Leilani blankly examines the card.
“It doesn’t have any limits,” Robert tells her.
Leilani hesitates but accepts it. She knows that Waylen can track her use of the card, but now that the hotel sale has fallen though she may have no choice but to use the card. Waylen looks surprised. He expected her to reject the gift, but she’s accepted it quietly.
He gestures to the waiter, and the man begins to serve them. Robert stands behind Waylen and explains, “Mr. Bamford asked to have these dishes specially prepared for you.”
The waiter presents the dishes one by one and Robert explains, “Every dish here is designed to help you become strong and ready for pregnancy.”
“That’s enough,” Leilani hisses.
She’s already frustrated that Waylen found out about the hotel, and Robert’s reference to the pregnancy only furthers her exasperation.
“Are the dishes not to your taste?” Robert asks.
Waylen personally fills Leilani’s plate and gestures to the waiter to offer her a menu. Leilani refuses the menu and turns on Waylen.
“You should improve your body as well,” she says, “I’ve heard that the quality of a man’s s.p.e.r.m can determine the child’s intelligence.”
“I had an examination last week,” Waylen says, “I’m in perfect health.”
“Well I have a bad temper, and I’m afraid that I would bear a baby like me,” Leilani snaps.
“Don’t worry. My good genes will make up for any of your shortcomings!” Waylen boasts.
Leilani sighs. Waylen takes her hand in his and begins to feed her, but she’s not in the mood to eat.
“You’re right,” she says, “But I’ve heard that radiation can also affect the development of the baby. Cell phones often put off radiation, and the larger the phone screen, the stronger the radiation. I think we should be as careful as possible. I’d like to start using my old phone again as the screen is a lot smaller.”
“You should eat now,” Waylen tells her, “We can discuss this matter when you’ve taken all 72 photos.”
Waylen has already seen the photo she took when they bathed together. She mischievously piled his hair into a poop shape, but he wasn’t upset by it. He wants to be different in her eyes—the kind of man who can make her laugh.
“I’m full,” Leilani says, pushing his hand away.
Waylen looks at Robert and the butler pulls a bottle of medicine from his pocket. The waiter brings a small glass of sweetened water on a tray.
“Dean Meyer prescribed a special medicine to help make you more fertile,” Waylen explains, “Since you’re planning on becoming pregnant, I want you to take this every day.”
Leilani stares unhappily at the bottle. She hates that she’s gotten herself into this situation. She takes the bottle, removes the top, and sniffs it cautiously. The smell makes her nose burn.
“Take it away,” she orders.
Leilani frowns. Just one whiff of the foul liquid has made her stomach start to churn and her eyes watered up. She has to admit to herself that she’s not sure if it’s just the medicine or the thought of having a baby with Waylen that’s making her feel ill.
“Are you afraid of the taste?” Waylen asks condescendingly.
“No!” Leilani snaps.
Waylen takes the bottle and holds it in front of her face. Instinctively, Leilani blanches and flinches away from the bottle.
“What a liar you are!” Waylen says with amus.e.m.e.nt, “Your expression betrays you. But you’ll be stronger after taking this, and finally, we can have a baby”
Waylen’s voice becomes soft and seductive when he talks about the baby.
“Please, take that away from me,” Leilani says.
She pushes his hand away with panic and the medicine splashes out of the bottle and onto Waylen’s face. The thick brown liquid coats his mouth, and Waylen’s expression becomes thoughtful.
Suddenly, he kisses her, and she tastes the bitterness of the medicine. She tries to pull away from the taste, but Waylen grabs the back of her head and pulled her toward him. He kisses her deeply, forcing her to consume the medicine bit by bit. Even after she’s swallowed the medicine he continues to pull her towards him, kissing her soulfully. Eventually, the bitter taste of the medicine fades, and she tastes only him.
“Was that so bad?” he asks devilishly.
Leilani curls her lip; her eyes are full of mute protest. Afraid that he’ll kiss her again she snatches the bottle of medicine from his hand and takes a large swig. As soon as the taste coats her tongue she regrets her choice, her mouth feels numb and her stomach churns. She puts down the bottle and reaches for a glass of water, but she finds that it is empty.
She looks up and sees Waylen gazing at her intently. Slowly he points at his lips. The sweetened water is in his mouth; if she wants relief from the bitterness, she’ll have to kiss him again. He swallows and smirks at her.
“What a pervert!” she thinks, “But at least he seems to be in a good mood.”
Leilani ignores Waylen and takes a sip of the soup on the table to purge the bitterness. Then she wipes her mouth with a napkin, forks a piece of steak and feeds it to Waylen. He eats it without hesitation, pleased that Leilani is feeding him again. Leilani immediately drops her fork, picks up her phone and takes a photo of Waylen.
Waylen quickly tries to seize the phone, but Leilani stands up and hides it behind her back. The steak is flavored with cracked black pepper and Leilani intentionally rubbed it against Waylen’s lips when she fed him. A speck of pepper sits awkwardly on his lip in the photo.
Leilani promised to take 72 photos of Waylen. She’s decided that if she has to play his game, she’ll make every photo fantastically embarrassing. She knows Waylen wants them posted online, and she hopes that the pictures will damage his reputation. At the very least, she’s eager for all of the wealthy girls who fawn over him to see the difference between their dream-man and reality.
Leilani knows her tricks won’t evade Waylen’s attention forever. Waylen licks the pepper from his lip and gazes at her. She checks her phone—even with the pepper on his lip, he still looks dignified. He stands up tall and straight, pushes his chair away and wraps one arm around her waist. Calmly, he escorts her from the restaurant.
Back at the Bamford house, David waits in the living room. A piece of black cloth covers a square shape on the table. Upon closer inspection, Leilani can see that the small box is shaking slightly.
“Mr. Bamford,” David greets Waylen and looks significantly at the box covered in cloth.
“Please escort, Mrs. Bamford back to her bedroom,” Waylen orders.
The servants take Leilani away and Waylen and David walk to Waylen’s private study. David places the box on the desk and takes the black cloth off, revealing a metal cage filled with wood shavings.
Two white mice scurry back and forth in the cage, terrified by the motion of their cage and the sudden brightness. Though they run frantically, they stay side by side as if they can’t bear to be separated.
“I’ve fed Dr.Meyer’s contraceptive pills to these mice,” David explains, “The unidentified ingredient hasn’t caused them any sort of harm. Rather the effect is quite odd. One is a male and one is a female, and the ingredient seems to have made them closer.”
Waylen glares at the mice as if they are to blame for the ingredient in Charles’ pills.
“Based on the initial blood work, it seems that the ingredient has stimulated several hormones,” David says, “If you want more detailed information, I’m afraid I’ll have to send the samples out to a laboratory with more advanced equipment.”
“Can you explain to me in simple English?” Waylen asks with irritation.
“Umm, the hormones stimulated would cause the mice to experience certain urges more strongly,” David says awkwardly, “In humans, these urges would be the same, but might be interpreted as more um, amorous feelings.”
Waylen glares icily at the cage and fiddles with the lighter in his hand.
“I want the most accurate report possible,” he says, “You have seven days.”
Waylen knows that his grandfather and Charles’ grandfather made a pact to ensure harmony between the families. He knows he can’t act against Charles without substantial evidence against the other man. In addition to the pact, Charles is his grandfather’s personal doctor and the old man seems to genuinely like him. However, Waylen can’t help but feel that Charles is really asking for it
Waylen is so enraged he feels capable of murder. If Charles were in the room, Waylen would throttle him. Though the desk separates David and Waylen, David can’t help but feel Waylen’s burning rage. The doctor inadvertently takes a step backward.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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