Chapter 3: She is not easily bullied

"You seem quite arrogant and conceited," The girl's voice dripped with sarcasm. Ryan could see the flames of indignation and frustration rising within her. "What's there to be proud of, to boast about being a careless, irresponsible person? Are you perhaps mentally ill, hence the rude and thoughtless behavior?"

 

Ryan listened, feeling deeply angered by the girl's insult. But he decided not to retaliate against her contemptuous attitude. He knew better than to argue with women, especially those with malicious intentions, only seeking to harm and trap him.

 

"Let's cut to the chase. How much money do you want? Speak up." Ryan reiterated sternly, lacking patience.

 

"Fine." The woman's tone sharpened, her eyes blazing with anger. It was clear that what Ryan had just uttered was crude, offensive, and not in line with his refined appearance or any semblance of education. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to erase last night from my memory, and I'm also regretful that I can't simply erase it."

 

Ryan frowned as he recalled the events of last night. What exactly happened last night? Ryan desperately wanted to know, but he couldn't remember clearly; the details were fuzzy. Asking the girl would be a shameful act. Ryan saw it as humiliating himself. So he wouldn't ask. Absolutely not. Someone as dignified as Ryan couldn't give others a reason to ridicule him, could he? It was precisely this outdated, childish thinking that made Ryan behave so poorly. Instead of inquiring and understanding the situation clearly, Ryan stubbornly stuck to his own preconceptions.

 

"What do you want?" Ryan asked impatiently.

 

"The day I met you and realized how pathetic you are, a despicable person," the girl added with emphasis. "Someone is even worse than garbage."

 

Ryan clenched his fists, restraining his anger at the mockery.

 

How dare she? Ryan muttered to himself. No one has ever dared to have such an attitude towards Ryan before. Is this girl exceptionally bold or simply foolish, not knowing her place and daring to offend Ryan Blake?

 

"I promise to forget your ugly face." The girl concluded with a mocking tone. "Now you can leave. The door is over there; just go straight. I won't escort you.” 

After speaking, the woman brushed off Ryan by stepping towards the wardrobe. She busied herself choosing a suitable dress, paying no heed to Ryan's lingering presence.

 

Ryan wasn't surprised or startled to see the woman calmly ignore him. Despite knowing he was provoking her, Ryan refused to back down.

 

"I admire your decisive decision. Now, let's talk price," Ryan said, immediately drawing the woman's incredulous gaze. Ryan simply wanted to wrap things up cleanly, leaving no aftermath, hence his continued verbal attack on the woman.

 

"I said leave. Are you deaf?" the woman asked, irritation evident in her voice.

 

"I'll leave after settling everything conclusively," Ryan replied arrogantly.

 

How long did Ryan intend to prolong this pointless affair?

 

It seemed Ryan wanted to drive others insane. Why did he stand there blankly when he was told he could leave? Was everything resolved, or was the woman mistaken? Ryan wasn't satisfied with the woman's simple and noble approach, was he?

 

Perhaps so. Looking at Ryan's expression now, it was like he wanted to eradicate weeds to the root. Ryan had to have the upper hand to feel at ease. It was all for Ryan's dignity. Additionally, it seemed Ryan still didn't fully trust the woman, believing she was plotting something.

 

"What a tough nut to crack!" the girl silently remarked about Ryan.

 

In that case, there was no need to waste any more tolerance on someone who was undeserving. She would teach Ryan a memorable lesson. Without any hesitation or respect for her opponent, the girl bluntly confronted Ryan.

 

"Alright then, if you have such good intentions, I'm also willing to accommodate you. So, how much are you willing to pay me?" She asked indifferently. "One, two, three, four, five, six... pick a number?"

 

"Finally, the true nature is revealed," Ryan smirked inwardly, feeling victorious, as his thoughts once again proved to be accurate. "Women are indeed nothing but gold diggers, bait, seducing men."

 

"I'll meet your demands accordingly," Ryan replied.

 

"Wow!" The girl feigned admiration. "You're so generous."

 

Curling his lips into a contemptuous smile, Ryan responded without hesitation, "So, how much do you want? Just give me a specific number you prefer."

 

Indeed, Ryan had plenty of money, and the petty amounts in his account were enough to cover such trivial matters.

 

"He dares to be arrogant with me." The girl's face flushed with anger at being provoked by Ryan. "That damn jerk. Just wait and see."

 

"Just a friendly price. One followed by seven zeros," the girl raised her index finger.

$10 million, an amount far below Ryan's standards. Seeing Ryan staring intently and hesitating to nod in agreement, the girl urged:

"Quickly hand over the money, and we'll go our separate ways. Rest assured, I'll never show up in front of you again. And I'll handle it discreetly if, unfortunately, I become pregnant with your child. And most importantly, I'm not a minor."

'Pregnant? That'll never happen,' Ryan scoffed inwardly at the girl's naive thoughts. Ryan was currently using contraception, so he was confident that he wouldn't impregnate anyone.

Unconcerned with Ryan's expression, the girl mocked him further. "Regardless, having a child like you would be no different than committing a crime—a major one at that. The child would inevitably inherit some genetic traits from its father. Imagine a child inheriting the traits of its terrible father, ultimately being shunned and scorned by society. Sooner or later, it would tread the path of wrongdoing. Not to mention, it's highly likely to resent me in the future. Why bring it into the world only to be rejected by society and without a father? Then, how would I explain to it about its father, someone not worth mentioning? Someone is worse than garbage."

 

Ryan felt bitter hearing the distant tale spun by the girl, filled with venomous words and inflicting terrible wounds. This girl was far from what her appearance suggested. Angels, indeed, could come disguised as demons from heaven. That's why Ryan dared not escalate the situation. Partly out of fear that the girl might have hidden cameras in the room to capture the entire extortion process, making Ryan vulnerable to blackmail. Partly because Ryan knew he was in the lion's den without a means to call for help. Who knows if there were some thugs waiting outside, ready to rush in if Ryan physically harmed the girl while filming and taking pictures to post on social media? Ryan's image and reputation would take a significant hit. So it was best to avoid scandals and controversies—a practical solution indeed.

 

Ryan preferred to deal with things straightforwardly, although reality often proved otherwise. It could be said that Ryan's imagination and deductive abilities had reached a sublime level, truly at the pinnacle.

 

"You can't afford to pay me." The girl pressed on as she noticed Ryan lost in thought.

 

"Not at all. I will compensate you as requested," Ryan replied decisively. He truly wanted to end this quickly, hence his easy compliance coupled with a stern warning. "Remember to stick to your words. If you dare to play any tricks behind my back, or if, by some chance, this incident is exposed after I leave, I swear you'll live to regret it."

 

Ryan's voice was chilling, his demeanor as sharp as steel and as cold as iron. When Ryan was serious, he truly looked terrifying.

 

"Oh, you're so fierce. You're scaring my fragile, delicate heart." The girl pretended to tremble, but her smirk betrayed her true feelings. With a casual shrug, she indicated that she understood Ryan's threats.

 

"I've heard enough. Now hand over the money and get out of here," the girl snapped, her attitude hostile, driving Ryan away.

 

Ryan suppressed his anger inwardly. He didn't bother with any further interaction with the girl. Out of habit, Ryan instinctively reached for his wallet, but to his horror, he realized he was shirtless. He glanced down at himself, suddenly horrified to remember his almost naked state.

 

The anger that had consumed Ryan moments ago quickly shifted to tension and anxiety.