Love, Lies, and Mermaids

"Come in." Inside the vast office, there was a massive desk. It was said the desk once belonged to royalty—ornate and sturdy with a hint of the Orient. Eric Austen,the CEO of Austen Group, sat behind it, his glasses masking the ferocity in his eyes, making him look more like a college professor than a predator. "Mr. Austen, your signature please." Lizzy calmly handed over the documents.After signing his name, Eric didn't even look up. He put down the pen and said, "The seal's inside; stamp it yourself." Hearing that, Lizzy rounded the desk to reach for the seal in the safe. The next second, she was suddenly pinned against the cabin, unable to move. Eric's voice was fierce, like that of a predator ready to snap its prey's neck. "Lizzy, where have you been?You’re late for work today." "My sister... She graduated from college. We were celebrating for her," Lizzy explained, trying to relax. She has endured for 1987 days, and with freedom almost within reach, she must not disrupt her plans at this moment. Behind her, Eric spread his long legs, pinning her between his body, "Who gave you permission to be late for personal reasons? It's been eight years, haven't you learned to be more professional?" "I'm sorry, Mr. Austen. It won't happen again." Sensing Lizzy's fear, Eric revealed a satisfied smile, clutched her waist with both hands, and turned her to face himself. His tortoiseshell glasses had been carelessly tossed aside. Looking at the beautiful woman in front of him, he leaned down for a kiss— only to land it on the back of her hand. Lizzy's pretty eyes showed no emotion, and her voice remained polite: "Mr. Austen, during work hours, I need to be professional." Eric’s hand, which had been gripping her waist, slowly slid downward until it rested on her perky butt, kneading it gently. "Making me happy is also part of your job, don't you understand that, Lizzy?" He flashed a malicious smile, "When you were moaning on this desk yesterday, why didn't you refuse me then?" Liz's face turned bright red. It was because refusing might lead to even more demanding consequences. Enough was enough. How could she have been so blind in love with such a person eight years ago?! "Tell me, Eric, would you treat Emilie the same way?" Lizzy blurted out. Eric's expression darkened instantly. His icy blue eyes colder than ice:”Listen, Lizzy. Everyone has a price. Emilie's priceless, while your salary is all you're worth." His words cut deep into Lizzy's heart. Lizzy bit her lip hard as anger seethed inside her. She wanted to scream, to rush up and punch his indifferent face. "Too bad. Priceless treasures don’t belong to you," Lizzy said with a taunting smile. "She’s your brother’s widow. You’ve loved her for eight years, but to her, you’re nothing more than a naive boy. And now that her husband is dead..." "Enough!" Eric shoved Lizzy away forcefully. "Lizzy, you’re fired." Lizzy’s eyes widened instantly. She felt her blood rushing to her head, and a surge of excitement from her tailbone made her whole body tremble slightly. She suppressed her pounding heart, cupped her face, and drew a sharp breath, masking the uncontrollable curve of her lips. Feigning a tone of sorrow, she said, “Why?! Eric, I’ve given you eight years of my life.” “And you think that gives you the right to brazenly bring up Emilie in front of me?” Eric shot her a disdainful glance, his tone dripping with contempt. “Know your place, Lizzy. Greedy women like you are only worth being discarded by me.” “No, you’re only doing this to get me out of Emilie’s way. You know she doesn’t like me. She just got back, and now you want me gone…” Lizzy kept her face covered, even adding the sound of quiet sobs for effect. Eric let out a cold laugh. “You’re absolutely right. Now, get out of my office. Emilie will be here any moment, and I want you gone from this building before she arrives.” “Two million,” Lizzy stated a figure. “What?” Eric frowned, as if he couldn’t comprehend what Lizzy was saying. “Two million. That’s the amount calculated based on my annual salary and years of service. Since you’re the one choosing to fire me, you’re obligated to pay me this compensation.” Lizzy’s words were muffled as she covered her mouth. Eric’s brows furrowed deeply, his gaze turning suspicious as he scrutinized her. “Did you plan this from the start?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at Lizzy with a dangerous, probing look. Lizzy blinked. She took a deep breath, lowered her hands from her face, and without warning, tears began streaming down her cheeks. “Then don’t make me leave. Let me stay by your side, and I promise… I’ll continue to be a competent secretary,” Lizzy said, lowering her head, trying her best to appear pleading. “I’ll even explain to Emilie about us…” “Fine! Two million it is. I’ll have Lisa prepare the termination agreement.” Eric ground his teeth, suddenly grabbing Lizzy’s chin and forcing her to look at him. At that moment, her beautiful brown eyes were still as serene as a lake. Those eyes that used to burn with defiance seemed utterly cold now. Like a lifeless doll. "You're so dull." Frustration boiling inside, Eric bit down hard on her lips. His actions grew more intense, even drawing blood. "I'll give you two million. But, I have one condition. You need to be on call, anytime," He released Lizzy and returned to his desk, said while scribbling the amount on the check swiftly. "Fine, I agree..." Lizzy caught a glimpse of the check with the amount and signature. She wanted to snatch it and leave right away, but she held herself back. The closer to the finish line, the cooler she gotta play it. "And one more thing," he continued, "you absolutely can't talk about that thing with anyone." "Which one?" Lizzy lost focus for a short moment.