Chapter 5 A Woman's First Time

Chelsey just stared at the box for a few seconds, her irritation rising to alarming levels. She didn't even have to ask why her mother had stocked up on pregnancy test kits.

In the last two years alone, Chelsey had caught Sylvia having sex a total of six times here at home-each time with a different man.

Self-respect, she said?

Some hypocrisy!

But Chelsey knew that Sylvia wouldn't let up until she complied.

Under her mother's watchful gaze, Chelsey awkwardly grabbed a kit and proceeded to do what had to be done. Her heart was beating wildly all throughout, but more so when it was time to wait for the results.

If she was really pregnant...

A crazy idea suddenly came to mind. She would take the child and run away. She would leave this house, this city, and... Jason Martin.

"Phew, what a relief!" Sylvia's voice jolted Chelsey back to the present and shattered her fantasies.

Chelsey leaned over and stared at the single line on the stick. Several unnamed emotions surged in her chest. She couldn't tell whether she was relieved or disappointed.

Sylvia, on the other hand, kept prattling on. "This is good, but I can tell that you're messing around with men. Just look at your face! You need to stop your activities immediately. It's utterly disgraceful! Luckily for you, I know a doctor who specializes in discreet operations. I'll take you to him for hymen repair surgery. I'm telling you, a woman's first time is extremely valuable!"

Disgraceful?

How ridiculous.

But then, Chelsey thought of the bank card Jason had given her. He had tossed it on the bed on their first night, right after he saw the specks of blood on the sheets.

Five hundred thousand in one go. She could never earn that much, even if she worked herself to the bone for at least three years.

Perhaps her mother was right. The first time was very valuable, indeed.

Chelsey couldn't taste anything during dinner, but Tim and Sylvia were getting along nicely. They talked about anything and everything they could think of.

When Tim took his leave, Sylvia pointedly asked Chelsey to see him off. And when they exchanged goodbyes, she made sure to mention how she was looking forward to meeting his parents.

Chelsey and Tim were standing in front of his car when he suddenly took her hand. His palm was wet and sticky with sweat, and she had to physically fight the urge to recoil.

Jason's words flashed in her head. Could she settle for someone else after being with Jason Martin for so long?

It hit her then-no matter how much she tried to delude herself, the answer was always no.

Chelsey had very little sleep that night. When she went to work the next day, she felt groggy and out of sorts.

It didn't help that she was busy the entire morning, until her office landline rang at half past ten.

She answered the call.

"Come to my office," came Jason's voice, as chilly as the late autumn breeze.

Chelsey's legs tensed instinctively. She was wearing black trousers today, and if he did something to her and ended up tearing them... She wouldn't be able to hide anything.

All her shameful secrets would be exposed for the entire company to see.

She opened her mouth to refuse, but Jason had already hung up.

Chelsey stalled for as long as she could, but ultimately, she had no choice in the matter. She braced herself and went up to the top floor. She knocked at the CEO's office and walked in, deliberately leaving the door wide open.

Her precaution did not escape Jason's notice. He smirked, his eyes glinting with danger.

"Close the door and come here," he ordered as he tapped his forefinger against his desk.

Chelsey slowly approached, but she made a point of leaving the door open. "What do you need, Mr. Martin?"

She forced herself to remain calm. She was still his secretary, after all, and being at his beck and call was part of her job.

Jason stared at her for all of three seconds before chuckling softly. When he spoke, it was in that deep and dulcet tone again. "What are you afraid of?"

Chelsey bit her lower lip and said nothing, but she did tremble ever so slightly. She looked like a vigilant little rabbit that was ready to bolt at the first sign of its predator.

A magazine landed on Jason's desk with a sharp, cracking sound. It was opened to a page that displayed the picture of an engagement ring.

It was a diamond-encrusted golden band, the inside of which carried an engraved pattern that symbolized eternal love.

Chelsey's heart skipped a beat as she stared at Jason.

Last month, while flying out for a business trip, they had encountered the advertisement for this same ring. It was on a preorder basis then, and Chelsey was instantly drawn to it.

She had asked Jason, in none too subtle a way, what he thought about the ring. He had simply glanced at it and said that it wasn't worth the price.

Chelsey remembered how her spirits were immediately dampened. Her first thought was to compare his opinion of the ring to his opinion of herself-pretty and enjoyable, but ultimately nothing special.

She never dared to mention the ring again.

Why was Jason bringing it up now? Her hands clenched into fists. What was he trying to do?

Jason's smirk deepened. Her reaction was exactly what he wanted.

Even the most errant rabbit would turn obedient if he dangled the right carrot in front of it.

"Do you like it?" he asked, his voice low and almost coaxing.

Chelsey didn't know how to answer. If it had been in the past, she might have said yes in a heartbeat. But after everything that had transpired between them, all she felt was fear.

Her fists loosened, then tightened again. She couldn't think of what to say.

Before she could make up her mind, Jason pulled out a familiar bank card from the top desk drawer. He placed it on top of the magazine and tapped on it twice. "Go buy it."

Chelsey's heart started racing again.

He wanted her to use the same bank card he had given her on their first night.

So, he wanted her to use that money to buy the ring?

Just what did this man want?

His next words finally cleared it up for her, and they fell on her like a bucket of ice water.

"Have the store wrap it up nicely and bring it over as soon as possible. It's a gift for someone."

Chelsey's mind went blank, both her apprehensions and misguided illusions disappearing in a flash. The mockery on Jason's face seemed to burn itself into her brain. Of course. How ridiculous of her to have thought the ring was for her.

Her face burned with shame.

Chelsey took a deep breath and unclenched her fists, finally regaining her composure.

This was what she wanted, right?

Jason truly was a manipulative devil. She had known this from the start, too, and she couldn't believe she had almost risen to his bait. In any case, this is much better.

If all her hopes had gone, then so would be the risk of pain in the future.

"Yes, Mr. Martin."

Chelsey offered a slight bow, then took the magazine and bank card. She turned on her heel and walked out of the office with her back straight and her head held high.

Snap!

The luxury pen that Jason was holding cracked in half. Just when he thought he could finally vent out his rage and frustration, they only seemed to coil tighter around his heart.

He had asked her to buy the ring that she wanted, for God's sake, using the money that was supposedly hers. And he had told her that the ring was for someone else!

Yet Chelsey had been so calm about the whole thing.

He might be stubborn and obtuse at times, but it was clear to him that Chelsey was serious this time. She really determined to break things off with him.

An hour later...

Chelsey was once again knocking on Jason's office door. She let herself in and placed the gift-wrapped jewelry box on his desk, along with the bank card and the receipt.

"Everything's taken care of, Mr. Martin. If that's all, I'll get back to work."

Her nonchalant attitude riled Jason up. "She doesn't like it. You can have it instead."

Chelsey stopped in her tracks. She turned to look at him with a blank expression.

Jason frowned and narrowed his eyes.

"What? Don't you like it? You don't want it anymore?"

Chelsey was in too much turmoil as it was. She didn't have the time or energy to ponder Jason's mood swings.

Yes, she came from a humble background. Yes, she had yet to amount to anything. And yes, she had stooped to the lowest levels for this man on numerous occasions.

But she wasn't entirely worthless.

She clung to the tattered bits of joy she had left in her life and held her ground.

"It's a good thing that the warranty allows returns, then. I'll go and deal with it right now."

Chelsey walked up to the desk to retrieve the box and the receipt, but before she could take them, Jason grabbed her wrist in a vise grip.

"What the hell are you trying to do, Chelsey?" he demanded, his voice thrumming with ill-concealed fury.