"So, Alex, you finally came around?" When I was shown into Harrison Vance’s study, the man, coiled like a panther in the dim light, swiveled his chair and spoke, his voice deep. His smile sent a chill down my spine. I swallowed down the discomfort, keeping my face blank. "I've thought it through. I need fifty million dollars." "And what are you offering in return?" Harrison laced his fingers under his chin, looking entirely too comfortable. "One week. Whatever Mr. Vance wants." Harrison let out a hearty laugh at that. "Alex Chen," he said, his tone shifting, becoming almost intimate. "Or maybe I can call you Alex?" "Alex," he continued, "turns out you're not that expensive after all." He stood up then, casually pulling me into his arms. I felt my body stiffen slightly against him, and he slowly, patiently, started loosening my tie, his fingers brushing against my exposed neck. The first time I saw Alex Chen was back in college. Tall and lean, with smooth, pale skin and features that still held a touch of youthful innocence. He looked almost identical to Julian Wells, the golden boy of the Wells family, yet somehow, you could tell them apart instantly. Harrison Vance absolutely adored that face. But this young man wasn't Julian. Julian Wells was the cherished son, an angel untainted by the world, a delicate flower nurtured in a greenhouse, someone to be cultivated and protected. Alex Chen was different. Taking money he shouldn't have, dreaming dreams beyond his station. An illegitimate son, thinking he could grab a piece of Apex Corp? Ridiculous. Making him face reality early would be a public service, really. But Harrison didn't want to do that just yet. He loved that face too much. "Someone like you won't make it into the upper echelons without leveraging what you have," he’d said. "I like you. Perhaps we could make a deal." "You can have anything you want. All I want is you." He couldn’t wait to see this young man break down beneath him, weeping. It would be a beautiful sight. But he couldn't rush it. He had to wait, slowly. Harrison waited for two weeks, precisely so that Alex Chen would come to him, pretending it was his own choice, offering himself up willingly. Under Harrison’s mocking gaze, my hands trembled as I undid the buttons of my shirt, like unwrapping a costly, fragile gift. I knew I was walking into an abyss. But there was no turning back now. 2. Two weeks earlier, Harrison Vance had practically handed me a prime piece of real estate. I couldn't fathom why the shrewd Harrison Vance would suddenly back out at the last moment of the bidding war. "Since Mr. Chen wants this land so badly, I'll do him the favor. Be the good guy for once," he’d announced. I never associated Harrison Vance with the words "good guy," but the documents my assistant provided checked out perfectly. The plot was almost too good to be true. There was an old youth center on it, but it was dilapidated; relocating it should have been straightforward. There was no logical reason for Harrison to let this juicy prize slip through his fingers and into mine. "Sometimes you have to give your rivals a little breathing room. It fosters healthy competition. I look forward to seeing what Mr. Chen accomplishes," Harrison had murmured close to my ear as he left, his tone disturbingly intimate, stirring up unpleasant memories. I had a bad feeling about it all. Later, I found out exactly what was wrong. My plan was to build a high-end shopping mall, Skyview Plaza, on that land. The architectural designs were commissioned from a world-renowned firm, and leasing negotiations were well underway. Then, out of nowhere, officials showed up, waving evidence that the deed was still held by the youth center's trust. Apex Corp had no legal right to begin construction. Adding insult to injury, the situation attracted a swarm of reporters, hounding me, demanding to know why I was so heartless as to try and take away the only home these underprivileged kids had. The mall project collapsed. Back at the office, the loss report was already on my desk: fifty million dollars. Eleanor Croft, the matriarch of the family that controlled Apex, slammed the report onto my face. She told me if I didn't recoup the losses within a month, I could pack my bags and get the hell out of Apex Corp. As the head of the Croft family, Eleanor allowing an illegitimate son like me into the company was already considered an act of extreme generosity. Never mind that she hadn't given me a single share of stock but had thrown me into a VP position. Never mind that she wouldn't even let me take the family name. Never mind that I wasn't allowed to set foot in the main family estate unless specifically invited. If Eleanor Croft's own son wasn't severely autistic, a quiet boy lost in his own world, would she ever have let the son of her husband's mistress spend her money on a top-tier US education, only to bring him back to help manage her company? That day, I tore the giant promotional poster for Skyview Plaza to shreds, then sat amidst the wreckage, burying my face in my hands. Walking on thin ice every day was exhausting. At least now, the ice had finally, completely shattered. "Can we... not do this in the study?" As I stripped off my clothes, I managed to ask, my voice rough with shame. It sounded surprisingly appealing, that raw edge in my voice. Harrison just chuckled softly and pushed me down onto the desk. As waves of unfamiliar pain washed over me, my consciousness blurred through a steady stream of tears I couldn't stop. In that moment, I felt like giving in: "Mr. Vance... you were right... This is the only way I can survive in that place..." "I don't just want the fifty million... I... I want more..." Hearing my mumbled words, Harrison paused. He wasn't surprised. People are greedy, aren't they? After all, even he had to admit, this body was more delicious than he'd anticipated. 