but a bit different.

There used to be a shakedown by the bed. That was where Reynaldo slept while I slept on the bed. I always warned him condescendingly to stay away from the bed.

Now, the shakedown was gone. So was my pride.

The honest, meek husband who I could bully as I pleased...was also gone.

What was gone was gone. I held back my emotions and took a shower.

Then, I lay in bed, waiting for Reynaldo.

Since I was his lover, I'd do my job well.

My family had gone bankrupt, but on second thought, things weren't that bad.

At least my family's debts were all paid off. My parents could finally live in peace. Quentin didn't have to struggle for a living. Nor did he have to grovel for money.

Thinking of that, I felt somewhat comforted.

I wondered when Reynaldo would come back.

These days had been quite tiring. I fell asleep shortly after I lay in bed.

Somehow, I felt a weight on my body.

I opened my eyes only to see Reynaldo on me.

And his hand was in my clothes!

"How... How dare you!"

I raised my arm to hit him instinctively.

But the next second, my arm was seized by him.

He sneered, "You're already down and out. But your temper has never changed."

Looking at the familiar room and familiar man, I got into a trance for a few seconds before coming back to myself.

"Right, he's the owner of the villa now. And I'm just his lover."

I withdrew my hand and said servilely, "I'm sorry."

With a snort, he rose and went to the bathroom.

Hearing the sound of water in the bathroom, I twisted my fingers together nervously.

Actually, I didn't resist his touch after I grew fond of him.

But the sex with mutual affection was still different from a retaliatory, humiliating one.

When I thought of what would happen, I wanted to run away but I couldn't.

A while later, he finally finished his shower.

The sound of the door opening rubbed on my nerves.

I looked over there nervously only to see him walk out of the bathroom in his towel.

He had a perfect body shape.

His skin, not porcelain pale nor deeply dark, was tanned with a healthy glow.

I used to forbid him from exposing his body to me. Previously, when we did it, I was semi-conscious. So, I didn't know his body turned out to be so hot.

Having realized that I was abstractedly watching his body, I looked away with embarrassment.

He quickly walked to me with some heat.

I cowered nervously and asked him in a faltering voice, "When... When did you come back? Are you hungry? How about... I make you some food?"

"Food?" Reynaldo sneered. "What can you possibly cook?"

I was struck dumbfounded.

In his eyes, I was probably a good-for-nothing rich lady.

And that was true indeed. I could do nothing but dance.

Reynaldo suddenly approached me and whispered to my ears, "Actually, apart from cooking, you can do other things to make me happy."

His eyes darkened with obvious lust.

I knew as his lover, I should try every means to please him now.

But my hands and legs just went numb.

It was just the contrast was too significant. I wasn't used to my new position yet.

While I was shilly-shallying, he suddenly put his lips on mine.

His kiss was fierce and domineering.

Startled, I subconsciously thumped his shoulders to show my resistance.

He let me go and tittered with a frown, "You wouldn't resist me if I were Winston, right?"

Winston was his brother.

But what did it have to do Winston?

I used to have feelings for Winston, but since I married Reynaldo, I had severed associations with Winston.

I hadn't seen Winston for three years.

I wouldn't even think of him if Reynaldo didn't mention him.

"My brother is coming back home. You must miss him a lot, right?" Reynaldo stared at me with a hint of coldness in his dark eyes.

I licked my lips and meant to tell him not to think wildly.

Suddenly, he laughed with self-mockery. "I can't compare with Winston in your eyes. Even though I've been richer and more powerful, you still don't like me, do you?"

I felt Reynaldo was somewhat self-abased.

"He's a nice man indeed, but you..." I hurriedly said.

"Shut up!" Reynaldo snapped with a cold face.

I was gonna say he was better.

He was obviously angry. I pursed my lips, not daring to say anything further.

Reynaldo leaned against the window and lit up a cigarette, staring at me with a snort.

He blew a cigarette ring and said indifferently, "Looks like you're still quite proud. Not quite lover material."

I was worried that he'd take back the money he had paid for my family, so I hastened to say, "No. I... I'm just a little out of it."

Reynaldo chuckled ironically.

I bit my lips and walked to him.

Since I'd made my choice, I shouldn't be coy then.

I stopped in front of him, put my arms around his shoulders, and kissed his lips and neck.

His eyes became dark instantly.

I caressed his chest and tried to seduce him, imitating the pretty women in the bar.

But I didn't know what to do next. I just stroked his chest randomly.

With a chuckle, he grabbed my wrist and said in a husky voice, "You don't know how to do this?"

I lowered my eyes and didn't dare to look at him.

He stubbed out the cigarette, held me in his arms, and kissed me madly.

In a daze, my clothes were taken off and my body was placed on the soft bed.

My brows furrowed in confusion.

