When I saw Dominic Thorne again, he was the high-flying CEO of a publicly listed company. And I was just a bottle girl in a club. He stared at me, his eyes cold and disdainful, a smirk even in the curve of his brows. Later, when he was drunk, he grabbed my chin, completely losing his composure. “Hmph, Miss Blackwood, the notorious Miss Blackwood, really will do anything for money, won’t she?” Inside the booming Neon Club, Mr. Reynolds, the manager, excitedly told us, “VIP Penthouse Suite 101, all big spenders in there. You girls put in some effort, push a lot of drinks.” “Especially you, Aria. If you do well tonight, you might just cover your mom’s medical bills for a month.” “That’s right, Aria, go for it!” “You got this, Aria!” I gave them a grateful smile. I never thought that amidst the cold, flashy lights of this place, there would still be such warm-hearted people. My sisters and I, dressed in sexy outfits, each holding a bottle of fine wine ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, lined up and appeared in VIP Penthouse Suite 101. The room was dim, the music pumping. We wore smiles that held little truth. I scanned the dozen or so men in the room. They were all in suits, with playful, arrogant smiles on their faces. They openly scrutinized us, as if we were merchandise on a shelf, waiting to be bought. I’d long grown accustomed to such gazes. Suddenly, as my gaze swept over one particular man, the half-million-dollar bottle of imported liquor in my hand almost slipped to the floor. Dominic Thorne? The moment our eyes met, his showed shock. It was quickly replaced by disgust. The group of men with him said deferentially, “Mr. Thorne, you first, pick one.” Dominic walked up to me, gave a dismissive smirk, then pulled Chloe, a sister next to me. After that, the other men came one by one to choose their hostesses. A few who initially wanted to pick me, seeing the price of the wine in my hand, sheepishly picked other girls. As I was about to leave, a pot-bellied man called out to me with an unwelcome leer. “Tsk, the price of that bottle is enough to buy you entirely.” I forced out a smile, using every ounce of strength I had. “Sir, fine wine for a hero. This bottle may be expensive, but for you, it’s worth it.” My flattery made the greasy man beam with delight. He wrapped an arm around my neck. “Oh, your sweet talk is something else. How about a little kiss, huh?” I don’t know if it was my imagination, but Dominic’s arm around Chloe seemed to tremble slightly. I cleverly dodged him. “Sir, you haven’t even had a drink yet, and you’re already drunk.” He didn’t seem annoyed, pulling me down to sit beside him. “I get it, I get it. Drinks first, right? You women here, once you’re drunk enough, it’s not just your lips, is it? You’ll let a guy kiss you anywhere. Hahaha…” Dominic, looking impatient, told Chloe, “Open the bottle.” Only then did the greasy man stop pestering me and started raising his glass with the others.
In the dim lighting, human nature was, to a certain extent, unleashed. They flattered, exchanged pleasantries, boasted, and recounted their heroic deeds to the bottle girls beside them. Not far away, Dominic Thorne stood out like an anomaly. He accepted every single toast, never refusing a drink, yet barely uttered a word. After three rounds of drinks, the greasy man suddenly pulled me onto his lap. His thick, leering lips lunged straight for me. I frantically pushed him away and stood up. “Mr. Davies, you’ve had too much to drink…” *Slap!* The greasy man, face flushed crimson, slapped me across the face. “You little slut! I’m being nice, and you’re just throwing it back in my face? This bottle of wine cost a fortune, you don’t seriously think I spent hundreds of thousands just to *drink* the damn thing, do you?” Mr. Reynolds, hearing the commotion in the room, scurried in. He immediately pulled me behind him, facing the greasy man and apologizing profusely. “Mr. Davies, please calm down, calm down. Aria’s young and foolish, not worth your anger. Please, just let it go.” But the greasy man was relentless. He shoved Mr. Reynolds aside. “Foolish? No problem, I’ll teach her a lesson and she’ll learn to be smart.” With that, his greasy hands reached out to tear at my clothes. *Crash!* “Enough, Arthur. You’re really something.” Dominic Thorne had smashed a bottle of wine to pieces. The noisy room fell into a sudden, eerie silence. Three-tenths of the greasy man’s drunkenness instantly sobered up. “Mr… Mr. Thorne, come on, none of these girls are innocent, are they? Besides, I just ordered a half-million-dollar bottle from her, she’ll at least get…” Dominic’s face was so dark it looked like it was about to drip ink. He tossed a black card at the greasy man. “This round’s on me.” The greasy man frantically picked up the card, trying to hand it back to Dominic. But Dominic struck it away with a punch. He walked over, expressionless, and pulled me out. Mr. Reynolds called my name in concern from behind. I shook my head at him, telling him not to worry. Dominic Thorne, a rising titan in Harbor City’s business world. Ruthless and decisive, a man who played by no one’s rules but his own. Neither Mr. Reynolds nor I could afford to offend him.
