The Billionaire's Ex-girlfriend

As the sun dips below the horizon, the city lights ignite, and the vibrant metropolis never sleeps. Inside a lavish karaoke room, the walls and ceiling are adorned with intricate carvings, creating a classic European royal atmosphere. On the coffee table, several expensive bottles of wine are freshly opened, accompanied by gourmet snacks and meticulously arranged fruit platters. Under the soft, multi-colored lights, every corner of the room exudes an aura of opulence and indulgence that many seek.

A group of five to seven men lounge across the sofa; some pour wine, others are busy picking songs, and others chat animatedly, filling the air with a lively buzz.

They all focus on the young man sitting in the middle, every word and action is a clear attempt to win his favor.

This is Ryan William, a man in his thirties, tall and impeccably stylish. The low sofa emphasizes his long legs, folded casually, making him stand out in the crowd. His blonde hair, sharp eyebrows, deep-set eyes, and high, straight nose give his face a touch of coolness. His piercing blue eyes, devoid of emotion, make it hard to read his mood. He sits quietly, unmoving, radiating an air of authority and aloofness that no one can ignore.

The guy sitting next to Ryan looks a little nervous, a bit intimidated by the powerful presence of the famous young CEO. He leans in and whispers something to the middle-aged man beside him,

"Dad, I heard William isn't really into places like this. Are we okay being here?"

Geoffrey pats his large belly, chuckles softly, and says,

"Don't worry, son. I've got other arrangements. There'll be some good stuff coming soon, I'm sure it will please him. As long as he's happy and signs the contract, our company will be set for a few years."

Waldo looks uneasy and reminds his father,

"I did some research, and this CEO isn't into that kind of stuff. You might be pushing it a bit too far, Dad."

Geoffrey scoffs,

"You're still green, son. What man doesn't like a little fun? Rich guys are scared of death. They avoid the unknown risks. This time, I've gone to a lot of trouble to find these girls from the countryside who've just come to the city. I guarantee they're fresh and clean."

Waldo still has his doubts, but he doesn't want to argue with his dad. After all, most men like to have a little fun, he thinks, hoping that Chairman Ryan won't be any different.

In the dressing room, a fortyish woman, a bit plump, her face frozen from too many facelifts, held her head high and loudly lectured her "adopted daughters."

She said, "This client is loaded. A few coins from his pocket could keep us living high on the hog for years, so you girls better make sure he's happy."

"Yes, ma'am!" The five young, beautiful girls replied.

Katy narrows her eyes, glares at Vivian, and hisses,

"Vivian, zip it! Remember, you're playing the innocent country girl. You look like a pig in mud, all happy and giggly – nobody's buying it! You gotta be shy, demure. We didn't spend a fortune making you look like hicks for nothing. A client like this doesn't come along every day, so don't blow it, got it?"

Vivian pouts and mumbles, "I know."

Katy shoots Eudora a look, a flash of impatience in her eyes before she quickly masks it and says in a softer tone, "Eudora, you gotta smile. We're here to entertain, not to mourn. You look like you're about to cry – nobody wants a sad face around. Happy customers mean bigger tips, you know."

Unlike the other four girls, Eudora is a true country girl, new to the game. She's the most striking of the five, especially with her beautiful blue eyes that always seem to hold a deep sadness. From the moment they met, Katy knew Eudora was the kind of woman who could easily tug at a man's heartstrings. That's why she went all out to bring her into the business, hoping Eudora will become her golden goose.

Eudora nods awkwardly and forces a smile.

"Yes, ma'am!"

The bell rings, and after taking a call, Katy beams.

"Alright, let's go! The client's here. Remember to act shy and demure, you hear? Eudora, you can relax a bit, the customer's always right."

Then she stands up and leads the girls out of the lounge.

Ryan crosses his legs, leaning back against the sofa, watching the woman with her garish makeup and a face like wax, leading a group of bar hostesses into the room. He lifts cigar to his lips, takes a long drag, and exhales a cloud of hazy smoke. His eyes betray a deep-seated disgust and impatience.

Geoffrey's eyes gleam with excitement as five beautiful young women walk into the room. Their makeup is minimal, but their features radiate an innocence and naivety that is a stark contrast to the hardened women who typically frequent this place of debauchery.

Geoffrey leans in to Ryan's ear and whispers,

"These girls are all fresh off the farm, they haven't seen much of the world yet."

Ryan frowns, about to stand up and leave, when a familiar face catches his eye, making his fingers holding the cigarette tremble slightly. She's still as beautiful as ever, those big, watery eyes haven't changed a bit. Seven years haven't left a mark on her, if anything, they've only added to her allure.

Ryan takes another drag of his cigarette, a sly smile playing on his lips, but his eyes are as cold as winter ice. He gestures towards Eudora and says, "Come sit here."

Katy beams, her heart swelling with pride as she watches Eudora capture the attention of such a wealthy patron on her first night. She feels vindicated, her instincts proving to be spot on.

The other four girls can't help but cast envious glances at Eudora. This man, clearly a rich and powerful young man, is a rare sight, and not easily encountered. If they had the chance to serve such a high-quality client, they would do it for free! But alas, Eudora has snatched this golden opportunity.

But contrary to everyone's admiration and envy, Eudora doesn't feel happy at all. She shrinks back in fear, wishing she could disappear from the room.

Katy quickly notices Eudora's unusual reaction. Assuming it's because this is her first time serving a client, and she's feeling nervous and anxious.

She quickly says, "Hey, the guy's calling for you, go serve him. Everyone here is really nice, don't worry."

She says that, then puts her arm around Eudora's back and gives her a little push, like, "Go on, get over there!"

