Chapter 2
Luther and I were meant to be nothing more than a fleeting affair. After last night, Ryan was supposed to get his promotion, and my family’s crushing debt would disappear. We were supposed to be square.
So why was I suddenly being told to work as Luther’s assistant?
I knew it wasn’t the right time to question anything, but the words came out anyway. My face was flushed.
“Ryan never mentioned anything about me becoming an assistant. Is it possible Mr. Stone made a mistake?” Matthew glanced at me, a flicker of disdain in his eyes. “The one who’s mistaken isn’t Mr. Stone. It’s you.”
I stared at him in shock. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Last night was just an evaluation. You’ll only have leverage if Mr. Stone is satisfied.”
Leverage?
At that moment, the truth hit me. I was nothing more than a bargaining chip in someone else’s game. And somehow, that realization made me feel even more degraded.
Still, I didn’t back down. After everything I had already done, shame had lost its grip on me. At least, it wasn’t enough to keep me silent.
I summoned every ounce of courage and said, “Mr. Grady, what happened between Mr. Stone and I was a straightforward transaction.
“I upheld my part last night, so now it’s time for him to honor the promise Ryan negotiated. As for me becoming his assistant, that’s not happening. If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving,”
I lifted my chin and stepped into the elevator, holding onto whatever pride I had left. But the moment the doors closed, that fragile facade cracked.
My shoulders slumped as the ache in my body intensified. Just as I got into the taxi, my phone rang. It was Ryan.
“Hey, baby. Where are you?”
“Ryan, I-”
Hearing his voice was too much. The floodgates opened, and I couldn’t stop the tears from spilling out. Caught off guard, the driver kept stealing glances at me in the rearview mirror.
Fearing he would misunderstand, I quickly wiped my face and covered the mic with my hand. “I’m currently in a taxi. I’m coming home.”
Ryan immediately grew anxious. “What do you mean you’re coming home? You need to go with Mr. Stone on the business trip! The plane takes off in an hour. Don’t screw this up.”
I was speechless. Realizing something was wrong, Ryan’s tone shifted as he asked, “Baby… Did you conceive last night?”
My cheeks burned, and I lowered my voice, barely able to speak. “No. He insisted on protection the whole time.”
Ryan let out a heavy, regretful sigh. “Damn it… Why can’t you just-”
“Ryan,” I cut him off, my voice strained with exhaustion. “Are you blaming me?”
“No, no, baby. Don’t get the wrong idea.”
He quickly tried to calm me down. “Here’s what I’m thinking. Since last night didn’t go as planned, maybe you could stay with Mr. Stone for a few more days. You’d be his assistant, of course. No one but us would know what’s really happening between you two.”
“No one would know? You’re fooling yourself. We both work at the company. We know exactly what being Mr. Stone’s assistant means. Stop pretending like everyone else is blind.”
His words made my head pound, and I had to take a moment to breathe. Sweat was starting to bead on my forehead.
“Baby, I’m sorry.” Ryan’s voice cracked with desperation. “I never expected Mr. Stone to become so taken with you. He insisted you stay with him for a few more days.
“Please, just hold on a little longer. Our situation is too complicated, and you’re the only one who can help us get through this.
“Once I become a branch manager and start earning that big salary, I’ll take care of your brother’s gambling debt. Your parents will finally be able to reunite with him.
“And don’t forget, Sapphire. If you could get pregnant now, it would be the perfect way forward.”
Ryan was right. In the face of this impossible situation, I had no other option.
“Take me to the airport.” I instructed the driver.
Upon arriving, I spotted Luther. He was dressed in a light gray coat, exuding an air of sophistication.
When he saw me standing still, he raised his hand. Like a well–trained cat, I stepped forward without hesitation.
He was on the phone, and I followed quietly behind him.
I couldn’t deny it. Luther was strikingly handsome and had a perfect physique. He fit every Ideal I had for an intellectual partner.
Chapter 2
29
But I didn’t love him, and Luther would never love me. Our relationship was nothing more than a transaction. It was strictly physical without any emotional connection.
We both got what we needed. It was as simple as that.
I followed Luther down the VIP–only corridor to complete the check–in process.
Before this, I had only flown twice–both times with Ryan on our honeymoon.
We had joined a group tour to Nandoria. To cut costs, the agency booked the cheapest tickets on a domestic airline, infamous for its poor service and lack of in–flight meals.
To this day, flying still brought back memories of cramped seats and discomfort.
This was my first time flying first class. Once we landed, a dedicated driver was waiting to take us.
But I never expected it to be Adeline Larkin, the representative for Northstrike Air in Oakspire. I had heard of her. She was well known as the beauty of Northstrike Air.
She wore an ivory Cendara suit that highlighted her flawless, voluptuous figure. Her long, flowing hair framed her beautiful face.
When she smiled, her eyes sparkled with a charm that was both alluring and inviting. She was the type of woman most men couldn’t resist.
I remembered at the company’s annual gala years ago, Adeline’s belly dance had left more than a few executives captivated. But there were whispers that she had left with Luther later that night.
No one knew the full story, but it was clear that everyone understood the unspoken truth.
Adeline greeted me with a sweet smile, but underneath it, I sensed a deep hostility. She glanced at me briefly before deliberately walking beside Luther.
