Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

The Secretary gave a shy, fleeting smile, her lips barely curving before she quickly looked down. Taking a quiet breath, she reached for her purse, fingers fumbling slightly as she opened it and began searching through it, trying to steady herself.

”So... the amount for the dishes—” she began.

”Don’t worry,” Lackey interrupted gently. ”I’ll pay for it.”

She paused.

Her fingers stopped moving.

The Secretary blinked and slowly lifted her gaze from the inside of her purse, which held nothing but a few scattered coins that clinked faintly against each other.

Relief washed over her first... but it didn’t stay alone. Confusion followed right after, heavier, settling deep inside her chest.

”Then...?” she asked quietly.

Lackey leaned back slightly, ”I just wanted to treat you,” he said. ”Is that wrong?”

The Secretary exhaled slowly, her fingers tightening around the edge of her purse before she closed it.

”Mr. Lackey...” she began, ”You, of all people, should know... nothing comes for free.”

Her gaze didn’t leave him as she continued, a faint frown forming.

”Do you want me to keep an eye on Madam?”

It was the only explanation her mind could construct.

The only one that made sense in a world where every action had a price.

But Lackey simply shook his head.

”Then...?”

”I told you already,” he said, ”I wanted to treat you. You looked... a little down. I thought I could cheer you up. That’s all.”

Her breath caught.

’Cheer me up...?’

The words echoed strangely in her mind, as if they didn’t belong there. Confusion wrapped around her thoughts, tightening with every second. Why would someone like him... someone even Rosavere respected... go this far for someone like her?

Her hand slowly clenched into a fist.

She knew her place.

She knew exactly what she was worth.

She knew what she was capable of... and what she was not.

She had never once dared to even stand on the same level as someone like Lackey.

And yet...

He wanted to cheer her up?

”I... I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her voice firm, almost defensive, as she looked away.

”I.. I’m perfectly fine.”

But inside—

’No, I’m not.’

”So tell me,” she continued, her tone sharpening as she looked back at him, ”what are you really after? Is it the company’s secrets? Or... the business partners Madam manipulated?”

Her words came without hesitation, but her heart trembled behind them, ’Please don’t say it... please...’

Lackey gave a small shrug, completely unbothered. ”I honestly don’t care about any of that,” he replied. ”I’m just treating you—”

”LIES!!!”

The word shattered the room.

It burst out of her before she could stop it, filled with everything she had been holding back for days.

Even she froze right after, her own voice echoing in her ears.

’W-Why did I—’

Under the mask, Lackey’s lips curled slightly. ”Lies?” he asked, his tone still calm. ”Why would I lie to you?”

Her hands trembled as they clenched tighter, her nails pressing into her skin.

”That’s what I’m asking!” she shouted, her voice breaking at the edges. ”Why would you lie to me? To someone like me? Just say what you want already... damn it!”

Her eyes shook, her vision blurring.

Why was she getting worked up over it?

She didn’t understand why she was shouting. A part of her screamed that she was being ungrateful, that she should stop, that she should apologise—

But her voice refused to listen.

”There’s no fire without fuel!” she continued, her words spilling out uncontrollably. ”I know you want something, so just say it! Why are you being so nice to me? Why?”

Her breath hitched, her chest tightening painfully.

”I haven’t done anything for you... not once... s-so why do you keep helping me?”

Tears slid down her cheeks before she could stop them, her voice trembling as she looked straight at him, hurt and confusion tangled together.

”I-Is it my worthless body you’re after?” she asked, her voice trembling as one of her hands slowly moved to unbutton her top shirt, even as her heart screamed, ’P-Please stop... please leave... I-I am... I...’

After all, for a man like Lackey, someone who had been this kind to her... it had to be that, right?

Conquering a pathetic, useless woman.

”I-If that’s what you want... j-just get it over with,” she said, her voice cracking as her expression broke apart, as if something inside her had already given up on living.

Lackey stared into her empty eyes, something stirring within him, emotions threatening to rise and fracture his usual indifference.

Honestly, he had no reason to care about her feelings or what she was going through.