His Beautiful Addiction

''He… what? ''

Tiana's brows creased as a spasm of shock washed through her, her face as pale as winter. She was yet to recover from the fact that he had been using her all these while and Grandpa just said that he had agreed to marry another woman without a second thought?;

''Tiana; '' Grandpa called with a long sigh;

''Nicklaus did not have a choice but to agree to it. He had to save the company. This is the best thing for him and the company now, and I trust you want the best for him.''

Tiana was dumb stricken. Her eyes stared blankly at Grandpa for a few seconds and as though something came over her, she started laughing.

She laughed so hard that tears poured from her eyes.

Stupid, how stupid!

How could she have been so malleable and thoughtless?

A man who could lock her up for days without a care, who could make her strip, just to strip her of all dignity suddenly confesses his undying love for her and she stupidly believed!

What did she do to the heavens to be gifted with such slow-wittedness?

Tiana stopped laughing suddenly and covered her lips with her hand, biting the insides of her palm, so strongly that it bled against her teeth.

She took in a sharp breath as the pain coursed through her bones.

Now she knew why she had never succeeded; now she knew why her sister and everyone around her was one step above her.

It was because she was slow. Because she didn't think, because even when she was determined to do something, she couldn't bring herself to go along with it.

Because even when she saw the danger signs, she stupidly fell for his charms!

What a fool she had been, to think she meant something more to him.

Even if he wanted this, with what they had shared in the past days, couldn't he at least talk to her before agreeing to it?

Was she that meaningless to him? Did she not matter even the slightest?

Tiana took in a deep breath and eased her hand from her lips, swallowing the sour liquid in her mouth; she lifted her eyes to grandpa.

''Did… did he… did he really accept to this? ''

She asked, wanting to be sure she hadn't just heard things. To be sure she hadn't heard wrongly.

Grandpa, who had been watching her quietly, sighed, then stood up from the couch and walked to the table, taking out an envelope, he went back to the couch.

''Tiana, I know that he had forced you to be his mistress, and you are indebted to him. But from now onwards, you are free. I liked you, but we don't have a choice now, and Nicklaus needs this to work, I trust you know he can't give up the company over a measly romantic affair? Besides, families of our status married this way, i allowed you both because i wanted to be sure he wasn't gay, and he has proved it to me. ''

Tiana's eyes fell, her lids becoming heavy with tears.

When did she start living in this fantasy?

 She wondered. When did she start to think that she could mean more than a poor girl from the country side, who had debts to pay?

How could she have forgotten her place so easily? When did she start dreaming that someone of her class could be able to love him?

She had been extremely stupid and thoughtless.

Her heart squeezed so much that she couldn't bear to breathe;

He was really a monster after all!

To watch her fall so deeply for him when he had just been playing with her heart, when she was just a toy which he could fling away without the slightest hesitation?

Tiana smiled;

It was her fault. If only she knew her place from the very beginning, it wouldn't have hurt so much now.

''This is for you, for all the trouble we've caused you. ''

Grandpa said and placed the envelope on the table in front of her.

Tiana's eyes blinked, and they fell to the envelope in front of her.

Was he paying her off? Her lips thinned. 

Why was this looking like a romance story, where the family tries to pay off the poor girl who had seduced the young master, and she refuses to take the money?

When did her life become so cliché?

She chuckled painfully;

But what did she have to lose when she had nothing to begin with?

The earlier she knew that he was no prince charming and she was no Cinderella, the better.

He had taken her as a mistress for the company and he had cast her aside for the same company.

If he didn't care about how she would feel, why should she bat an eyelid for him?

With that, Tiana leaned forward and picked up the envelope in front of her;

''In there is the document to the ownership of a villa in Hollywood, the address is stated there, and there is a check of 5 million USD. Take it all and disappear from his life. ''

Tiana paused, and she glanced at Grandpa;

It was so much money to her, but she knew it was nothing to him; it was as though throwing out a trash through the door, but even at that she would accept it.

He had always wanted to break her, he got close to her, doted on her and made her fall deeply for him, all so he could get the satisfaction of seeing her cry again, but she would not give him that satisfaction any longer.

No, she was not going to be his prey anymore.

She was done being stupid.

Totally done!

Tiana took out the document and went through it; putting it back in its place, she shifted her gaze to grandpa;

''Alright Grandpa, I accept. ''

Grandpa's brows creased;

He wasn't expecting such a response. Didn't they say that these two are in love with each other, how could she accept without even a slightest protest?

His plan was to double or even triple the amount if she rejected the offer, but it seemed that won't even be necessary.

Seeing grandpa's confused expression, Tiana smiled;

''If Young Master Nicklaus chose this, then I accept your offer. Besides, we're two worlds apart; it's about time I knew my place. Moreover, it'll be stupid for me to reject this, for a measly romantic affair when it can change my life forever, more so for someone who doesn't even care about me? I promise I'll disappear from his life this minute. You don't have to worry about me.''

She smiled and stood up, then bowed a little;

''I wish you luck grandpa, I hope the wedding goes as planned and everything returns to normal. If there's nothing else, I'll like to leave now. ''

Grandpa was surprised; he had spent the night thinking about the words he would tell her, he didn't even know that she would agree so easily.

''Thank you for being so thoughtful; I'll tell the guards to drop you off at his mansion, so you can get all your things. ''

Tiana shook her head immediately;

''No grandpa, that won't be necessary. Tell them to take me to the bank. ''