Chapter 1 Have You Grown Weary Of Me

• Natalie steadied herself. There was the sound of water emanating from the washroom. The flush on her face juxtaposed against the blankness in her eyes as she spaced out toward the ceiling.
• She sat up only when she heard the washroom door opened.
• The woman tilted to feel the stretch on her neck as she put on the coquettish smile that she had always worn. “You’re too much, Mr. Hoffman. You didn’t even give me a heads up before coming over in the middle of the night...”
• A hint of indignation was discernible in her inflection.
• Sebastian was drying off his hair with a towel. His bathrobe was parted slightly at the front, providing a glimpse of the chiseled torso hidden underneath.
• He lifted his head to regard the woman when he heard her speak.
• This woman is getting better at this. After a year together, does she really think I’m still unaware that she has been putting on an act all this while?
• The man curled his lips and decided against exposing her. He then spoke calmly in a low voice, “I’ll be more gentle next time.”
• He threw the towel onto the bed and retrieved a pair of dress pants from the closet before he disrobed.
• “Mr. Hoffman, we haven’t seen each other since you left on the third last month.” Natalie stepped away from the bed and slipped her arms around him from behind. “Why are you in such a hurry to leave when we’ve only been here for less than an hour?”
• She then put on a well-practiced pout. “Since you’ll be flying off tomorrow, won’t you stay awhile longer? You know I’ve really missed you.”
• Sebastian seized the woman’s wayward hands and turned her around to pin her against the closet. His incisive eyes traced the contours from her vampish cheeks down to her flawless curves.
• Not only was she physically exquisite, but she was also able to read his mind well. Despite being with him for so long, she still managed to find ways to please him and keep him intrigued.
• He propped up her chin. “How long have we been together, Natalie?”
• “Coming to a year, I reckon.” A sparkle glinted in her eyes and vanished as swiftly as it appeared. “Why are you asking, Mr. Hoffman? Have you grown weary of me?
• The woman thought she had veiled her emotions well and was not aware that the man had already caught on.
• “I’ll send my assistant to you when we’re done.” Sebastian did not give her a straight answer.
• He retrieved his wallet from his pocket and pulled out a check which he had prepared beforehand.
• The corners of Natalie’s lips raised slightly when she received it. “Thank you so much, Mr. Hoffman!”
• She paid no heed to the figures written on the draft, only planting a kiss on it like a gold digger before placing it on the vanity. The woman then strolled right past the man unclad and straight into the washroom.
• Natalie filled the tub and soaked herself inside before she vaguely heard the door to the room closed shut.
• As she leaned back in the bath with her eyes closed, she meditated upon Sebastian’s enigmatic words. It was almost a year to the day that she put his name to that agreement. Is this goodbye?
• That would be exactly what she wanted.
• She had come to her senses after nearly jumping to her death in response to the double betrayal she suffered one year ago.
• There was no reason why she had to kill herself. She ought to live on and latch herself onto powerful men who could enable her to enact her revenge on those who had wronged her.
• However, she had no luck uncovering the identity of her mother’s murderer so far. Since the time she started out with Sebastian, she had been emotionally distancing herself from him as she learned that he was not the easiest person to get along with.
• If not for the contractual agreement she signed with him, she would have packed it in a long time ago.
• When she was done freshening up, she went straight back to bed.
• She ignored the strain in her body from that strenuous late-night workout she had when the alarm went off the next day.
• It took her only half an hour to prepare before she headed out.
• A year ago, she had found employment with K2TV through Sebastian’s back channels.
• But she was no floozie either. Armed with her outstanding physical attributes and canny wit, she had rapidly found fame as a top show host through the two variety shows she anchored.
• She had to be in early this morning to receive her guests at the station and reckoned that the filming for the program may end late.
• On the way there, she unlocked her phone to see an unread message from Zoey in the form of a video.