Chapter 5 It's Him

• When Madeline woke up, her body felt as if it were falling apart.
• It took her a while to muster the strength to climb out of bed. The covers slipped away, revealing a canvas of kiss marks scattered across her skin.
• The bathroom door creaked open, and a tall man emerged, a towel wrapped around his waist.
• His upper body was lean yet muscular, revealing an impressive set of abs, with faint hints of a defined V-shape leading down.
• Logan's dark hair was still damp, droplets clinging to the strands.
• Madeline stared, momentarily entranced, completely forgetting to blink.
• "What are you looking at? Want to go for another round?" He teased her with a sideways glance.
• His striking features and chiseled lines did nothing to diminish the allure of his bare skin; he exuded a cool detachment even in his nudity.
• Embarrassed, Madeline quickly diverted her gaze, not daring to look at him again.
• Her bones ached from the memory of his insatiable desire the previous night, as if a train had run over them.
• Their first encounter had been on the couch, the second in the bathtub.
• The tub was rough and unforgiving, offering no comfort, only pain.
• With a blush creeping onto her cheeks, Madeline scrambled off the bed and picked up her clothes from the floor. They were neatly removed, without a single tear or rip.
• Logan sat at the edge of the bed, casually smoking, his eyes leisurely following her as she dressed.
• Her movements were awkward and stiff, betraying her discomfort—a combination of embarrassment and inexperience.
• When Logan was half way through the cigarette, Madeline finally dressed.
• Before she left, Madeline halted suddenly, turning to face the man. "You haven’t given me my money yet."
• Logan was caught off guard. He glanced at her, his voice still raspy from their earlier activities.
• "How much do you want?"
• Madeline recalled a conversation she’d had with a fellow patient at the hospital about a new rehabilitation technique that cost around 50,000 dollars after insurance coverage, which significantly improved recovery chances.
• Fifty thousand dollars. Was her first time worth that much money? Would he actually give it to her if she asked? Unsure about the worth of such experiences, she took a leap of faith and replied, "Fifty thousand dollars."
• It was a figure far above the going rate.
• Logan chuckled, his cold gaze sweeping over her, taking in her tear-brimmed eyes that seemed on the verge of overflowing, like a timid victim of bullying.
• He reached into the drawer, pulled out a check, and began writing a figure. "Here," he said, handing it to her.
• Madeline accepted the check, her breath catching in surprise. "A hundred thousand dollars!"
• He had doubled her request.
• Stunned, she gazed at him, overwhelmed by the amount. There was a subconscious feeling that he had given her too much, even though she hadn't sold her eggs or kept her as a mistress.
• Logan looked up from his phone, observing her astonishment.
• "Aren’t you leaving yet?"
• He had deliberately kept half of the money, treating it as her pocket money.
• For a university student, that sum could sustain her for quite some time, sparing her from the naive decision of selling her eggs again.
• Regaining her composure, Madeline bit her lip, accepting the money.
• "Thank you," she murmured, not daring to meet his gaze as she scampered away like a frightened rabbit.
• ...
• After leaving Bay City, Madeline took the subway back to her dorm alone.
• Her roommates were all in class, so she slipped into the bathroom to shower. The mirror reflected the remnants of last night—bruises of red and purple dotted her skin, a startling sight.
• The man from last night hadn’t been gentle; he had been almost cruelly indifferent.
• After scrubbing herself clean for what felt like an eternity, she emerged from the bathroom clad in her pajamas and sank onto her bed. Finally, she let out a long, relieved sigh.
• The familiar surroundings and scents calmed her racing heart.
• Madeline pulled out the check again, a smile forming. This was enough money to save her father.
• ...
• Logan had surgery early that morning and was busy for several hours. By three in the afternoon, he emerged from the operating room and returned to the outpatient department. He had been running around almost non-stop, as the gastroenterology department’s attending physician had taken a leave of absence, and Logan was covering for him.
• Only a few patients remained in the waiting room as closing time drew near.
• "Knock, knock."
• A polite rap echoed from the door, soft and courteous.
• "Come in," Logan replied.
• The door creaked open, and soft footsteps entered the room.
• "What seems to be the problem?" Logan asked without looking up, focused on the medical chart in his hands.
• "Doctor, I have a stomach ache," came a gentle, somewhat familiar voice.
• Logan lifted his gaze, only to meet Madeline’s startled face.
• Her rounded cheeks, slightly chubby and undeniably cute, flushed in surprise. Her ears turned a suspicious shade of red.
• It's him?!