Thirty minutes before the private jet was scheduled to land, the air suddenly grew turbulent. The red wine in Damian’s hand sloshed, and the deep crimson liquid spilled down the side of the glass onto his custom-tailored trousers. His fiancée, Tiffany, gasped, recoiling with a look of distaste. She pointed at me, snapping, “Are you completely incompetent? Can’t even hold a glass steady? Hurry up and clean it for Damian!” I immediately knelt on the thick leather carpet, a warm towel in hand. My head bowed, my trembling fingers reached towards the legs of the man I’d once spent countless nights with. A soft, contemptuous chuckle came from above me. The next second, his icy fingers pinched my chin, forcing me to look up. “Crystal, you used to be so high and mighty. Now, for money, you’ve certainly mastered the art of kneeling.” I lowered my gaze, avoiding his scrutinizing stare. “Damian, I’ll cover the cleaning fee for your trousers, of course.” “Cleaning fee?” He slowly unbuckled his belt. “Since it’s my private jet, my rules go.” He leaned in close to my ear, his voice low, a demonic whisper. “You weren’t cleaning pants when you were in this position before.” 0
Crystal POV The hand holding the towel froze in mid-air. The air in the cabin seemed to solidify. Tiffany watched from the side, a hint of displeasure in her eyes. She probably hadn’t heard Damian’s whisper, likely just assuming he was scolding a clumsy flight attendant. I took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the churning emotions within me. In the past three years, the most important thing I’d learned was to endure. “Mr. Damian, you’re joking.” I lowered my head, continuing my task, dabbing away the wine stain on his trousers with the towel. Through the expensive fabric, I could feel the tension in his thigh muscles. I guessed it was a physiological reaction of extreme aversion or extreme restraint. “Tiffany is right, I’m clumsy.” As I wiped, I glanced out of the corner of my eye at the newly opened bottle of red wine. Romanee-Conti. He used to only open it for me on anniversaries. Now, he was splashing it around like water. Damian didn’t speak again, just watched me coldly. His gaze was like that of someone looking at a dog begging for scraps. Seeing his silence, Tiffany seemed to think he was still angry. To appease him, she turned and snapped at me again. “Clean it properly! These trousers are custom-made. If you damage them, you couldn’t pay for them even if you sold yourself!” I dutifully replied, “Yes, Tiffany.” Of course, I knew I couldn’t afford them. All my possessions combined now probably couldn’t buy one toilet seat on this plane. After wiping away the last bit of wine stain, I prepared to stand up. Damian suddenly extended a foot, stepping on the hem of my skirt, which was on the carpet. My movement to rise halted, and I almost lost my balance and fell onto him. I clumsily steadied myself, still kneeling. “Damian?” I looked up, puzzled. He leaned back in his seat, his long fingers idly tapping the armrest. “If it’s an apology, is just cleaning it enough?” He pointed to the bottle, still half-full. “This wine isn’t breathing enough; I don’t like the taste.” “Since Crystal is a professional, why don’t you help me ‘wake’ the wine again?” Tiffany looked confused. “Damian, wasn’t this wine just ready?” Damian ignored her, his eyes locked on me. “With your mouth.” 0
Crystal POV I froze in place. “To ‘wake’ the wine with your mouth” – it was humiliating slang in this line of work, or perhaps a game for lovers. When we were together, he’d played that game at home. But now, we were thousands of feet in the air, in front of his fiancée. He wanted to strip away my last shred of dignity and stomp on it. “What? Not willing?” Damian raised an eyebrow. “I hear you’re really desperate for money now? That you’ll do anything for cash?” “If you ‘wake’ this bottle of wine properly, the tip for this trip will be doubled.” Doubled. Those two words pierced my ears like needles. I thought of my brother, still lying in the hospital, and that bill, like a death warrant. Pride means nothing when you’re fighting for survival. I slowly reached out and grasped the cold bottle of wine. “Alright, Damian.” I pulled out the cork, tilted my head back, and took a mouthful of wine. The liquid warmed in my mouth, its bitter taste spreading. I leaned over, approaching the empty stemmed glass, and slowly poured the wine from my mouth into it. The red liquid formed a thin stream, falling into the bottom of the glass. Tiffany let out a short gasp, seemingly startled by the sensual yet humiliating scene. “Oh my god, how disgusting.” She covered her mouth, a look of repulsion on her face. I ignored her, taking a second, then a third mouthful. Each sip felt like swallowing broken glass. Damian just watched, his expression shifting from playful mockery to deep intensity, finally settling into a cold, dead stillness. It wasn’t until half the bottle was in the glass, and I felt a little tipsy, my cheeks flushed. “Enough.” He suddenly spoke, his voice chillingly flat. I stopped, a drop of red wine still clinging to the corner of my mouth. He suddenly stood up, sweeping the wine-filled glass away. With a crash, the crystal glass shattered against the cabin wall, breaking into pieces. Red wine splashed everywhere, just like the bloodshot eyes I’d seen in the rain-soaked night when I’d left him. “Get out.” He pointed to the galley outside the cockpit, his tone violent. I clumsily wiped my mouth, lowered my head, and stumbled out. The moment I closed the cabin door, I heard him tell Tiffany inside, “Don’t let me see such filthy things again.” 0
