Love Contract

Chapter 248 Be My Woman (Part One)

Selah had gone back to the hospital after finishing her work, but she couldn't find her son in the ward. She was about to go out to look for Ray when a nurse brought him back.

"Ray!" Selah called to him, smiling. "Where have you been?" she asked.

"Mommy!" Ray rushed over happily. "I asked the nurse to take me to the man I bumped into this morning. I wanted to apologize to him."

'Barry Gu?' Selah thought.

She ruffled her son's hair and beamed at him. "Such a good boy, Ray! Did he scold you?"

"No, he didn't." Ray shook his head. "Uncle was so nice! He said he works with Mommy."

"Yes, he does," Selah said. She stroked his soft cheek. "How are your eyes, sweetie? Won't you feel uncomfortable covered in gauze?"

"No, I'll be okay. I know it'll help me recover faster." Ray hugged his mother. "Mommy, can you stay here tonight?" he asked quietly.

"Oh, Ray..." Selah felt her heart squeeze. "I won't leave. I'll stay in the hospital with you," she said, kissing her son's forehead. "Yeah! Thanks, Mommy!" Ray cheered.

"You have to be a good boy then, Ray! Don't lose your temper anymore, okay?"

"Okay! I know what I did earlier today was wrong. Sorry, Mommy."

"That's good. When your eyes recover, I'll take you to school," Selah said softly. She scooted closer to him on his hospital bed and wrapped her arms around him.

"Really?" Ray said excitedly. "I'm going to study very hard!"

"Yes, I'm sure you will!" his mom laughed.

Ray fell asleep later in the night, cozy in his mother's embrace.

Selah wiggled quietly out of the bed so as not to wake the boy. She felt terrible for not checking up on Barry sooner. Casting a quick glance at her sleeping son, she crept out of the room.

Barry blinked up at the unfamiliar ceiling of his hospital suite. The throbbing pain of the surgical wound had him tossing and turning the whole night.

Click.

"Hello? Who's there?" Barry stirred from the bed and craned his neck towards the door.

"Hi... It's me," Selah answered in a low voice. Not expecting his wakefulness, she shut the door behind her.

"Ah... It's you." Barry relaxed back down on his pillows. "Could you bring me some water?" He coughed.

"Sure." Selah poured him a glass of water and helped him bring it to his lips. "My son was too reckless today, I apologize. Please don't be too upset with him, Mr. Gu."

"He apologized to me himself. Don't worry, I didn't take it seriously."

"Thank you, Mr. Gu." Selah nodded relieved. 'Barry Gu is a nice man,' she thought.

They didn't have much else to say to each other, and soon enough, a silence settled over them.

"Well, Mr. Gu, I'll be leaving now," Selah said, motioning to leave after spending a slow two minutes in the suite.

"Selah... Wait a minute." Barry grabbed her arm as she turned to go. His eyes bore into hers.

"What's the matter?" Selah asked.

"Be my woman," Barry said. His tone was nonchalant, but his words felt like a thunderclap, reverberating through her bones.

"Pardon me, Mr. Gu?" Selah gaped at him. "You... What do you mean?" "Don't you get it?" Barry sneered. His thoughts flickered back to what Mary had said and revenge bubbled angrily inside him, ready to overflow. 'Mary, come stop me! Hurry up!' He called out to her in his mind.

"Did you really think I was going to make you famous and ask for nothing in return?"

"You..." Selah's tongue felt dry and heavy. His demeanor changed the moment she thought of him as a good person.

"Be my woman, on call."

"No... No way!" Selah shook her head in disbelief. 'His woman...his mistress...' Her thoughts raced. She had Ray. If she became Barry's mistress, how could she ever face her son? She couldn't do that!

"Then, you will be fired." Barry said firmly, "Your son is very thoughtful. You probably don't want him to suffer with you."

