Ten million dollars

Gracia

My face was on fire. Not just my face, my whole damn neck, shoulders, even the tips of my ears were turning scarlet. That always happened when I was furious. When the kind of anger that had no words rose up in me like boiling water. I could feel it under my skin ready to explode.

God, I hated everything right now.

The embarrassment was choking. The shame, the confusion, the helplessness of not remembering what happened, while that smug bastard treated me like I was just some desperate girl who’d crawled into his bed, begging for attention.

No. No, I was not the villain in this story. I was the damn victim. But I had sat there and let him walk out, biting back my words like an idiot.

And now here I was, stewing in regret, with my pride bleeding out all over the place.

“Ahem. Miss,” a voice interrupted.

I looked up sharply at the assistant or whatever he was. He wasn’t even looking at me. At least he had the decency not to look while I was covered in just a blanket.

“Please, ma'am,” he said. “Get dressed so we can discuss the price and—”

“Don’t even finish that sentence,” I snapped, my eyes narrowing. “Or I swear to God, the door won’t be the only thing I throw something at next.”

He flinched slightly and immediately moved back, “But, Mr. Reed said I should give you whatever you ask for. He never does anything for free.”

“What do you people take me for?!” I said, still clutching the blanket to my chest, teeth gritted. “Do I look like a sex worker to you? I don’t care if your precious Mr. Reed is some hotshot rich guy who never does anything for free. I’m not for sale.”

Chase’s eyes widened in panic. “No one is taking you that way, Miss. I swear, it’s not like that.” He glanced at the floor, flustered. “Mr. Reed just insists on paying for last night. Compensation, that’s all. He doesn’t want it to be unfair to you.”

I almost scoffed. Unfair to me? That guy? Was he talking about the same man who humiliated me? He doesn’t even like me, why would he care about fairness?

“I don’t want his money. Leave now.”

“Ma’am, could you please just name a price? I’ll get in trouble if you refuse to accept the money. He’ll think I failed to do my job properly.”

I stared at him, jaw tight. How was that my business? These people weren’t listening. They didn’t care what I said. They just wanted to check the box and be done with me.

Fine. If the only way to end this circus was to play along, then I would do it my way.

“Okay. You want a price?” I said tightly.

Chase nodded eagerly. I inhaled deeply, wrapping the blanket tighter around me. “Then give me ten million dollars. That’s my price,” I said firmly. “Ten million dollars. If he wants to pay me to soothe his conscience or keep his ego intact or whatever twisted reason he has, then that’s what it’ll cost him. Take it or leave it.”

I expected disbelief, laughter, and a door slammed in my face. Instead, Chase just nodded once. “Okay, ma’am. Please, your account number.”

My jaw nearly hit the floor.

Wait. What?

He had to be joking. There was just no way.

What kind of man was his boss, that his assistant could hand over ten million dollars just like that? He didn’t even think about it.

I knew it didn’t make sense. That was the point, I’d thrown out that number so he’d call me ridiculous, and finally leave me the hell alone. But this man just nodded like I’d asked for a cup of tea.

I looked him up and down, trying to gauge if he was serious or just really committed to not embarrassing his precious boss.

With a tired sigh, I gave him a made-up account number. Screw it. If he was going to play along, I could play too, but he just typed it into his phone to confirm it existed.

“Fine, fine. It’s yours. Knock yourself out.” I said, giving him the correct digits.

He beamed, like I’d just handed him a gold star. “Thank you, ma’am. The funds will be transferred later today after I confirm with Mr. Reed.”

“Whatever.” I waved a hand dismissively. “Do whatever you want. Just please go.”

Chase bowed his head politely and walked out of the door. As soon as it clicked shut behind him, I let my whole body deflate.

I sat on the edge of the bed, then dropped my head into my hands.

Was this my life now? A downward spiral from one disaster to the next? I catch my fiancé cheating on me, black out at a bar, wake up in bed with a total stranger who looks like a god but talks like a devil, and now, apparently, I’m owed ten million dollars for… what, exactly?

I tried to stand, but a dull ache tugged between my thighs and I immediately collapsed back onto the bed with a small whine.

I blinked down at myself, confused. Didn’t he say we hadn’t gone all the way?

I caught a glimpse of movement in the long mirror by the wall and turned.

I froze at the sight of me. Is that me?

I walked closer and gasped. My hair was an absolute mess, and my neck was covered in pink blotches. Hickeys trailed across my collarbone and even down the soft slope of my chest. My breasts looked like someone had taken their sweet time marking them. My thighs weren’t spared either, faint bruised kisses dotting my inner legs.

“I—” I started, but a sharp sound echoed through the room. I jumped, heart slamming against my ribs as my hand flew to my chest.

My eyes darted around until I spotted my phone, buzzing violently across the floor where my clothes were still scattered.

I stumbled forward, pulling my bag closer. My fingers found the phone, and just one glance at the screen made my stomach twist into a sick knot.

I stared at the name, and just the sight of it turned my hands clammy.

I didn’t want to answer. God, I didn’t want to hear his voice. But I knew better than to let it ring out. With a deep breath, I swallowed hard and pressed the green button.

“Y-Yes… father?”

His voice came through the speaker. “Come home this instant, Gracia. You have ten minutes.”

Click.