Raymond's Contract Lover

Chapter 2

The nights in New York are lively, especially on Valentine's Day. Couples strolled hand in hand, their faces radiating joy, but Arthea felt utterly alone. This day marked not only the second anniversary of her relationship with Hyman but also the fourth anniversary of her best friend Norva's untimely death in a car accident. Norva's loss had left Arthea in profound grief. With these memories, Valentine's Day felt like a cursed day to Arthea.

A gust of wind blew; Arthea's eyes wandered aimlessly around. Today, she only wore a dress and now felt very cold. She didn't want to go home or confide in friends. She just wanted to be alone to calm down. She wasn't sad, only filled with disappointment and resentment. Arthea couldn't understand why Hyman cheat her, nor did she know how long the cheating had been ongoing. For the past two years, Arthea and Hyman had been very close. Hyman cared for her a lot. Arthea walked for a long time until she found herself outside the Queen's Bar. She entered; the music inside was deafening, as if it could make one forget all their troubles. Inside the Queen's Bar, almost everyone was dancing energetically.

"Alright, let's find out who the luckiest lady of the night is." The music abruptly stopped, and the host's enthusiastic voice broke the silence.

The spotlight fell on Arthea.

All eyes turned to her, and she felt uncomfortable. The crowd automatically made way for her, just like a fairy tale path leading the princess to the castle.

"We've found our lucky goddess tonight. Let's give her a round of applause and invite her to sing for us," the host amplified the excitement.

Arthea's hand gripped her skirt tightly. What was happening?

"Hurry to the stage."

"Yeah, don't hesitate, go to the stage."

Everyone urged, and Arthea walked towards the stage.

She approached the host. Seeing her confusion, the host, realizing it was likely her first time at the Queen's Bar, explained the rules. The person chosen by the spotlight could drink for free tonight, but they had to sing a song. Arthea felt shy. She wasn't used to singing in front of so many people, but she noticed a black piano on the stage. Holding the microphone, she said, “I'm not good at singing, but I can play a piece on the piano for everyone.”

Arthea walked to the piano and opened the lid. She had been learning piano since she was five, and by the age of twelve, she had reached an impressive level. Her parents had always wanted her to become a pianist, but an unexpected accident four years ago ended that dream. Since then, she hadn't played the piano. Despite not having played for a long time, she remembered every note and key clearly.

Her fingers gently pressed the keys, and the piano played a beautiful prelude. The audience was mesmerized; Arthea was now playing "Stars." "Stars" is a piece Arthea composed at fifteen, a birthday gift for her best friend Norva. At a discreet spot on the lower left of the stage, a man in a handmade Italian suit watched Arthea. His sculpted face was handsome, and his deep blue eyes seemed to conceal secrets. Suddenly, this handsome man waved to the bar manager. The manager quickly approached and stood obediently before the man.

"Have her come to my room tonight," he said, swirling his glass and watching Arthea. Arthea seemed like the prey he had long sought. The bar manager nodded.

As the final note fell, a wave of applause erupted from the audience, praising the performance. Arthea smiled, bowed, and left the stage to find a seat and have a drink. She didn't expect that after so many years, she could still play the piece so flawlessly. Though her skills had declined, the piece held special meaning for her.

Arthea had a few drinks and felt tipsy. The bar manager approached and mentioned that someone was waiting for her. After some time, she woke up feeling cold in a bathtub. She hurriedly got out and saw a muscular man sitting on the bed, wearing a mask and a robe. His hair was still wet, and water droplets dripped down his chiseled collarbone, which is very sexy.

Seeing Arthea awake, he put down his wine glass and looked at her with piercing blue eyes that seemed to hold secrets. Arthea bit her lip, uncertain of the situation. She sensed an unshakable confidence in his gaze, indicating he wanted to claim her.

The atmosphere felt strange. Arthea acknowledged her confusion as she lightly licked her lips. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm here. I'll leave immediately." Arthea sensed the dangerous aura from the man opposite her and dared not stay, only wanting to leave quickly. She instinctively tightened her robe, searching for an exit. She hadn't taken a few steps when a strong force suddenly pulled her into an embrace. Arthea's face turned pale with fright as the man behind her pressed close, instilling an unprecedented fear. He smelled the perfume on Arthea, which unexpectedly made him lose control. Arthea pushed him away, but as she took a step, she collapsed to the ground due to weakness from intoxication.

"Please, let me go, I'll pay you whatever you want." Arthea collapsed on the ground, completely exhausted.

A mocking smile appeared on the man's face. Someone actually tried to bargain with him.

No surprise, the Hill family always behaved this way, thinking wealth could buy everything, even lives.

Hatred burned in the man’s blue eyes as he lifted Arthea from the ground and placed her on the bed.

He leaned down to kiss Arthea. She struggled, but his strong arms held her tightly.

At some point, Arthea, as if bewitched, began to respond to him.

What happened next was utterly wild...

When she woke up, it was already the morning of the next day.

Arthea opened her eyes, feeling a severe headache, and her body felt like it had been run over by a car.

She recalled the unfamiliar room, the masked man, and the events of the previous night, finding everything utterly strange.

On the bedside table lay a finely crafted mask, the same one worn by the man the previous night, with five hundred dollars beneath it.

What? She wasn't a p********e.

Five hundred dollars? Arthea couldn't believe she was worth only five hundred dollars.

She didn't dare stay any longer. She quickly dressed and left the room.

Catching Hyman and Barbara in an affair last night was a huge blow for her. Waking up in a strange bed this morning made her feel completely devastated.