The In-Law Mistress

That night, for the very first time, Elena was going to meet a 'client' at a hotel. Financial desperation had forced her into selling herself. The pure, untouched girl felt incredibly nervous as she stepped into the luxury hotel where her client was waiting. As a young woman, entering a hotel under these circumstances felt deeply taboo. She was terrified of being judged or labeled a disgrace by anyone who saw her. Elena’s anxiety peaked as she walked down the corridor toward the room. She took off her face mask and glasses, slipping them into the clutch she was holding. ‘Calm down, Elena. You have to be professional. Don't let the client down,’ she told herself internally. Standing in front of room 808 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, her nerves threatened to overwhelm her. She prayed that the man she had to serve tonight would not be someone repulsive. ‘No! I don't have any other choice. I have to do this!’ She tried to convince herself to stay strong. Elena Thorne’s heart pounded so violently that her chest felt tight. Her cold, trembling hands tightly gripped her form-fitting black dress, the single most daring piece of clothing she had ever purchased. Letting out a shaky breath, she tapped the keycard provided by the online site's middleman. Click! The door unlocked, revealing a luxurious suite bathed in dim, ambient lighting. Elena stepped inside hesitantly, and the expensive, familiar scent of a masculine cologne immediately hit her senses. Near a massive window overlooking the sprawling city lights, a man stood with his back to her, casually swirling a glass of whiskey. He wore a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, radiating a dominant aura of pure power. The moment the man turned around, Elena’s breath caught in her throat. Every drop of blood in her veins seemed to freeze entirely. Julian Vance. The cold billionaire, and none other than her own brother-in-law, the husband of her stepsister, Victoria. "J-Julian?" Elena’s voice squeaked, barely audible. A wave of absolute panic instantly washed over her. "I'm so sorry, I must have walked into the wrong room," the girl stammered nervously. Turning on her heel in a frenzy, she prepared to flee from the room that suddenly felt like a living hell. "You haven't made a mistake, Elena." That heavy, deep baritone voice, utterly cold and devoid of emotion, stopped Elena dead in her tracks. Julian didn't chase after her. He merely placed his whiskey glass on the table with a soft clink that somehow carried a terrifying weight of intimidation. "Get inside," Julian commanded, his tone icy and absolute. "Julian, please, this is all a misunderstanding—" "I said get inside, Elena Thorne," Julian cut her off. His eagle-like eyes locked onto Elena's terror-stricken gaze. "Unless you want Richard to receive a phone call from me tomorrow morning, detailing exactly what his youngest daughter was doing in a luxury hotel, dressed so scandalously to sell her body," he threatened. Hearing her father's name, Elena's entire body went rigid. Absolute dread gripped her chest. For a long time now, her relationship with Richard had been on the brink of ruin. Her stepmother, Beatrice, never missed an opportunity to slander and undermine her, conditioning her father to believe she was nothing but an ungrateful troublemaker. If Julian were to expose this, Richard would undoubtedly disown her and hate her for the rest of his life. With tears welling in her eyes, Elena slowly turned back around. Swallowing her shattered pride, she stepped fully into the room and closed the heavy door tightly behind her. Julian walked closer, seemingly savoring every ounce of fear written across his sister-in-law's face. The towering man, who was usually distant, stern, and rarely spoke to her at family gatherings, now stood directly in front of her, entirely overpowering her space. "Why are you selling yourself on that disgusting website, Elena?" Julian demanded without beating around the bush. His voice felt like a harsh interrogation in a courtroom. The girl lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze. "I-I need money." Julian let out a cold, cynical chuckle. The sound sent a shiver straight down Elena's spine. "Need money? Is your monthly allowance from your parents not enough? As far as I know, Richard isn't so broke that he’d let his daughter beg in a stranger's bed." "They don't give me a single penny!" Elena’s cries finally broke through. The truth spilled out from the sheer weight of frustration that had been building in her chest for months. "Beatrice cut off all my tuition funds. My laptop broke down, Julian. Next week is the absolute deadline for my semester fees and my thesis submission. If I don't get the money tonight, I will be expelled!" Julian remained silent, his gaze raking over the weeping Elena in her revealing dress that beautifully traced her elegant curves. A strange, unreadable glint flashed across the billionaire's cold eyes. Julian stepped forward, lifting one hand to catch Elena's chin, forcing the young woman to look up into his eyes. His rough thumb gently wiped away a tear streaming down her cheek. "In that case, I have a proposition for you," Julian whispered, his voice deep, smooth, and laced with danger. "I am willing to take care of all your financial troubles. I'll buy you a new laptop, pay your tuition, anything you need. On one condition ... you agree to become my kept woman." Elena’s eyes widened in sheer shock. "A-A kept woman? But, you are Victoria's husband!" Julian didn't offer a defense or deny her words. Instead, he leaned his head down, bringing his lips close to Elena's ear until his warm breath, laced with the scent of alcohol, seared the sensitive skin of her neck. "Tonight is a trial," Julian whispered with a dark, sensual undertone. "If you manage to satisfy my desires tonight, I won't just pay for your college. I will become the sole provider for your entire life. Name anything you want in this world, and I will hand it to you without question." Julian's hand slowly traveled down from her chin, sliding over her throat, and came to a stop right over her wildly hammering chest. "So, Elena, are you ready to prove yourself to me tonight?"