Eudora looks down, takes a deep breath, and finally goes over to Ryan.

Seeing her do what she's told, Katy lets out a sigh of relief and says to the guy, "These girls are new in town, so they're a little shy and don't have much experience. If they mess up, please cut them some slack, okay?"

Geoffrey wouldn't say anything. He's happy to see Ryan's into the girl, so he says, "Don't worry, Katy, let the girls hang out with us."

Katy smiles and tells the girls to take good care of the guys, then she leaves the room.

Ryan sees Eudora just standing there like a statue, so he frowns and says, "Sit down."

Eudora sits next to him, but keeps her head down. You can't really tell what she's thinking. Her hands are clenched tight, and her palms are all sweaty.

Because she's short a large sum of money and can't afford to pay it back, she's been forced into this degrading line of work to pay off her debt. But Eudora never expected her first client to be an old acquaintance. She's so embarrassed and ashamed, wishing she could just disappear right now so Ryan wouldn't see her like this.

He lifts her chin with his hand, forcing her look at him. Seeing the fear and avoidance behind her long, curled eyelashes, he gives a mocking smile.

"I never would have guessed, would you?"

Eudora looks down, her lips start to tremble, but she doesn't say anything.

Ryan lets go of her chin and coldly ordering,

"The madam told you how to do this, right? What are you waiting for?"

Eudora replies in a dry voice, "Yes."

She leans forward, pouring him a glass of wine. Then, she spears a grape with a fork and offers it to him. Ryan leans back on the sofa, arms crossed, not even looking like he wants it.

Eudora bites her lip, unsure what to do. She hesitates for a second, then brings the grape right up to his mouth. He opens his mouth and takes a bite, savoring it slowly. He keeps his eyes on her, watching her every move.

Seeing her just standing there like a statue again, Ryan says, "Keep going."

Eudora holds out the wine glass, asking hesitantly, "Would you like some wine, sir?"

When he doesn't respond, she pauses before carefully raising the glass to his lips. Ryan takes a sip, then whispers in her ear, "You're still the same, aren't you? Still willing to do anything for money."

Eudora's face goes white as Ryan finishes speaking. Her hand holding the glass trembles, spilling wine onto his pristine white shirt.

He frowns and snaps, "What kind of service is this?"

All eyes in the room turn to Eudora. Geoffrey sweating nervously, worries his efforts will be wasted, quickly intervenes.

"She's new to this, so she's inexperienced. Please be understanding," he says. "Or maybe you can switch to the one beside me, she seems much more sensible."

Eudora frantically grabs a napkin to help him wipe the stain, apologizing profusely.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

Ryan smirks, watching her fear, enjoying the service. Through the thin fabric, he can feel the warmth of her small hand. A familiar excitement surges within him. He stands up abruptly and pulls Eudora into his arms, then says to everyone around him, "I'm leaving first, everyone stay and have fun. I'll take care of the bill tonight."

Geoffrey, seeing Ryan's urgency, replies with a beaming face, "Don't be silly, I invited everyone here, so I'm paying. No one's taking over the bill from me. You go ahead, have a good night." He finishes with a sly smile.

Ryan doesn't say much, half-carrying, half-dragging Eudora out of the room. Geoffrey watches them leave, a smug look on his face as he raises an eyebrow at his son.

Waldo gives his dad a thumbs-up, clearly enjoying the situation. Turns out, the rumors about Chairman William having a clean personal life, not being interested in casual flings, are all lies. On the contrary, he seems more eager than anyone else here. What a waste of that respectable, dignified appearance! You can't judge a book by its cover, after all.

Leaving the karaoke room, Eudora nervously asks Ryan, "Where... where are you taking me?"

Ryan raises an eyebrow.

"Where? To fulfill your duty. Don't tell me you don't know."

Eudora lowers her head, avoiding his mocking gaze. Bitterness wells up inside her, but she can only grit her teeth and pretend to ignore it.

Seeing her silence, Ryan says nothing more, just snorts coldly and turns back to focus on driving.

They quickly arrive at a nearby five-star hotel. As soon as they enter the room, Ryan roughly pushes her onto the bed. He stands straight beside her, arrogantly looking down at Eudora with disdainful eyes.

"Eudora, you're quite something. Seven years apart, you've really improved, haven't you? You like money that much? You like it so much that you're willing to be a prostitute, even without any shame?"

Ryan's words are like a knife twisting in Eudora's heart, making her chest ache. Her eyes are already misty, she can only raise her head and let the bitter drop on her cheek flow back in.

Trying to hold back the pain, she laughs at herself, "Yes, I like money that much. Someone born at the finish line like you, how can you understand the feeling of struggling in poverty like us?"

"Don't make excuses! There are many poor people out there, but not everyone throws away their dignity like you!"

Ryan is furious. The thought of Eudora sleeping with other men for money makes his blood boil. Seven years can change a person that much? He doesn't recognize the innocent girl he used to love. Maybe he was a fool all along, believing the fake image she'd created.

Eudora acts like she's unfazed by his harsh words, saying nonchalantly, "I'm not here to listen to your insults. If you want to be served, I'll stay. Otherwise, I'll leave."

Ryan lets out a mocking laugh, "So you do have some professional ethics, you haven't forgotten your job."

He sits down on the bed and orders, "Alright, get to work. If you please me, you'll get a generous tip."

Eudora clenches her fists, fighting back the shame and urge to run that threatens to overwhelm her. She takes a deep breath and slowly sits up, moving closer to Ryan and gently massaging his shoulders.

Ryan sits still, letting her work. After five minutes of nothing more, he's growing impatient.

"Is that all your madam taught you?" He asks.

"No... not at all."

"Then what are you waiting for?" He snaps.