His titter was harsh to her ear. The cruelty and sarcasm on his face were biting. Regardless of that, Sophia clenched her fair hands so forcefully till her nails sank deep into her palms. However, she didn't feel the slightest pain.

She raised her head, faced his eyes squarely, suppressed down her shameful feeling, and claimed slowly in her calmest voice, "Jim, at one million yuan, I sell myself off to you."

The smirk at the corner of his mouth stiffened instantly. A cold storm was picking up in his eyes, and the air about him was frozen. He looked fixedly at the woman and forced the words out of his gritted teeth.

"What... did... you... say?"

"One million, I'll sell myself off to you." She kept her head high. Her tenacious eyes became misty, but she fought her tears back, "Jim, do you want me?"

The air seemed frozen, and the noisy entrance of the club fell into dead silence in the blink of an eye.

"Ha-ha," Jim suddenly laughed but soon turned ferocious. With his big hand, he clasped her slender neck, "Sophia, you're down to this level? Selling yourself for money?"

His great strength was squeezing the air out of her chest till she was short of breath.

She could clearly see the rage, disdain, and contempt in his eyes. Like the bluntest blade, it cut her heart little by little.

To let him see her like this was the last thing on her mind.

But she was at the end of her rope.

She held on to his arm with her tender hand. Tears were welling up in her big eyes, but she didn't back off even by one step, "Leave me or take me."

She then continued, "If you say no, I'll turn to others. Given my condition, someone will want me."

She was betting that Jim hadn't moved on completely. There should be love or hatred left in him.

Jim's eyes turned colder, and she could even hear his teeth clattering.

The next second...

Like a rag, she was tossed to the ground, and the air rushed back to her lung. She covered her chest, coughed, and gasped.

"Deal, Sophia, I'll have you picked up tomorrow. Hope... you are worth the price." He bent over, pinched the corner of a cheque, and then walked away briskly.

The white cheque swirled in the air, brushed past her cheek, and landed on the ground.

With her head low, she could only see a pair of fine leather shoes moving away and getting in a car.

The car rumbled and vroomed off.

She sat there still until those curious onlookers scattered.

She slowly picked up the cheque, found the string of zeros garish, and slowly moved her eyes until they landed on the powerful strokes of his signature.

Her pale fingertip brushed past the characters.

A sad smile slowly formed at the corners of her lips...

With a box fully loaded with banknotes, Sophia plodded into the casino.

"Sophia!" Ethan was tied to a chair. One of his eyes was swollen and unable to open. His body was bathed in blood. At the sight of his sister, he struggled desperately like an agitated beast.

"Ethan!" Sophia abruptly widened her eyes. How could they beat him up like this?

"Silent!" With a cigarette in his mouth, a sturdy man with dense tattoos kicked Ethan hard and then looked at Sophia, "So, you're this kid's sister. Do you bring the money?"