I slept with Arthur for six years. He was always incredibly dismissive when replying to my messages. Just one-word answers: "Mm," "Oh," "Ah." His friends laughed at me: "Arthur just has too much pride to let his guard down. If you're tired of it, just stop chasing him." Arthur shot a cold look at the guy: "You talk too much." In everyone's eyes, I had been a one-sided simp for Arthur for six years. I interrupted them, smiling: "Mm, I'm done chasing." Anyway, I've had enough sex to last a lifetime. My family issued an ultimatum: if I couldn't lock him down, I had to obediently go on blind dates. 1 I set up a breakup hookup with Arthur. While I was getting dressed, he asked me, "When you said you were tired and done chasing the other day, you were joking, right?" He lit a post-coital cigarette. "Chloe, you know your family background isn't good enough to marry into the Sterling family." "Mm." "Also, we're out of condoms. Remember to buy some next time." I smiled: "Arthur, you didn't actually read the message I sent you, did you?" He paused and picked up his phone to check. Makes sense. No matter what I sent him, he'd only reply with irrelevant grunts. I used to throw tantrums over this, but he just said, "If you really had an emergency, you'd call me." I never called him once. In his eyes, my affairs were probably never an emergency. Arthur put down his phone, the corner of his lips curling up: "What's this mean? A breakup hookup?" I finished putting on my shoes, fiddling with my phone while talking to him: "It's not really a breakup, considering we never had an official title." But Arthur's technique was definitely top-tier. And he lasted long. For those reasons alone, it wasn't a total loss. I showed him my phone screen: "All chat records have been deleted. You can rest easy, Mr. Sterling." Arthur remained expressionless: "I've never publicly acknowledged a girlfriend. Chloe, honestly, you were just a hair's breadth away." "Because I don't like women who throw tantrums." "Oh. Then I'm honored, and also regretful." 2 During work hours. I was waiting for the elevator when my mom suddenly called. "Honey, find some time to come home for a blind date." The elevator doors opened, and I stepped inside. I looked up and found Arthur standing there in a sharp suit. My mom urged me on the phone: "This guy is tall, his last name is Hayes, he's over six-foot-two, and he's handsome. Totally your type." The elevator was small, and my mom's voice echoed inside. Arthur said nothing, only asking, "Which floor?" "16, thanks." I turned down the volume on my phone. "I know, Mom. How about the day after tomorrow? I have a day off, I can come home." Only then did my mom hang up. There was a burning gaze directed at my back. Arthur spoke up: "Attorney Davis, the M&A proposal your team submitted has flaws. Come to my office later to fix it." I nodded respectfully: "Yes, Mr. Sterling." The Sterling Corporation was a massive empire, employing a huge legal team. I was one of them. That's also how I met Arthur. He didn't like people knowing about our relationship. At first, I didn't get it. But I was always respectful, calling him "Mr. Sterling" and never crossing the line. Later, I understood what he meant. We just slept together. Talking in bed was enough. 3 Arthur's office. When I walked in, his back was to me, revealing a vibrant flash of red behind him. A woman had him pinned against the desk, kissing him breathlessly. Arthur was wearing a dress shirt that clung to his back muscles, outlining his perfect physique. He really was a catch. Hot, wild. But mostly, he was a massive scumbag. He cut ties cleanly and didn't cause trouble. He could dump you one second and find another woman to replace you the next. I took a half-step back and knocked loudly on the door: "Mr. Sterling." Arthur turned his head and released the woman in his arms. She smoothed her hair and straightened her clothes. She gave me a look, picked up a newly bought luxury item from the desk, and left. Arthur adjusted his tie and lit a cigarette. "I can only smoke when you come in. With anyone else, I can't even touch a cigarette; gotta maintain the image." I nodded: "That is your prerogative, Mr. Sterling." He asked casually: "Did you see the woman just now?" "..." "Don't play dumb. That was someone my stepmother forced on me. She's nothing special, not as good as you." "If you hadn't thrown a tantrum and insisted on breaking up, I wouldn't have even given her the time of day." I didn't want to talk about this with