3. The $100 Secret

Lyla’s breath nearly stopped from the shock. She instinctively glanced around her, but the classroom was empty, the doors closed. There was no way anyone could be spying on her screen.

She thought for a moment, then exited Shadow Master’s profile and clicked into her own. At the top of the page, she noticed a section showing recent visitors from the last half hour. But when she registered last night, she hadn’t seen this feature.

Shadow Master: "Are you curious about the recent visitors feature? Don’t be surprised—I just added it. The code was written in a rush, not perfect, but it was more than enough to catch a mischievous little bug like you."

Lyla smirked with mild disdain.

Nicola Selene: Are you a hacker?

Shadow Master: A hacker? I built this site myself—no hacker in the world could break into it.

For a brief moment, countless thoughts raced through Lyla’s mind. Reflecting on today’s events on the forum, a bold idea suddenly formed.

Nicola Selene: You wouldn’t happen to be the founder of the forum, would you?

Shadow Master: You’re not completely hopeless.

Nicola Selene: So what if you’re the founder? Does that give you the right to change the site’s rules whenever you want? Keep this up, and your lousy site will shut down soon!!!

The three exclamation points reflected Lyla’s inner anger. It wasn’t really about Shadow Master changing a feature—it was the unsettling feeling of being controlled without her knowledge that truly bothered her.

Shadow Master: I’m a dom, you’re a sub, and you want to talk about rules? It looks like you’re in need of some serious punishment.

Nicola Selene: I am NOT a sub!!!

Lyla’s face flushed with excitement, but Shadow Master didn’t respond again.

That night, as she slowly calmed down, Lyla couldn’t help but think that this man, the founder of such a well-known site, could be an ideal subject for her research. Maybe she could even ask him for an interview.

With that thought, she collected herself and sent another message, explaining that she was a PhD student in psychology, researching the relationship between BD/SM and anxiety relief, and she wanted to interview him as part of her study.

A response came back quickly.

Shadow Master: Not interested.

Nicola Selene: I can pay you. I have funding.

At that moment, the man reclining in a hot bath smiled slightly at the message on his phone. He raised his head and downed the last of the wine in his glass.

The butler, Hudson, refilled his glass and asked, "It’s been a while since I’ve seen you smile like that, sir."

The man seemed to be in a good mood, emptying his glass once more. "Someone wants to pay me."

"Oh, really?" Hudson smiled. "What’s the job this time? A shooting? Poisoning? Or car accident?"

"No, not killing anyone. Just someone trying to extract my secrets." The man’s smile widened. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a glow on his handsome face and bronze chest. His bare abs rippled slightly in the water.

"Secrets?" Hudson raised an eyebrow. "Intelligence? How much are they offering?"

"A hundred bucks."

"A... a hundred bucks?!" Hudson blinked in disbelief, his eyes wide with shock.

"Yes, a hundred bucks," the man said with a casual smile. "And I’ve decided to accept."

Carlo Ferretti stared intently at his phone screen, the smile on his lips never fading. Hudson was right—it had been a long time since he’d smiled like this.

Nicola Selene: Thank you for agreeing to the interview. As per our lab's policy, we typically offer a $100 gift card for a 60-minute interview.

Shadow Master: I'm not interested in money.

Nicola Selene: That’s great! Voluntary participation will contribute more to our experimental data!

Carlo nearly spit out his wine. He stared at the message on the screen, as if reading the funniest joke in the world.

He had only intended to scold her for her tone on the forum, annoyed that a sub would speak that way. But he hadn’t expected this girl to be so alternately sincere and fiery—innocent in her words, yet incredibly stubborn. She was like a wild mare running free in the forest, igniting his desire to conquer her.

Shadow Master: I'm the Dom. I make the rules.

Nicola Selene: Of course! Whatever requirements you have, I’ll do my best to meet them.

Carlo glanced at Nicola’s profile page and saw that her location matched his city. A plan started to form in his mind. He wiped the wine from the corner of his mouth with his thumb and leaned back, half of his face hidden in the shadow where the sunset couldn’t reach.

Shadow Master: Your behavior today already warrants a good s/panking. Let me s/pank you, and for every s/pank, you’ll earn one minute of interview time."

This time, there was no immediate response. The "typing..." indicator flickered at the top of the chat box, as though he could almost see her flushed face through the screen.

After a long pause, a message finally appeared.

Nicola Selene: Sorry, I can’t agree to that request.

A sly smile curled at the corner of Carlo’s mouth.

Shadow Master: Can’t even meet that simple request? It seems you're not as dedicated to scientific research as you claim. This field isn’t for you—better drop out while you can."

After sending the message, Carlo put down his phone and rubbed his wrist, where an old scar circled like a band. The occasional sharp pain served as a reminder of its presence.

As a dom, Carlo didn’t enjoy violence for its own sake—what he truly relished was the intense sense of control, not just over the body, but over the mind. He had a strong hunch that Nicola would be a particularly challenging subject. But Carlo never backed down from a challenge.

He wasn’t in a rush to wait for Nicola’s reply. Instead, he lazily reclined in the bathtub, watching as the sun slowly sank beyond the horizon. The city’s towering skyscrapers resembled gaping monsters, swallowing the crimson orb bit by bit until the sky was draped in a deep, dark blue.