"How come? Didn't I already sleep with him before? Why..."

I was drowned by his passion before I could think further.

It was the next noon when I woke up.

The sound of water came from the bathroom.

I got up aching all over and found in shock a smear of blood on the bed.

"Eh? How can this be? I thought I had given my virginity to him. Why is there still blood?" I wondered.

Thinking of the possibility, I frowned.

Reynaldo happened to get out of the bathroom.

I bit my lip with embarrassment and asked, "Did we sleep together that night?"

"No!" Reynaldo answered.

I choked in astonishment.

"Why didn't you explain to the journalists?"

He glanced at me and said casually, "You and I were hugging each other naked. Do you think I could possibly explain that?"

"But you could have explained it to my family. If you didn't sleep with me, my family wouldn't have forced you to marry into my family. And you didn't have to..."

"What? Did you regret it?" Reynaldo suddenly got close to me and his eyes had a chilly glint.

I licked my lips and thought, "Shouldn't you feel mad? You were forced to marry into my family and suffered all those humiliations. And you were made to separate from your love!"

Reynaldo suddenly passed the towel to me.

I was stunned and then heard him say, "Wipe my hair for me."

"Oh..."

I hastened to take the towel and supported myself against my knee, rubbing his hair with the towel.

I couldn't help thinking of the past.

Previously, every time I washed my hair, I couldn't bother to use the dryer. I just lay in bed, wrapping my head with the towel.

And he'd insist on wiping my hair and blowing it with the hairdryer, saying that I might have a headache if I slept with wet hair.

At that time, I hated and insulted him, but he still treated me with patience as if he didn't hear that.

Thinking of his former meekness, his current coldness and fierceness formed a big contrast.

I truly found him terribly scary.

He was such a scheming man that he had endured the humiliation even though he hated me.

Reynaldo put on his outfit. While tying the cufflink, he said to me, "Don't run about. Stay here and wait for me."

I sat on my knees and nodded at him meekly.

The first rule for a qualified lover was to follow the master's orders.

Reynaldo suddenly shot a glance at the bloodstain on the bed.

I blushed and covered it with the bedsheet.

Reynaldo curled his lips as if smiling.

I recalled the past three years. It seemed that he had never smiled at me. He was always poker-faced, just like a machine.

Now as it appeared, he had concealed his thoughts so well.

I planned to get more sleep after Reynaldo left the villa.

After all, he went really hard in bed last night. My legs were still weak by now.

But my phone rang as soon as I lay in bed.

When I saw the caller's name, I hastened to get up from the bed...

It was Lavonne Avila, my bestie.

The second I answered, her excited voice came through. "Ralda! I'm back!"

"Really?"

These days, I had been down. But the news that she was back in the country brightened my mood instantly.

Ever since Lavonne went abroad three years ago, I had no one to talk to or to go shopping with. I missed her so much.

She said, "I've just landed. I'll go back to freshen up for now. See you tonight!"

"OK!" I beamed.

After I hung up, I suddenly realized something.

My freedom had been limited; if I wanted to go out at night, I'd have to have Reynaldo's permission.

Given how difficult he was now, I didn't think he'd agree.

I was so irritated.

Forget it. I might as well wait till tonight.

I went to sleep, and it was already past 6:00 p.m. when I woke up.

Madisyn told me Reynaldo didn't come back.

Meanwhile, Lavonne had already texted me the address of the pub, saying she was waiting for me there.

I wanted to go out, but then Reynaldo's warning before he left echoed in my ears.

I literally couldn't afford to upset my sugar daddy.

After pondering for a while, I decided to ask him when he'd be back.

Taking out my phone, I searched for a long time before finally finding our chat interface on WhatsApp.

Come to think of it, I didn't recall taking the initiative to text him—not even once.

We had never chatted on WhatsApp, and there was only a system notification saying his friend request had been accepted on our chat interface.

I wondered if he was still using this account.

Thinking about it, I sent him a cute emoji.

To my surprise, he replied to me almost instantly. But all he texted was a question mark.

What did the question mark mean? Besides, was it really Reynaldo who texted me back? I meant ... how did he manage to reply so soon?

I texted him back, "Reynaldo?"

Reynaldo replied, "Yeah."

Gee!

It was him indeed. Maybe being a CEO wasn't as busy as I had imagined.

I typed, "Can I go clubbing with my bestie tonight?"

As I was about to send it, I stopped.

Reynaldo had always hated it when I came to places such as pubs and clubs. In the past, he had no say, so he'd follow me to those places and then wait outside stubbornly.

Things had changed.

If I told him about my plan now, he'd probably kick me out.

Pondering, I texted, "When are you coming back?"

I even sent him another cute emoji.

He replied, "What is it? You weren't satisfied last night and want some more?"

His answer made me cough violently.

