Chapter 22 Chapter 22
The black car was still parked outside the school. Grace had already put one leg in the door when she saw Benjamin sitting in the backseat. She froze for a moment before sliding in.
Benjamin glanced at her and tossed a paper bag across the seat. "Change," he said.
She opened the bag and found a little black dress and a pair of black high heels inside. Grace said nothing, placing the bag between them, then turned to watch the street scene outside. Night had fallen, neon lights were flickering, and pedestrians were hurrying along the sidewalk, likely all rushing home.
Adrian should be home by now. When she'd called him earlier, he'd already been on his way. Mistaking her call for a reminder, he'd simply said, "Honey, just hold on a bit. I've got two more intersections to go.”
She bit her lip, wishing she could stab the man beside her to death.
But she had to endure. He wasn't someone she could kill easily. One misstep, and all her plans would collapse. Besides, she didn't want to die now. She didn't want to leave her parents or Adrian behind.
She had to cling to life stubbornly. Only by staying alive would everything be possible.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your family dinner tonight." He spoke suddenly, his tone flat. "You might not believe me, but I genuinely didn't know you had plans tonight."
Grace wanted to sneer at his shameless lie, but she held it back. She only tugged at the corner of her mouth, matching his insincere tone with a cool, indifferent reply. "You're too kind. Serving you is my pleasure.”
Benjamin didn't seem annoyed. Instead, he gave her a gentlemanly nod. "Thank you."
Silence settled back into the car. After a moment, Benjamin's voice came again, cool and detached. "Change out of those clothes."
Grace froze for a second. Then, the glass partition between the front and rear seats rose automatically, quickly sealing the back compartment into a private, enclosed space.
She knew this was another deliberate humiliation from Benjamin. Her lips tightened and her expression darkened. Yet, moments later, she let out a bitter laugh. She reached into her coat pocket, pulled out the dress, and began changing right in front of him.
The cabin was spacious, and her frame was slender. Within moments, she had shed her clothes entirely. However, as she slipped into the black cocktail dress, she felt something was off.
The dress' design was remarkably daring. Not only did it feature a deep V-neck, but the sides hugging her hips were also openwork lace, revealing her pale pink floral panties.
When she turned around, she saw a large openwork panel at the small of her back that extended deep below her waistline and exposed her rear cleft.
"Asshole," she muttered under her breath, grinding her teeth in frustration.
He merely chuckled softly, shifting slightly to the side and propping his chin on one hand as he watched her with amusement. "You have a great figure. You could easily go without underwear. Be confident."
Grace wanted to curse him out! But she knew he was probably waiting for her to react this way, so she forced herself to suppress her anger. She sat there, clenching her teeth for a few seconds. Then, without hesitation, she stripped off her underwear.
Her figure was stunning: full breasts, rounded hips, and an incredibly slender waist. Benjamin was initially startled by her boldness and raised his eyebrows to study her for a moment. Yet his gaze darkened involuntarily and the light smile vanished from his lips as he fixed his stare solely on her.
Grace saw the lust in his eyes. Though startled and frightened, she also felt a surge of contempt. She leaned back, trying to distance herself from him. Yet, her face twisted into a mocking smile as she said, "Mr. Norman, don't look at me like that. I might get the wrong idea—that you're about to fuck me again.”
Benjamin narrowed his eyes slightly, his voice growing husky unconsciously. "What if it isn't a misunderstanding?"
Grace's heart skipped a beat, but her laughter became even more emotionless. "Then please be considerate," she replied coldly. "If you intend to sleep with me, don't schedule any other clients for tonight. Having to rush through two sessions in one night... I'm afraid my stamina won't hold up. It wouldn't be good if the clients weren't satisfied."
Benjamin said nothing, but he turned his head away and no longer looked at her.
The car stopped outside a hidden club. Its exterior was unassuming, but stepping inside revealed a world of opulence. The private room Benjamin led her into was especially lavish, like a palace. Though dimly lit, the room seemed to shimmer everywhere, the light reflecting off the mirror-like floor like precious gems.
As Benjamin entered, everyone present rose to their feet. "Mr. Norman". The sole exception was a young man in his mid-twenties. He stood with a slouchy, nonchalant posture. Unlike the others, he addressed Benjamin lazily with a casual "Ben."
Benjamin paid it no mind, nodding slightly. “Sit down, everyone. No need to be formal."
He walked further in and sat down on the innermost sofa. Grace, wearing at least three-inch heels, followed behind him with an expressionless face. Just as she was about to sit beside him, he suddenly pointed toward the young man who had called him "Ben" and said, "You go keep him company." “
Grace showed neither surprise nor hesitation. She walked expressionlessly toward the man and plopped down beside him.
The young man chuckled lightly and slipped an arm around Grace's shoulder, calling out, "She's your woman. Isn't it a bit much for me to touch her?”
"Women are just clothes. I don't care.” Benjamin's expression remained calm. He paused, his gaze sweeping over Grace, then continued, "I brought her for you today. She is Grace."