Outside the club, Dominic pinned me against the wall. His bloodshot eyes seemed to hold a volcano on the verge of eruption. He squeezed my chin, saying disdainfully, “Hmph, Miss Blackwood, the notorious Miss Blackwood, really will do anything for money, won’t she?” “How about it? Why don’t you become my mistress?” I stared at him in shock. I never imagined such hurtful words could come from his mouth. He scoffed. “What? You’re unwilling? Or maybe you just want to name your price?” My hand trembled as I raised it, slapping him across the face. He stuck out his tongue, a cold smile playing on his lips as he licked a bead of blood from the corner of his mouth. He gripped my wrist, his eyes blazing. “Aria Blackwood, you don’t honestly think you’re still the untouchable Miss Blackwood, do you? A woman like you, what’s with the act of being a virtuous lady?” He violently threw my hand away, leaving me with a chilling sentence: “I’ll be waiting for you to beg me.” Then he strode away. Watching his retreating back, my eyes stung. All those sweet, warm moments felt as vivid as yesterday. But I had forgotten that five years were enough to crush everything into dust.
Five years ago, Blackwood Inc. was framed, and its finances plunged into a major crisis. My father, unable to bear the burden, jumped to his death. My mother, unable to cope with the shock, developed severe depression, requiring expensive treatment every month. At that time, Dominic Thorne had just been accepted to a prestigious business school in the U.S. I didn’t want to be a burden to him, so I forced myself to break up with him. Back then, Dominic loved me to the core. He was willing to give up everything for me. But I was no different. When he pressed for a reason, I used differences in social status and family background as an excuse. “Love without money is like a pile of loose sand,” I’d sneer, quoting some trashy romance flick, “doesn’t even need a strong wind, just a couple of steps and it’s gone.” “Dominic Thorne, what makes you so confident you can give me happiness?” He cried then, promising me, “Aria, please believe me, I’ll make sure you live a happy life with my own two hands. Just wait for me, okay?” I believed him, of course I did. He was destined to shine, a star just waiting for its moment. Provided, of course, that I wasn’t dragging him down. I pointed to the clothes on my body. “This one, thirty-five thousand; this one, fifty thousand; even my hair tie costs five thousand. And you? Your whole outfit probably doesn’t add up to two hundred, does it?” “Dominic Thorne, what makes you think I should trust you? We’re not the same kind of people. Some people spend their whole lives trying to reach Rome. I was born there.” Dominic looked at me in disbelief, as if he’d never known me. “Then what was our past? What were all those vows we made?” Seeing him in such a hysterical state, my heart felt as if it were being gnawed by a thousand ants. I forced back the pain and sneered, “It was just for kicks, why are you making such a big deal out of it?” Those eyes, once bright as stars, were now filled only with despair and hatred. It chilled me to the bone. I wanted to tell him everything, then throw myself into his arms and cry out all the grievances I’d bottled up. But I could only watch helplessly as his desolate figure vanished from my sight. After he went abroad, the debt collectors hounded me everywhere. My mother’s exorbitant medical bills crushed me daily, making it impossible to breathe. In less than a month, I lost twenty pounds. In the dead of night, I would think of Dominic Thorne until I felt like I was going insane. Many times, I stood on the rooftop, listening to the whistling wind around me. I wanted to be a free bird, to just leap. But each time, my mom in her hospital room, Dominic with his hair flying in my mind’s eye, they were like threads behind me, pulling me back.
