Chapter 4

The corner of my lips twitched. I almost blurted out, "Are you out of your fucking mind?". But now that Zane had become successful, he was no longer the pushover he once was. Suppressing the urge to insult him, I forced a stiff smile and said, "That's not funny, Mr. Hodgeson. Anyway, I have work to do. Bye." "Darien can, so why can't I?" Zane suddenly asked, his tone cold. I frowned. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?" "Earlier, you said you'd spend one night with Darien if he could give you ten million dollars. I'm offering you the exact same amount, so why won't you spend a night with me?" I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I had mentioned ten million dollars to provoke Darien, knowing that even a hundred thousand dollars was already a significant amount for him, let alone ten million. I hadn't expected Zane to take it seriously. As Zane approached me, he took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled a ring of smoke. "Isn't your family in dire need of money? Just one night with me, and ten million dollars will be yours. What do you say?" I clenched my hands at my sides. I knew his purpose was to humiliate me with money. Battling the bitterness rising in my chest, I responded, "You think you're something just because you have money now? Yes, my family's in need of money, but I won't make money like this." With that, I hurried out of the room, tears blurring my vision. It was strange how emotions work. Even when friends from my past insulted me, I didn't feel hurt. But Zane's humiliation cut deeply, leaving my heart aching. I dashed to the lobby and saw Sam in a delivery uniform being humiliated by Darien's gang. Sam was kneeling before them for a stack of bills. In an instant, my pride and self-respect crumbled. I covered my mouth, letting tears run down my face. Sam was willing to go to such lengths to raise money, yet here I was, rejecting to sleep with Zane for ten million dollars. Why was I holding onto my pride? I suddenly turned and ran upstairs, hoping that Zane had not left yet. As I burst into the room, I saw Zane lounging on the couch, seemingly expecting me. I approached him and asked, "Do you hate me for how I treated you before?" Before he could respond, I continued, "Fine. As long as you help clear my family's debts, you can humiliate me however you want, for as long as you want." Zane looked at the drink in his hand and asked with a smile, "Would you be willing to be my secret lover as well?" I took a deep breath. "Sure." He took the position of being his wife from me and kept it for his old flame. Yet, he wanted me as his lover. What a blatant humiliation! The next day, when Dad returned, he excitedly told Mom and me that our debts were paid off. Mom was overjoyed and asked Dad how it happened. Dad explained that Zane had paid the debts and even arranged a new, well-situated house for us. In an instant, Mom praised Zane, saying he must love me deeply to help us so much. I just smiled in response. In the afternoon, Zane's driver came to pick me up. Dad and Mom suspected nothing. They still thought I was Zane's wife, believing he was taking me to live a life of luxury. Little did they know, I was going to be his secret lover, there for his amusement and humiliation. Zane now lived in the mansion that had once been ours, with the same old housekeepers. He even kept our butler, Bertram Voss. The housekeepers always followed their employer's every order, so they used to join me in mocking Zane back then. Now that he was still willing to keep them, it showed how generous he was. I just wondered if he'd be as merciful with me. Thinking about the humiliation he had subjected me to in the private room, I felt despondent. I was different from the housekeepers. They had only insulted him with words, while I had not only berated but also physically abused him and even poured alcohol on his face in front of many people. Recalling my past actions made me shiver. If I had known things would end up like this, I would have treated him better back then. One of the housekeepers, Mary Wilkins, led me to the entrance of the room and said, "Ms. Tarbor, Mr. Hodgeson wants you to wait inside. And..." Mary hesitated before adding, "He instructed you to clean yourself before he returns." I bit my lip, feeling a pang of bitterness. It was indeed humiliation, as clear as day. But what could I do? Since I had agreed to be his secret lover, I had to be prepared to discard my dignity. The room was where Zane and I had previously shared. Everything was the same, yet different. There used to be a mattress by the bed where Zane slept. I would always lay on the bed and look down on him, warning him not to take a step closer. Now, the mattress was gone, and so was my pride. That obedient, docile husband I once bullied was gone too. Regretting the past, I swallowed the bitterness and took a shower. After that, I lay on the bed, waiting for Zane to return. Since I was to be his lover, I would play my part. Even though things had changed and I felt a pang of grievance, it wasn't all bad. At least my family's debt was paid off, Dad and Mom could live in peace, and Sam no longer had to work so hard or grovel for money. I found some solace in that thought. I didn't know when Zane would return. Exhausted from the recent days, I fell asleep quickly. I didn't know how long I slept, but I woke up feeling a heavy weight on top of me. Blurrily, I opened my eyes to see Zane on top of me with his hand inside my clothes. "H-How dare you?" I instinctively raised my hand to hit him, but he grabbed my wrist tightly. He sneered. "Even in your fallen state, your proud demeanor hasn't changed, has it?" Looking at the familiar room and person, I was momentarily dazed before realizing that he was now the owner of this place, and I was merely his lowly mistress. I withdrew my hand and apologized softly. He chuckled and went to the bathroom. Hearing the sound of running water, I nervously fidgeted with my fingers. After I started to have feelings for him, I didn't mind his touch. But there was a big difference between mutual affection and the kind of possessiveness that was tinged with revenge and humiliation. Thinking about what was to come, I wanted to escape but couldn't. After what felt like an eternity, Zane finally emerged from the bathroom. The sound of the door opening made my nerves jump.