My childhood sweetheart went bankrupt and sold me to the city's notorious "Crown Prince" billionaire to clear his debt. Later, we met again at a business gala. My ex, trying to sound considerate, told the Prince that I was aloof and proud, asking him to "bear with me." The Prince scoffed coldly. "Bear with her? If I don't speak, she doesn't dare say a word." Everyone praised the Prince for having me so well-trained. The next moment, I pushed open the door. I sat down; he wiped the chair for me. I licked my lips; he handed me tea. I frowned; he draped his jacket over my shoulders. ... Everyone: "???" Indeed, I didn't have to say a single word! The Prince glanced proudly at my ex, whose face had turned black. "Rookie. If you can't handle a woman, just say so." 1 I never expected to run into Liam again at the TV station. Three years had passed, and he was now a rising star in the business world. The desperate, broken man from back then was gone. After the interview, he stopped me. "Sarah, long time no see." Liam's hand at his side clenched involuntarily. His voice was hoarse. "Does... does he treat you well?" I paused while organizing my script, not answering. Seeing I didn't want to talk about it, Liam hurriedly changed the subject. "Sarah, I haven't congratulated you on becoming a famous anchor." His gaze lingered on me with a hint of nostalgia. "When we were young, the future we dreamed of was exactly like today..." I looked up, my cool gaze silencing him. Just as he was about to say something else in frustration, my assistant rushed over. "Sarah, are you ready? Mr. Vance is here to pick you up." "He doesn't look very happy." I froze for a second, immediately putting down my things. "I'm coming." Before I could take two steps, Liam instinctively grabbed my arm. "Sarah, if you're unhappy, I can find a way to get you out. I..." I cut him off before he could finish. "And then what? Sell me again like you did back then?" I looked at Liam with pure mockery in my eyes. "You were the one who personally delivered me to him, remember?" 2 Liam and I grew up together. We were the high school sweethearts everyone envied. Everything changed the year Liam's startup failed during our junior year of college. He needed a huge sum of money to balance the books. It was a debt our middle-class families couldn't pay even if we sold everything we owned. At that time, Christian Vance, the "Crown Prince" of the city's wealthiest family, posted a job listing. — Ten million dollars for a "Sleep Companion." Requirements: Same age, same school. Consistent winner of speech contests since elementary school. Currently working at the campus radio station. He even specified height, weight, and hairstyle. It was detailed enough that he might as well have written my name. The campus forum exploded. Someone leaked that the Prince indeed suffered from severe insomnia. But hiring a "sleep companion" instead of seeing a doctor? What was that about? Most people thought it was just his way of pursuing me. Just as I was about to go clarify things with Christian, Liam stopped me. He said, "Sarah, I've never asked you for anything growing up." "This time, only you can save me." ... "What are you standing there thinking about?" Christian grabbed my waist and lifted me into the car with one arm. "Is everyone at your station dead?" He held my cold hands, his face dark enough to drip ink. "Is a small interview like this worth leaving me and standing in the cold wind?" "Don't tell me it was to see some long-lost childhood brother?" I was about to explain. A spoon was shoved into my mouth. Christian held a thermos of pear soup, looking fierce. "Before you finish this soup, don't say a word!" By the time I was allowed to speak, the car had arrived at his residence. Christian silently dragged me to the dining table and forced me to eat an extra half bowl of rice. "I've fed you for three years and you still lost a pound." "People will think I'm abusing you!" As he spoke, he pulled out a book from somewhere. "Tonight, I want to hear this one!" It was the fairy tale I read when we first met three years ago. The Little Mermaid. 3 Everyone knew the Prince had a bad temper and was moody. From the night I entered his villa, people placed bets. Betting I would be tortured and broken. But it was different from what they imagined. The moment I walked in, a fairy tale book was thrown in front of me. Christian sat on the sofa, eyes half-closed, beckoning me. "What are you staring at? I want to hear Cinderella... no, Snow White..." Realizing his slip of the tongue, he clicked his tongue impatiently. "Let's just hear the one about the girl who got tricked by a scumbag and turned into sea foam." I picked up the book and sat cross-legged in front of the sofa. The Little Mermaid isn't long. Christian was not a quiet listener. He made faces the whole time. Only when the story ended did he lift his eyelids and look at me coolly. "Any insights?" I