Crystal POV Hiding in the narrow galley, I leaned against the cold metal cabinet door, gasping for breath. My hands were still trembling. My stomach was churning; the after-effects of half a bottle of red wine were kicking in. I dug my nails into my palms, using the pain to keep myself sober. Crystal, you can’t cry. If you cry, you lose. When you walked away with fifty million, you should have known this day would come. That fifty million? I didn’t spend a single cent on myself. It all went into that bottomless pit. But I couldn’t say anything. If I did, Damian, that lunatic, would tear his whole family apart. Back then, he was on the precipice of securing control of his family’s empire; any wrong move would shatter him. So, I had to be the bad guy. I had to be the vain, mercenary, and treacherous woman. Just then, the intercom in the galley rang. I jumped, hesitated, but picked it up. “Crystal, Damian wants you back in.” It was Tiffany’s voice, tinged with schadenfreude. “He said you haven’t finished your ‘special services’.” I closed my eyes, then opened them, and hung up. I straightened my disheveled uniform and forced a standard professional smile into the mirror. Whether he wanted to hit me or curse me, I had to take it. As long as he paid. 0
Crystal POV Pushing open the cabin door, Tiffany was no longer in her seat. The entire passenger cabin held only Damian. He had unbuttoned two buttons of his shirt, revealing his sculpted collarbone, and held an unlit cigarette between his fingers. Seeing me enter, he tilted his chin, signaling me to approach. “Where’s Tiffany?” I asked instinctively. “She went to sleep.” He impatiently tossed the cigarette onto the table. “Come here, take off my shoes.” I walked over and knelt at his feet. This seemed to be my standard posture when facing him. I reached out to untie his leather shoes. His feet were large. In winter, I used to love tucking my cold feet into his embrace for warmth. Now, my hand had barely touched his ankle when he kicked it away. The force wasn’t great, but the humiliation was extreme. “Why are your hands so rough?” He frowned, his gaze falling on my hands, covered in small cuts. Those were from recently washing dishes for a part-time job. “You never used to do menial tasks, did you?” “What, did that billionaire go bankrupt? Can’t even afford a housekeeper, making you do the work yourself?” The “billionaire” he referred to was a sugar daddy I’d made up. To make him give up on me, I’d told him I was with a billionaire ten times richer than him. I lowered my head, continued untying his shoelaces, my voice steady. “People have to live, Damian.” “Live?” He scoffed, then suddenly bent down and grabbed my wrist, pulling me up. His excessively handsome face was close to mine, his breath fanning my face. “Crystal, when you took that fifty million, didn’t you say you were going to live a good life?” “Is this the ‘good life’ you chose? Being a flight attendant, serving drinks, kneeling to clean pants?” His eyes held a deep, ingrained hatred. “Yes.” I met his gaze, smiling carelessly. “The money ran out, so I had to come out and earn more.” “If Damian feels sorry for me, why not write me another check?” At that, the fury in Damian’s eyes exploded. He violently flung my hand away, with such force that I slammed against the cabin wall. “Dream on.” He pulled a wad of cash from his wallet and threw it directly in my face. Green bills fluttered down, hitting me, then scattering across the carpet. “That’s your tip from before.” “Pick it up.” He pointed to the money on the floor, his eyes dark and menacing. “Pick up every single bill.” “When you’re done, go to that room and clean yourself up.” “Tonight, I’m going to ‘inspect the goods’.” 0
Crystal POV I squatted on the floor and began picking up the money. One bill, two bills, three bills… My movements were slow, but deliberate. Each bill I smoothed out, folded neatly, and placed in my inner pocket. This money would buy my brother two more days in the ICU. Damian stood nearby, looking down at me. I guessed he wanted to see me break down, see me crying and begging, or perhaps throw the money back in his face, like I used to. Unfortunately, the Crystal of today had only knees, no spine. After picking up the last bill, I stood up and bowed to him. “Thank you for the reward, Damian.” With that, I turned and walked towards the room he indicated – the only luxurious suite on this plane. Closing the door, I leaned against the doorframe, and my body finally began to tremble uncontrollably. “Inspect the goods.” Was he trying to humiliate me, or did he genuinely want… I dared not think deeper. The phone in my pocket suddenly vibrated. It was a text message from the hospital. “Crystal, your brother’s account balance is less than two thousand. Please renew the payment as soon as possible, or some life-sustaining equipment will be disconnected.” Two thousand. Not even enough for one day’s expenses. I clutched the phone, my knuckles white. That small tip was just