In the afternoon.
In the lounge of the secretary's office.
After their tryst, Daphne Zuniga panted heavily while Douglas Luiz held her tightly from behind.
His lips brushed against her neck, leaving a trail of passionate kisses.
Douglas had recently returned from a business trip, but to everyone's surprise, he had not taken Daphne, his personal secretary, with him. Daphne couldn't help but wonder if he had grown bored of their five-year relationship. Truthfully, she was secretly relieved.
Five years ago, Daphne had been desperate for money when she met Douglas. Her grandmother was gravely ill, and debt collectors were knocking on her door. It was then that she crossed paths with Douglas, who saw a resemblance between her and the woman he once loved.
That woman had left him when he had an accident and was left in a vegetative state. She had married a wealthy aristocrat in Europe, leaving Douglas heartbroken and unable to let go.
In an act of kindness, Douglas helped Daphne pay off her family's debts and ensured her grandmother received the best medical care. In return, she became his secretary in public and his lover in secret.
For the past five years, Daphne had hidden her true self, molding herself into the woman Douglas once cherished. She had been obedient and submissive, doing everything she could to please him. But she had grown tired of it all, waiting for the day when Douglas would move on to someone else.
To her surprise, when Douglas returned from his business trip, he didn't wait for her to finish work and go to his place. Instead, he came directly to the company, engulfing her in a passionate embrace that almost left her breathless.
In the silence of the room, Daphne whispered, "Mr. Luiz, the shareholders are waiting for you to start the meeting," reminding him of his responsibilities.
Douglas responded coldly, releasing her and heading towards the bathroom without a word.
Daphne let out a small sigh of relief. She fetched Douglas' spare suit from the lounge, patiently waiting for him to emerge from his bath. As he changed into the suit, she helped him with his tie, her actions gentle and attentive.
His handsome face remained cold, his gaze fixed on her. She continued to play her role, gentle, obedient, and sensible. It seemed to satisfy him.
"There is a check on the table for twenty million," Douglas said nonchalantly. "Additionally, the villa at Yearn Lake will also be transferred to you."
Daphne was stunned, her eyes widening in bewilderment. Was this some sort of "breakup fee"?
"Mr. Luiz, why all of a sudden..." she began to ask, her voice filled with confusion.
Douglas watched her, surprise and confusion clouding his expression. His eyes held a hint of contempt as he raised his hand, gently squeezing her chin. "Consider it a reward."
A reward? Daphne couldn't understand what she had done to deserve such a grand gesture. Twenty million dollars and a villa worth over a hundred million were more than she could comprehend.
Douglas rubbed his thumb against Daphne's lips, his tone carrying a mix of frostiness and charm. "As long as you continue to be obedient like this, I will give you more in the future."
Daphne looked at him, puzzled. What did he mean? Was he not planning to break up with her yet?
She averted her gaze, maintaining her damsel-in-distress persona, and nodded lightly. "I understand, Mr. Luiz."
She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but after she responded, the frustration on Douglas' face seemed to dissipate instantly.
"Okay," he replied indifferently. "You don't have anything else for the afternoon, so you should return and get some rest."
"Alright," Daphne nodded, her mind racing with thoughts.
As soon as Douglas left, Daphne picked up the check, her pretty face wrinkling with worry. For the past year, it had become increasingly evident that Douglas was growing tired of her. She had even caught a glimpse of a woman who resembled his former love, Joanna Forbes, spending time with him.
"It can't be..." Daphne mumbled to herself.
At that moment, her phone buzzed, pulling her attention away from her troubled thoughts. She picked it up, and the first thing she saw was a push notification of a breaking news story.
"Breaking news! The president of the Beagen Group is set to get engaged to the young princess of the century-old financial powerhouse, the Ross family. The union of these two powerhouse families is likely to bring significant changes to the world's capital market."
Daphne's eyes widened in shock. The president of the Beagen Group was none other than Douglas.
Her mind raced, trying to process the information. Her skirt and Douglas' suit lay scattered in the lounge, a metaphor for the mess her life had become. Daphne touched her forehead, laughter escaping her lips, filled with disbelief.
So, this was the reason behind Douglas' sudden generosity. The money and the villa were nothing more than a means to keep her as his obedient mistress, even after his marriage.
A wave of nausea washed over her, and she rushed to the bathroom, dry heaving from the revelation. As she looked at herself in the mirror, her face disheveled and bleak, she couldn't help but think that Douglas was nothing more than a scumbag playboy.
He was about to get married, yet he clung to her as a stand-in for his lost love. Daphne had had enough. She couldn't bear to play along any longer.
After composing herself, Daphne estimated when Douglas' meeting would end, prepared her resignation letter, and made her way to the president's office.
She stood outside the door, about to knock, when she heard the voice of Douglas' good friend, Adriel Benson, coming from inside. Adriel was a well-known rich young man in the capital.
"Douglas, you're about to get married. How do you plan to handle Miss Zuniga?" Adriel asked, his voice filled with mockery.
Douglas' cold voice responded, "I won't be doing anything. Everything will remain the same."
Adriel's voice escalated in excitement. "She'll agree to be your mistress?"
"As long as there's enough money, she's willing to do anything," Douglas replied, his tone dripping with mockery and contempt.
Daphne stood frozen, her heart aching. She had been bought by Douglas from the very beginning. She was nothing more than an object to him, someone he could use as long as the price was right.
Adriel's voice suddenly quieted, and Daphne snapped back to reality when she heard her assistant, Carlos Garrett, calling her name.
She nodded at Carlos and then knocked on the office door, walking in with a newfound resolve.
The previously talkative Adriel was left speechless, his warm greeting met with silence from Daphne.
She headed straight towards Douglas, who looked stony and annoyed. "Didn't I tell you to go home and rest?" he asked in a deep voice.
"Mr. Luiz," Daphne said, her usual gentle and obedient demeanor gone. She handed him her resignation letter without humility or arrogance. "This is my resignation letter."
Douglas' face fell, confusion evident in his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"When I started working with you, we had an agreement," Daphne explained. "I would never be your mistress if you got married. In that situation, I would leave." She placed the resignation letter on his desk. "I will hand over my current tasks and unfinished projects as soon as possible. You and Mr. Benson can continue without me. I won't bother you anymore."
With those words, Daphne turned around and walked away, leaving the astonished Adriel behind. She didn't want to keep up her gentle persona for a second longer.
As she passed Adriel, she looked at him with eyes as cold as ice, answering his previous question, "I will not sell myself."
With that, Daphne walked away.
