Chapter 133 Fifty Thousand Dollars
MELISSA'S POV
I had already sent him my account details, and he’d said he was going to send me something small. Because of that, I wasn’t expecting anything big. Probably a thousand dollars or so. That was what I had prepared my mind for.
A thousand dollars was small, yes, but at least it was something. Anything was better than my account staying the way it was now — dry and embarrassing. I was completely drained. The little money Mom had given me was long gone, and I didn’t have the cheque anymore. What remained in my account was less than three thousand dollars, all of it from my savings.
So even if Eric sent just one thousand dollars, it would still help. It would still make a difference.
Still, I wasn’t stupid about this. I knew how men like him operated. There were plenty of guys out there who only liked to talk big, men who would ask for your account details and make it sound like they were about to spoil you, only to come back later with one useless excuse or another. Their bank wasn’t working. The transfer failed. They’d send it tomorrow. Some girls fell for that nonsense every single time.
Not me.
I was far too exposed and experienced to fall for tricks like that. If Eric tried anything funny, I’d call him out immediately. I didn’t settle for empty promises. I had standards, and if he couldn’t meet them, there were plenty of other men who would.
That was how it worked. Competition.
The man who grabbed my attention with the highest amount won. Simple.
So if he went around promising things he couldn’t deliver, I’d block him again without blinking. I wasn’t going to see him unless he made that transfer he talked about. No money, no meeting. That was final.
I lifted my glass and took a slow sip of my drink, pretending to be calm, pretending not to care. My phone was on the table beside me, screen facing up. I kept glancing at it every few seconds, even though I tried not to make it obvious.
Then—
Buzz.
The sound cut through my thoughts instantly.
I froze for half a second before placing my drink down carefully. My heart picked up just a little as I reached for my phone and unlocked the screen.
A bank transfer notification.
My brows pulled together slightly. I hadn’t been expecting it so soon. I thought he’d do it later in the evening, maybe after more talking. Guess he was more eager than I thought.
I opened my banking app, my fingers suddenly feeling lighter as the page loaded.
The moment my eyes landed on the amount, I stopped breathing.
Fifty thousand dollars!!.
For a second, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. I blinked repeatedly, staring harder at the screen.
My mouth fell open slightly before I could stop myself.
Fifty thousand dollars?
He called that small?
What the hell?
I had to fight the urge to gasp or laugh out loud. My chest tightened with shock, and my grip on the phone became firmer as if it might disappear if I loosened my hold.
“What’s wrong?” James asked suddenly.
I jerked slightly, quickly masking my expression. I cleared my throat and adjusted in my seat
“Nothing,” I said calmly. “I just saw some shocking news online.”
James studied me for a moment, his eyes narrowing just a bit. From the look on his face, I knew he didn’t believe me. Not fully. But he didn’t push it. He only hummed and looked away, which was exactly what I needed.
“I… uh, I need some fresh air,” I added, already pushing my chair back.
Before he could respond, I stood up and walked toward the front door. I didn’t rush, didn’t want to draw suspicion, but the moment I stepped outside, I shut the door firmly behind me.
I stood there for a few seconds, my hand went up to my head.
Fifty thousand dollars.
I still couldn’t believe it.
He hadn’t even seen me yet, and he was sending this much money so easily. Just like that. If this was how things started, then after he got what he wanted, after he slept with me, my account would be dangerously close to a million.
It had been months since my account last showed numbers like this. And here I was, earlier today, thinking he’d send one thousand dollars.
My phone buzzed again.
I looked down at the screen and saw Eric's name.
A message.
‘Have you seen my little surprise for you, sweetheart?’
I scoffed softly.
Sweetheart.
Just moments ago, when I first texted him, he’d been cold, distant, almost insulting. Now he was calling me sweetheart like we were lovers.
Men.
Still, now that he’d sent the money, I had no reason not to play along. In fact, this was the perfect moment to tighten my grip.
‘Yes baby, I have,’ I typed slowly. ‘And to be honest, I’m surprised about the amount. It’s so small. When you said you’d send something little, I didn’t expect it to be this little… or do you see me as some cheap lady?’
I smiled faintly as I sent the message.
The trick was never to sound impressed. The moment a man realized he didn’t have to try hard to impress you, he stopped trying completely. I couldn’t let him think fifty thousand dollars was enough to shake me.
If I acted excited, grateful, overly thankful, he’d know I was easy. Cheap.
But if I made him believe that even a hundred thousand dollars was just spare change to someone like me, he’d feel the pressure to do more. To send more. To prove himself.
Everything working in my favor.
A reply came in not long after.
‘I’m sorry about that, love. I’ll send you more, I promise. But I want to see you first. When we meet up at the hotel room, I’ll send you more.’
My lips curved upward.
Yes!!
My plan was working perfectly.
‘Okay,’ I replied. ‘And when do you want us to meet up?’
‘How about tomorrow evening?’ He texted back. ‘I’m very busy today. I should be done tomorrow. All I’ll need is a nice massage from you before we start.’
I let out a quiet chuckle.
‘That alone is turning me on,’ I replied. ‘Tomorrow would be perfect.’
And just like that, in less than forty-eight hours, I’d have nothing less than a hundred thousand dollars sitting pretty in my account.
I was slowly climbing back to grace.
Finally,
But—
Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to celebrate the way I wanted. Buying myself nice things was out of the question for now. The last time I tried that, it hadn’t ended well with James in the house.
I wasn’t ready to have him destroying my things again.
So for now, I’d lay low. Play small. Act broke.
Let him believe I didn’t have a penny to my name.