Chapter 1 Chapter 1 She Was Here To Sell Her Body

“Bam!” Shannon Gray pushed the door open and walked straight into the CEO’s office. “Sean, tonight you...” But seeing what happened on the couch instantaneously put a lump in her throat. Though brokenhearted, she never let her tears shed. Sean Ford, her husband, was on the couch with a young model, Shelby Sue, both barely dressed and disheveled. The same thing had happened so many times that she had lost count. Witnessing her husband’s affairs had become something normal, but it still hurt. She felt as though a knife had been plunged into her heart, over and over again. Meanwhile, Sean Ford grew impatient with the interruption. “Shannon, what makes you think that you can come here?” She tried hard not to let her tears choke her. “Sean, will you come home tonight? You haven’t been home for three days,” she calmly asked. On the surface, she managed to keep her emotions under control. “Hmmph!” In his smile, there was a certain tinge of irony. “Shannon, cut the sweet-talk, you just want to have sex with me, don’t you?” He did not hesitate to pour ridicule on her in front of another woman. Shannon’s face turned pale, but she could not deny it. That was exactly why she was here to see him. Shelby was quickly irritated, for she simply could not allow her lover to be taken away by another woman all of a sudden. Firmly, she placed her slim hands on the back of his neck to pull him closer to her bare chest. “Sean, ignore the crazy woman. I want more.”“Hush. Go home now. You can have all you want tomorrow,” Sean reassured her. He stared at Shannon fixedly and saw the grim expression on her face that he had been waiting to see. Shelby decided to call it off, now that she had his word. She gave Shannon a look of haughty disdain before she walked out of the office while her high heels click-clacked down the corridor. “Kneel!” Sean ordered Shannon as soon as Shelby was out of sight. The unexpected turn of events slightly flurried Shannon. She did not expect that they would be having sex in his office. “Sean, let’s go home, shall we?” She bit her lips nervously. She did not want to be in a spot where another woman had been. “What? I’m the one who’s paying for the service. Can’t I at least have a say in where I’d like to have it?”“That’s not what I meant; I just don’t want to...”“Then kneel!” He harshly interrupted, for he no longer had the capacity to tolerate any delay. Shannon Gray’s disobedience caused the situation to become more intense. Angered, Sean Ford forcefully shoved her down. Shelby’s fragrance still lingered on his body, which was irritating, to say the least. “Sean, could you please take a shower first?” She asked, earnestly. “Ha!” He would not answer a woman he held in such contempt. “Shannon, let me remind you that you’re here to sell your body, so you don’t have the right to make any request.” She had spent the last 14 years loving him, and yet, she did not even deserve basic respect. Unfortunately, she could no longer stay composed, and tears started to roll down her face. Nonetheless, she had what she was here for—they had sex. Sean savagely threw a stack of cash in her face as he disappointedly exclaimed, “Here is 10,000! Count it!” The stack of new notes cut her face, but there was no time to take care of it. She kneeled as she picked up the cash that was scattered all over the floor, piece by piece. After all, the money was all that she needed to save their son’s life. Though married, he never paid her any respect that a woman in a marriage deserved. Instead, he treated her as if she was only a prostitute. He only paid her to have sex with him, and 10,000 dollars was the price that was mutually agreed upon. There was never any delay in payment; cash was the only method of transaction. Sean preferred cash over credit cards. In fact, he always made sure that there was enough cash to pay her for sex, anytime and anywhere. He justified his actions this way—he needed to feel the pleasure that his money was well spent. The sheer delight of throwing money in her face after each session was irreplaceable. But 10,000 dollars was barely enough to pay for John’s hospital bills. She needed more. Without a choice, Shannon turned her face away from him and kneeled. “Sean, I want… I want more,” she said while gritting her teeth with the painful feeling of humiliation.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Shannon Gray, You Are A Filthy Woman!

