Chapter 4

The door finally closed.

For the last time, Vanessa looked at her husband's face before she would have to face another man.

She drew a long, shaky breath before taking the first step. Every instinct in her heart screamed no. But her overwhelming love for her husband had driven her to do something unthinkable: to sleep with her own servant.

The room was cold, yet to Vanessa, it felt unbearably hot. Almost as hot as the turmoil burning inside her, making her want nothing more than to run out of the room.

Then a deep male voice broke the silence.

"Mrs. Johnson, please have something to drink first."

Ryan offered her a glass from the drinks that had been prepared especially for them.

Richard had intentionally ordered beer for the two of them.

Vanessa turned toward him, her expression distant and cold.

The truth was, she had never wanted to do something this insane. But the pressure from both her husband and his family had pushed her to cross a line she had always believed was unforgivable.

To share a bed with a man who wasn't her husband.

"You're not going to drink, Mrs. Johnson?" Ryan asked again.

Vanessa pressed a hand against her aching forehead, silently cursing the impossible situation she had found herself trapped in.

Ryan understood what was weighing on her heart. He had no intention of forcing her into anything.

"Are you upset, Mrs. Johnson? Do you regret our agreement? If you do, I don't mind calling it off. I'll return Mr. Johnson's money."

"No! Don't do that. I'm not canceling our agreement. I... I just need a little time. Please. My head is pounding right now. Could you just let me calm down first?" Vanessa pleaded.

Ryan nodded in understanding. He didn't ask any more questions.

Still, he couldn't help feeling sorry for her. She clearly wasn't well tonight.

How could her body possibly welcome his child if she was in this condition?

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Johnson. You don't look like you're feeling very well. If you'd like, I can massage your head and neck. The muscles there often get tense and cause headaches.

"Back in my village, I used to massage my mother-in-law's head whenever she had migraines. She always said the pain disappeared afterward and that she felt much better."

Ryan spoke with the same respectful tone he always used as Vanessa's servant, even though his broad shoulders and rugged appearance made him look every bit the strong, masculine man standing before her.

Vanessa paused to consider his offer.

Maybe he had a point.

There was no harm in letting him help relieve her headache.

"You really know how to give a head massage?" she asked.

Ryan nodded with an easy smile.

"If you don't believe me, you can let me prove it right now."

Vanessa glanced around the room, silently debating whether she should allow her servant to touch her.

After thinking it over for a few moments, Vanessa finally agreed.

"Okay. Go ahead. Where should I sit?" she asked, looking around for the best spot.

"Just sit there, Mrs. Johnson. I'll get on the bed," Ryan replied as he climbed onto the king-size bed.

"Okay."

Vanessa remained seated where she was.

Ryan slowly settled himself behind his employer.

The soft fragrance drifting from Vanessa's body was enough to break his concentration.

It was delicate and alluring, the kind of scent that made him want to breathe it in more deeply.

'She smells incredible. She must take exceptional care of herself. My God... her skin is flawless. If I were her husband, I'd never let another man even look at her, let alone sleep with her. Mr. Richard really is a strange man.'

When Ryan still hadn't started massaging her, Vanessa frowned and glanced over her shoulder.

"Ryan, what's taking so long? What are you thinking about?" she asked firmly.

Ryan blinked, instantly snapping out of his thoughts at the sound of her voice.

"Uh... yes, ma'am. I'm sorry. I was just admiring you. You really love Mr. Richard, don't you? You love him enough to willingly be here in this room with me."

Vanessa let out a weary sigh.

"I don't want to talk about that anymore. Just start already. My head is killing me."

"Y-Yes, ma'am."

Ryan's strong hands finally came to rest on Vanessa's head.

He gently pressed his fingertips into her scalp, instinctively finding the pressure points that eased headaches.

His hands gradually moved lower, stopping at the base of her neck.

'Ah... Ryan's massage is actually really good. My head doesn't feel nearly as tense anymore,' Vanessa thought to herself as she relaxed beneath his touch.

Her eyes slowly drifted shut as his gentle massage melted away the tightness in her body.

But after a while, something about the way Ryan touched her began to make her strangely nervous.

His movements were incredibly gentle, and he was so close.

His hands pressed lightly along the base of her neck before gliding down to her shoulders and the top of her chest.

Vanessa lowered her gaze.

Ryan's large hands were only inches away from the soft curves of her breasts.

Her breathing gradually became uneven.

It was almost as if he knew exactly where every pressure point was, where to touch to make her body relax... and feel unexpectedly good.

"How does it feel, Mrs. Johnson?" he whispered beside her ear. "Does it feel good?"