"It is okay, Celine. This is the only way for Mama." Celine repeated the words silently, trying to trade her dignity for her mother's life.
The soft chime of a keycard shattered the silence of the luxury hotel suite. Celine's heart leaped into her throat. The door opened. She was supposed to strike a seductive pose as the pimp had instructed, but her legs felt paralyzed. She could only look down, staring at the thick carpet that felt like sinking quicksand.
Steady, slow, and powerful footsteps entered the room. The man stood a few meters in front of her. An aura of wealth clung to him, from his luxury watch to his designer clothes. Even the scent of his expensive cologne stung her nose, yet she did not dare lift her face.
For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, the voice came. It was low, deep, and familiar, piercing straight into the depths of her memory.
"Hello, Celine."
Celine's breath hitched. The world seemed to stop spinning. That voice. It was impossible. It was the voice she had heard in her nightmares for ten years. The voice of the ex-lover who had testified against her to ensure she was thrown into prison.
Slowly, Celine's body stiffened, and she looked up. Her tear-filled eyes met the cold gaze of the man before her.
"Leo?" Her voice was barely audible, a whisper that sounded more like a lament.
Celine flinched. The shock was instantly replaced by anger and despair. She turned around, walking hurriedly toward the closet. With trembling hands, she reached for her clothes hanging there.
"Where do you think you are going? I already bought you." Leo's voice sounded cold, laced with a stinging tone of mockery.
Before Celine could reach the door, Leo gripped her wrist tightly, halting her steps.
"I am cancelling it," Celine said flatly, refusing to meet his eyes.
The grip turned into a rough yank. Leo forced her to spin around until they were chest to chest. Celine kept her face turned away, refusing to grant him any satisfaction.
Leo leaned in, his voice a sharp whisper directly in her ear.
"Can you afford the cancellation fee? It is one hundred and fifty percent. To be precise, five hundred thousand dollars."
Celine closed her eyes, fighting the tremors racking her body. She took a long, heavy breath, as if she had just swallowed a stone.
Leo offered no reprieve. He continued, delivering the most effective and crushing blow.
"Do you really have the heart to let your mother suffer in pain without the treatment she needs?"
Celine's eyes snapped open. Pure rage flared in her gaze. "How do you know about my mother?" she asked sharply.
Leo gave a thin smirk, an expression of cruel satisfaction. He released his grip but remained standing very close.
"Did you think I would let you roam free after you killed my mother? While you were rotting in prison, did you never hear that Leonard Alexander is the owner of Ironbound Resources?" Leo spoke with every word carrying the weight of arrogance and a decade of resentment.
Celine scoffed, followed by a small, mocking sneer. "So, it turns out you inherited your father's company, along with... his cunning and greed!" She placed a firm, loud emphasis on the final words, her gaze defiant.
Provoked by her words, Leo suddenly grabbed her arm, squeezing so hard that Celine winced in pain.
"You took my mother, who was precious to me. You must suffer for the rest of your life. Your every misery is a delightful spectacle for me, Celine," Leo added in a frigid tone.
Celine's tears fell. They were not tears of sadness, but of absolute defeat. She knew she was trapped, and Leo held the only card she valued: her mother's life.
With a hollow expression, Celine wrenched her hand away. With weak movements, she began to strip off her clothing piece by piece in front of him. The final silk fabric fell to the floor, leaving her body completely naked, fragile, yet rebellious.
Celine looked at Leo with wet eyes, but her voice was steady, radiating a cold despair.
"Do whatever you want, Leonard Alexander. You bought me."
Leo stared at her naked body. Her posture of surrender mixed with defiance only fueled his anger and desire.
"Finally, you have come to your senses." Leo's voice was piercing, sounding cold yet possessing a layer of cruel gratification. "Didn't you once promise to give your virginity to me? You promised me back when we were still in high school."
That taunt, a reminder of beautiful memories that now felt filthy, caused Celine's tears to flow faster. She cried silently, without a sob. Her gaze was vacant, reflecting an unspeakable trauma and loss.
Leo stepped closer. Slowly, he raised his hand and gently brushed her lips with his thumb, a gesture that was once filled with love but now felt degrading.
"These lips..." Leo whispered, his voice now trembling slightly with a long-suppressed passion. "It has been a long time since I tasted them."
Leo leaned down and kissed her. The kiss began gently, but halfway through, Celine felt a crawling sense of disgust. She could only squeeze her eyes shut, letting her tears wet her cheeks. She held her breath, praying for the scene to end quickly.
Leo broke the kiss with a heavy breath. His gaze was now sharp, filled only with lust and demand. He pushed Celine down onto the bed, a movement that was not violent, but forceful.
While staring coldly at Celine's closed eyes, Leo began to remove his own clothes, one by one.