him. So I placed the proposal on the desk. "Mr. Sterling, the proposal you asked for." He had clearly approved this exact proposal last week. Now, he didn't even glance at it. "This proposal won't work. Rewrite it." "My team and I will discuss it again and deliver a version that satisfies you." "Report back to me the day after tomorrow." I froze, nodding helplessly: "Alright, whatever you say." Arthur smiled: "There's a dinner tonight. Will you accompany me?" "Is it a formal business dinner?" I couldn't help but ask. If it was just his buddies, I could easily decline. Arthur shook his head: "Relax, it's business. After all, you were the one who ended things between us." 4 It was indeed business. A high-society banquet. I wore the expensive gown Arthur provided, holding a wine glass, feeling nothing but boredom. Because of Arthur, I had to postpone the blind date. My mom was a bit unhappy. I'm 28 this year. She isn't forcing me to get married, but she at least wants to see me date someone. I had seen photos of the men she introduced. They were either rich or handsome. My gaze drifted into the distance. Arthur was in a sharp suit, his narrow waist encased within it, long legs extending below. It was true. In terms of looks, none of those men could compare to Arthur. Once, I had even fantasized about Arthur actually caring for me. He took me to various cocktail parties, introducing me to his business contacts. When people asked who I was. Arthur would only say: "A new lawyer at the firm, brought her along to broaden her horizons." I threw a tantrum. "Arthur, aren't we together? Why don't you tell them I'm your girlfriend!" He looked at me with a childish expression: "Chloe, I never publicly acknowledge any girlfriends." "But we've already—" "It was mutual consent. Don't tell me you can't handle a casual arrangement." "If you can't handle it, then let's break up." A playboy. Talking about a prodigal son returning was a joke. In that moment, I got stubborn and told him: "You're right, Arthur. It would cost a fortune to hire a male escort of your caliber, wouldn't it? Why wouldn't I be able to handle it?" To be fair, my career was skyrocketing, standing out among a sea of interns. My abilities weren't weak. But without Arthur pulling strings behind the scenes, I would be nothing. Arthur said: "Keep an open mind; it's good for both of us." Later, I had an epiphany: he was right. 5 My view of Arthur was blocked. A familiar face walked toward me. "Attorney Davis, long time no see." I clinked glasses with him: "Mr. Hayes." Julian Hayes had a smile as warm as a spring breeze. "Last time at the conference, you debated the entire room and left my best lawyer speechless. It was very memorable." "You flatter me, Mr. Hayes." He didn't beat around the bush: "Attorney Davis, I'm interested in poaching you for Hayes Corp. You name the salary. I'll give you a private office and a top-tier team." I politely declined, saying I had no intention of jumping ship. After all, I had just made a name for myself in my current environment. Changing environments meant jumping into the unknown. Julian: "What, am I less charming than Arthur? Can't I win your favor?" I looked him up and down. Younger than Arthur, tall, and in great shape. A man like this was actually a great catch. "Mr. Hayes, it's a bit inappropriate to poach my people right in front of me, isn't it?" Arthur pushed through the crowd and stood beside me. Julian said: "Good talent is hard to find. Is it a crime to appreciate a good lawyer?" Arthur smiled: "You have a good eye, Mr. Hayes. My people are, naturally, the best." ... The elevator was going up. It was just Arthur and me. He asked out of the blue: "Got your eye on Julian?" I shook my head: "I wouldn't dare." "You checked him out from head to toe. Did you think I wouldn't notice?" The elevator doors opened; it was Arthur's floor. He suddenly pressed the 'close door' button. He pinned me against the elevator doors. His large hand slid up my waist. I said calmly: "Arthur, wasn't one breakup hookup enough? Want another one?" He froze. He removed his hand from my body, snagging the business card Julian had given me in the process. "Fuck, Chloe, weren't you going on a blind date? And you're still flirting with Julian?" I helplessly waved my hand: "Didn't you ruin the blind date?" Silence fell for a moment. Arthur walked out of the elevator with a dark expression.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "394551", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel