Lilly still felt the weight of Luna's glare lingering as she walked out of the office, the door closing with a soft thud. She tried to steady herself, but her pulse wouldn't slow. The air in the office felt suffocating. Mark had said nothing as Luna left, his gaze following her with quiet contemplation before returning to Lilly. His eyes were unreadable, but there was something predatory in the way he stared at her, something that made her heart skip a beat.
"Sit," Mark commanded, his voice smooth, like he was giving a casual order.
Lilly blinked, still recovering from the emotional rollercoaster she had just been through. She glanced over at the chair in front of his desk, her legs trembling as she moved toward it. She sat down slowly, hands folded in her lap, not daring to meet his gaze.
Mark didn't sit immediately. He remained standing, watching her. His presence in the room was commanding, and she couldn't escape the feeling that he was in control. Everything about him demanded attention. His eyes locked on hers, and she could feel the intensity of the situation deep in her chest.
He was waiting for something. And Lilly wasn't sure what it was.
"You're afraid of me," Mark said, breaking the silence. It wasn't a question. It was a statement of fact, as if he had already known the answer.
Lilly hesitated, her throat tightening. It was impossible to deny. The fear, the attraction, the way he made her feel both small and powerful at the same time, it was overwhelming.
"Yes," she admitted softly, her gaze dropping to the desk in front of her. She couldn't look him in the eye.
Mark's expression softened, but only slightly. He stepped closer until he was standing just in front of her. There was an unsettling calmness in his movements, an aura of power that seemed to radiate from him with every step he took.
"It's because of what you saw two days ago, isn't it?" he said quietly, his words hanging in the air like a challenge.
Lilly stiffened. She had hoped he wouldn't bring it up, but of course, he would. How could she ever forget what she had seen? The rawness of it, the way it had burned itself into her memory.
"I swear I won't tell anyone," she said quickly, her voice trembling. "I won't say a word. I can leave if you want me to. No consequences. I won't cause any trouble. I promise you."
Mark stared at her, his eyes narrowed. He was quiet for a moment, as if considering her words. The silence between them stretched, thick and uncomfortable.
He opened the drawer in his desk, pulling out a folded document, then slid it across to her without saying a word.
Lilly blinked.
Mark's voice was low as he spoke, "You can read it. You have all day to think about it."
"What is this?"
His gaze never wavered from her face. His words had a strange weight to them, like they carried some hidden meaning she wasn't yet privy to. She reached for the document, her fingers trembling as she unfolded it. Her eyes skimmed the first few pages, which were filled with legal terms she barely understood. But then her eyes stopped on a section that made her blood run cold.
"This agreement is to remain confidential. You will not disclose, share, or discuss anything that happens within the premises of Bergen Global in relation to Mr. Mark Bergen. You will fulfill all personal and professional duties as requested by Mr. Bergen, including but not limited to sexual favors, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Failure to comply will result in immediate termination and legal action."
Her heart stopped for a moment. She read the words again, just to be sure. No, it wasn't a mistake. She had read it right the first time. A sexual agreement. And 24 hours a day?
Lilly's breath caught in her throat. She felt a cold sweat bead at the back of her neck. This wasn't a job offer. It was something else entirely. Something terrifying, something dangerous.
Mark was watching her, his expression impassive as she read. She couldn't decide whether it was pity, amusement, or something darker in his gaze.
"Ten times my salary?" she whispered, disbelief coloring her voice. She almost couldn't say the words out loud, "You're offering me… ten times my salary… in exchange for this?" She gestured to the document in front of her, her hand trembling.
Mark gave a small nod, "Ten times your salary. All you have to do is sign. It's a simple exchange, Miss Levine. You get what you need, and I get what I want." His voice was quiet, calm, but it felt like a threat wrapped in a promise.
Lilly's heart raced. She felt the pull of it, the temptation. Ten times her salary could change everything. It would secure her little brother's future, pay off the bills she had been drowning under. She could have everything she had ever dreamed of… if she accepted this.
But at what cost?
Her fingers ran over the paper, her mind reeling. She couldn't ignore what she was reading. What he was asking her to do. The words on the page were clear. She could read it over and over, but they would never change.
"'Fulfill all your desires personally, including sexuality?'" she repeated, her voice hoarse, her body frozen in shock. Her eyes locked with his, searching for any sign that he might be joking, that this was just some cruel test. But there was nothing in his eyes but certainty. Confidence.
He nodded again, his gaze unwavering, "Yes. Everything. You will fulfill my desires in every way, and you will do so without excuse. 24 hours a day. No days off."
Lilly didn't know how to respond. She had never been in a position like this before, where money and morality collided so brutally. Her mind raced with thoughts of her brother. Her only family is the one that left. She thought about the life she could give them with that kind of money.
But her stomach churned with unease, "But what about a simple document that will make me not tell anyone about what I saw? It will be wise for both of us, I think…"
Mark shook his head, "And risk you will tell anyone? No, Miss Levine. I'm not stupid. If you have a secret with me, too, you will not tell my other secret. That is how you negotiate in business."
"But I swear, I will never tell anybody…"
Mark was just looking at her.
She swallowed hard and looked at Mark again, "Can I think about it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Mark didn't answer immediately. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, his eyes glinting with something she couldn't quite place.
"No," he said firmly, "You have until the end of today to make your decision. If you don't sign, you leave. You won't get another chance."
Her heart hammered in her chest. The tension in the air was unbearable. She wanted to scream, to escape, but she knew there was nowhere to go. This was it.
She blinked rapidly, her breath coming in shallow gasps. She tried to steady herself, but her mind was spinning. Ten times her salary. She needed this.
"Okay, I… I agree," she finally said, her voice barely audible.
Mark's eyes darkened, the corners of his lips turning upward in a slow, satisfied smile, "Good. I knew you'd make the right choice, Miss Levine."
He handed her a pen, and she signed the document without another word, her hands shaking with the weight of what she had just agreed to.