Chapter 220: Calculated Madness
Brandy’s shoulders trembled violently as another broken laugh escaped her throat. The sound was ragged, hollow, and painfully self-deprecating, carrying the bitterness of sor watching the final scraps of their dignity crumble away in real time.
“Of course it was just a transaction,” she choked out, nodding weakly to herself as if fin forcing herself to swallow the truth.
“Of course someone like me is just a pastime to men! A tool!”
Another laugh burst out of her, sharper this time, teetering dangerously close to hysteria
She pressed a trembling, dirt-stained hand to her face, a hysterical sob ripping through h chest.
“Of course! Ha… haha… of course! What the hell was I even thinking? Someone like you w never spare someone like me a second glance!”
Her voice cracked violently as tears streamed unchecked down her face.
“If I were a man, I probably wouldn’t even look at me either,” she whispered bitterly.
“Because that’s all I am, right? Just used goods. Someone men throw money at to satisfy their fantasies or to just scratch an itch.”
She choked on a sob, her eyes vacant.
“A piece of flesh for a few hours of fucking pleasure while I smile and take it to feed my ow selfish greed because I wanted the luxury that came with it.”
She clawed weakly at her clothes, her fingers catching on the expensive fabric.
“But no matter how expensive the clothes I wear, or the purses I buy, or the shoes I walk in- none of it changes the fact that I am just…”
She let out another hollow laugh, shaking her head slowly.
“…in your words, a high-priced escort.”
The words sounded like poison on her tongue.
“How could someone like me ever compare to the pristine, well-educated women in your world?” she asked, her voice dropping into a fragile, shattered whisper.
“Women with status.”
“Women with dignity.”
Women you could actually stand beside without feeling ashamed.”
Ashcroft didn’t flinch. A heavy stillness settled over him, his features hardening as he le words hang between them
“The decisions we make in life are our own, Ms. Martinez, he said, his voice terrifyingly cutting through her hysteria like ice.
“What you chose to do for work, why you chose it, and how you live your life is none of business. I have never judged your past, nor do I care to.”
He took a slow step closer, the sheer authority rolling off him forcing the gathering onlo to look away,
“But you have been crossing lines since the moment you saw me today.”
His gaze narrowed,
“My time is exceptionally valuable, and you have already wasted far too much of it on a public spectacle. In this world, we survive by knowing our boundaries. You do not cross boundaries you were never meant to cross.”
His expression remained completely blank, offering her no warmth and no anger-just absolute finality,
“You are right. You cannot compare,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “Because they understand the rules of engagement. And it is about time you finally understand yours.”
The boundary was drawn, clear and uncrossable, and something inside Brandy completely
shattered.
The crushing weight of his rejection didn’t keep her pinned to the concrete this time. Instead a spark of pure defiance flared through the frigid ache in her chest.
Brandy forced herself up, brushing the tears from her face as she stood.
She squared her shoulders and looked Nicholas dead in the eye.
“Yes! I am delusional!”
Her voice cracked violently, fracturing under the sheer weight of her obsession.
“For two years, you were the only man I could think of! I lived under the beautiful illusion that there was something special between us Every single day. I hoped we’d see each other again Hoping you’d come back Hoping our paths would cross
She let out a harsh, self deprecating gasp, gesturing wildly toward the towering corporate skyscraper behind bin
1 even went the extra mile to walk around here all day, pacing through this corporate a hours like a lunatic, just hoping I might bump into your
She took a ragged step forward, her eyes wide, entirely unhinged
“Do you want to know the truth about Bill Franklin?
She stopped, her head tilting slightly as a low, mocking chuckle bubbled up from her th
“When I found out that old geezer was an executive here, I seized the opportunity. I swa shifts with the other girls at the club just to get close to him. And it didn’t take long”
A look of profound disgust crossed her face, swallowed quickly by a bitter, triumphant s
“That lecherous old man was so easily played. It only took a few touches, some empty flirting, and a bit of sweet bullshit to have him wrapped around my finger. It started with hefty tip, which turned into a generous weekly allowance.”
She pointed a trembling finger at the building.
“And eventually, he offered me a job inside Blackwood Enterprises. I accepted it without a single second of hesitation.”
She choked back a sob, staring dead into Nicholas’s icy eyes.
“Because I knew… I knew the chances of me seeing you again would be higher if I was insi
Nick stared at her, his disgust completely shifting into genuine alarm.
“You need help,” he said, taking a step back as if looking at a monster. “You’re fucking crazy
He turned on his heel, about to walk away, but Brandy lost all control.
She lunged forward, throwing herself onto the pavement and sliding to her knees
She wrapped both arms tightly around one of his legs, clinging to him with a death grip and pinning him to the spot
“Please, Mr. Ashcroft…” she sobbed into his expensive trousers, completely shameless
“I don’t care if you’re in love with someone else! I don’t care if you want to mess around with
a hundred other women as long as I’m one of them, I don’t care at all!”
She tightened her hold, her tears soaking through the pristine fabric of his suit.
“Please you don’t have to love me Just don’t ignore me completely.”
She choked on a sob, her voice fracturing as she threw her last shred of dignity at his feet.
Chapter 220 Calculated Madness
“I’m begging you… please, just give me the scraps! Just a fraction of your attention— anything!”
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.