Chapter 3
“What’s the matter? Cat got y our tongue? You’ve been with so many men that you’ve lost count, right?”
Seeing my dazed expression, Antonio curled his lips into a cruel smile. “Every time I took the resources you handed me, I had to wash my hands over and over again.
The Hall family has already connected me with top–tier industry resources through the Aurora Group. Soon, I’ll have my own entertainment company. I won’t need to rely on you ever again.
“You know what you need to say at tonight’s press conference.”
He lit a cigarette. “As for your team, it’s disbanded as of today.”
“Antonio, they’ve followed you for years. Even if they haven’t achieved much, they’ve worked hard. There’s no need to punish them just to get back at me…”
“Who said this was about you?” Antonio snapped.
“My new team is already being recruited. Soon, they’ll replace those idiots you found for me.”
I thought of Judy, who had worked tirelessly with me since she graduated, and of Antonio’s driver, Jack. His daughter had a rare disease, so he desperately needed money. If he lost his job…
I took a deep breath. “Fine. What do you want to let them go?”
“The male lead in that fantasy drama the Aurora Group is investing in. Someone’s been competing with me for it. That producer has had his eye
on you for a while. Spend a night with him and secure the role for me. and I might reconsider firing them.
“You’re a professional at this, after all.”
A loud ringing from my own brain filled my ears, muffling his voice.
“Antonio, how could you insult me like this?”
“You’ve done it so many times already. What difference does one more make? Stop pretending to be some virtuous saint.”
He flicked his cigarette ash onto the back of my hand. I flinched in pain.
“Or would you rather see the people you trained to lose their jobs before they even turn thirty–five?”
I raised my hand, wanting to slap him. But before I could, a sharp slap landed on my face, snapping my head to the side.
“Antonio, how can you let a mere servant step all over you?”
Abigail, the Hall family’s heiress, suddenly appeared before everyone.
“What a bitch! My hand actually hurts from slapping her.”
She shook her hand, pouting at the man beside her.
My head hit the edge of the bed from the force of her slap. The sharp pain cleared my mind instantly.
Standing over me, Abigail looked down with arrogance. “Grace, I should thank you for taking care of Antonio all these years.”
With that, she handed me a check for 10 thousand dollars.
“A small token of appreciation. I doubt you make this much in a year. But
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Chapter 3
you do ‘work‘ hard for your money. It must be exhausting.”
Then, she shifted her tone. “I want Antonio’s future to be clean, free of any spots, so you will have to quit. Grace, whatever connections and resources you once had, he won’t need them anymore. The Hall family can give him far better.”
I saw Antonio’s face darken. He didn’t refute her words, meaning that he
agreed.
He had made full use of the resources that he thought I traded my body for, yet at the same time, he despised me. Did he not find himself hypocritical?
I stared at the penalty clause at the bottom of my termination agreement and suddenly laughed. So Antonio had changed Clause 27 of the contract to an outrageous compensation fee, waiting to use my hard–earned money to fund his wedding with Abigail.
I traced the signature and saw his arrogant handwriting. Then, I pulled out my phone and dialed an unmarked number in my contacts. Three rings and then I hung up.
Derek jumped like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “Who the hell did you just call? Don’t try any trick!”
Antonio let out a chuckle. “Probably calling some rich CEO she’s slept with to come to her rescue, right?”
I threw off the blanket and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, but I had no strength. My body wobbled to the side.
“Cut the act,” Antonio sneered.
With trembling hands, I put on my clothes. “Let’s go. Isn’t there a press conference to attend?”
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