I used to think he was meek and obedient, but now I realized he was actually cold and restrained. And when it came to texting, he actually sent me those flirtatious words so easily?

My face flushed uncontrollably as his fierce, greedy demeanor came flooding back to me.

I cursed under my breath, "A wolf in sheep's clothing indeed!"

He called me suddenly when I was at a loss about how to reply to him.

My heart skipped a beat as I answered hurriedly.

Meanwhile, I realized something.

During our three years of marriage, we had never called each other.

It was hard to believe we were a married couple.

"Why did you ask me when I would be back tonight? What's up?"

Reynaldo's voice was flat and serious.

It almost made me wonder if he was indeed the person who had texted me.

Clearing my throat, I smiled fawningly, "Nothing big. I wanted to know because I was thinking about fixing something for you tonight."

Though I said so, every cell in my body was praying he didn't come back tonight.

"Reynaldo..."

As I was waiting for his response, I suddenly heard a woman's voice.

I was stunned.

Was that his unrequited love?

He was with his unrequited love?

He said, "No need. I've eaten already. And don't wait up tonight."

"Oh... OK..."

I subconsciously nodded while hearing the busy tone.

He had already hung up.

Since he was with his beloved, presumably, he wouldn't come back tonight.

I was supposed to be happy, but I wasn't. Instead, I felt so upset.

Shaking my head, I got rid of those ridiculous thoughts, changed into a sexy long dress, and went out.

Reynaldo had his beloved, whereas I was merely his lover.

One day, he'd get sick of me or find retaliating against me no more fun, and he'd dump me.

So, I shouldn't get any ideas.

After reminding myself of my place, I felt much better.

It wasn't even 8:00 p.m., and the bar wasn't at its liveliest yet.

Upon entering, I saw Lavonne waving at me happily.

She hadn't changed, though it had been three years; she still had shoulder-length short hair, striking features, and always laughed heartily.

She always said she wasn't the type who caught men's attention.

On the contrary, I looked so delicate and charming; combined with my curves, I was men's muse.

She had always firmly believed I was good enough to marry the best man in the world.

And of course, she was furious when I married Reynaldo, saying I could have married someone much better than him.

But now, Reynaldo had become the untouchable rising star in the business world, whereas I was his lover.

How things changed.

I couldn't help but sigh with emotions.

"Ralda, I heard about what had happened to your family as soon as I came back."

I came over, and Lavonne pulled me closer, saying worriedly, "Are you OK? If you need my help, just let me know."

I smiled at her, "Don't worry. Everything has been taken care of."

But she insisted on stuffing me a card, saying there were 300 thousand dollars in it at my allocation.

I didn't accept it.

I knew her family was rich, but she had a vicious stepmother, and life at home hadn't been easy for her, so I couldn't take her money.

She didn't insist further, fuming, "I heard Reynaldo divorced you. Is it true?"

I was stunned.

It seemed Reynaldo had already spread the news about our divorce.

Nodding, I smiled nonchalantly, "Yeah."

She was seething with rage. "What a bastard! How could he divorce you right after he got rich?"

"Or what?" Amused, I patted her back gently to calm her down. "I was so mean to him. I should be glad all he did was divorce me instead of getting back at me."

I didn't tell her Reynaldo wanted me to be his lover, or she'd be burning with rage.

She sighed, "Forget it. I never liked him anyway. Maybe the divorce is a good thing."

Speaking, she blinked and grinned, "Hey, do you still have feelings for Winston?"

Before I could say anything, she continued excitedly, "I bumped into him when I got off the plane today. I invited him, and he should be here in any second now."

I was stunned.

She invited Winston here?

"Ralda!"

Just then, a familiar voice suddenly rang out behind me.

It had been ages since I last heard his voice.

My heart trembled slightly as memories came flooding back to me.

That teenager, in a white shirt, drove me on his bicycle to school.

That teenager walked me through those annoying math problems with draft paper in hand.

That teenager cupped the frozen yogurt I wanted till it became warm before giving it to me because I was on my period.

When I was about to marry Reynaldo, he asked me with red eyes, "Can you not marry him?"

The bittersweet past gradually drifted away like wisps of smoke before I realized it.

I calmed down completely.

As I turned around, Winston came into view.

I must admit—the Humphrey family did have superb genes. Both Reynaldo and Winston were strikingly handsome.

Reynaldo was the cold, aloof one, whereas Winston was the gentle, refined one.

After three years, Winston seemed even more composed. His eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses were so gentle that they could melt anyone's heart.

"It's been a while."

He walked over, smiling at me.

I looked at him calmly and smiled, too, "It's been a while."

Back then, we had never run out of topics to chat.

Yet, now, as our eyes met, I actually was at a loss about what to say to him.

The atmosphere between us grew awkward gradually.