"Mr. Gu... Mr. Gu, I'll do anything else to repay you!" Selah continued to beg, her face wet with tears. "I'll work harder! I can even take less money! Please! Have mercy!"

As Barry was shocked at her desperate pleas, his grip loosened. At least Selah could ask him for mercy. Who could he turn to? Mary didn't want him anymore! Who could he talk to about the pain in his heart? No one!

"Mr. Gu." Selah sniffled. "I just want to focus on my work. You can find another woman, Mr. Gu...

"Another woman? Humph!"

Her words irritated him. Did Selah really think he would choose just anyone? That any woman would do? If it wasn't for that night...

"Have you already forgotten about that wonderful night we spent together?" Barry smirked wickedly at her from his bed. He watched as the blood drained from Selah's face at the memory.

"No..."

"Won't you say yes, then? If you don't, I will tell Ray how his dear mother sold herself to pay his medical fees. What would Ray think of you after that, I wonder?"

"I didn't sell myself! That's not what happened!" Selah shook her head and tried to defend herself. "That night, I... Obviously, I was..."

"Forced by me?" Barry interrupted her, one eyebrow quirked tauntingly. "Then who asked me for money after waking up?"

"But I... Oh, Mr. Gu, I had no choice! Don't tell Ray, please! Don't..."

"Enough! I'm not interested in your teary drama!" Barry spat venomously. "You should be grateful I even considered you, seeing as you have a dirty body!" Dirty body? What did he mean?

"Barry Gu!" Selah raised her voice and fixed him with a cold glare. "I see you for who you are now! You're just a demon! Despicable! Shameless! You rich people are all the same!"

"Ha... Well, I guess you've seen my true colors." Barry was unimpressed. "What do you think? If you're done scolding me, make a decision!"

"Do I even have an option? You bastard!" Selah hissed. The fists that were balled by her side trembled with anger.

"I hope you'll be more sensible in the future." Barry closed his eyes, satisfied by her answer. "Since we've agreed on it, you can go out now," he said.

Selah took a few shaky breaths, quickly wiping her tears away with her sleeves. She slammed the door on the way out.

'Selah, you're so stupid! You were like a sheep walking straight into the wolf's mouth! You got yourself into this! Stupid! Idiot!'

A quiet followed the loud bang of the door.

Barry opened his eyes slowly. His whole body felt heavy. 'Barry Gu, you must be crazy...' he thought to himself, a bitter smile stretching over his face.

Golden sunbeams warmed the city the next afternoon. "Mary." Sitting in a cafe across the GM Universing Studios, William held the phone up to his ear. "Come down at noon. Let's have lunch together."

"Why do you suddenly want to have lunch with me?"

"I..." William fiddled with his coffee stirrer. "I miss you. I don't really know why," he said.

"Well... Okay then," Mary smiled. "I still have some work to do. I'll meet you after I finish up. Where are you?"

"I'm in the cafe across from your building."

"Oh, you're already here!" Mary said. Glancing at the clock, she said, "All right, I'll be quick."

"It's okay. Don't rush." William smiled. "Focus for now and finish up soon. I'll see you in a bit."

"See you!"

William frowned as he hung up the phone. Later, he had to take her to the hospital to see Lucas. He also needed to consult with a doctor and see who had a problem, either him or Mary.

Tinkle!

The cafe's door was pushed open, accompanied by the tinkling sound of the little bell at the top.

"Welcome!" "Hello!" The woman wore a thin windbreaker and was beginning to scan the menu by the counter.

Glancing up around the place and spotting her, William hastily put down his cup of coffee. He raised his hand to get the woman's attention. "Here!"

"Hmm?" Hearing someone call out to her, Aisha turned around and saw William waving at her.

"You arrived sooner than I expected!" With a bright smile, William walked up and led her to his table. As he gently placed his hand in hers, he got the sudden feeling something was off.

When did Mary get calluses on her dainty hand?

Candy GSmgBProperty belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.