3. I rarely thought about the past. To me, the past was something to be discarded like worn-out shoes. It served no purpose except to highlight how insignificant I was. Growing up, I was always exceptional. Top grades, good at sports, and crucially, I had the looks. Girls were always writing me letters, secretly taking photos of me to sell, blushing as they stood before me confessing crushes. Truthfully, the grades and sports didn't matter much; they were just bonus points. The girls were captivated by my face alone. Talent is only meaningful when it's needed. If that's the case, then good looks are a kind of talent too. But beyond that, I had nothing. I only knew how to spend money, not make it. I had to care for my sick mother. We lived in a cramped, 200-square-foot apartment. I wouldn't have survived without part-time jobs and odd gigs. Nobody wanted to be friends with someone like that. No girl, once she found out the reality, wanted to stay with me. I studied relentlessly, desperately trying to improve my life. But just like Harrison Vance said, some things can't be obtained no matter how hard you try. The day after my mother passed away, someone claiming to be from my father's family showed up at my door, telling me it was time to be acknowledged. How naive I was. How could they have found me so precisely the day after my mother died? How could my father, whom I'd never met, suddenly take such an interest in his illegitimate son? I never met my father. Instead, I met Eleanor Croft. She presented me with an agreement and told me to sign it. Go to a top university, get a degree. If my performance was outstanding enough, I could come back and take over managing the company. It was an incredible offer, dropping from the sky, leaving me dizzy. I agreed almost without thinking. Vice President of Apex Corp, a member of the Croft family circle – titles I'd never dreamed of seemed to be desperately throwing themselves at me. I threw myself into my studies, forced myself to network, did countless things I was never good at before. Eleanor did make me a VP. But she never let me take the family name, and I still never met my father. He had no real power anymore. The President and majority shareholder of Apex Corp was Eleanor Croft. And Eleanor Croft had an autistic son. He looked a lot like me, but his fate was entirely different. Raised in a mansion, born a young master, needing to do nothing yet provided for, happy and secure. "Someone like you won't make it into the upper echelons without leveraging what you have," Harrison Vance had said. "You're just an illegitimate kid. I gave you the VP title, and I can take it away anytime. Don't think you'll get a dime from this family. I paid for your education; I didn't raise a useless bum," Eleanor Croft had said. I still didn't understand. Why, after I had accomplished so much, after I had worked so hard to become capable, could others still so easily take away everything I held in my hands? But the thing I was best at in life was bowing to fate. Talent is only meaningful when it's needed. If this face, this body, is a kind of talent, then let's use it to its fullest. 4. Seven AM. I woke up. At times like this, I hated the impeccable internal clock forged by years of high-intensity work. Once in the study yesterday, I was already barely conscious. Then, later, he carried me to the bed for two more rounds. Finally, Harrison seemed almost gentle as he carried me to the shower, washing me thoroughly, inside and out. I supposed I should thank him. I heard if you don't clean up properly afterward, you end up with a fever and diarrhea instead of just aching all over. I pushed myself upright. My entire body felt like it had been disassembled and poorly put back together. He'd applied some kind of ointment back there, but it still hurt. Hurt enough to make me wince. I didn't understand the point of any of this, but since Mr. Vance enjoyed it, I guess it was a win-win. I managed to get up and head to the bathroom. The clothes I'd arrived in were gone. Opening the closet, I found it stuffed with all sorts of clothes. I picked out the most basic shirt and trousers and put them on. Despite feeling like crap all over, I had to go to the office. Meetings to attend, projects to discuss, yesterday's mess to clean up. Only after getting dressed did I realize the clothes fit perfectly. The butler was clearly surprised to see me up so early, but Harrison himself was also there, leaning against the wall at the end of the hallway. "Since you're up, let's have breakfast together." I sat down without a word. I disliked milk, but faced with the bowl of cereal and milk on the table, I started eating without complaint. Harrison took his time, just watching me. "How was yesterday?" "It hurt." "Are you complaining about my technique? Perhaps we should try again tonight?" I didn't answer, just ate quickly and elegantly. "Eleanor Croft certainly trained you well." "Can we please not discuss nauseating topics while eating?" Harrison chuckled, then slowly started eating too. "About your request yesterday, I have a constructive suggestion. Want to hear it?" I glanced at him but said nothing. "You stay with me for one month. I'll help you get 5% of Apex Corp stock." My hand paused for a