Chapter 27 Swallow My Pride
My father finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I’ll be waiting.”
I didn’t want to hear another word from him, so I hung up immediately.
I leaned back against the door and lost myself in thought for a long time.
The clock on the wall ticked away each minute as darkness and despair slowly consumed me.
The thought of actually going through with this made me sick. I hugged my knees to my chest, getting chills just imagining life without my hands and feet.
I decided to try Charles one more time. Swallowing my pride was way better than losing my limbs.
I pulled out my phone and found Charles’s number. My fingers trembled as I typed: [Please come home tonight. I’ll do whatever you want.]
I waited for what felt like ages without getting a reply, so I just lay there on the floor, staring at my dark phone screen.
The fact that he hadn’t replied to any of my earlier messages should have told me he was ignoring me. But I went ahead and sent that last text anyway, which had been nothing but an invitation for humiliation.
I stared blankly as the clock passed eleven, and in that moment, I completely gave up. My mind went empty, and I didn’t want to think about anything anymore.
Then suddenly, headlights flashed through my window. With my room dark, the light seemed especially bright.
My heart jumped as I rushed to the window, where I saw a black car pulling into the driveway.
Charles was back, and I wondered if he had returned because of the message I sent him.
Then I remembered I only had one hour left. This was my chance, and I had to take it, even if it meant swallowing my pride.
I hurried to the closet and pulled out the sexy nightie I had bought but rarely worn. It was black, with delicate straps and made of a sheer fabric that left little to the imagination.
To make sure Charles could humiliate me thoroughly, I wore nothing underneath.
After changing, I waited with nervous anticipation for Charles to enter.
But after ten minutes had passed, he still hadn’t come.
It struck me as odd–had he come back for some reason other than
my text?
I threw on a robe and stepped out into the hallway, feeling both doubtful and curious.
It was eleven o’clock, and the villa was completely silent. The door to the study was slightly open, with a soft light glowing from inside.
After a moment’s hesitation, I walked over and pushed the door open to find Charles standing by the window on a phone call, his shirt sleeves rolled up.
Even from behind, I could see the outline of his tall, muscular frame.
He was deep in what sounded like a work conversation. Seeing him so composed while I was practically naked underneath my robe sent a fresh wave of shame through me.
But I was out of time. There was no backing out now. I closed the study door behind me and stood there, waiting nervously for him to notice me.
The call lasted about three minutes before he ended it.
My heart was pounding when he turned around.
He glanced at me before walking to his desk to gather some files. “Do you want to say something to me?” he asked in a casual tone.
I wasn’t sure whether he had seen the message I sent him, but I decided to cut to the chase. “Lend me the three million,” I said bluntly, “and I’ll do whatever you want.”
Charles didn’t even react. He just picked up his files and started walking toward me.
As he passed by me, he said with a faint smirk, “You only ever come to me when you need money. If I were broke, you probably wouldn’t even look twice at me.”
Before I could say anything, he headed for the door.
When I saw him reach for the doorknob, I panicked. “Charles!” I called out, my voice urgent.
He hesitated, and then turned around to face me.
I took a deep breath and slowly took off my coat right in front of him.
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Chapter 27 Swallow My Pride
Diana talked me into buying this sheer nightgown one day when we were out shopping.
She got herself a bright red one, but I went with classic black.
The first time I wore it was when Charles was supposed to be away on business. But out of nowhere, he showed up that night.
I’d never forget the way he looked at me–his dark, hungry stare felt like it could swallow me whole.
I never put that nightgown on again after that.
Even though I’d always yelled at him and treated him like dirt, the look in his eyes that night genuinely scared me. And right now, that same intense gaze was locked on me, like he still wanted to devour me.
Back then, I didn’t understand what that look meant. But after being intimate with him so many times, I now recognized it as pure desire.
The fact that he still wanted me was good news. If he didn’t, my chances of borrowing the money would be practically zero.
I walked right up to him, slid my arms around his neck, and whispered, “Lend me three million, and you can do whatever you want with my body.”
The heat in his gaze cooled into something mocking. “I never imagined the esteemed heiress would ever debase herself like this for merely three million.”
My heart clenched with a heavy, dull ache. I knew I’d lost every shred of dignity, but when one was broke and desperate, pride became a luxury they couldn’t afford.
Rising on my toes, I brushed a kiss against the corner of his mouth.
He watched me through narrowed eyes, his gaze growing increasingly intense.
He suddenly pulled me tight against him, his voice turning husky as he demanded, “If it were another man offering you that money, would you be kissing him like this too?”
I remained silent, unable to answer a question I’d never considered. The truth was, when it came to money, he was the only person I could imagine turning to.
Deep down, I sensed that if he refused to help me, no one else would.
My silence was clearly getting on his nerves.
He tilted my chin up, his eyes locking with mine. “Say something,” he pressed. “If I weren’t rich, you’d be all dressed up for some other guy tonight, wouldn’t you?”
“That’s not true!” I said, choosing my words carefully to please him. “Rich or poor, it’s always been you. I haven’t even thought about anyone else.”
“You never tried to contact Ethan?” Charles asked, his voice low and intense.
The question caught me off guard–Ethan hadn’t even crossed my mind.
My short delay in responding was enough to make his expression darken again.
“No, I didn’t reach out to him,” I said quickly before kissing him, hoping to make amends.
His eyes deepened with emotion, and he immediately pulled me closer, intensifying the kiss.
My heart pounded as I took in his handsome face, so close to mine.
Little by little, the tension left his expression. Clearly, my making the first move had turned things around.
My father’s gambling debt hung over me like a shadow as I nervously debated whether this was the right moment to mention the money.
The files in his hands scattered across the floor as he suddenly lifted me into his arms.
My eyes flew to the wall clock–almost 11:30–and panic tightened its grip around my chest.
Those collectors would be here at midnight to take my father’s limbs as payment, and I was running out of both time and options.
Charles swept everything off the desk in one motion, settling me against the polished wood before his mouth found mine.
My hands pressed against his chest as I whispered, “Does this mean you’ll help me with the money?”
“Yes,” he rasped, the words rough with desire. “Whatever you need, it’s yours.”
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