The next evening, when I went to work, Mr. Reynolds called me into his office. He handed me a stack of cash. “Aria, this is your salary for the month. After this… you don’t have to come in anymore.” “W-why?” Years ago, desperate for money, I had nowhere else to turn but to apply for a bottle girl position at The Neon. Mr. Reynolds, knowing my situation, had always looked out for me. And the other girls, they were truly genuine with me. For years, I had lost all my friends. The Neon had become like my home. The girls here, they were my family and friends. Mr. Reynolds sighed. “Aria, I’m sorry. That person is someone we can’t afford to offend. I also have a wife and children to support, I hope you can understand.” I suddenly remembered what Dominic had said last night: “I’ll be waiting for you to beg me.” It was his doing. Mr. Reynolds indeed couldn’t afford to offend him. Not just Mr. Reynolds, but the entire Neon Club couldn’t. I nodded, forcing back the tears in my eyes. “It’s okay. Thank you for taking care of me all these years, Mr. Reynolds. I’ll always remember your kindness.” He waved his hand. “Go find another job quickly. Your mom’s condition can’t be delayed. I’ve paid you an extra half-month’s salary. This is the last thing I can do for you.” I bowed gratefully to Mr. Reynolds, then left with a heavy heart. After leaving The Neon, I first rushed to the hospital to pay my mom’s medical fees for the month. Then I went home and started preparing my resume. In my current situation, I couldn’t afford to waste a single day. Half a month later, I found myself squatting by the roadside, feeling helpless, staring at the resume in my hand. No matter what job I applied for, things would start off well. But each time it came to the point of discussing employment, the HR manager would tell me I wasn’t quite suitable. One HR manager cryptically told me, “Miss Blackwood, you should really think about whether you’ve offended someone. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for you to find work here in Harbor City.” I gave a bitter smile. Besides Dominic Thorne, who else could it be? As I struggled to figure out how to break this deadlock, my mom’s condition worsened, and she was admitted to the ICU. Watching the money drain away like water, I felt a deep sense of powerlessness. Was it just about dropping my pride and begging him? When fate’s hand gripped your throat, what was pride truly worth? I dialed the number etched in my heart. *Beep… beep… beep…* The phone’s ring seemed to have a magic of its own; with each ring, a shred of my soul was pulled away. When the ringing stopped, I collapsed onto the sofa. Relieved, yet also lost. Suddenly, my phone rang. Seeing the familiar number on the screen, I felt as if I were dreaming. As if answering it would take me back five years, to a time before everything had happened. After taking a deep breath, I answered the call. Dominic Thorne coldly stated an address. “You have twenty minutes. Get over here.” I threw on a random jacket, rushed downstairs, and hailed a cab. When I arrived at Dominic’s house, he was meticulously working on his laptop on the sofa. Seeing me, he said dismissively, “When you’re begging someone, shouldn’t you have the attitude of someone who’s begging?” I walked up to him and struggled to speak. “Mr. Thorne, please, overlook my foolishness. Don’t stoop to my level. Just let me have a way to live.” He put down his laptop and gave me a playful smirk. “Alright, be my mistress, and I’ll cover your mom’s medical bills for a month.” My face turned ashen as I pleaded with him. “Dominic, please don’t do this to me, okay?” His expression changed drastically. “Shut up. Who gave you permission to call me that? I’m not negotiating with you. If you don’t agree, get out now. But I hear your mom’s condition isn’t looking too good.” He knew me all too well. I desperately wanted to walk away, but the thought of my mom, eyes closed in her hospital bed, made my legs feel as heavy as lead. I had already lost too much in this life. I couldn’t lose my mom too. “Okay, I agree.” Dominic Thorne looked at me in surprise, then said, “Aria Blackwood, you truly are pathetic.”
