Chapter 215 Not In The Position To Negotiate

Chapter 215 Not In The Position To Negotiate
~Aveline~

Lilith froze the moment she heard my words and her eyes widened as she stared at me.
"I should... what?" she asked.
"Hand over ownership of the Thorne household," I repeated, completely unbothered.
Lilith's expression immediately twisted as though I'd slapped her across the face.
"Normally, I would have asked Alpha Perrin," I began, only to let out a soft chuckle. "But, oh well. We both know how that turned out—"
"No,” Lilith's voice suddenly cut through mine, eyes burning with fury in the darkness as she glared at me. "I will not hand over the Thorne household to a schemer like you!"
Her chest rose and fell heavily, and from the tension tightening her shoulders, I could tell she was barely restraining herself from lunging at me.
Not that she could.
"I see," I began, allowing a tone of false understanding to slip into my voice. "You truly don't want to part with this household."
I tilted my head, studying the determination burning in her eyes.
"Your determination and fight are impressive. Thus, I refuse to force you any longer."
The tension visibly drained from her shoulders and for the briefest moment, relief flickered across her face.
"So, shall we discuss other means of repayment, Madam Briar?" I asked, my smile deepening. 
Instantly, Lilith's relief faltered and hesitation crossed her face.
"What... other means?" she asked cautiously.
I glanced toward Daisy and gave her a small nod. She immediately stepped forward and placed another document beside the first.
Lilith's gaze dropped to it.
"This is a slave contract," I announced.
The color drained from her face so quickly that she looked almost sick.
"A... what?"
I ignored the question and continued.
"I'm planning to foster a relationship with the Tragon territory for the Ashkaar Dominion's sake, and recently, I've had an idea to build a brothel along the borders connecting the two territories. One where their men can..." I paused deliberately, letting the implication settle before finishing. "...blow off some steam."
Lilith's eyes widened with fear and understanding. 
“However, women had been reluctant to partake in this vision of mine, no matter how much I'd offered them, all because of the Tragon men's violent nature. But you, right here,” I paused and I gave her frozen form a slow once-over. “Can be my very first worker. It shouldn't be difficult, should it? After all, this was your line of work before you worked your way into society."
Lilith remained silent but the trembling of her body betrayed her.
Her knuckles had gone white against the sheets, her fingers gripping the fabric so tightly they looked as though they might tear through it.
She was barely holding herself together but nonetheless, I'd continued. 
"The deal is simple. Sleep with a hundred of the Tragon men, satisfy them, and I'll erase your debt—”
"That's madness!" The words finally tore from her. 
"Those barbarians are known to consort with corrupt beasts. If they can survive that, then surely they're monsters themselves!" She snapped, shaking her head frantically. 
"I can't… I can't do it. I can't,” she muttered more to herself than anyone. 
Watching her unravel—repeating the same words and shaking her head as though that alone could somehow change her circumstances—impatience began to creep into my chest.
After a short minute, I finally stood and crossed the distance between us without hurry.
Lilith was still muttering to herself when my fingers closed around her chin, forcing her face upward until her eyes met mine—bringing her ramble to an end. 
"You can't do it?" I asked, fingers tightening. 
Lilith winced, a pained grunt escaping her as she struggled against my hold, but I didn't loosen my grip.
"For someone who doesn't have a lot of options, you're sounding awfully picky, aren't you?"
"No," She protested, twisting her face sharply and finally managed to wrench herself free. "I said I'm not doing it, you crazy—"
She never got the chance to finish. I swung the back of my hand at her face and it connected with a crack. 
Thwack!
The slap snapped her head sideways and silenced her instantly.
"Since when were you under the impression that you could play negotiator?" I asked, voice was icy.
Her head was still reeling from the slap, but the moment her hand rose toward her cheek, I reached out and grabbed a fistful of her hair.
A scream tore from her throat.
"Let... let go!" she cried, twisting against my grip.
I ignored her plea.
"Thirty seconds. Give me your answer in thirty seconds, or I'll pick one for you. And trust me,” I tightened my fingers slightly. "It won't be the pretty one."
"What—"
"Twenty-nine." I cut her off before she could question me. "Twenty-seven. Twenty-five."
"Wait—!" Her hand flew up, desperately trying to pry my fingers from her hair.
"Twenty."
"No!"
She struggled harder and I yanked her head back, and a sharp cry escaped her as pain shot across her scalp.
"Ten seconds," I announced as I began counting down. "Nine. Seven. Four—"
"I'll sign it!" The words burst from her in a desperate scream. "I'll sign the document for the Thorne household! Just..." Her voice broke. "Please... please."
My eyes lingered on her for a long second, then I released her hair. Without another word, I turned and retrieved the document from the table before tossing it onto the bed.
Daisy immediately handed me the pen, and I threw that down beside it as well.
"Sign it."
Her breathing uneven as she glared at me. Yet, her trembling hands reached for the pen. A second later, she glanced down at the document transferring ownership of the Thorne household, then slowly lifted her eyes back to me.
Hatred burned in them.
"You'll live to regret this day, Aveline Ashkaar," she said through gritted teeth.
I simply smiled.
"I don't quite think so."
Lilith's jaw tightened and with shaking hands, she pressed the pen to the paper and scrawled her signature across the document.
The moment she finished, Daisy hurried forward and collected both the document and the pen.
"It wasn't so hard, was it?" The words left my lips just as a knock suddenly sounded against the door.
I glanced toward it and smiled. 
"Ah. Our final guest must be here,” I muttered, right before calling. "Enter."
The door opened the next second and Marie was escorted inside with a guard following closely behind her.
Seeing her, the smile on my lips stretched. 
"Hello, Marie."
She visibly flinched at the sound of my voice, her gaze immediately dropping to the floor.
A quiet chuckle escaped me.
"Fear not. I'm not here to harm you."
Her eyes slowly lifted upon hearing those words, uncertainty written plainly across her face.
"Actually..." I said, my smile widening. "I'm here to forgive you."
Her brows rose in surprise.
"Really?" she asked and I nodded. 
"However, to earn my forgiveness, there's one thing you must do."
The eagerness that immediately entered her eyes was almost palpable.
I stepped aside so her eyes could settle on Lilith and my smile deepened.
"Fifty lashes,’ I instructed. “You're to deliver fifty lashes to Lilith Briar if you wish to be forgiven.”