Chapter One: The Price of a Life

Jane's POV

“Please, Mr. Raymond, I’m not asking for a handout, I’m just asking for an advance.”

I closed my eyes and clenched my hands against my thighs so he wouldn't notice that my hands were shaking.

Raymond didn’t look up from the handwritten ledger. He turned a page, and the crisp sound of paper cutting through the silence made me flinch.

“We’re not a charity, Jane,” he replied. His voice was calm and non-emotional. “The medical cost of your father is a personal issue and not the responsibility of the family.”

I approached his desk, knees wobbling beneath my skirt. My fingers clenched on the smooth black wood tightly.

“By the end of today, the hospital will end his treatment, and the cancer will spread to his lungs. If you pay the balance to the clinic tonight, you can deduct half from my salary every month.”

The ledger finally closed, making a loud sound that echoed through the still room. His large, rounded shoulders took up so much space in the high-backed leather chair that he sank back in its soft padding.

His large hands were resting on the table, right by the heavy silver signet ring on his finger. “If I did this by handing out money to every accountant that's having a financial crisis, then five years ago I would have been bankrupt.”

I felt like I got punched in the mouth and all the moisture was knocked out of my throat.

The thought of my father in the hospital bed, hooked up to the clicking machines keeping him alive, made me refuse to leave empty-handed.

“I will do anything.” The words escaped me before I could stop myself. There was a slight crack in my voice with the effort. “Name your terms, and I will agree to them without hesitation.”

I held my breath and froze, terrified he'd continue looking at me. My shoulders stayed pulled back and my chin remained level, as if I could hold myself together by force.

“And what exactly do you have that a man in my position could possibly want, Jane?” Raymond asked, his tone mocking, almost cruel. “Take a little tour of the city, and say what things could you give to a Don who already has all he wants?”

I swallowed hard and sat for three long seconds, trying to organize my scattering thoughts.

All the rumours I’d heard in the warehouse backrooms of the family business replayed in my mind, along with the recent pressure from the older Commission bosses.

“I’ll be the woman every family needs,” I said quickly, keeping my voice steady though I felt no different from anyone else. “Whatever role you want, I’ll fill it.” I forced the words out before my courage could fail me.

“If you want me to be your girlfriend, I will. If you want me to marry someone to satisfy the bosses, I will do that too. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

All Raymond did was squint his eyes just a bit, as the faint light of the desk lamp reflected in his eyes. “Why would I need a girl in my life?”

I stepped forward, my voice hard with trembling desperation. “Because you need an heir,” I said. “You are worried about that. Treacherous people will use it against you. I know they will. I can stop that. I can change things.”

He carefully walked around the table, stopping only a foot away from me.

“If you do this,” Raymond said in a low, dangerous voice that resonated through my bones. “Let me lay out the rules. I own you for a year. During that period, you're not allowed to be with or even look at another man, until that year ends. And your body belongs to me.”

Every survival instinct in me screamed at once: don’t accept this job, don’t look back at this office, walk away now. The warnings ran through my head on a frantic loop, each one louder than the last.

I closed my eyes for a brief second, took a single breath, and then looked right back into his dark, unyielding stare.

“Yes,” I said. It was an unyielding word and it was the end of it.

Raymond stared down at my face, his gaze tracing the line of my jaw and the stubborn set of my mouth. His expression remained completely unreadable. “Oooh, Jane… you have no idea what you’ve just gotten yourself into.”

“We all do crazy things for the ones we love,” I said, tilting my chin to meet his gaze and forcing myself not to blink.

“My father is all I care about right now. He is the reason I am here. If sacrificing my life or my future will keep him alive, then I will do it. I will walk away from everything I want, take whatever role you demand, and obey every rule.”

After looking at me another moment, Raymond took out a sleek black phone from his breast pocket. He called one phone number, looked at me and waited for an answer.

“Marco,” Raymond said into the phone, his voice cutting through the room. “Call the administrator at St. Jude’s Hospital right now. Settle Jane’s father’s account in full. Make sure every outstanding balance is cleared, and then wire another half million to guarantee a private room with the best care. Do it immediately and confirm back to me when it’s done.”

“The money has been sent, and your father is safe,” Raymond murmured, his voice smooth and dangerous.

He watched me for a beat, then kept speaking. “That settles the debt. From now on you belong to the Hale family, Jane. Go back to your apartment and pack what you need. My men will come for you tomorrow morning. Be ready when they come.”