Dominic Thorne handed me a card. “This card has no limit, spend what you want. I expect you to act like a proper mistress; don’t make me feel like my money’s wasted.” I took the card and rushed to the hospital to pay my mom’s overdue medical bills. That evening, Dominic called me, telling me to pick him up from a hotel. The men who saw me there teased him, “Mr. Thorne, is this your girlfriend? She’s really beautiful.” Dominic scoffed. “Her? She’s not worthy.” The men looked at me, smirking knowingly, an expression that said *I understand*. My face burned. It felt as if I had been stripped naked and thrown onto the street. I took the seven-tenths-drunk Dominic, helped him into the car, and drove him to the residence he had arranged for me that afternoon. The moment we entered, he violently pinned me against the wall. A warm breath caressed my face. Instinctively, I pushed him away. Dominic, enraged, pressed me harder against the wall. “Don’t forget, you’re my mistress now. You just spent eighty thousand of my money this afternoon, didn’t you? Have you forgotten what you’re supposed to do?” He roughly pulled me, throwing me onto the bedroom bed. He savagely tore at my clothes. Terrified, I tried to push him away. But that only fueled his anger further. Then, pain radiated from every pore. Seeing my tears stream down my face, Dominic’s expression showed a fleeting moment of panic. After it was over, he carried me to the bathroom. He placed me into the already-drawn bathwater. He gently scrubbed my body, covered in red marks. Back in the bedroom, Dominic stared blankly at the crimson stain on the sheets. Then, he efficiently changed the bedding. “Get some sleep. I have to go to work tomorrow. You’ll come with me tomorrow; I need a secretary.” I nodded. Someone like me didn’t deserve a life of just waiting to die. When Dominic eventually tired of me, at least I would still have the ability to survive. But I never imagined this was the abyss Dominic had prepared for me.
I became Dominic Thorne’s personal secretary. My daily tasks were limited to serving tea and water, and preparing his three meals. And, satisfying him whenever he wished. Hundreds of people in the company, each looked at me with disdain. In the pantry, in the restrooms, colleagues constantly whispered that the new Miss Blackwood was a vixen. A shameless slut. Why did no one treat me as Dominic Thorne’s girlfriend? Because, at this very moment, his fiancée, Seraphina Vance, was sitting across from me. Her exquisite face was slightly distorted with rage. “Aria Blackwood, do you have no shame? You abandoned Dominic for money back then. Now you’re shamelessly throwing yourself at him for money again. How can there be a woman as despicable and low as you?” I clasped my hands tightly, trying my best to ignore her verbal abuse. Since I was doing something shameful, I deserved to endure everything that came with it. Seraphina grew even angrier seeing my silence. She splashed a cup of coffee onto my face. The scalding coffee ran from my face down to my neck and inside my clothes. I bore the burning pain without a sound. As if by doing so, the pain in my heart would lessen. Seraphina’s enraged face suddenly turned to one of hurt. Following her gaze, I saw Dominic Thorne walking towards us, looking anxious. He glanced at me, then handed me a tissue with a look of disgust. Then he gently wrapped an arm around Seraphina’s slender waist, his expression doting. “Seraphina, did she upset you?” Seraphina’s eyes were red, and she pouted, looking up at him. It was as if she, not I, was the one who had been doused in coffee. She leaned into Dominic’s arms, saying sweetly, “Dominic, why is this woman here? And what’s your relationship with her? You don’t still like her, do you?” I looked up at Dominic, a flicker of hope rising in my heart. He scoffed, gently flicking Seraphina’s nose with his finger. “Silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about? What is she to me? Even if every woman in the world died, I wouldn’t spare her a glance.” “Right now, she’s just a servant by my side, here to atone for her sins.” Pain radiated from all directions. My chest felt as if it were crushed by ten thousand pounds of stone. My face suddenly felt icy cold. Dominic snorted. “Who are you crying for with that pathetic look? You’re bad luck. Get out of my sight.” Like someone granted a reprieve, I fled in disarray. Dominic’s driver followed me in the car and said, “Miss Blackwood, Mr. Thorne asked me to take you to the hospital.” Hah! What was this? A slap, then a sweet treat? I stubbornly continued walking. The driver followed behind. “Miss Blackwood, please get in. We’re all just trying to make a living, don’t make it harder for me.” I stopped. Yes, we were all just people forced by circumstances. Why make things difficult for each other? At the hospital, the doctor prescribed me ointment. I also took the opportunity to visit my mom in the special care ward. I had to admit, money truly was a good thing. Not only was Mom out of the ICU, but she even had moments of lucidity. However, her memory was always a bit jumbled. Sometimes she would revert to before our family went bankrupt, holding my hand and asking, “How are things with Dominic, honey? He’s such a good boy, don’t be too hard on him, okay?” Other times, she’d go back to after Dad’s death, clutching me and sobbing, “Aria, your father and I are so sorry. Your dad is gone, what’s the point of me still being alive…” Dr. Miller called me into his office and said, “Miss Blackwood, your mother’s condition is improving now. You should visit her more often; she keeps mentioning your name when she’s lucid.” “In another year or so, she might even be able to continue her treatment from home.” I bowed gratefully to the doctor. I had been waiting five years for this day.
