Chapter 2 The Dollar Deal

Without wasting a second, Serena quickly groped around in the dark to gather her scattered clothes. Unable to see clearly, she dressed by touch, relying on her instincts. "You're just going to leave like that?" The low voice sliced through the quiet room, startling Serena. Her heart leaped into her throat. Damien was awake, leaning against the headboard, his gaze fixed on her. In the darkness, his emotions were unreadable. This woman, did she really think she could just leave like that? She had some nerve! "What else would you suggest?" Serena didn't move but turned her body slightly. Even though she couldn't see his face in the darkness, she could clearly feel the dangerous aura radiating from him—an intensity that sent chills down her spine. It seemed she had crossed someone she shouldn't have. "Let's settle the score first," Damien's voice lifted slightly, making it clear he had no intention of letting her go so easily. Serena's eye twitched slightly. Settle the score? How exactly were they supposed to settle this? Did he feel wronged by what happened? But Serena knew one thing for sure—this man wasn't going to let her off easily. She also understood that, under normal circumstances, escaping under the nose of a man like him would be nearly impossible. So, she had to think of another plan. Catch him off guard—only then could she win. "Alright," she suddenly laughed softly and began to step toward him. "Don't be mad. Let's solve this like adults, one step at a time." "Oh? And how do you propose we solve it?" Damien raised his eyebrows slightly, surprised by her sudden change in attitude. His gaze, half-amused, half-intrigued, followed her as she slowly approached him. Solve it like adults, step by step? Damien was curious to see what kind of solution she would come up with. Serena walked slowly, letting her fingers brush lightly against the chair where his clothes were draped. She stepped over his discarded robe on the floor, while her sharp eyes caught the faint blue glow of his phone charging on the bedside table. In the darkness, he could only see her silhouette, not her expression or anything else for that matter. The light switch was right next to him. If he stretched his hand just a little, he could easily flood the room with light. But he hadn't. He seemed in no hurry; perhaps even enjoying this game of cat and mouse in the dark. Serena stopped when she was close to him, bending down slowly to take his hand. Damien's brows furrowed slightly, his gaze darkening. What was she planning? "This is your reward," she said, startling him with her words. As he pondered her meaning, she pressed a single dollar coin into his palm—the only thing she had in her pocket. "For last night's service. Not bad, but could've been better." It wasn't that Serena was stingy, but she just had nothing else on her at the moment. The second the coin hit his hand, Serena quickly stepped back. The man was momentarily stunned. His expression flickered between confusion, shock, and a rapidly growing anger. His face seemed to go from ice-cold to fiery-hot in an instant, like a brewing storm about to explode. In the darkness, Serena couldn't see his face, but she could feel the intense shift in his mood. His face was a mask of shock, his eyes wide with disbelief. It wasn't just anger she saw, but a man struggling to process the impossible scene before him. She had bet on this exact reaction. A man as arrogant as he was would be completely blindsided by something like this. The more arrogant a man, the more they struggled to process something so unexpected, giving way to a moment of stunned silence. His anger, combined with this brief moment of confusion, was exactly the effect she needed! Before he could fully snap out of it, Serena moved quickly. In the dark, with impressive precision, she grabbed his discarded robe from the floor, swept up his clothes from the chair, and even snatched his phone from the bedside table. Then, she bolted toward the door. As she reached the door, she casually pulled out the room card from the slot by the door. So, when he instinctively hit the switch to turn on the lights, the room remained in darkness. Her movements were fluid and seamless. By the time he realized what had happened, she was already at the door, her hand on the doorknob. "You think you can escape, huh?" Damien's voice cut through the darkness, sharp with fury. He was so angry that there was almost a mocking smile in his tone. Yet each word dripped with ice, like poison-laced daggers aimed straight at her as if he wanted to tear her apart, piece by piece. His words were laced with such danger, it would send shivers down anyone's spine. At the same time, Serena heard the sound of him jumping out of bed. Serena inhaled sharply. She had to admit—this man was quick to react, and his tactics were brutal. He had threatened her as he moved, clearly trying to intimidate her into freezing up. Most people would be scared out of their wits at this point. His commanding presence alone was enough to make someone tremble. But scare me? Serena wasn't so easily intimidated. Instead, his words only triggered her stubborn and mischievous side. "Is it really worth getting so worked up over something so small?" she teased, her voice still hoarse but laced with amusement. "All that anger isn't good for your health, you know." A smirk played on her lips.