Chapter 3

Lucas Reed stared at the phone in my hand, his lips trembling.

Lila Voss, standing nearby, seemed to realize the gravity of the situation. She rushed toward me.

"What is it? Let me see!"

I sidestepped, avoiding her grasp.

"What, see how the two of you sold me at a great price?"

I dangled the phone in front of them. "It's Finn Whitaker."

Panic filled Lila's voice. "Lucas, did we offend Finn Whitaker? Why is he involved?"

Lucas yanked me roughly toward him, his anger barely contained. "Did you know about this all along? You fell into the pool on purpose to ruin the deal! What's your game?"

Growing desperate, he leaned in close, his voice a venomous hiss. "You're going to Room 2808 right now. Make Mr. Whitaker happy and calm him down!"

"Otherwise, your entire family is dead. And if you try anything funny again, I'll kill you!"

His spit hit my face as he snarled.

My stomach churned, but I forced myself to nod. "Alright, I'll go."

My compliance seemed to catch both Lucas and Lila off guard.

I knew exactly what kind of man Finn Whitaker was. He always got what he wanted.

But this wasn't me delivering myself to him. This was the beginning of my counterattack.

I arrived at the reserved suite. The city lights poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, painting the room in a mesmerizing glow.

Finn sat on the sofa by the window, his posture relaxed yet commanding.

"Come here," he said.

"I paid half five million dollars not for a drowned rat," he added, his face unreadable.

"That was an accident," I replied calmly.

He chuckled softly, turning toward me with deliberate slowness.

"Do you know what happens to people who disappoint me?"

My voice wavered slightly as I answered, "Let's not beat around the bush. Mr. Whitaker, you didn't spend five million dollars to buy yourself a headache."

His lips curled into an amused smile as he studied me. Leaning in, he whispered near my ear, "You're right. I don't like headaches."

His fingertips trailed lightly along my cheek, sending a shiver down my spine.

"To avoid becoming one, shouldn't you do something to make up for my dissatisfaction?"

I stepped closer, meeting his gaze without flinching. "I know that you and the Harper family are business rivals."

"You want to use me to humiliate my family. It's a clever idea."

"But the death or disgrace of the Harper family's heiress can bring you nothing but a fleeting thrill and endless trouble."

His piercing gaze finally focused fully on me.

"You're intriguing," he said, his voice low and gravelly.

"But before we discuss any cooperation, I need to check the goods."

My heart sank abruptly. "W-what do you mean?"

He reached out, gripping the collar of my soaked dress.

The sound of fabric tearing filled the air.

His eyes, cold and predatory, bore into mine.

"What's wrong? Unwilling?" he taunted. "You were so articulate earlier. Don't tell me you can't even muster this much sincerity?"

I clenched my teeth, my nails digging painfully into my arm.

"Mr. Whitaker, is this what you mean by 'checking the goods'?" I forced myself to remain composed. "Are you interested in my body, or are you testing my limits?"

"Is there a difference?" he countered.

"Of course, there is."

I lifted my chin, meeting his probing gaze head-on. "If you're just looking for a plaything, then I'm sorry, you've picked the wrong person."

"I haven't fallen so far as to sell my body."

"But if you're looking for someone who can help you take down the Harper Group from the inside, then you should show some respect. Because people without boundaries can betray you at any moment."

For a moment, silence hung heavy between us. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed.

"Evelyn," he murmured, drawing out my name as if savoring it, his voice thick with something unplaceable.

"You're worth far more than I imagined."