closed the book and suddenly leaned forward. My hands covered Christian's bloodshot eyes. "Little Prince, you need to sleep." Since then, I never saw that book again. Christian seemed to recall the past too. "You still owe me that book report! Double it! No, triple it! I want a three-thousand-word essay!" I was silent for a moment, then decisively explained to the jealous man. "I only knew the interviewee was Liam when I arrived." "I have no lingering feelings, no romantic nostalgia..." Seeing Christian's unmoved expression, I helplessly held up my fingers. "I swear, I'll never see him again." ... I finally coaxed him back to a good mood. I swore the oath. Unexpectedly, I bumped into Liam again. Only this time, it was at a business dinner accompanying Christian. I didn't like the atmosphere in the private room, so I went out for air. When I came back, people from the next room were coming in to network. Christian's temper was notorious. People didn't expect a response; they just toasted three times to show face. When it was Liam's turn, his brain short-circuited. He bowed slightly to the man playing on his phone. "Sarah grew up sheltered, so her personality is inevitably aloof and proud." "If she offends you in any way, please bear with her, Mr. Vance." Hearing this, Christian put down his phone and leaned back. He glanced at Liam casually. "Bear with her?" He repeated the words and suddenly laughed. "If I don't speak, she doesn't dare say a word." "What do you want me to bear?" 4 Liam's expression froze instantly. Everyone stared at the floor in silence, expressions awkward. The next person ready to toast froze with his glass in mid-air, wiped sweat from his forehead, and offered a fake compliment. "Mr. Vance has great discipline methods. Admirable." Others recovered and chimed in. "Exactly. Aloof and proud mean nothing. In front of Mr. Vance, she's willing to bow down." Christian frowned. Before he could speak, I pushed the door open. Before I even reached Christian, he kicked away someone blocking the path. He picked up his expensive suit jacket, wiped the chair, wasn't satisfied, flipped the jacket inside out to expose the soft lining, and spread it on the chair. I sat down without changing my expression. I licked my dry lips. Before I could speak, a cup of hot tea was brought to my lips. Everyone looked at each other. Those who had just flattered him wished they could swallow their words. Christian's gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on Liam's darkening face. He grinned, a truly malicious smile. "Rookie. If you can't handle it, just say so." After the provocation, he even had a seat added for Liam, right opposite us. At home, Christian liked to supervise my eating. Here, he was serving me excessively. Peeling shrimp, picking out fish bones. If I glanced at a dish, it appeared in my bowl the next second. If I frowned while eating, he naturally took away the dish I didn't like. Throughout the meal, I didn't say a word. Christian had enough fun and was in a good mood. "Except for the three who can't talk, other projects can appear on my desk." Everyone was overjoyed, stuffing proposals into the hands of the silent assistant. While doing so, they spouted blessings like "hundred years of harmony" and "grow old together." They were smart enough to see Christian didn't want to socialize, so they left quickly. The room emptied instantly. However, one tactless person remained. Liam walked up to me, adjusted his glasses, and smiled gently. "Sarah, Auntie Ye just messaged me. She made hangover soup for me." Ignoring Christian's expression of wanting to crush his glass, he continued: "She also said she plans to settle our engagement tonight..." My heart skipped a beat. I looked up at Christian abruptly. He was still smiling, but it sent chills down my spine. "Christian, listen to me..." "Childhood sweethearts, and an engagement," Christian interrupted with a sneer. "People might think I'm despicable, rushing to be a homewrecker." He dropped those words and stormed out, slamming the door. The room was quiet again. Liam frowned. "Does he always treat you like this?" "Sarah, I'm back. You don't have to endure his temper anymore..." Bang— Before Liam could finish, the door was kicked hard. A waitress appeared at the door timidly. "The boss wants us to clean the room. Please, please leave immediately." Needless to say, Christian caused the commotion. I chased after him to explain but was a step too late. Only the roar of a luxury car speeding away remained on the quiet street. Seeing this, Liam suggested, "Let me take you home." I held my forehead, voice filled with suppressed irritation. "What are you doing? What right do you have to provoke him?" "Are you worried about me, Sarah?" "Liam!" I was thoroughly enraged. He laughed indifferently. "Let's go, the designated driver is here. We'll talk when we get back."
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