Chapter 101: The penalty
Riya recoiled at Zachary’s words, trembling as a chill ran down her spine. "What? You-you want me to steal from Nathaniel’s office?" she stammered with disbelief.
Panic gripped her chest. At that point, she remembered how her father and Nathaniel had always shared a distant, strained relationship with Zachary, the illegitimate son of the Grant family. They had never truly accepted him into the family.
Zachary had always been the outsider, and more than that, Nathaniel’s arch nemesis, constantly battling him for control of the family empire.
And now, she realized why Zachary had approached her. He wanted to use her as a weapon to strike at the heart of the Grants. And she had walked right into his trap.
Her mind spiraled.
If she refused him, he would expose her darkest secrets to the Grants. They’d turn their backs on her. The life of comfort and privilege she had always known would vanish overnight. But if she gave in, she’d be betraying the very people who had embraced her, who had trusted her.
She sat frozen in a tormenting dilemma, torn between loyalty and survival.
"You don’t have to do it," Zachary said indifferently. "I’m not forcing you. But don’t expect anything from me either."
Riya’s throat tightened as desperation flickered in her eyes. "Why?" she asked, her tone laced with a mix of anger and heartbreak. "Why won’t you help me? I’m your lover now. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?"
But Zachary’s face remained unreadable, cold, and detached. "You should have read the contract more carefully," he said flatly, utterly unaffected. "It stated very clearly—you are my submissive, a sex companion. Nothing more. No emotions attached. No favors."
His words sliced through her like ice, and in that moment, she realized the brutal truth: Zachary had never seen her as anything more than a plaything.
Fury simmered beneath her skin. Her chest ached with the sting of betrayal. A deep sense of regret clawed at her insides.