a drop in the ocean. I had to get more. If one night with him could buy my brother’s life-saving money, then so be it. After all, this body used to be his too. I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Hot water poured over me, but it couldn’t wash away the bone-deep chill. After showering, I emerged wrapped in a bathrobe. Damian hadn’t come in yet. I sat on the edge of the bed, looking out at the clouds. It was pitch black, nothing to see, just like my future. I don’t know how much time passed, but the doorknob turned. Damian walked in. He had taken off his suit jacket, wearing only a black shirt, collar open, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He held a glass of wine, carrying the faint scent of tobacco. He hadn’t turned on the main lights, leaving only a dim bedside lamp. The light and shadow cast on his face made his features appear even more defined and sharp. “Cleaned up?” He walked to the bed, placed the wine glass on the nightstand. His gaze swept over me. That look wasn’t like someone looking at a woman; it was like someone looking at an item for sale, waiting for its price. I nodded, then actively untied the sash of my bathrobe. If I was selling, I had to embrace the role. The bathrobe slipped, revealing a silk slip dress underneath. Damian’s pupils contracted sharply. I guessed he remembered; this slip dress, he had given it to me three years ago. I’d kept it, and today, on a whim, I’d worn it underneath. “This dress…” He reached out, his fingertips touching my collarbone, so cold it made me shiver. “Still wearing it?” “Because it’s cheap and durable.” I lied. “Is that so?” He scoffed, his palm sliding down my waistline, finally stopping at my lower back, pulling me abruptly closer. I was forced to press against him. “Crystal, is that billionaire tired of this body of yours yet?” “I heard rich men like to play kinky games; he didn’t break you, did he?” His words were crass and piercing. I bit my lip, forcing a seductive smile, and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Damian wants to try, doesn’t he?” “As long as the money is right, I’ll do any position.” The words had barely left my lips when I felt his muscles tense. The next second, as if he’d touched something foul, he violently pushed me away. I fell onto the bed, a little dazed. “Disgusting.” He spat the word through clenched teeth. “You think you’re worthy of my touch?” He turned, picked up the wad of money I’d just collected, and flung it onto the bed. “Take your money and go sleep on the couch.” “Don’t soil my bed.” 0
Crystal POV I hugged the blanket, curled up on the couch in the outer room. The inner room door was tightly shut. That night, I slept restlessly. My dreams were filled with old memories of Damian and me. Back then, he was still a rebellious rich kid. To pursue me, he’d once arranged 999 roses beneath my apartment, getting chased by security guards. Later, when his family faced trouble, his father became critically ill, and there was internal strife within the family for control. He was pushed to the brink, almost facing prison. That evidence of money laundering? I had forged it myself, and I had personally handed it to Marcus, his sworn enemy. Everyone thought I had betrayed him. Only I knew that if that evidence wasn’t handed over, the true black ledger would be exposed. Damian would not only lose everything but also face massive debts and prison time. And Marcus had promised me that if I did this, he would spare Damian’s life and give me money to save my brother. I had no choice. I had to be the bad guy. I had to be the greedy, treacherous woman. When the plane landed, it was early morning in London.Misty, cold, and damp. I packed my things, ready to disembark and leave. This trip was over. It was time for me to get out. Just as I reached the cabin door, the pilot stopped me. “Crystal, please wait.” The pilot looked serious, handing me a document. “What’s this?” I had a bad feeling. “This is your new contract,” the pilot explained. “The management company for this aircraft was acquired by Damian’s company yesterday. Damian specifically requested you as his personal flight attendant and butler.” I glanced at the contract. Term: Lifelong. Penalty for breach: Ten million. It was practically an indentured servitude contract. “I won’t sign it.” I pushed the contract back. “I’m resigning.” “You can resign.” Damian’s cold voice came from behind me. He descended the air stairs, coat on, followed by the ever-present Tiffany. “You can resign, but first, pay the ten million breach penalty.” He walked up to me, looking down. “Can’t afford it?Then behave yourself.” “From today, you are Damian’s dog.” “Bite whoever I tell you to, and when I tell you to kneel, you don’t stand.” Tiffany chuckled, covering her mouth. “Damian, you’re too mean! How can you say that about Crystal? She’s your old flame, after all.” “You think you’re worthy of mentioning the word ‘flame’?” Damian shot her a cold glance, scaring Tiffany into immediate silence. He turned back to me, his eyes glinting with a perverse playfulness. “Get in the car, Crystal.” I didn’t know where he was taking me, but the look in his eyes triggered a primal fear in me.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “348477”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn
Leave a Reply