Belen disappeared completely from his life, as he wished later.
But Lanny regretted it. He searched frantically for her everywhere.
He humbly got down before her and pleaded, "Belen, please come back to me. Okay?"
*
"Once again, Lanny Lewis has won the middleweight championship in the UFC fight..." The television broadcast the moment of Lanny's victory.
At that moment, Lanny was forcefully making love to Belen beneath him on the large bed.
"Be gentle..." Belen knew too well that Lanny's stamina was comparable to that of a beast.
After every major competition, he would make love to her forcefully and leave her utterly exhausted.
As the morning came, Belen felt herself almost falling apart as Lanny stopped.
She sensed that he was rougher than before this time.
"Leave the key here before you go today. You don't need to come here anymore from now on." His sudden words snapped her out of her drowsiness. "Jayde agreed to be my girlfriend." Lanny gave a gentle smile. "Remember to take all your clothes and jewelry with you. She will be upset if she sees them."
He handed Belen a bank card and tossed it onto her. "Thanks for what you did in the past three years." Lanny's voice was flat. "Belen, you're 25 now. Have you thought about finding a good guy to settle down with?"
Belen nodded numbly and felt a sharp pain in her heart.
"When you get married, let my agent know, and I'll give you a good gift." Lanny seemed energetic, although he didn't sleep all night.
He got dressed and carefully chose a tie for himself. "What flowers do you women like?"
"Roses?" Belen responded.
"So tacky," Lanny sneered lightly. "Jayde is different from you. She's so hard to win over and has a proud and stubborn nature. She surely wouldn't like such ordinary flowers."
Without waiting for Belen to say anything more, he walked out of the room.
"Hss..." Belen's legs were weak as she got off the bed. She trembled all over.
She walked into the bathroom and looked at the marks all over in the mirror. Then she sighed helplessly.
She had been sleeping with Lanny for three years.
They were childhood friends and grew up together.
During the summer after the college entrance exams, she had gathered the courage to tell him that she loved him, but Lanny casually hooked an arm around her shoulder and said, "My mother asked if we were dating today. It's funny. We're as close as buddies. How can we date?"
Later, Belen went to a dance college far from home. She only met Lanny during winter break throughout her four years of college.
When she received the offer from the graduate school, she got drunk with her classmates, while Lanny was drugged by his opponent before a match that very evening.
He and Belen ended up sleeping together by accident.
After waking up, he promised to take responsibility. If they hadn't met anyone they loved by 25, they would be together.
Belen agreed impulsively.
From then on, their unconventional relationship began.
Lanny was a professional competitive fighter. He had a high physical demand and even greater sexual needs.
A month later, Belen discovered that Lanny was a sex addict.
The drug he was given that day couldn't be completely relieved after having sex once.
It would flare up every week.
Lanny tried to relieve it through working out, but it didn't seem to be useful.
So, she became his outlet.
Now it was time for her to leave because Lanny accidentally met one of the freshmen of the dance academy, Jayde Sullivan, half a year ago when Lanny came to pick Belen up from college.
Jayde was nineteen and looked so innocent.
Lanny was instantly captivated by Jayde.
He pursued her with various tactics, but she was unimpressed.
Jayde was dressed in a faded long dress and canvas shoes with worn soles. She looked detached and arrogant. "Please leave me alone. I don't want to be a kept woman for you, a womanizer."
Her stubborn demeanor didn't make Lanny give up. Instead, he was more obsessed.
During that period, when his addiction acted up, he preferred to relieve himself with Jayde's photo rather than having sex with Belen.
Belen slept until the afternoon, when she was awakened by a phone call.
It was Belen's mother, Ellen Gilbert.
"Hello, Mom."
"My dear." Ellen's voice came through the receiver. "Ms. Lambert's son is awake!"
"Is Jonathan awake?" Belen's eyes lit up. Then she pondered and said, "Mom, my graduation certificate will be available in seven days. You've always wanted to settle in Austland, right? I'll go with you after seven days."
Ellen was surprised. "What about Lanny? Is he willing to have a long-distance relationship with you?"
"We broke up," Belen replied, forcing a smile.
She had never dared to tell Ellen that she and Lanny had never started a romantic relationship.
"My dear, don't be sad. You will meet the right guy later..." Ellen sighed deeply. "Once you book your ticket, let me know. We can visit Jonathan in Austland as soon as possible."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Belen gave a smile.
Jonathan was four years older than she. She had always been nice, as if she were his sister. She got to know him even before she met Lanny.
Whenever Lanny saw her hanging out with Jonathan, Lanny would always make sarcastic comments.
Six years ago, Jonathan immigrated to Austland with his mother and ended up in a car accident. He then became a comatose patient.
Doctors said the chances of him waking were slim.
But unexpectedly, a medical miracle occurred with Jonathan.
Belen immediately freshened up, got dressed, and took everything related to her from the villa.
As she dragged her luggage downstairs, she saw Lanny entering with a pure and charming young woman.
Their gazes met.
"She's the live-in servant here..." Lanny quickly explained to Jayde.
Jayde's gaze fell on the red marks on Belen's neck. She said in a disappointed tone, "Belen, you were always my idol. I admired you as an exceptional dancer, but it turns out you sell yourself secretly."
Belen was momentarily speechless.
Jayde turned to Lanny and said, "Mr. Lewis, don't forget that we're currently in a relationship. I will never stoop to selling my body like her. You're still under observation. If you dare touch me, we will break up immediately."
"Jayde, don't be upset. You're different from her." Lanny held Jayde's hand and said, "You're my girlfriend."
Jayde proudly turned her face away. She stared directly at the crystal trophy in Belen's hand.
She took a step forward, stumbled, and fell towards Belen.
"Crash-" The crystal cup shattered on the tiles.