Chapter 2

Verbal humiliation would be better than physical, after all.

Neal sneered and gripped my neck. "Don't tell me I can't smell you when others can, Elisa Camden. Reject me today, and I'll tell everyone in the city not to hire you tomorrow. I'd like to see how long you can hold out!"

He gnashed his teeth, and I looked at him, finding him unfamiliar.

After my family went bankrupt, everyone around me took the opportunity to kick me while I was down. They knew about my relationship with Neal; none of them wanted to risk offending him by helping me. Even my friends kept their distance, and I'd only gotten this escort job after begging many people.

I clenched my fists but didn't dare take my anger out on him. I only asked tentatively, "Can't you just let me go?"

Neal's face became devoid of emotion again, but there was no masking the disgust in his gaze. "Let you go? This wasn't the way you reacted when I begged you to do the same, Ms. Camden."

He stalked toward me, oppressing me with his presence. I was so frightened that I fell backward onto my butt.

He looked at me imperiously before bending down and gripping my jaw with a curl of his lip. "I'm just informing you of my decision—it's not up for negotiation.

"100 thousand dollars for me to smell you once, and that's that. I'll send my driver to pick you up in a few days, so remember to dress well, Ms. Camden."

With that, he left. I remained on the floor, unable to wrap my mind around the situation.

Everyone knew Neal and I had married to form an alliance, but few people were aware we'd known each other since we were children.

He'd always been a nightmare that had refused to leave me alone—he was always better than me in everything we did.

As a child, everyone had thought I was a genius. However, everything had changed once Neal came into the picture.

He was the typical child that every parent wanted—he came first in every test and exam we sat for, and I was always second.

When sitting for our college entrance exams, I'd deliberately asked around about the colleges Neal wanted to apply for. I wanted to apply for those he wasn't interested in, so I could be further away from him.

But for some reason, I'd still run into him on my first day of college. "What are you doing here, Neal?"

He hadn't answered me. Instead, Mom had grabbed his hand like they were family and said warmly, "I'll leave Ellie in your hands."

She knew who he was because even his family's company, Gray Corporation, was a level above our company, Camden Group.

For God's sake!

Neal's mother, Lena Myers, had smiled. She'd been about to speak when Neal stopped her. He said to Mom, "Don't worry, Mrs. Camden. Ellie and I are good friends, so I'll make sure to take good care of her."

Good friends? Who the heck wanted to be friends with him?

I didn't know whether Mom's words had left an impression on Neal, but he started bringing me all my meals regardless of the weather. He brought me an umbrella in the rain and cared for me when I was on my period.

Everyone thought we were an item, as did I. However, on Valentine's Day, I saw a photo of him with another woman.

Everyone asked me what was up with that, but I had no idea. I'd called him, wanting him to explain the situation to me. But when the call connected, I hadn't known in what capacity I was questioning him.

I'd hung up and blocked his number. From that day forth, I'd stopped talking to him. Every meal he bought me went into the trash.

Later, I'd heard about him going abroad. Even later, Dad made me marry him in a marriage alliance.

I'd been unwilling because I'd felt like he was always better than me in everything, including our relationship. He'd played me like a fiddle. Still, one often had no choice.

Surprisingly, fate had other plans. Neal's family went bankrupt the day after we married. That was when I started being nasty to him, even getting physical with him.

He would only smile at me, though. I took that look to mean smugness, which pissed me off. Perhaps our relationship wouldn't have deteriorated so much if he'd gotten angry at me.

I shook my head at the thought of our past. That was all it was—the past.

Neal was now a high and mighty CEO, while I was an escort who was heavily in debt.

Just then, my phone rang. "What's wrong, Dad?"

"Your brother's being beaten up, Ellie! Hurry up and come home!" he cried.