Chapter 4

Luke, I've been so forward. Don't make me lose respect for you, okay?"

I swiftly pulled her into my arms, my right hand slowly running through her hair.

I responded to her kiss with the most passionate intensity.

Her kisses trailed from my earlobe down to my chest, my body burning with desire.

Seeing the flush on her face, the longing in my heart could no longer be contained.

I quickly carried her to the bed, and in just moments, the room was filled with an intimate atmosphere.

Our harmonious symphony only concluded as the sky began to lighten.

When I opened my eyes again, it was to the sound of an urgent ringing.

The jarring noise irritated me, and I grumpily reached for my phone.

"What is it?"

"Luke, where the hell have you been? It's almost evening and you're still not back. Don't tell me you're stuck in some woman's bed."

The angry voice made me frown involuntarily.

Seeing the unfamiliar number, I chose to hang up immediately.

But the caller was persistent, ringing again after just a moment.

I initially wanted to hang up, but seeing Winter's uneasy sleep, I changed my mind.

Taking the phone to the living room, I slowly answered.

But the voice on the other end was even sharper.

"Luke, you've gotten bold, huh? You dare to hang up on me?"I don't see you," I replied coolly, my tone making Sarah falter for a moment.

Still, she pressed on, asking why I hadn't come home.

Remembering last night's scene, my expression darkened.

"I did come home last night."

The other end of the line went silent, then hurriedly asked what I had seen.

Hearing the guilt in her voice, I couldn't help but laugh. So she knew it was wrong.

Yet she still wanted to use my money to cozy up with other men?

To see just how thick her skin was, I chuckled and said, "The door was locked from the inside. I couldn't get in."

Sarah was stunned for a moment, then resumed her pitiful act.

"Honey, I'm so sorry. My parents came over yesterday. They thought $600,000 wasn't enough of a dowry. They felt it was a bit low."

A vein throbbed in my temple as I tried to calm myself down.

Fighting to control my anger, I asked, "How much do they want?"

Not hearing any objection from me, she immediately perked up, blurting out "$1.2 million" without hesitation.

Hearing this shocking figure, I closed my eyes.

Five years of genuine devotion, gone to waste.

It also made me realize she had never loved me. If she had, how could she ask for such an outrageous sum?

The anger I'd been holding back for so long finally erupted."Sarah, do you really think you're worth that much?"

Sarah was stunned for a moment, then challenged, "What do you mean? My parents worked hard to raise me. How is $1.2 million too much?"

"Don't you want to give my family that much money? Luke, think about how much I've suffered for you. Do you have no conscience?"

"I'm telling you, if you can't come up with this money, the wedding is off."

Before I could respond, Sarah ended the call.

As I stared at the black screen, I realized how foolish I'd been before,

not seeing that she was a woman who'd stop at nothing for money.

"Call her back. Tell her you have the money, but you won't give it to her."

Winter's husky voice sounded behind me. I quickly snapped back to reality and saw her leaning against the wall corner.

The flush on her face made me swallow involuntarily, as memories of last night's bliss flashed through my mind.

I strode over, scooped her up in my arms, and planted a kiss on her lips. "It's not worth making yourself sick over someone like that."

With her presence, I realized that some things, though based on a transaction, can still have their benefits.

After we finished last night, she fought off sleep to send a text to HR.

Though his title as Logistics and Procurement Manager didn't sound glamorous, it was the position with the most potential for under-the-table perks.

In that moment, I finally understood that effort could indeed be rewarded.

I had barely laid her on the bed when she yanked me close to her face.

"Only I get to mess with my man. No one else," she declared possessively.

Her domineering attitude made me chuckle, but I found myself enjoying it.

For the first time, I felt protected, and it wasn't half bad.

My goofy grin amused her. She playfully pinched my waist before cooing, "Let's go see a movie, shall we?"

At that moment, I realized being a lover wasn't so terrible after all.

Once we were ready, we set off for the theater.

She rarely visited such places and stood to the side, looking quite lost.

I held her hand, guiding her through each step of the process. However, as we reached for our tickets, someone forcefully slapped our hands apart.

"Luke, you bastard! Instead of coming home, you're out on a date with another woman?"

Sarah's furious glare caused everyone around us to stop and stare.

She looked as if she'd suffered a great injustice, tears welling up in her eyes.

Her melodramatic display made me laugh. Pointing at the two sodas in her hand, I coldly remarked, "So, when you were out on a date with Nolan, did you ever stop to think that I used to be your boyfriend?"