Chapter 53
Anathea froze for a moment. Did Gregory just say he would give her three million?
But when her gaze met his deep, unreadable eyes, a faint tremor ran through her chest.
She knew very well that Gregory was a businessman who only dealt in profit and loss. If she wanted something from him, there would always be a price to pay. And that price…
Gregory’s eyes were like those of a hawk; he looked at her as though she were prey. But Anathea had no other choice.
“I’ll give you five seconds to decide.”
The faucet dripped, each droplet echoing like a hammer against her heart
“Yes,” Anathea said, her voice barely a whisper. It was a difficult decision.
Gregory let out a mocking laugh, amusement filling his eyes.
She didn’t need him to tell her what to do next as she drew back her hand from his chest and slowly reached out to him.
Seeing her slightly trembling fingers, Gregory curled his lips and yanked off his tie. He grabbed her wrists and bound both of her
hands together, giving her no room for regret.
Anathea’s fingers slowly curled inward as she lowered her eyes.
Gregory tied the knot with one hand while using the other to call his driver, instructing him not to come. Then, with one arm, he scooped up Anathea and strode toward the elevator, heading straight for the penthouse suite.
This was the second time Gregory had brought Anathea here.
The first time was when she’d come looking for him and nearly exposed her identity as his wife, which had infuriated him. That night, Gregory had tied her up with his tie and dragged her to this very suite, where an entire room was filled with all kinds of
tools.
He’d used them to torment her until morning. She’d passed out multiple times, only to be forcibly awakened–over and over- until she’d lost her voice and her tears had run dry. Only then had he finally let her go.
This time, she still couldn’t escape her fate of being at his mercy.
But the biggest difference from last time was that back then, she’d still loved him. Even when he’d been punishing her, there had
been a twisted sense of pleasure for her.
This time, all she felt was endless sorrow and absurdity.
She laughed at herself bitterly. Once again, she’d sold herself like a bargaining chip. This time, she even had a clear price tag. How
was she any different from the women in nightclubs?
1/2
hapter:13)
A sharp pain stabbed through Anathea’s heart, but she still obeyed Gregory’s silent command and lay down.
+15 Bonus
In the lavish penthouse suite, beneath the dazzling crystal chandelier, a man’s dress shirt and suit pants lay scattered on the
floor, entangled with a torn dress.
On the table, a vase trembled violently with every movement until it slid to the edge and, without warning, crashed to the ground.
It shattered into pieces, just like the last, sorrowful cries that escaped from Anathea’s throat–hoarse and drenched in agony.
In the end, Gregory finished sooner than expected. He undid the restraints around her wrists and ankles, tossing them to the
floor. He then sat at the foot of the bed and lit a candle, letting its fragrance gradually soothe the restlessness and aggression
within him.
Anathea curled up in the massive bed, looking small and fragile. The skin exposed outside the blanket was covered in bruises.
Her face was flushed, her eyelashes fluttering as she murmured, “Gregory, I stopped loving you a long time ago. I don’t love your anymore. Once the cooling–off period is over, we’ll be nothing but strangers.”
“What did you say?” Gregory frowned. He’d only caught the first part. But Anathea had already closed her eyes, slipping into
unconsciousness.
Gregory stared at her for a long moment before letting out a cold, disdainful laugh. “You think I care whether you love me or
I
Not?”
–
Her love or lack thereof–meant nothing to him because he knew with absolute certainty that he didn’t love her. Their marriage had been nothing more than a product of someone else’s schemes.
Being manipulated was the one thing Gregory hated the most. Allowing Anathea to stay by his side and be his wife was already the greatest kindness he could offer.
