CHAPTER 1

Tonya’s POV

“Why are you acting like you are some kind of saint?” Philips snapped, his voice echoing through the living room as he paced back and forth. His frustration was written all over his face, yet there wasn't an ounce of guilt in his eyes. “All you have to do is spread your legs for him for just one night, Tonya. In return, he's giving me ten million dollars, and my company will finally get back on its feet.”

He stopped in front of me, letting out an impatient sigh before continuing. “It shouldn't even be this difficult if you truly love me.”

I remained seated on the couch, completely frozen. My mind struggled to process the words that had just come out of my husband's mouth. I searched his face, hoping to find even the slightest hint that this was some cruel joke, but there was nothing.

He was serious, the man I had been married to for two years, the man I had sacrificed everything for, was asking me to sleep with another man in exchange for money.

Not just any man, Jael Blackwood. I felt my throat tighten as disbelief slowly gave way to heartbreak. Never, not even in my worst nightmare, had I imagined Philip would reduce me to something that could be traded for financial gain.

He wasn't asking me to save our marriage, he was asking me to sell myself so he could save his company.

My fingers tightened around each other as I fought back the tears burning behind my eyes. “I... I can't,” I said quietly, my voice trembling despite my efforts to steady it. “You know exactly who Jael Blackwood is. You know what he did to my family. He destroyed my parents' business and ruined everything they spent years building. And now you are asking me to sleep with him?” I shook my head in disbelief, my chest aching with every word. “What kind of husband would even ask his wife to do something like that?”

The mere mention of Jael's name brought back memories I had tried so hard to bury. Out of every man in the country, Philip had chosen him.

The most powerful billionaire in the country. A man whose influence reached every corner of the business world. One decision from him was enough to build an empire or destroy one overnight. My parents had learned that the hard way. Years of hard work, sleepless nights, and sacrifices had all crumbled because of him.

Everything they had built from nothing disappeared because Jael Blackwood decided it should and now fate had somehow brought him back into my life.

Philip rubbed a hand over his face before looking at me again. “Tonya, stop making this harder than it has to be,” he said, his tone softening just enough to sound persuasive instead of angry. “If you really love me the way you have always claimed you do, then you'll make this sacrifice for me.”

He took another step closer. “It's only one night,” he continued, speaking as though what he was asking was perfectly normal. “Do you even realize how much money we are talking about? A man is willing to pay ten million dollars for a pussy for just a night.”

His words made my stomach turn, every word felt like a slap across my face. The way he spoke about me, the way he reduced my worth to a price made me feel less like his wife and more like an object he owned and was preparing to hand over to the highest bidder.

The humiliation was unbearable, I stared at him, barely recognizing the man standing before me.

“What the hell, Philip?” I shouted, my voice cracking as I shot to my feet. My entire body trembled with anger, hurt, and humiliation. “Is that all I am to you now? Just a pussy? something you can sell to the highest bidder?”

My chest rose and fell heavily as I stared at him, waiting for him to deny it, to tell me he hadn't meant what he said. Instead, he sighed in frustration. “You know that's not what I meant,” he replied, pinching the bridge of his nose as though I was the one making things difficult. “You are twisting my words and trying to avoid the real issue.”

He took a step toward me, lowering his voice in another attempt to reason with me. “Just do this for me, Tonya. It isn't as impossible as you are making it sound. It's one night, that's all. Besides, your parents have already forgiven Jael.”

His words made me freeze. Slowly, I turned my head toward my parents, who had remained seated throughout the entire argument. Neither of them had tried to stop Philip. They had simply sat there listening.

“You forgave Jael Blackwood?” I asked quietly, unable to hide the disbelief in my voice.

My father lowered his eyes for a brief second before looking back at me.

“I had to,” he answered with a weary sigh. “Don't look at me like that. Do you think this is what I wanted? Do you think I don't hate myself for even considering it? We are drowning, Tonya. We have lost everything. We are broke and desperate, and I don't see another way out.”

I slowly shook my head, unable to believe what I was hearing. This was the same man who had spent years cursing Jael Blackwood's name. The same father who once swore that if he ever crossed paths with Jael again, he would never forgive him.

Yet here he was not only forgiving him, but helping him buy his own daughter.

My father drew in another breath before speaking again. “Jael offered Philips ten million dollars if you spend one night with him,” he said, his voice quieter this time. “And he promised me another two million dollars if we managed to convince you.” He paused briefly before continuing. “I honestly don't know what he sees in you that makes you worth that kind of money to him, but please, don't let this opportunity slip away.”

Every word that left his mouth drove another knife into my heart. I stood there staring at my parents, feeling as though the ground beneath my feet had disappeared.

The two people who were supposed to protect me, two people who should have stood between me and anyone who wanted to hurt me.

Instead they were negotiating my price. I never imagined there would come a day when my own father would so easily forgive the man he had cursed every single night before going to bed.

Jael Blackwood was the reason my life had become this miserable in the first place. If he hadn't destroyed my parents' business years ago, none of this would have happened. I wouldn't have become the family's sacrifice. I wouldn't have been forced into a marriage I never wanted.

When my parents lost almost everything and we were on the verge of losing our home, they desperately searched for anyone willing to help. That was when Philip stepped in with an offer.

He would marry one of their daughters. Everyone knew he loved my older sister, Sonia. He never tried to hide it. But Sonia was studying in Europe at the time, and when my parents begged her to come home, she refused.

So they turned to me. Without caring about my dreams or the life I wanted, they asked me to give everything up for the family. They convinced me that marrying Philip was the only way to save us, and like the obedient daughter I had always been, I agreed.

That decision had ruined my life. For two years, I had lived in the shadow of a woman who wasn't even there.

Every chance Philip got, he reminded me that Sonia was the one he truly loved. Whether it was through careless words, cold treatment, or the way he looked at me with disappointment, he never let me forget that I was merely her replacement.

Nothing I did was ever enough, nothing made him see me as his wife.

Now, once again, I was being asked to sacrifice myself for everyone else's survival. It seemed that no matter how much I gave, people always wanted more.

“Please,” Philip said, his voice softening as he walked toward me. He reached for my hands, wrapping his fingers around them as though his touch could erase everything he had just said. “Do this for us, Tonya. I swear things will be different afterward. I will respect you. I will appreciate what you have done for me. I will love you even more because of this sacrifice.”

He tightened his grip on my hands, desperation filling his eyes.

“Please, Tons,” he continued. “If you really love me, help me this one last time. I can't afford to lose everything. If my company goes under, we'll all be ruined. Your parents will end up back on the streets, and Sonia won't even be able to continue her education because there won't be money to pay her tuition f*e.”

I slowly closed my eyes, his words echoed in my head, each one weighing heavily on my heart. I hated Jael Blackwood with everything I had, the thought of spending even a minute with him made me sick.

But if I refused, Philip would lose his company. My parents would lose the little stability they had left and Sonia's education would come to an end.

As much as I wanted to choose myself for once, I couldn't ignore what my decision would cost everyone else. Maybe I was destined to keep sacrificing pieces of myself so the people around me could survive.

I took a shaky breath before opening my eyes. “Fine,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “I will do it.”