That evening, Dominic Thorne, utterly drunk, was brought to my place by his driver. The moment he entered, he pulled me into his arms, carefully cradling my face. “Aria Blackwood, is this really you? Is this really you?” His fingertips brushed over the fading red marks on my face, asking, “Does it hurt? Does it still hurt?” I shook my head. “But I hurt so much. Aria Blackwood, it hurts so much right here.” He pointed to his chest, and his usually cold eyes were actually misted with tears. Drunk Dominic was like the Dominic from before we broke up. His soft hair brushed against my cheek, exposing a side of him I rarely saw. One moment he was hurt, the next angry, then helpless, then ruthless. At that moment, our hearts felt closer than ever. In the middle of the night, he sobered up enough. He roughly pulled me to him, tormenting me as if in revenge. He hovered over me, relentlessly mocking me. “Aria Blackwood, look how pathetic you are now? The former Miss Blackwood, you can’t live without money, can you?” When the storm passed, he got up and went to the bathroom. As he left, he didn’t forget to say to me, “Aria Blackwood, you’re so dirty now.” I took a deep breath, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall. Wasn’t the current Aria Blackwood indeed someone who couldn’t live without money? When Dominic left in the morning, he told me, “Don’t come to the office today. Come back when the marks on your face are gone.” I thought he was concerned about me. But then I heard him say, “The way you look now, it disgusts me.” I looked at myself in the mirror and felt disgusted too. For money, I was sleeping with a man who despised me. Even though I knew he was doing it to humiliate me, I still had to force a smile. During this time, I had countless thoughts. If I had told Dominic the truth back then, what would we be like now? Then I shook my head again. Dominic wasn’t obligated to me. Why should he sink into the mud with me? Just because he loved me?
A few days later, Seraphina Vance found me. She haughtily told me, “Aria Blackwood, Dominic and I are getting married. From today on, you’ll be with me. Help us prepare for all the wedding arrangements.” I looked at Dominic. The moment our eyes met, he showed a hint of impatience. “Why are you looking at me? Seraphina is Thorne Inc.’s future lady boss, just do what she says.” My heart ached as I nodded. He was bound to get married and have children eventually. Why was I still so sad? Seraphina was very invested in her wedding to Dominic. From major details like the hotel and emcee, down to minor ones like nail designs. She made me accompany her, comparing one option after another. Everything was already perfectly exquisite, yet she always felt something was missing. Finally came the day Seraphina was to try on her wedding gown. Early in the morning, we arrived at Harbor City’s largest bridal shop. When I got there, Seraphina was already wearing a wedding gown with a long train, and not far away, Dominic was distractedly fiddling with his phone. Seeing me, Dominic’s face immediately darkened. Seraphina, on the other hand, looked triumphant. She asked me, “Aria Blackwood, what do you think?” “It’s great, very beautiful.” She rolled her eyes at me and told the sales assistant, “This one isn’t fancy enough. Get me that one.” She pointed to a mermaid-style gown adorned with tiny scattered diamonds. Dominic and I looked at that dress simultaneously, and both froze. Five years ago, I had pulled Dominic past a bridal shop. I pointed to a similar mermaid gown and said, “Dominic Thorne, when we get married, I’m going to wear that dress. I want to show off my bombshell figure, make sure everyone knows you, Dominic Thorne, hit the jackpot marrying a gorgeous woman like me!” Dominic put his arm around me, his face full of adoration. “Whose ‘gorgeous woman’ are you? No manners.” He glanced at the price of the dress and said, “Looks like I’ll have to work hard to earn money for a wedding dress, or I won’t even be able to