Chapter 004

Immediately after saying that, the old man turned his back and left. Gregory tried to catch up to him, attempting to convince him to stay for lunch, but the old man only glanced at me with disdain and said Gregory needed to produce a grandson as quickly as possible if he truly wanted the inheritance.

I covered my face with my hands and immediately regretted trying to help him. Why had I wanted to be kind to a man who had bought me like a cheap commodity? That was my greatest flaw—helping those who didn’t deserve it.

I was so consumed by my worries that I didn’t notice when Gregory approached. I only felt him grab my arm and drag me upstairs. An indescribable fear gripped my chest.

I muttered the entire way, questioning what he intended and where he was taking me, but all I could hear was Gregory’s labored breathing, as if he were holding his anger between his teeth.

Then he opened the door to my room and threw me onto the bed. My heart sank, and I feared the worst. After all, the idea of pretending to be in love with my fake husband had been mine—nothing could be more fitting than paying for my audacious mistakes.

Before I landed face-down on the bed, my foot slipped awkwardly on the slick floor. Pain shot through my ankle as it twisted beneath me, and I turned onto my back, groaning in pain.

Gregory was already on top of me. His sudden proximity muffled the screaming trapped in my throat. My eyes widened in terror as he stopped mere inches from my face.

The handsome man, with his chiseled jawline and icy eyes, stared at me while his warm breath grazed my skin. I shuddered at the mere thought of him touching me without my consent.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I tried to hit him with my fists, but Gregory was faster. He grabbed them, pinning them to the bed. “I was just trying to help you, but know this: I’ll never have a child with you. Now, get off me!”

That explanation was utterly ridiculous, and Gregory’s sharp features only hardened further. My words had only fueled his anger.

“What do you think I’m going to do to you, Emma Scott?” The warm breath escaping his lips made me squeeze my eyes shut, fearing the worst. “Do you think I’d touch you and force you to have my child?”

I opened my eyes suddenly, swallowing his bitter words and feeling them pierce my stomach. Gregory’s face twisted into a sea of disgust. That’s precisely what he conveyed—disgust.

I watched him pull away. Though my wrists burned as much as my ankle, nothing seemed to compare to the pain I felt hearing those words from him. I slowly pushed myself up, keeping my eyes fixed on him.

With his back to me, he continued his insults.

“Look at you,” a mocking smile slipped from his lips; I could hear his sneer. “A pathetic woman, abused by her stepfather her whole life. I would never have any kind of relationship with you. Do you really think I’d have a child with you?”

I felt my wrists burning, and my ankle gave out the moment I stood up. The last thing I wanted was to talk about Mason or recall the horrible things he had made me endure. My eyes filled with tears. This man couldn’t continue pretending he knew me—I wouldn’t allow it. Nor would I let him insult me.

“Don’t pretend you know me, and wash your filthy mouth before speaking about me.”

Those words alone were enough to make Gregory lunge at me, grabbing my hair and yanking it back. Before I could even attempt to defend myself, his words came sharp and unrelenting.

“You told my grandfather those things to force me into bed with you,” he said, tugging my hair even harder and twisting my neck painfully. “Do you think I’m stupid enough to fall for your dirty games, Emma? You’ll pay dearly for your audacity.”

Then, he abruptly let go, and it was as if my entire body collapsed under the weight of pain and confusion. That familiar feeling of dread and humiliation washed over me. I had to lean on the bed to steady myself as the air fled from my lungs. I couldn’t say a word, even if I wanted to. Gregory immediately stormed out of the room, and the last thing I heard was the door slamming shut with force.

The cruelty of that man seemed boundless. He could have at least thanked me for trying to help convince his grandfather that we were a proper couple, but I received more bruises on my body. As I lay down on the bed with great difficulty, I found myself wondering what Gregory would do next to fix the situation I had caused. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t my problem. The best thing I could do was stay quiet and avoid getting into more trouble.

I needed to stop trying to be everyone’s Savior.

After that day, I didn’t see Gregory again. I avoided leaving my room to keep from encountering him, and my days became empty and sad. It felt worse than living with Mason, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could endure this situation.

As I sank into the uncertainties of my heart, Samantha entered the room, speaking urgently.

“Mr. Gregory asked for you.” I turned to look at her with a strong desire to refuse the order.

Defying him wouldn’t be a good idea. I turned on my heels and went to meet Gregory. A million thoughts raced through my mind about what he wanted to talk to me about—all of them the worst plausible scenarios.

I took a deep breath and straightened my posture before finding him standing in the middle of the room. Sensing my presence, he turned, and I instantly noticed a disturbing expression on his face.

“My grandfather is very sick,” he snapped. “I can’t wait any longer. We need to have a child before he dies and leaves the entire inheritance to that bastard nephew of mine.”

“What did you just say?” I couldn’t believe what I had just heard.

“You’re going to have a child. How we make that happen doesn’t matter. You can’t refuse.”