The Billionaire's Hidden Affection-Chapter 246 Regained 2_1

She followed him in like a puppet. In the expansive living room, the white sofa stood out, and the startling red velvet swing had completely vanished. Yet, she remained standing, her back against the sofa, as if seeking a stable anchor.

Longing had transformed into gentle persistence. He reached out to embrace her again, but she skillfully dodged, her voice quick and anxious, "Mr. Wan, listen to me..." He looked at her seriously.

"Mr. Wan, I knew you wouldn’t let me go. I’ve always been waiting for this day. But I haven’t touched a single cent of your money. Every penny from the boutique is in its accounts, and Xu Xiaoya will hand it over to you. You can also immediately change the shop’s legal representative. That will completely sever its ties to me. As for the money I took, I put it in a safe and haven’t spent a single cent of it. I will return it to you..."

She hurriedly took her wallet from her bag. Then, from an inner zippered compartment, she retrieved a key. "Mr. Wan," she said, her voice rushed, "this is the key to the safe. All the money is inside. Back then, I was afraid of being destitute again, so I secretly set aside a little as an emergency fund. Now, I no longer need it. My salary is sufficient to cover all my expenses..."

The flat key landed in his palm. She took several steps back, maintaining a distance of two meters from him.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Everything comes at a cost.

This time, she concealed nothing from him, nor did she dare to. Even her last little ruse was revealed—that money was actually the "red envelope" he had given her last New Year’s Eve when he came home to find her crying in a corner.

Now, all monetary debts have finally been settled!

Even if that money was initially used to "purchase" her, she didn’t dare accept it.

Between money and life, she always chose life.

Wan Donglin closed his eyes slightly. He didn’t know why he suddenly felt so pained.

"Mr. Wan... I don’t think there’s anything left for us to discuss." She turned to leave.

He reached out, gripping her arm tightly, his voice heavy and nasal, "Xixi..."

She tried her best to remain calm. "Mr. Wan, please let me go. What do I have left that’s worth you troubling me over? Please, show some mercy!"

Suddenly, he reversed his grip and pulled her tightly into his arms.

She didn’t know where to put her hands. Her posture was awkward, and fear filled her: even after returning all the money, he still wouldn’t let her go.

This greedy Demon! Even without paying a cent, he still sought to purchase human souls.

But he just held her tightly, saying nothing, and made no further untoward moves. She was terrified, unsure of what he truly intended to do.

She was frantic with hunger, and fear compounded it. He clearly perceived her light trembling. Releasing his grip, he faced her, his voice surprisingly gentle, "Xixi, let’s go eat first."

"No need, I want to go home..."

He still held her hand. "Can’t we even have one meal together?"

She hesitated for a moment, then immediately gave up resisting. Repeatedly playing this cat-and-mouse game would only result in her losing in the end.

The meal was already prepared—a sumptuous spread, entirely composed of her favorite dishes. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

She didn’t stand on ceremony, sat down, and quietly began to eat. He barely ate, his gaze fixed on her, but she did her best to avoid his eyes.