Chosen Mate Of The Beastmen Empire

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Meeting Nyx's half-smirking gaze, Lancet felt a weird pang of unease. He'd been in the game for years, but this was his first time dealing with something like this.

Seafarion was in his thirties, never had a woman around-some even whispered he might be crippled down there too, not just in his legs. Even Lancet, his right- hand guy, had half-believed the rumors.

When he got the call from Seafarion bright and early, he thought he'd misheard- or was still dreaming, Rushing over half-doubting, he found Seafarion holed up in the study, looking wrecked, with blatant kiss marks all over his face and neck.

"I took advantage of her while she wasn't herself-it's my fault," Seafarion had said, head down, drowning in guilt. "When she wakes up, handle it for me. Ask what she wants-I'll do what I can to make it right."

Lancet was floored, speechless for ages. It was real. His ice-cold, otherworldly boss had actually spent the night with

someone!

Keeping his professional cool, he barely held back a scream and the urge to spill the tea. He grilled Seafarion for more details, did some digging, and locked onto Nyx quick.

With her nobody-actress status, her sleazy pimp of an agent, and that soap- opera meet-cute with Seafarion, Lancer's face got grim-he figured Seafarion had

been set up.

"I think she might've targeted you on purpose-lured you in," Lancet said, rattling off examples of actresses in the biz hooking rich guys with booze or drugs. It was so common it was almost cliche.

That blunt move might work on tacky old tycoons. She'd have to come up with better than that to scam his boss.

Lancet was all fired up, but Seafarion just shook his head. "She wouldn't."

That hallway wasn't even on his usual route-he'd only wandered there last night on a whim, too tired from work to rest. That's when he ran into her.

She was the one who'd been set up. And he'd known it, yet still took advantage- tainted her.

"It's all my fault,” Seafarion said, feeling like a total creep. "I should take responsibility, but "

But a born cripple like him, after doing something so awful to her-he didn't deserve her. Tying her to a guy like him for life would make her hate him.

Hearing "responsibility" drop from Seafarion's mouth, Lancet went numb. The world's richest guy falling for a one-night stand with a gold-digging starlet.

If Seafarion pulled it off, the media wouldn't even dare air it-it'd sound too insane to believe. For a scheming bad girl like that, he didn't need to feel so damn noble.noveldrama

Seafarion was 100 pure-never had a woman around, didn't know how rotten they could be out there.

"I'll take care of it for you." Lancet decided, stepping up to deal with this shady chick for his boss.

Seafarion wanted to compensate her, so he would compensate her. He chatted up some pros who'd handled this stuff before, hashed out a confidentiality deal.

As long as Nyx played smart, didn't trash Seafarion's name or milk his fame, she'd get enough goodies to live plush for life- no lesson learned from climbing into his bed.

Lancet could picture her greedy smirk already. Once she saw that payout list, she'd light up, and if she was extra grabby, maybe haggle for more.

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But Nyx's whole vibe was nothing like he'd pictured-not even close. One look at her threw him off. She seemed gentle and calm, like a clear pond. Stripping away her background, just judging by looks, she actually matched Seafarion pretty well.

No wonder he'd fallen for it and swore she was pure as snow.

Lancet steadied himself, muttered some calming mantras, and rolled out his prepped speech. Seafarion's cough from the study threw him off for a sec, but he powered through smooth enough.

Handing her the contract, he let out a breath, waiting for her to slip up. She skimmed it quick, like she didn't care much, and asked in an odd tone, "He told you to give me this?"

His relieved breath hitched right back up. Lancet's expression wavered, but he faked calm and nodded. "Of course. He asked me to offer you some compensation."

"Please sign it-or if there's anything else you need, just let me know," he said, his tone softening a bit, more respectful.

All these years, Seafarion had only ever had this one woman-and even thought about marrying her. Sure, actually marrying her was a long shot, but who knows— she might stick around him later. As Seafarion's assistant, he'd have to deal with her eventually. Being nice now couldn't hurt.

Nyx smiled, didn't say more, took the pen from him, and signed on the coffee table.

She'd just started signing when a buzzing phone cut through the room. Her pen paused, and she looked up. "Whose phone's that?"

Lancet panicked a little, glancing toward the study instinctively. Realizing the sound wasn't from there, he scanned around, grabbed the vibrating phone from the bedroom, and handed it to Nyx.

Nyx went quiet, taking the clunky old brick of a phone from him. It was hers. She hadn't used a relic like this in years- holding it felt both familiar and strange.

The screen had spiderweb cracks but still worked. Guess she was pretty broke these days.

She stared at the caller ID-Asshole"-for a while, digging through her memory until it clicked: her agent's fat, smug face. She swiped to answer. The other side had

been waiting forever-call nearly dropped-before it finally connected.

After a couple seconds of silence, a furious rant blasted through the leaky speaker, echoing across the room.

"Run! Keep running! You're so good at it, huh? Why even pick up my call then? Nyx, I'm telling you-you can't escape! Mr. Williams's pissed this time. Go apologize nice and early, and you might suffer less!

"Hey, you hearing me? Gone mute or what? A broke-ass orphan like you-born to

be toyed with-acting all high and mighty? Do you even know who Mr. Williams is? One word from him, and you're done in this industry!"