Chapter 4
Third, Russell is standing right behind me, and I'm only in my underwear.
I started thinking back on everything I'd done to Russell these past few days.
I tied him to a post and made him bake in the sun.
I talked nonsense with his mom right there.
Every night, I forced him to ride me.
We watched adult movies twice.
I was so scared, my knees went weak.
"Mr. Mills... I suddenly really miss my mom. Can I go back to my parents' place?" I said.
"It's too late tonight," he said.
He grabbed me and pulled me right back onto the bed. "I'll take you back tomorrow."
"Now—" He leaned over, reached under the pillow, and pulled out the tablet, scrolling straight to the scene I'd saved earlier.
"Let's keep going," he said.
I shrank back, trying to get away.
"N-no, that's okay..." I stammered.
"Don't you love riding me, baby?" he teased.
He pinned me down.
"What, now that I'm on top, you're chickening out?" he taunted.
The comments went wild.
[Are us freeloaders even allowed to see this?!]
[Russell, get a grip! Aren't you supposed to wait for your girl?]
[He doesn't care at all. This is pure revenge. The side chick is just a prop!]
That night, Russell nearly finished me off in bed.
*****
The next day, Russell drove me back to my parents' place.
No wheelchair, no more playing the mute—he was done faking it.
He was behind the wheel of that sleek black Maybach from his garage.
He steered with one hand, his profile sharp and commanding.
I shrank into the passenger seat, barely daring to breathe.
When we got to my parents' place, my mom stared at him, totally stunned.
"Russell, your leg's healed? And your voice too?" she asked, surprised.
Russell gave her a polite smile.
"Yeah, everything's fine now," he replied.
My mom smacked her leg in excitement.
"That's wonderful. Come on in, come on in!" she beamed.
She bustled into the kitchen, full of enthusiasm.
"How about I whip up two dozen oysters for you?" she offered.
I rushed to stop her.
"Mom! No way!" I blurted out.
Two more dozen, my back would totally give out.
Mom slapped her forehead.
"Oh, right, I almost forgot about you," she said. "Alright, five dozen. You get your share, he gets his!"
My back was already aching just thinking about it.
My dad started pouring drinks for Russell.
"Russell, my girl's been doing martial arts since she was little—she's tough as nails," he bragged.
"You don't look built for taking punches, so you'd better drink up—makes it hurt less when she starts swinging."
Russell held his glass, glanced at me, and a subtle smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He raised his glass and knocked it back in one go.
I quietly prayed for myself—guess I'd better brace for impact.
My mom quietly pulled me aside.
"Sweetie," she whispered.
Looking all secretive, she slipped into the bedroom and came back with a box, pressing it into my arms.
"Russell's exactly your flavor," she teased.
"I've got something good for you—trust me, this'll have him totally under your thumb."
I looked down and opened the box.
On top were a few USB drives.
The labels were handwritten: "Best Collection," "Pro-Level Tutorials," "Level-Up Must Watch."
On the bottom layer were a few bottles of mystery liquids.
The labels read: "Party Starter" and "Baby Booster."
I was absolutely floored.
"Mom, are you serious? This is way over the top..." I blurted out.
My mom lowered her voice, looking all secretive.
"Make sure you use it on him.
"You're the real Mrs. Mills now. If you end up pregnant, your dad's business is gonna boom," she whispered.
"Mom, seriously. This is way too much..." I muttered, completely speechless.
She pulled out two more bottles from the drawer.
"And these—imported, super effective," she whispered with a sly wink.
I clutched the box, my soul practically ready to bail from my body.
I turned around and bumped right into Russell.
He was standing in the doorway, smelling faintly of alcohol, his gaze dropping to the box I was holding.
"Honey, what's that little treasure you've got there?" he teased.
I clamped the lid shut in a hurry.
"Well, it's nothing, just some... wellness stuff," I stammered.
He let out a low, knowing chuckle.
That sound sent a shiver right down my back.
"Time to go home," he murmured.
He reached out and took my hand.
I instinctively edged away.
"I-I want to stay at my parents' place for a few days!" I blurted out.
My plan was to hole up here for a while, then make my escape when the coast was clear.
Surprisingly, he just nodded.
"Then I'll stay with you," he said.
Stay with me?
How am I supposed to make a break for it if you're glued to my side?
*****
Night fell. After my shower, I walked back into my room and opened the door.
Russell was lounging against my headboard.
The box was already open.
He was holding a USB drive, his gaze flicking from the label to those mystery bottles.
Then his eyes landed on me, standing in the doorway.
He smiled.
"So you're into this kind of stuff, huh?" he teased.
I dove for him, trying to grab the box back.
"No! Wait, it's not what you think!" I cried.
He caught me and pulled me right into his arms.
"Don't bother," Russell said, low and smooth.
He leaned in, his mouth right next to my ear. "Let's try them all, one at a time."
Comments flooded in before my eyes.
[Wait, what? They're hooking up again?]
[Russell's a beast, seriously.]
[Is he actually falling for her after all this? No way, right?]
That night.
I was clinging to the bedpost, my whole body numb.
In a haze, almost drifting off, I heard him whisper in my ear.
"Should we try that Baby Booster now?" Russell whispered, his voice low and teasing.
I shut my eyes tight, bracing for whatever came next.
I just went limp, pretending to be dead.
*****
The next day, Elise was throwing a big party for her 80th birthday, and the whole family was invited. Russell and I had to show up.
As I followed Russell into the banquet hall, gossip started buzzing all around.
"Is that Russell's wife? That one from the Schultz family?" someone murmured.
"Yeah, her family's in the building materials business—total nouveau riche," another remarked.
"No wonder—she fits right in with a disabled guy," someone else sneered.
As I looked up, I locked eyes with someone across the room.
Standing there was Dennis, Russell's younger brother, the acting CEO of Mills Group, and pretty much the top contender to take over everything.
Sitting next to him was a woman.
She wore a white dress, radiating icy elegance, and was staring straight at Russell.
Monica.
The number one socialite in Hamburg, and she used to be the Mills family's top pick for Russell's wife.
Live comments flooded in.
[Here comes the legendary moment!]