The incessant ringing of the doorbell disturbed a man relaxing in the bathtub. Reluctantly, Bryan got up and wrapped a kimono towel around himself. Water droplets trickled down his wet hair as he made his way to the door. He glanced at the monitor and saw a woman he recognized.
Bryan furrowed his brow and checked the wall clock. It was ten minutes past ten at night. The woman looked pale, just as she had the first time they met. Bryan unlocked the gate and let Angeline into his house.
Angeline stood in front of the door, waiting for Bryan to open it. A few seconds later, Bryan—now dressed in a black T-shirt and black sweatpants—opened the door.
“Come in,” Bryan said without asking. Angeline entered and sat down in the living room.
“Tea? Coffee?” Bryan asked again, and Angeline shook her head.
“Just some hot tea, please. Thank you,” she replied.
Bryan went to make tea for Angeline. Although she had intended to decline, she responded too late; Bryan had already headed to the kitchen.
As Angeline waited, she looked around the room. Only now did she realize there was no security or even a guard in the house. Everything was automated and incredibly sophisticated. It was indeed different from the homes of the wealthy, she thought.
Before long, Bryan returned with two cups of hot tea and several slices of warm bread. Angeline sipped her tea with her head lowered, nibbling on the fragrant bread.
“My time is precious, so what do you want to say that brought you here at this late hour after rejecting my offer?” Bryan asked bluntly. He hated wasting time.
Angeline set her teacup down, swallowed the bread in her mouth, and looked at Bryan with swollen eyes.
“Can you give me a job—something other than what you mentioned before?” Angeline asked hopefully.
“No,” Bryan replied without hesitation.
“I’ll do anything. I need a substantial amount of money. But I thought your previous offer was too difficult for me to accept,” Angeline said, holding back her tears.
“How much do you need? I’ll give it to you. Consider it… an act of charity,” Bryan said arrogantly and conceitedly, showing no empathy whatsoever.
Angeline continued to hold back her tears and emotions. Her lips trembled as she felt offended by Bryan’s words.
“I’m sorry. It seems I was wrong to come here. My mind is a mess, and I can’t tell right from wrong anymore. Excuse me.” Angeline rose from her seat, intending to leave.
“One hundred million?” Bryan said, making Angeline stop in her tracks.
“Two hundred? Five hundred? One billion? I’ll give it to you. On one condition—no, two conditions. And not just money. I can give you anything you want,” Bryan continued.
Angeline couldn’t take it anymore. She turned around and glared at Bryan, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Is it really that easy for you to pay someone to fulfill your desires? Why does it have to be me? I thought there were plenty of women out there who would willingly do it without being paid. I need a job, not charity,” Angeline said emotionally.
“If I asked another woman to do it without conditions, she’d be difficult for me to control. You owe me, so I believe you’ll do anything to repay your debt. You know, I’m just a businessman who considers the profit and loss of making a deal with you.”
“Are you just trying to take advantage of my vulnerability?”
“Hmm… I’m only considering what would benefit both of us. You need money, so I’ll give you as much as you need. And I… I just want you to bear my child. Of course, with a legally recognized marital status.”
Angeline fell silent, her head bowed as countless thoughts raced through her mind. She knew this was an opportunity that wouldn’t come twice. If she refused again, Bryan might not make the offer a third time.
The urgency of the situation left Angeline deeply conflicted. She was truly torn. On one hand, she desperately wanted to free her brother and help her mother. On the other hand, her self-esteem felt trampled because she needed money.
“Your name is Angeline Felicia, isn’t it?” Bryan asked, surprising Angeline. She lifted her face to look at Bryan, who had been observing her expressionlessly the entire time.
“I know your brother is in jail, and you need money to free him. Today, your mother had to undergo surgery because her condition worsened,” Bryan continued, sipping his tea casually.
“How… how did you know?”
“Do you think I would randomly choose the mother of my child? At the very least, you have a beautiful face and a good educational background. You received a scholarship for your bachelor’s degree, right? That means you’re smart—or at least a diligent student. You also don’t have any serious illnesses, aside from anemia caused by exhaustion. I’ve been gathering information about you since you left that night.”
Bryan set down his teacup, remembering how he had immediately called his driver and asked for Angeline’s phone number after she dropped him off. He had also instructed his secretary to gather information about Angeline up to the present.
“I even know that you intended to commit suicide two hours ago. Do you think that if you die, your mother will instantly recover? Or your brother will be instantly freed? They’ll blame you for running away and choosing to die peacefully. Your brother will resent you while he’s in prison. And your mother… she’ll die in pain because she can’t undergo the surgery.”
Bryan picked up a document and walked over to Angeline, handing it to her.
“If you’re willing to work with me, read this document. If you agree to my offer, sign it. Then your mother will have her surgery tomorrow, and your brother will be released immediately. Two problems will be resolved before you even become my wife. What do you say?”
Bryan fixed her with a sharp gaze, his aura arrogant and brimming with confidence, which annoyed Angeline. Anger and resentment filled her eyes because he had discovered her vulnerability and knew exactly what she wanted most.
Angeline had no other choice. This was the only way to save her mother and brother. Without a word, she took the document and signed it without even bothering to read it.
“You’re not going to read it? I might be deceiving you,” Bryan asked in surprise.
“You said you need me to become your wife and bear your child, right? I trust that you won’t deceive me. Just make sure you keep your promise,” Angeline said, feeling utterly defeated.
“All right. You can go home and be with your mother. I’ll give you one week to spend time with your family before we begin our contract.”
“One more condition,” Bryan added, making Angeline furrow her brow.
“Stop calling me ‘sir.’ Just use my name, Bryan.”