Chapter 4

I shivered, curling into myself. At a loss, I decided to give in, gritting my teeth. Instead of resisting, I wrapped my arms around Darius's neck. "If I satisfy you, you'll let me sign that big contract. I need... that money." "Satisfy me?" Darius scoffed, as though he'd heard the most ridiculous joke. He grabbed me and tossed me onto the bed. "Seraphina, to me, you're just a tool. Nothing but a weakling—barely stronger than a wolf. If you weren’t so cheap, so willing to sell yourself for money, I wouldn’t even touch you." My eyes fluttered, but I couldn't find the words to respond. Darius wasn’t interested in listening to any more of my nonsense. Seeing my tear-streaked face, full of helplessness and sorrow, his brow furrowed, and a surge of disgust rose within him. He flipped me over, probably not wanting to look at my pathetic, revolting face any longer. The ordeal dragged on until dawn before it finally ended. After showering, Darius grabbed the documents, signing them with a flourish. He tossed the papers onto my face. "Here’s the money for selling yourself," he said coldly. I caught the file, my nails digging into the cold paper. I lowered my lashes, hiding the sadness in my eyes. Darius straightened his cuffs, not bothering to look back, and left without a word. Exhausted, I collapsed onto the bed, drifting into a dazed, hazy sleep at the hotel. When I woke, it was already noon. I remembered I hadn’t taken my birth control pills yet and hurried to the bathroom, then prepared to head to the hospital. When Darius and I first got together, he insisted I take the pills every time. He said I wasn’t worthy of bearing his children, and if I ever got pregnant, he’d make sure the child wouldn’t have a chance to live. It had hurt me deeply for a long time. Later, after I was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and knew I wouldn’t live long, the thought of having children faded completely. If I were gone, who would protect my child? Darius would only loathe a child. After submitting the contract at the company, I went to the hospital for a checkup. “I still stand by my recommendation,” Dr. Finnick Greystone said as he reviewed my results. “If you go to the Texas Medical Center for treatment now, there’s a very good chance your condition could improve.” Over six months ago, when I was first diagnosed with the malignant brain tumor, Dr. Greystone had urged me to undergo surgery at Texas Medical Center. Even though the success rate was only fifty percent, trying seemed better than just waiting to die. I shook my head, a faint, cold smile tugging at my lips. "Some things are more important than life. And fifty percent... I don’t want to die alone on an operating table." I just wanted to stay by Darius’s side, to live until my last breath, and then find a peaceful place to wait for the end. Dr. Greystone sighed and stopped trying to convince me. "Your tumor has grown significantly. It's pressing on your nerves. From now on, you’ll likely experience frequent nosebleeds, weight loss, and possibly even blindness. In severe cases, you could faint without warning." I quickly asked, "Is there any way to ease the symptoms? I don’t want anyone to know I’m sick." Dr. Greystone gave a wry smile. "You've managed to hide it this long, but... it's getting harder to conceal." "I’ll manage somehow, no matter how expensive the medication is. I can pay for it." Dr. Greystone sighed again. "There is a new treatment available that can alleviate your symptoms for a month. But the cost... at least three hundred thousand dollars." Three hundred thousand dollars. That would drain all my savings. "Dr. Greystone, please arrange it. I’ll go for that treatment." After everything was set up, I took a week off from work for the treatment. The treatment worked wonders. Over those few days, my appetite improved, and by the end of the week, I felt completely revitalized, with no sign of illness at all. Returning to Darius's villa, I had just opened the door when his cold voice echoed through the house. "Where have you been these past few days?" The living room was dim, with only the glow of streetlights filtering through the windows, casting a shadow over Darius’s tall, imposing figure. The sight made him seem even more intimidating. "Got your money, and now you can’t wait to go out and have fun?" He stood up, walking toward me.