marry my wife.” Now, his assets were enough to buy the entire bridal shop. Unfortunately, everything had changed. Dominic stopped Seraphina. “Don’t wear that one, it’s ugly. Change to that one.” He pointed to an off-the-shoulder, floor-length gown not far away. The sales assistant quickly praised it. “Mr. Thorne has excellent taste! This gown is a handmade designer piece. Only one in the world, truly unique.” Seraphina’s heart swelled with delight. She immediately had the sales assistant take her to the fitting room. I followed her. When we came out, the mermaid gown was gone. It must have been bought by someone else. I hadn’t expected it to disappear so quickly, in just a moment. Well, who would wait around forever? Still, a part of my heart felt a little lost. After leaving the bridal shop, they went to dinner. Seraphina no longer wanted me to follow them. I went to the hospital to see my mom. Her lucid periods were becoming more frequent, and she had even accepted the reality of Dad’s passing. She held my hand, her face full of tenderness. “Aria, you’ve suffered so much all these years. It’s all because your mom was a burden.” I leaned gently into her arms, acting like my old self. “Mom, don’t talk about burdens. Just get well soon, okay? I miss your homemade chicken pot pie. You wouldn’t believe how many I’ve tried these past few years, none of them were authentic.” A long-lost smile appeared on my mom’s face. “You, you’re still a little greedy cat. I’ll make it for you once I’m out of the hospital.”
Coming home from the hospital, I saw the lights on in my house. Dominic Thorne sat on the sofa, intently working on files. Seeing me enter, he closed his laptop. He grabbed a bag beside him and tossed it to me. “Put this on.” I caught the bag. Inside was the mermaid wedding gown I had seen at the bridal shop earlier today. I looked up at Dominic, and his eyes were filled with expectation. “Aria Blackwood, go put it on. Please, be a good girl.” Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. “Dominic, please don’t make me wear it, okay? I beg you!” At least, not while we were in this kind of relationship. Dominic roughly pulled me towards him, mercilessly tearing at my clothes. “Aria Blackwood, have you forgotten what our relationship is now? Have I been too lenient with you? Now, I order you, put it on.” I clutched my chest, crying as I begged Dominic, “Please, Dominic Thorne, find another way to punish me. I can’t take it anymore, I really can’t.” Dominic’s eyes were bloodshot. “Another way? What else do you have besides this body now? Don’t worry, Aria Blackwood, when I’m tired of you, I’ll naturally give you a sum of money and throw you away like a used rag.” “Do you… do you hate me that much?” Dominic froze at my words. For the first time, his eyes showed confusion and panic. “Aria Blackwood, if you could do it all over again, would you still break up with me?” I never expected him to ask that question. I answered without hesitation, “If it were the same situation, yes, I would.” Dominic snatched the wedding dress from my hands, took out a pair of scissors, and shredded it. Then, still not satisfied, he stomped on it several times. “Aria Blackwood, you’re truly pathetic. It serves your family right for going bankrupt, serves your dad right for dying, serves your mom right for getting sick. A woman like you shouldn’t even exist.” He stormed out, slamming the door. I looked at the scattered white shreds and fallen diamonds on the floor. It was like the heart in my chest. Slammed hard onto the ground. In the morning, I was woken on the floor, covered in shreds of wedding dress, by a sharp ringing. “Miss Blackwood, please come quickly, your mother is dying.” Ignoring the aches all over my body, I quickly sat up and asked, “What did you say? Dr. Miller, are you kidding me?” The other end of the line fell silent for a moment.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298656”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic
Leave a Reply