Chapter 3

3

The drunken woman's words made the entire booth fall dead silent.

Everyone glanced at Sierra, waiting for her reaction. In their eyes, even if I had lost her favor, I was still her personal property.

But I was a human being, not some cheap toy to be passed around.

I glared at her as the drunk woman stumbled to her feet and swayed toward me.

Suddenly, a shadow blocked my view. Sierra's sharp voice cut through the air like a blade: "He belongs to me. How I treat him is my business, and none of you have the right to touch him!"

Before anyone could react, the sharp crash of a bottle shattering echoed through the room. "Get the fuck out!"

I froze. The drunk woman was clutching her bleeding forehead, completely sobered up and staring in sheer shock.

After Sierra's outburst, nobody dared to breathe.

For a split second, I had the crazy illusion that things were back to the way they used to be, when she was still the caring, protective partner I loved.

Losing all mood to party, Sierra grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the club.

If she was so disgusted by me, why the hell did she just defend me?

"What are you staring at? Still in love with me?"

Sierra caught me zoning out and threw a sarcastic remark my way, though the tension between us seemed to ease slightly.

"Sierra, if you really don't feel anything for me anymore, I can pack my bags and move out tomorrow so I won't get on your nerves."

I figured I was overthinking things anyway. Her scene back there was probably just about saving face, not about protecting me.

Hearing my words, Sierra's delicate brows knitted together, and her grip on my wrist tightened until it hurt.

"Don't even dream about it!"

She threw out those four words with absolute authority, leaving no room for argument.

My proposal was the best outcome for both of us, so why was she refusing?

After walking a few steps, Sierra stopped abruptly and turned to press close against my chest.

"You've stayed by my side for eight years just to complete your stupid mission, haven't you?"

"Now you suddenly want to quit. Are you hiding something else from me?"

My heart skipped a beat. Did she figure out the real task?

Seeing me stay silent, she scoffed, making her own conclusion. "Or are you just playing hard to get?"

I let out a silent breath of relief, glad she hadn't dug any deeper.

Still, I put on an act of being caught red-handed, turning my head away to avoid her piercing stare.

Sierra let out a mocking chuckle. "I know all your little tricks, Garrett. Save your breath."

She yanked my arm and pulled me toward the waiting car, shoving me into the back seat.

"Garrett, don't think you can just finish your task and walk away easily. I'm going to make you watch me fall in love with someone else."

I sneered back at her. "Do we have some kind of blood feud? Does torturing me get you off?"

Sierra leaned over and buckled my seatbelt with chilling calm.

"Anyone who hurts me pays the price. You should know that better than anyone."

She wasn't lying. Anyone in the business world who had ever crossed Sierra had ended up ruined.

I argued back, "Even if my romantic feelings were part of the assignment, I built your entire career from scratch. Isn't this a little ungrateful?"

That struck a nerve, and Sierra's face darkened instantly.

"You lived off my money and my resources, and now you call me ungrateful? What do you want, all my bank accounts?"

"Keep your damn money! Just let me finish the mission and give me my freedom, and I'll be thrilled!" I fired back. I didn't belong to this world, and her fortune meant nothing to me.