Chapter 2 I Sold Myself

• Layson made no move for a long time. Adela hesitated for a moment, suppressing her fear, and gently placed her arm around his shoulder, calling him softly, "Mr. Norman..."
• "Ah..."
• Layson exhaled heavily, lifted the blanket, and pressed his weight on her, his voice low as he asked, "Your name is Adela, right?"
• Adela bit her lip lightly and nodded.
• Under the light, Adela's eyes were filled with a mix of shyness and fear. Layson chuckled softly, reaching out to switch off the light.
• The room returned to darkness. Adela let out a small breath, feeling some of her tension dissipate.
• Layson's cool fingers touched her face as his deep voice followed. "How much does your family need?"
• Adela’s fingers gripped the sheet beneath her, stammering, "F-Four million."
• "Ah." Layson turned over and lay on his back beside her. "I’ve seen your information. Your grades are good. Once you give birth to a boy for me, I’ll fund your studies in England. You’d better leave that home as soon as possible."
• His words were tempting, but Adela didn’t dare to imagine it.
• After a moment of hesitation, she cautiously asked, "What if it’s a girl?"
• Layson closed his eyes, considering the question. "A girl would be fine too. But I need an heir, so I’d prefer a boy."
• Adela made a soft sound of acknowledgment, not daring to express any other emotion.
• Layson asked gently, "It's your first time. Does it still hurt?"
• Adela felt her face heat up instantly. "...I’m okay."
• "Let me know if you feel uncomfortable."
• That night, Layson was unusually patient. He continuously stroked Adela’s chest, hips, and thighs, arousing her gradually. After ensuring she was ready, he entered her from behind.
• They lay on their sides, Layson holding Adela like a spoon. In this position, he could go deeper, and it was also her most sensitive angle.
• Layson was starting to understand the sensitive spots of Adela’s body. He deliberately moved slowly and deeply, touching those areas with precision.
• "Oh... slower..." Adela moaned, her lips parted like a fish gasping for air.
• That night, Adela wasn’t as fearful as the night before. She even felt a hint of pleasure.
• When their lovemaking ended, Layson fell into a deep sleep. Adela curled up in bed, staring wide-eyed at the blanket, lost in thought.
• ……
• The next morning.
• Layson had left early once again. On the bedside table was a thick stack of money, three to four times the amount from the previous day.
• Adela stared at it, feeling tears well up. Right now, only money could give her a sense of security.
• As usual, Layson’s chauffeur drove her home. But this time, before she even reached her doorstep, she heard a round of gossip.
• "That’s her. I heard she sold her v.irginity."
• "Really? You can’t just say stuff like that."
• "Hey! The debt collector said it himself yesterday. He said Adela’s neck was covered in marks from s.ex."
• Adela stopped in her tracks, raising her eyes to look at the two women.
• The two exchanged glances before quickly turning away, pretending nothing had happened.
• The veins on the back of Adela’s hand bulged as she clenched the bag tightly. Biting her lip, she decided to act as though she hadn’t heard anything.
• The sound of the bag rustling against her pants grew fainter as she walked away. Once she was out of earshot, the women turned back and resumed their gossip.
• "I heard her father owed gambling debts and forced her to sell her body."
• "What? A father like that? Poor Adela."
• The two were deep in conversation when a deep voice suddenly interrupted from behind, "Instead of gossiping about others, why don’t you keep an eye on your own husbands?"
• "Ah!"
• The two turned to see a tall young man holding a stick, Dexter, smirking at them.
• Dexter rested the stick on his shoulder and grinned mischievously. "I saw your husband entering the strip club down the street two days ago. Did you know that?"
• "What?" One of the women widened her eyes at him before spinning around, rolling up her sleeves, and stomping off while cursing.
• With a cold laugh, Dexter turned his gaze to the other woman, who quickly fled.
• Frustrated, Dexter tossed the stick to the ground, clenching his fists as he looked in the direction Adela had gone.
• In a place like this, gossip spread like wildfire.
• Now, as Adela made her way home, she noticed people sneaking glances at her, making her feel as if she were walking naked.
• It was only with great difficulty that she finally reached her door. Upon entering, she found the house in disarray once again.
• Her heart sank. "Did they come back...?"
• "They didn’t come," Calvin sighed, sitting at the table. "Ella did this. She wants a divorce."
• Adela remained silent.
• To be honest, she could understand Ella.
• Gambling was a bottomless pit, and any woman who didn’t want a divorce in such a situation would be abnormal.
• Layson’s words echoed in her ears: "You’d better leave that home as soon as possible." Adela pressed her lips together tightly, her expression complicated.
• Hearing Ella sobbing in the bedroom, she pushed her thoughts aside and hurried inside.
• "Ella."
• She placed the bag in front of Ella, speaking softly, "Here’s two hundred thousand. When the debt collectors come, give it to them. Don’t let my dad gamble it away again."
• Ella stopped crying, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the bulging bag.
• Putting on an act of motherly concern, she patted Adela’s hand. "Adela, you’ve been through so much. Don’t worry; I won’t give it to him."
• Adela glanced at her, sensing something off about her expression but unable to pinpoint what it was.
• So, she simply nodded softly.
• From the living room, Calvin called out, "Adela, Dexter is looking for you."
• Pulling her hand away, Adela quickly went out.
• Dexter still looked like a delinquent.
• As soon as Adela appeared, Dexter grabbed her arm and started dragging her outside.
• "Hey!"
• Adela winced in pain, forced to follow him to a relatively secluded spot. She raised her voice, "Let me go!"
• Dexter backed her into a corner, towering over her. "You sold yourself?"
• His eyes scanned her body as he spoke.
• Seeing no visible marks on her neck, Dexter relaxed slightly, only to hear Adela snap, her tone tinged with anger, "Yes, I sold myself. Happy? Now move. I’m going back."
• "Adela!"
• Dexter’s anger flared as he slammed her against the wall, his narrow eyes filled with disbelief.
• "Why would you degrade yourself like this?"
• Adela’s back pressed against the rough wall, the thin fabric of her clothes offering little protection. The scrape stung, but she endured it, taking a deep breath before meeting his gaze calmly.
• "My dad owes a million dollars. They said if we don’t pay, they’ll cut off his hands and feet..."
• Avoiding Dexter’s fiery stare, she turned her head to look at the grass growing in the corner. "I didn’t have any other choice."
• "All for a million dollars?" Dexter gripped her shoulders, his face a mix of pain and pity. "You sold yourself for just a million dollars?"
• Adela suddenly shouted, "What else was I supposed to do?!"
• Tears welled up in her eyes as she shoved the stunned Dexter aside and tried to leave.
• But the next moment, he grabbed her arm. Before she could react, the world spun, and when she steadied herself, Dexter’s handsome face was inches from hers, his lips dangerously close.