Used as Payment, Kept as His Own

Alexander quickly arrived at a place filled with chaotic sounds. It sounded like a nightclub. I heard a woman's sweet voice through the earpiece and recognized it as Alexander's first love, Kayla Mitchell.

"Alexander, everyone's been waiting for you forever. What took you so long?"

The sound of rustling fabric followed, probably him embracing Kayla.

"Must've been held up by that temptress at home. Alex, you'd better make it up to Kay."

"Well, that's only natural. I mean, remember Lydia's face, and that body... Damn. When will Alex let us have some fun too?"

A burst of raucous laughter erupted, and Alexander spoke carelessly.

"Sure, once Lydia pays off the debt for me, you guys can have your turn. Can't say I'm not looking out for you guys."

I listened to them fantasizing about me without restraint until Kayla's voice cut through. "When are you planning to tell her the truth, Alexander? You're not seriously going to marry her, are you?

"How about we play her video at the wedding? Give her some fame."

"No!"

Alexander's voice suddenly rose, rejecting Kayla without hesitation. The atmosphere on their end fell silent. Seeming to realize his overreaction, Alexander began explaining.

"My grandpa loves Lydia for some reason. If he finds out about this and strips me of my inheritance, Kay would suffer too. After the wedding, using Lydia to get you more jewelry is much more profitable. The guys are all for it, right?"

"Yeah, Kay, tell us what you want. We'll see how long we need to sleep with Lydia to make it worthwhile. That tiara we bought you last time cost Alex a whole year with Lydia."

Kayla laughed again, her voice sweet and soft.

"Well, I'll have to think carefully. She's really getting off easy. She's probably enjoying herself."

More laughter erupted from their end. As I listened to their conversation, my thoughts drifted.

I came from Blessing Valley, a village where all the women were beautiful and extremely fertile. Elliot somehow discovered the village. He built a golden statue for the village's sacred goddess, asking only for the most fertile woman in the village to bear a child.

I was the unlucky one chosen. Elliot had Alexander marry me simply because Alexander had been diagnosed as unable to have children.

Alexander treated me well at first, sleeping with me every night. I thought he used protection because he wanted to wait until after marriage to have children.

I never imagined I was just a tool for him to release his desires when Kayla wasn't around. After Kayla returned, he couldn't wait to give me away as a gift. My feelings for him were nothing but a joke.

Too impatient to listen any longer, I turned off the monitoring device. Alexander didn't come home all night, but that other man came in the evening.

Even though we couldn't be intimate anymore, he still showed up. This child really was important to him.

I pretended not to know anything as I drank the soup he made for me. Alexander would never cook.

"Alexander, when are we going to announce this baby?"

The man's breathing grew heavier for a moment as he touched my belly. "Soon. I'll make sure my child has legitimacy."

I smiled with satisfaction. From the very first day they switched, I knew Alexander was deceiving me.

Although I was born blind, years of blindness had made my sense of smell and hearing exceptionally sharp.

That day when I returned to the house, someone eagerly embraced me. I initially thought it was Alexander, but when I turned around and caught an unfamiliar scent, I knew it was a stranger.

I struggled and refused to let him succeed, and the man indeed stopped touching me. But our villa had excellent security. When could such a predator have gotten in?

So the next day, I tested Alexander. "Alexander, why were you so impatient yesterday? My period wasn't even finished."

Knowing that a stranger had taken liberties with me, Alexander should have been furious. But he fell silent for a moment and then accepted responsibility.

"Well, you're just too tempting, Lyddie. I couldn't control myself."

I understood then that Alexander was aware of it. That man was someone Alexander had let in.