I guessed it was true—some feelings could never be found back. Once they were gone, they were gone.

Neither he nor I could be as innocent and simple-minded as we used to be.

Lavonne's gaze swept between us before she grinned at him meaningfully. "Ralda is single now. Grasp your chance."

Winston immediately looked at me, his eyes deep enough to make me flustered.

Before he could say a word, I said hurriedly, "I've got something to do. I'm leaving."

"Ralda!"

Winston grabbed my hand hurriedly.

He looked at me sadly. "Do you hate ... seeing me this much now?"

"It's not like that," I said.

I didn't know what to tell him.

I was now Reynaldo's lover; even if we were total strangers someday in the future, nothing would ever happen between Winston and me.

I admitted that in the past, I had had feelings for him, the kind teenage girls tended to harbor.

But things had changed, including both my feelings and me.

Winston stared at me deeply. "About what happened to your family, I..."

"My family's fine. Thanks for your concern. And don't take Vonnie's words seriously."

He lowered his head as he noticed my detached tone.

Then he smiled bitterly, "You two are divorced already, but I still don't stand a chance. Right?"

I was about to nod when my phone rang.

My heart skipped a beat as I saw the caller ID, and I instinctively broke free from Winston's grasp.

It was Reynaldo!

Was he calling me because he had come back and didn't see me around?

As his sullen face emerged in my mind, I actually couldn't muster the courage to answer.

After my phone stopped ringing, I called Madisyn and asked her if Reynaldo had come back.

She said no, and then I breathed a sigh of relief.

Winston looked at me, his eyes filled with indescribable emotions. He smiled bitterly, "After divorcing Reynaldo, you still care about him this much?"

I pursed my lips. "Sorry, Winston. Maybe it's the best if you forget about me."

Then I excused myself to the restroom.

Since I knew nothing would ever happen between Winston and me, I shouldn't let him hold his hopes up.

Keeping giving him false hope would be so unfair to him.

After entering the restroom, I quickly called Reynaldo back.

I hadn't answered his call earlier, and I wondered if he was upset.

In the past, I had never had to be so cautious and timid around him.

One's world could surely be different when they were down.

As soon as Reynaldo answered, he chuckled.

It was quite terrifying.

Uneasy, I said, "I'm sorry. I was asleep when you called, and you hung up right when I was about to answer."

"Oh?" He laughed. Then he said slowly, "What are you doing now?"

I was stunned before subconsciously replying, "Your call woke me up, and I'm in bed talking to you."

Staring at my face in the mirror, I was quite impressed by myself—I had never known I was a natural liar.

He laughed even louder, sending a chill down my spine.

Sure enough, those who rarely laughed shouldn't laugh at all. It was so creepy.

"So, I take it I interrupted your sweet dreams?" he said.

He didn't sound angry at all; his voice was gentle and flat, making it impossible for me to know what he was thinking now.

I forced a smile. "Not at all. I was having a bad dream, which was so scary. I should thank you for waking me up."

He grinned again.

With his every grin, I couldn't help but feel more nervous.

It was so, so weird!

Suddenly, he stopped grinning and asked, "Where are you now?"

My heart skipped a beat.

How come I felt he was watching me right now?

I quickly walked to the restroom door and looked around.

There was no one in sight.

Maybe I was overthinking it because I felt guilty.

Plus, chances were, he was enjoying romantic moments with his beloved. Why could he be here?

What was more, he had never liked places like this.

After completely wiping out the possibility that he was here, I smiled, remaining calm, "I'm at home. Where else could I sleep?"

He grinned again.

Again!

If he grinned like this a couple of times more, I might seriously lose it.

"Good."

His unnaturally calm tone made my heart tighten.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off—and it kept getting worse.

Utterly nervous, I asked tentatively, "Well... What are you doing? When are you coming back?"

"I'm out drinking."

The word "drinking" echoed in my ears.

I asked in a daze, "Where?"

"At a pub. Wanna join me?"

His voice was mellow and sexy. Pleasant as it sounded, I felt terrified.

I quickly forced a smile and said, "Perhaps not. I'm ... going back to sleep."

Then I hung up hastily.

Indeed, one shouldn't lie; apart from feeling guilty, they had to keep making more lies to cover it up.

When they realized they couldn't cover it up, they had to face the unknown punishment and fear because of the lie.

All I hoped was that Reynaldo was drinking in another bar, and his call had been nothing but a random thought to check on me.

No matter what, I must come back now.

I rushed out of the restroom hastily, wanting to leave as soon as I said bye to Winston and Lavonne.

However, in the next second, someone pulled me with great force.

I was pressed against the cold wall before I could react.

Someone kissed my lips right after I exclaimed.

Then I was enveloped by a familiar scent.

Gawking at the handsome face right in front of me, I was dumbfounded.

It was Reynaldo!