Chapter 8 He Sold Me to a Stranger

"Ms. Laura Harvey, you awake?" Before she could even respond, a young woman's voice came through the phone, "Hang tight, I'll be right up!"

"Hello! You..." Laura barely got a word out before the line went dead.

The woman on the other end had already hung up. Laura sighed and put the receiver back.

Because of her profession, Laura was particularly sensitive to voices. Just from that brief sentence, she recognized the voice as the waitress who had brought her to room 888 last night.

A moment later, there was a knock at the door.

Laura, despite the soreness all over her body, got out of bed and staggered to the door. After confirming through the peephole that it was indeed the waitress, she opened the door, her cheeks instantly flushing red. "Hello, ma'am..."

"My name's Roberts, but you can call me Anna." The waitress, dressed in a perfectly fitting uniform, pushed a service cart into the room, smiling as she closed the door behind her. "Ms. Laura, here's your breakfast and today's outfit. The gentleman asked me to tell you that after breakfast, you're free to do as you please. Just make sure to be back in this room by nine tonight."

This waitress, Anna, seemed to have received very professional training, which earned Laura's respect. Even though Anna had likely guessed the nature of Laura's relationship with the masked man, she maintained a professional smile, showing no hint of disdain or disgust, as if Laura were just another ordinary hotel guest.

"The gentleman you mentioned... who is he?" Laura asked awkwardly, her intuition prompting the question. "The man from last night... who is he really?"

"Do you think you can get the answer to that question from me, Ms. Laura?" Anna smiled slightly, her eyes twinkling.

Of course not.

Laura realized she had been too forward and smiled apologetically, her cheeks flushing even more.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked. Um... these clothes..."

Anna didn't answer directly, just smiled gently.

And in that smile, Laura gradually understood her situation and what she would have to face next.

"Oh, these clothes were bought for you by the gentleman. He specifically instructed me to prepare a new set of clothes for you every morning, ensuring that you are always clean and fresh in his presence. If you have no other requests, I'll leave you to enjoy your peaceful breakfast. May each meal be as pleasant and delightful as your mood."

With that, Anna bowed slightly, then turned and left the room with light steps.

Looking at the exquisite breakfast on the plate, Laura's lips curled into a wry smile. She shook her head, feeling a mix of emotions.

"A luxurious presidential suite, a sumptuous breakfast, and a new outfit every day... Am I here to repay a debt? This treatment feels more like being a kept woman..."

The man who always wore a mask was like a mystery, becoming more and more unfathomable.

She had only wanted to help William pay off his heavy debt of two million, but she hadn't expected to be drawn into such a lavish and complicated situation.

He was willing to spend so much money to give her a princess-like life. Did he really have so much money that he didn't know what to do with it?

After breakfast, Laura put on the pure white outfit Anna had brought and decided to go out for a walk to kill some time.

Maybe the masked man had a thing for cleanliness, considering all the clothes he got for Laura were pure white, from head to toe, without a hint of color.

The streets were bustling with people, but Laura's mood was terrible, completely out of sync with the lively surroundings.

She wandered from morning until evening without stopping to rest or eat anything. Despite her physical exhaustion, the pain in her heart didn't lessen at all.

How could she forget that night when she transformed from an innocent girl into a woman overnight?

What broke her heart even more was that she didn't even know what the man looked like.

"Laura? What are you doing here? I've been looking for you everywhere!"

As Laura wandered aimlessly down the street, a familiar yet unexpected voice broke through the surrounding noise. An attractive young man appeared before her, his eyes filled with surprise and confusion.

The man looked about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with large eyes, a deep gaze, a high nose bridge, and well-defined lips. His features combined to give him a refined and handsome appearance. His tall and upright stature made him look particularly dashing.

This man was Alexander Baker, Laura's first love and the man she truly loved.

At that moment, seeing Alexander standing in front of her, Laura felt a surge of indescribable emotion. She had so much to say to him, but her throat felt blocked. She could only look at Alexander with a gaze that seemed to span a lifetime, trying hard not to let her tears fall.

"Laura, what's wrong?" Seeing Laura's state, Alexander was very worried. Forgetting the boundaries between men and women, he stepped forward and tightly held her cold hand, his voice filled with anxiety.

"Why do you look so pale? You seem so much more haggard than a few days ago. What happened?"

His hand was warm and strong, enveloping Laura's cold hand, giving her an unprecedented sense of security.

That long-lost warmth made her want to lean on him, and the thought of pulling her hand away disappeared.

Finally, the tears she had been holding back fell like a string of pearls under Alexander's gentle gaze.

Laura cried so hard that it was heartbreaking to watch.

Alexander didn't say much. He just gently walked to her side, wrapped his arm around her slender shoulders, and softly said, "Come with me."

Laura nodded obediently, leaning on his shoulder, letting him lead her forward.

In this chaotic world, she knew that Alexander was the one person who would never hurt her.

They chose a quiet café. Alexander carefully helped Laura sit down, then sat across from her, ordering two cups of hot coffee. "Here, drink something warm. You'll feel better."

"Okay." Laura nodded, obediently taking a few sips of the coffee.

After a few sips of the hot coffee, she did feel a bit better, and her emotions gradually stabilized. She then asked, still sniffling, "Alexander, didn't your new company just open? As the general manager, shouldn't you be very busy? How do you have time to come back?"

"I mainly came back to find you and to handle some business matters." Alexander sighed, his eyes filled with love and concern.

"Laura, why is your phone always unreachable? William wouldn't say anything, and I couldn't find you. I was worried sick!"