Sean Ford did not hesitate to turn her body around and start thrusting her, rather savagely, in fact. He seized her by the throat in exasperation, for he could not get over the fact that she had seemingly taken away the life of their baby in a willful abortion, and yet here she was, risking everything to protect the child that she bore with Julio Hayes. The accident that happened six years ago was the very cause of all her miseries. The doctors informed them that he would never be able to walk again. Refusing to have her life burdened by a disabled man, she carried out an abortion to terminate the pregnancy. If he could, he would cut her into a million pieces just for her to feel the same pain that he had been through for the loss of their child if he could. Her words were still ringing in his ears, vividly. “Sean, I don’t want to raise a child with a disabled man. Julio Hayes is the only man that I’m willing to bear a child with.”“Sean, the fact that I’ve slept with a disabled man is what disgusts me the most.” The incident was still present in his memory—the pieces of shattered glass and the blood of his child that stained his face. There was still warmth in the blood, but that did not change the fact that his beloved child was dead. Clouded by the burning hatred, his eyes became red-rimmed at the thought of the painful past. He had lost interest in her body, so he pulled out, zipped his pants, and tidied up his suit to make sure that there was not even a crease. He looked, once again, well-dressed and quite distinguished. Another stack of 5,000 dollars in cash was thrown at her. “Shannon, you are a filthy woman!” Shannon had to endure the pain that sent her body shivering as she picked up the cash. She soon realized that there were only 5,000 dollars. “Sean, it should be 10,000, isn’t it?” She bit her lips and said. “What? I was honestly disgusted by your body, so much so that I couldn’t even continue. Should I still pay you in full?” She bit her lips so hard that the edges were bruised, which prompted him to wreak vengeance on her continuously. “Shannon Gray, you really disgust me. Now, off you go!” Knowing his temper, she knew that the amount of money was all that she could take from him for today. The bill would be due soon, and she had no choice but to ask the hospital for a few days’ grace so that she could collect more money from Sean in the following days. Her eyes were dimmed with tears from the humiliation. She almost walked into the door from not seeing it properly. Their love story was once so beautiful. Why did they end up like this? How did things get so ferociously hostile? He had an accident six years ago. She wanted more than anyone else to keep him company throughout his recovery, but someone threatened her with her father’s life. The only condition was to leave the man, so she did as told. She pretended that she had an abortion and told him cruel lies so that he would set her free. However, before she had the chance to explain the situation to him, she had been framed and charged with homicide. Her father’s death had become the very reason that she was put in chains and thrown into prison. She was released five years later, but no amount of explanation could change the way that he perceived the truth. He was convinced of her betrayal without a shadow of a doubt. Shannon could only gaze at her right hand, which was already disabled. The hand that she once used to play music and write poetry was no longer useful. Her hand was severely injured during her time in the prison, and the place was, to her, an abyss of darkness. John Gray was already asleep when she arrived at the hospital. He seemed like he was having a nightmare as there were deep furrows in his brows, even in his sleep. Tears began rolling down from the corner of his eyes. “Daddy...”“Daddy, why don’t you come and see me? Have I done anything wrong?” He muttered under his breath, in a voice full of despair. “Daddy, I promise to change anything. Daddy, I want you here.”“I don’t want to live without my daddy. Daddy. Daddy...” Shannon covered her face and ran out of the ward as soon as she began crying. Her hands were already dripping with tears, but no amount of crying could ease the pain in her heart. John was always reassuring her that she was the only one that he needed and that his father’s absence did not matter. Apparently, she had just found out, right there and then, how much her son wished for his father’s presence and company. However, she could never fulfill this desire. There was no time for her to cry, for John’s health had sharply deteriorated. He was immediately sent into the operating theatre for emergency treatment.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3 His Cruelty That Pierced Her Heart

The operation took almost eight hours to complete. John managed to survive, but his condition had become progressively worse. His life depended on all sorts of expensive medication to buy him more time until the umbilical cord from her second pregnancy became available to be extracted. Without the medication, he would not even last for a month. Shannon wiped the tears away. She was released from prison a year ago and met Sean again after a long separation. They were still married, not for love, but for vengeance. He wanted to punish her for the betrayal. He ruined her career in every way possible so that he became her only source of income. She had to make money by prostituting herself, solely to him. It was a great sorrow to her every time she kneeled before him, like a prostitute, but there was no other choice. John was her life, and she would trade anything, including her own dignity, in exchange for money, as long as it could pay for John’s recovery. She was determined to carry on regardless. Shannon gave her messy hair a comb before she left the hospital. She made a call to Sean Ford’s villa and to her surprise, he was there. He might not be in the mood for sex during broad daylight, but she had to give it a try as she desperately needed the money. She laughed at herself with a gleam of mockery. All she needed to endure were a few thrusts and if she was lucky, she could make 5,000 dollars. There was nothing to be ashamed of, for she was already used to the humiliation. With a brazen assurance, she stepped into the villa. “Sean.” She went straight to their bedroom and to her astonishment, what she saw on the bed had crushed her heart into many tiny bits. Her stepmother, Quinn Yates, was seen clinging so tightly to Sean’s body. He brushed his fingers across her chest, in an eager attempt to undress her. He unbuttoned her shirt, one button at a time. Shannon’s voice cracked with emotion. “What are you doing!?” In all fairness, that was such a dumb question. Almost immediately, she acknowledged their presence with a condescending smile. There were a man and a woman alone in the bedroom. Their untidy clothes spoke for themselves. What else could they be doing? She could tolerate any other woman, but not Quinn. Quinn was the one responsible for all of her miseries. Six years ago, it was Quinn who had threatened her with her father’s life in order to drive a wedge in her relationship with Sean. She went to see her father after the breakup, only to realize that her father was already long dead, murdered by Quinn herself. The lethal weapon that killed her father was the paring knife that Quinn often used. She put on a glove to cover up her traces, so Shannon’s fingerprints on the knife became the only evidence. “Quinn, get the hell out of here! You’re the one who killed my father. You should be buried alive for what you’ve committed! How dare you seduce my husband!?” With all her strength Shannon pulled the woman out from Sean’s embrace. “Sean, you’re my husband. I don’t want you to touch Quinn! Six years ago, it was she who threatened me with my father’s life. She...”“Snap!” Sean gave her a hard slap on the cheek. “Shannon, I’ll kill you if I hear you speak another word of her in such a demeaning manner!”“What are you trying to achieve by spreading slander? Rest assured that I won’t believe a damn word that comes out from your mouth! I only know that my child is dead because of you and Julio Hayes. Quinn was the only one who stayed by my side when I was deemed disabled!” Shannon stood and stared blankly at Sean in disbelief, for he had never hit her before. That was a first. Quinn was, again, the culprit of yet another misfortune of hers. The physical pain was one thing, but her heart ached even more at the thought of his empty promises. Shannon, I promise to spend my whole life loving you, cherishing you and making you the happiest woman in the world. Sean, you once promised her happiness, but now, it meant nothing. Sean was just as stupefied as Shannon, for it was never his intention to slap her. In his eyes, there was a glimpse of remorse. The thought of his child’s death steeled his heart against pity. He could never forgive her for what she had done to their child in her restless pursuit of fame and wealth. His upper lips curled in disdain as he spoke, “Why are you here in broad daylight? Are you really eager to make money? If you’re here for business, you have to be ready for it. I’m not paying for the layer of clothes,” his sarcasm was intended to rob her of her self-esteem. “Take them off!”

