Chapter 2

I felt my rage blazing from within as the thought sank in. "I'm asking you one last time, Charlotte. Are you sure you want to end this?"

Charlotte nodded without the slightest hesitation. "Yes! You and I are done from this moment onward! I have already paid you, so get out!"

Upon hearing Charlotte mention the payment again, the confusion I had momentarily dismissed came rushing back. "What payment?"

Charlotte let out a contemptuous laugh. "Drop the act. I had the finance department back wire you 99 dollars every time I slept with you, Robert."

It was only then that I understood the truth behind the mysterious 99-dollar deposits. I had foolishly assumed they were minor expense reimbursements, not the price of my "services."

I let out a weary sigh, acknowledging that it was genuinely hard to find someone suitable for that kind of intimacy. After a moment, I said, "I'm going to ask you just one question, Charlotte."

I shifted my tone, my face set in a serious expression as I gazed at her. "Did you really feel nothing for me in this past month?"

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, her expression dripping with contempt. "Have you lost your mind? How could I, CEO of Ward Group, develop feelings for a man who lives off women like you? Your only assets were your stamina and skills in bed. You possessed no other redeeming feature beyond that."

She then fixed me with a sharp look and added, "I'll be honest with you, Robert. With my kind of upbringing and background, being in a long-term relationship with someone like you is simply impossible."

I fought to suppress a laugh, mimicking her disdainful delivery as I retorted, "I'll be honest with you as well since you were so candid, Ms. Ward. The heights you have reached are but the visible edge of the real world. Ward Group will amount to absolutely nothing once I'm gone."

I had barely walked out when the door slammed shut behind me. The cold autumn air whipped around me, and I realized that the luggage Charlotte had tossed at me contained nothing but a few flimsy pieces of clothing.

I stared at the now firmly locked door, a complex wave of emotions washing over me.

I had genuinely planned to disclose my identity and bring her home to meet my parents once this busy stretch ended. I hadn't expected that after all my efforts—nearly a hundred nights together—that my sole function was to satisfy her base desires.

I couldn't hold back my frustration any longer. I hailed a cab and went directly to Ward Group. I walked from the main entrance all the way to the CEO's office, with all the employees I passed pointing and gossiping about me.

"Isn't that Mr. Foster? Why is he here?"

"Haven't you heard what happened? Ms. Ward fired him! He must be here now to demand his severance pay!"

"That's what you get when you live off women. He not only got dumped, but he also got fired."

I understood right away that to all these people, I was already a complete and utter joke.

Charlotte stepped out of her office, her face full of disdain. "Haven't I already paid you? What are you doing at the company, Robert?"

I swallowed my rage and looked straight into her eyes. "I heard that I'm getting fired."

In that instant, the entire office floor went silent. Every employee was straining to hear, utterly captivated by how this dramatic confrontation would play out.

I had hoped for a clean break; I hadn't expected her to act so ruthlessly. A termination and a voluntary resignation were worlds apart. If this information had circulated within the industry, it would have severely compromised my professional standing.

Charlotte dismissively waved me off. "Stop being so pathetic, Robert. I made it clear this morning that I no longer want anything to do with you."

"I just want to know if I'm really getting fired, Charlotte," I said flatly.

"Yes, you are!" Charlotte snapped. "You just had to show up here when I was going to let you walk away with whatever dignity you had! I have no need for incompetence on my payroll, Robert!"

I fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "You're going to regret this, Charlotte."

She scoffed. "Why would I? Your position as the director of the company was a mere formality, a reward for your… services. Now that Mr. Zimmerman is back, your time here is over."