It was close to midnight. Jennie was studying in her room when she heard a knock on the door.
Hoping it wasn't another medical emergency, she opened the door hurriedly.
She was shocked that it wasn't anyone from the staff.
It was the beast, and he was completely drenched, indicating that he hadn't returned home since that evening.
"I want you," he said. His tone was angry as though he was forced to make that declaration.
She was too stunned and didn't know what to say.
He looked at her with grim intensity. "I know when I asked you to pretend, this wasn't part of the deal. But I want you in my bed. I'll pay you ten times or even a hundred times the amount I gave you already. Whatever you ask, it's yours."
At first, Jennie was happy listening to him confessing that he wanted her. But when he continued to talk and offered her money, her happiness disappeared and was replaced by shock.
"I'm not a prostitute," she whispered, angry tears filling her eyes. "I kissed you because I wanted to. Not because I wanted more money."
He was silent.
"Why won't you believe me?" she asked in frustrated anger.
He watched her silently before he replied. "Because I know you think of me as a beast. And someone like you would never want a beast."
She was stunned listening to his words. She did think of him as a beast, but not for the reasons he thought she did.
He didn't give her a chance to reply. He walked away from her. She remained standing for quite a while. She knew she couldn't go back to studying, and neither could she think of sleeping. She tried to forget his words, but they kept repeating in her head.
"Because I know you think of me as a beast. And someone like you would never want a beast."
He was wrong. She did want the beast. And God help her, she was going to the beast to prove it.