Chapter 3

That night, Lucas looked like he wanted to say something several times but held back.

I was so anxious I almost wanted to prompt him myself.

To be honest, I was quite reluctant to leave this pampered life as a sugar baby.

After all, I'd gotten used to having everything handed to me on a silver platter and didn't want to work hard again.

But I also didn't want to end up thrown out onto the streets. It was better to leave gracefully on my own terms.

At the dinner table, I chewed my food in tiny bites, trying to make each mouthful last as long as possible.

Just waiting for Lucas to speak up.

Suddenly!

Lucas took out a check from his pocket and placed it on the table.

My eyes lit up, staring intently at the numbers on the check.

Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands, millions!

Fifty million dollars!

Enough for my mom and me to live on for the rest of our lives!

I stared at the check, swallowing hard, completely oblivious to Lucas starting to speak.

"Take this money..."

Before Lucas could finish, I snatched the check with lightning speed and clutched it to my chest.

The enormous sum had gone to my head. I jumped up and blurted out,

"Thanks, boss!"

As soon as I said it, cold sweat broke out all over my body.

I'm screwed!

Suddenly, a thought popped into my head, just like the fleeting one from years ago.

[Warning! This woman's been exposed! The male lead knows she's been lying to him all this time. He definitely won't let her off easy! I wonder if she has a backup plan. If not, she's in big trouble!]

Backup plan? What backup plan? My mind went blank as I looked up to meet Lucas's amused gaze.

He was fiddling with his custom cufflinks, his long fingers casting delicate shadows in the lamplight.

"What's wrong? Can't keep up the act anymore, little deaf girl? And here I thought you could endure anything."

Lucas suddenly moved closer, the scent of his cedar cologne mixed with whiskey washing over me. "But you should know, I hate being lied to more than anything."

My throat tightened as I saw the words [She's done for!] flashing repeatedly in my mind.

This damn inner voice!

I couldn't help but recall how I had met Lucas by chance.

The doctor said only hospitals abroad could possibly treat my mother's illness, but the exorbitant fees forced me to scramble for money.

I worked five jobs a day, but it still wasn't enough to send my mother abroad for treatment.

Until one day, that thought popped into my head.

It said Lucas Gray, the heir to the Gray Empire, was looking for a lover who couldn't hear his secrets.

So I pretended to be deaf and mute and stayed by Lucas's side for two years.

Lucas grabbed my chin in one swift motion.

"Mr. Gray, you must be joking," I forced a smile, my nails digging into my palms. "Of course I'll take the check you've given me. As for the rest..."

Before I could finish, he gripped my chin, not forcefully but with an undeniable air of authority.

Lucas's thumb traced over my lips, where he had left bite marks the night before.

"When you're pretending to be deaf and mute, you always use that fake smile to deceive people. But do you know? Every time you pretend not to hear, I want to pin you in front of a mirror and make you see how your ears turn red."

Hot blood rushed to my earlobes, and I suddenly felt a chill run down my neck.

Lucas had known about my act all along!

For two years, I had diligently forced myself to remain silent no matter how Lucas tormented me in bed.

But I had forgotten about the most instinctive human physiological response—when he whispered "Olivia, don't hide" in my ear.

My tense back, my trembling fingers, had long since betrayed my secret to this man who had seen it all.

If this man had discovered my deception so early on, then every time after that... he had been deliberately toying with me!

Seeing my indignant expression, Lucas suddenly seemed amused.

"Don't you have anything to explain? Hmm? Little deaf girl?"

Lucas stood up, forcing me to sit on the table.

I looked at Lucas, getting more and more irritated.

What else could I say!

He's the client, I'm the service provider!

I did the job I was paid for!

He's just a client who was fooled and moved by my acting skills!

I'm not angry at all, waaah!

But the urgent matter at hand was to protect this fifty million dollars. This was what I deserved!

"I... thank you, boss? Boss is so generous?"

Lucas was on the verge of laughing angrily.

He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

"Since you can't keep up the act anymore, you should pay some price, little deaf girl."

I knew this wasn't good.

"Lucas Gray! You want me to pay with my body! I don't agree! This is an unfair clause!"

A voice in my head screamed [This isn't right, shouldn't the male lead kick this woman out? What's going on! Looks like we're about to hit the paywall?!]

Lucas threw me onto the large bed covered with silk sheets, then pressed down on top of me and lifted my nightgown.

There was still a vase of blue roses I had arranged last week on the bedside table, now overshadowed by his silhouette.

"Olivia, do you know that every time you pretend to be innocent, it makes me want to completely tear apart your disguise?"

Lucas seemed to have unlocked a new world, directly unleashing his dominant side.

He forced me to scream loudly all night long.

Before going to sleep, Lucas said he had to go to the office to deal with an urgent matter. As he left, he tossed me one of his white dress shirts, the collar still warm from his body heat.

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