second. I swallowed the last mouthful of milk. Then I stood up and walked towards the door. "How long have you been planning this, Mr. Vance?" "About four years, I guess. Since the first time I saw you." "You've prepared thoroughly. You even know my clothing sizes perfectly." Harrison detected a hint of something – maybe satisfaction? – in my voice, and felt a strange flicker of pleasure himself. "As long as you like it." "Then your research wasn't detailed enough. I hate milk." I walked out. Harrison pursed his lips, folding his hands. "Can you be back by eight tonight?" "I'll try." "I'll have the driver pick you up." "No need. I'll drive myself." I walked straight out without looking back. Such a proud, stubborn little cat. The more he acted like this, the more tempting it was to... utterly break him. Nine PM. I was lying face down on the bed, silent, while Harrison was on top of me, doing whatever he pleased. His movements were rough, merciless. As soon as we got back, Harrison had pushed me onto the bed like a starved wolf, stripping me bare in seconds. Meanwhile, Mr. Vance himself remained impeccably dressed. It went on like this for three consecutive days. I had learned to endure. I tried my best not to show any aversion, just to keep Harrison satisfied. When it was finally over, Harrison patted me. "Alex is getting more obedient." I controlled my breathing. "As long as Mr. Vance is satisfied." "Yes, very satisfied so far. But now," Harrison smirked, pulling me close again, "we'll see how well you really perform." The night was still young. 5. I just finished a very long meeting. Harrison had kept me up late last night, leaving me feeling foggy and drained today. But meetings don't get canceled for that. Nobody cared how I was doing anyway. Men just aren't built for that kind of thing, are they? I pinched the bridge of my nose and asked my assistant for another coffee. Once this current project was successfully completed, once I had that 5% stock in hand, maybe I could finally catch a break. Just then, my phone rang. It was Maya Lin, a friend from middle school I'd reconnected with after returning from overseas and starting at Apex Corp. She still didn't know I was a VP at Apex, which kept our interactions refreshingly simple. Maya was a cheerful girl, working as a waitress. She came from a large family that wasn't well-off, but she lived each day with infectious joy and freedom. I really liked her positive attitude; it was something I'd never possessed. She was my only friend. If "friend" means someone you can be genuine with. "Alex, I have the day off today! Are you free? There's a new BBQ place downtown that's getting great reviews. Wanna check it out?" "Yeah, I'm free." "Great! How about we meet at the restaurant at six-thirty?" "Okay." I hung up, feeling a lift in my spirits. But just then, my assistant knocked and entered, holding a bouquet. "Mr. Chen, a florist just delivered these for you." I paused for a second, then took the flowers. White roses, with a small card tucked between the stems. "Six-thirty tonight, meet me at The White House." The smile vanished from my face. Six-thirty. Harrison sat in a private room at The White House. French cuisine, elegant ambiance, perfect for a date. I pushed the door open. Harrison looked up, a smile playing on his lips. "Alex, you're punctual." I didn't waste time on pleasantries, sitting down directly and unbuttoning my suit jacket. "Going to all this trouble, one might think this is a date." "Isn't it?" Harrison chuckled. "Don't joke, Mr. Vance. This is a transaction between us. Things like this are meaningless." "Alex, you have a clear head, I'll give you that. But you also know this is a transaction, which naturally means the buyer needs to be fully satisfied." Harrison's smile turned cold. "I hear Alex has a girl he's quite fond of... Maya Lin, was it?" My hand tightened abruptly on the napkin in my lap. "That's my private business. Mr. Vance needn't concern himself." "How can it be your private business, Alex?" Harrison picked up the decanter, slowly pouring vibrant red wine into my glass. "The agreement is you spend one month with me. If Alex still has time for flirting with little girls during this month, isn't that a complaint about my... performance?" I wanted to say, "She's just a friend." But I knew it didn't matter what I thought. What mattered was what Harrison Vance wanted. And whatever Harrison wanted, I had to provide. So, in the end, I just said, "I understand." Harrison didn't seem inclined to let it go. "The food here is excellent. Try some, Alex. Tonight, when we get back, we can discuss further... how to be a truly satisfactory lover." 6. Dinner concluded in a tense silence. Harrison was clearly displeased with my rigid demeanor. But his manners were impeccable; even displeased, he remained graceful, his smile fixed. In the car on the way back, he dropped a casual sentence that sent ice flooding through my veins. "I wonder if Alex is interested in... exploring some kinks? Perhaps we could try playing some different games. What do you think?" The look he gave me was filled with naked malice. "I think, after these past few days, Alex should be quite adaptable by now. Consider it my mercy towards you. After all," he added, the words dripping with false affection, "I like you so much." My heart turned colder and colder. That night, Harrison subjected me to a new kind of humiliation, forcing me into degrading positions, treating me less like a person and more like a pet to be toyed with.
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