Soon after, she escorted us to the hotel and handed us room keys for separate floors. I could tell it was intentional, but Luther didn’t say a thing.
I kept quiet as well. I silently took my key and headed to the other elevator.
I watched as Adeline walked off with Luther. Just before the elevator doors closed, she turned and gave me a smug smile, tilting her chin in a silent challenge. She was clearly trying to mark her territory.
Still, her behavior felt more petty than threatening.
I spent the whole afternoon alone in my room. Shortly before dinner, Luther sent me a message on WhatsApp. “Come down to the lobby.”
I waited in the lobby for more than 20 minutes before they finally showed up.
Adeline clung to Luther’s arm, radiating the poise of a seasoned hostess as she glanced my way. “Ms. Miller, sorry to keep you waiting.”
I returned a polite smile. “I just arrived.”
The truth was, I had always been more reserved and was never one to chase the spotlight or play power games. In that way, Adeline and I were total opposites.
She led us to Oakspire’s most exclusive private club. In the grand lobby, we ran into a prominent business magnate.
Luther wanted to strike up a conversation, and as luck would have it, Adeline was already well acquainted with him. The three of them laughed and chatted as they moved into the adjoining private room.
Just as the door was about to close, Adeline looked back and said, “Wait for us in The Velvet Room.”
I waited for nearly ten minutes before she returned–alone this time.
She sat across from me, a smile playing on her lips as she slowly dabbed her hands with a wet wipe. “You’ve slept with Luther, haven’t you?”
A man like Luther never lacked admirers, but I had never heard him acknowledge any of them openly. I knew better than to let anything slip.
Some flowers only bloom in the shadows, and my relationship with Luther was no different.
“You’ve misunderstood, Ms. Larkin. Mr. Stone wouldn’t be pleased to hear that,” I replied.
Adeline’s smirk deepened, her eyes gleaming with disdain. She wasn’t fooled. My denial had only amused her.
“Looks like you’re not as clueless as I thought,” she said arrogantly. “But don’t ever fool yourself into thinking a fling with Luther means anything more than it really does.”
Adeline didn’t just look down on me. She hated that I refused to admit the truth. But her bitterness didn’t faze me.
“He was just bored,” she sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. “Men have needs, and Luther’s no different. Instead of finding someone else, he picks an inexperienced woman like you. And when he’s done, he’ll toss some money your way and move on.”
Adeline’s so–called “reminder” was anything but that. It was a disguised insult, a way of calling me a whore without saying it outright.
I was irritated. I had put up with her long enough. Unwilling to back down, I shot back, “Ms. Larkin, I’m not your doormat. Don’t treat me like one,”
Her eyes narrowed in surprise. “You” she started, clearly not expecting such boldness.
But before she could say more, the door to the private lounge swung open.
She quickly masked her anger with a polite smile and stood up. “Mr. Stone, how did the meeting go?”
Chapter 2
When Luther entered, his eyes immediately found mine. Seeing the tension on my face, he likely knew Adeline had been causing trouble.
Instead of giving his jacket to her, he handed it to me. Adeline responded with an awkward smile.
She took the seat I had just left–right next to Luther. Without saying a word, I retrieved my phone from the table and sat down across from him.
He had bitten my lip last night. Most of the dishes we ordered were spicy, but the lingering sting from that bite had muted my appetite. I barely ate anything, merely picking at some mashed potatoes and a salad.
Seeing how little I had eaten, Adeline couldn’t resist throwing a few sarcastic remarks my way. She praised how disciplined I was with my diet. She even teased that I must get a lot of attention on the street because of my figure.
After dinner, Adeline insisted on driving us back to the hotel. Just as we stepped outside, she mentioned needing to go over some branch office matters with Luther. Without a moment’s hesitation, he followed her into the elevator.
l’understood clearly. Luther wouldn’t be wanting my company tonight.
With that, I returned to my room. After taking a shower, I started getting ready for bed.
Just as I took off my coat, my phone rang again. It was Ryan. He had been messaging me all day, asking how everything was going.
It felt almost cruelly ironic. What did Ryan expect me to say? That I was safe and comfortable in Luther’s arms?
His WhatsApp message lit up the screen. “Baby, please pick up. I miss you.”
Even though Ryan was the cause of my affair with Luther, the moments we had shared made it impossible to turn my back on him.
At last, I answered, “Hello.”
“Baby, you finally picked up.”
“What’s going on?”
“Are you on that business trip with Mr. Stone?”
“…Yeah.”
“Did he say anything about me getting the branch manager position?”
My heart sank. So the reason he’d been calling me all day wasn’t out of concern for me. It was just to check on his own career prospects.
“He didn’t say a word about it, Ryan. Is that all?”
Ryan’s tone grew sharper as impatience crept in. “What’s wrong with you? If he didn’t mention it, why didn’t you? Did you sleep with him for nothing?”
Just then, someone knocked on my door. Phone still in hand, I walked over and opened it. Luther stood outside.
I froze. I thought for sure he was in bed with Adeline by now.
Without a word, he began undoing his shirt, his hands sliding beneath my clothes. He pinned me against the wall, kissing me passionately.
My phone slipped from my fingers, crashing to the floor.
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