Chapter 4 Chapter 4 She Sold Off His Heart

Shannon bit her lips so hard that her earlier wound started bleeding though she did not realize it. To her utter surprise, he demanded that she stripped herself naked in the presence of Quinn. The last thing that Quinn wanted was for Sean to have sex with Shannon. She had got to do something to stop it. Eagerly she raised her head and caressed Sean with her lips. “Sean, kiss me.” Sean was a little caught off guard, but he did not push her away, simply because Shannon was still in the room. Shannon stood and watched helplessly as the man and the woman began kissing each other, so tenderly and affectionately. The intimacy made her eyes tear involuntarily. Brokenhearted, she could hardly bear the overwhelming distress of her husband’s affair with the woman she hated the most. In a trance, she looked fixedly at Sean and his lips; the way he kissed the woman in his arms reminded her of the good old days when they were still madly and truly in love. She used to kiss him the same way at one point. She used to stare at him obsessively too. “Sean, I’m absolutely captivated by your lips.” She pinched his lips as she made a declaration, “These lips are mine, so you’re not allowed to kiss any other woman with them.” He answered her with a smile that was so loving and gentle. “You’re the only one I’ll kiss for the rest of my life.” She reacted in a flirtatious manner as she said, “Sean, what would happen if you kissed another woman someday?” He gave it a serious thought for a while before making a vow. “Shannon, I will never kiss another woman. If that ever happens, that only means that I no longer love you.” He then kissed her lips so firmly that they both lost their breaths at the intensity of their love. “Shannon, I will always love you.” If that ever happens, that only means that I no longer love you. His words still echoed in her ears like a melody on repeat. He had stopped loving her, apparently. Nothing ever lasted and forever was just an empty promise. Shannon wiped away the tears to attempt to stop the waterworks. “Sean, let go of Quinn! She’s my stepmother! How could you… How could you...” She sobbed, feeling too bitterly about the incident to continue to speak. Sean finally let go of the woman in his arms. He could not refrain from showing his satisfaction after the act of vengeance. “Shannon, have you forgotten that it was your father who had raped Quinn? She would have married him otherwise. The marriage had given her nothing but suffering. She’s not anyone’s stepmother. To me, she’s only a woman who I care about!”“My father did not rape her! She was the one who drugged him and framed him!” Shannon responded with a fit of hysterics. “Sean, why can’t you just trust me?” Sean answered, heartlessly, “Because you are unworthy of it.” Shannon did not want to shed another tear for the man who had despised her so thoroughly. Looking back, she used to be the princess in the Gray family and the most sought after woman in Hay City. Tables had turned, obviously. Perhaps to Sean, she could not even hold a candle to Quinn. Quinn’s fragrance lingered in the air. Her presence in the room was so strong that Shannon could not ignore it. She might actually kill her if she stayed another moment longer in the room. In a haste, she grabbed her bag and staggered her way out of the house. But she had not earned a penny today, so how could she possibly afford the medication for John? In the heavy downpour, she walked aimlessly without an umbrella. She used to hate the rain, as it was uncomfortable to have wet clothes clinging on to her skin. Times had changed, for she had learned to love the rain. It felt great to cry in the downpour because others could not tell whether it was the rain or the tears. She held her hand against her chest and cried out loud in the rain, but the wrench in her heart did not seem to ease even a little. Something dangled in her hand, which reminded her of the heart-shaped red diamond necklace that still sat in the dip between her collarbone. It was the only thing that she had that was valuable. It was a gift that was given by Sean during her 18th birthday. He promised to give her his heart, as long as she promised to spend her whole life together with him. The heart-shaped necklace was the very proof of his love back then. Shannon had been moved to tears by his gesture. It was right there and then that she decided to devote herself to him. They made love for the first time and that was when she became pregnant with John. She squeezed the heart-shaped necklace in her hand and in a determined effort, she decided to pawn it. She was about to sell off his heart.