My CEO Husband Says I'm Irreplaceable

Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Abnormal Sexual Orientation?

She found Elias Hawthorne’s attitude more and more incomprehensible.

’Does he trust his nephew, Jared Hawthorne, too much? Or... is he really not the least bit interested in me?’

’If we really get married, how could we ever grow to love each other when he’s this cold?’

’Or... could he actually be into men?’

Halfway through the meal, she stood up and said casually, "I’m going to the restroom."

After leaving the restroom, she didn’t immediately return to their private room. Instead, she found a window to get some fresh air.

"Be sharp in a minute. If you can make Mr. Hawthorne happy, your grandmother’s medical bills will be covered."

A low male voice drifted over.

A man in a club manager’s uniform was leading a slender young girl in her direction.

The girl’s skin was as fair as fine porcelain. Her eyes were large and round with a slight upturn at the corners, making her look just like a delicate, fragile doll from a display window. Her faded T-shirt, simple jeans, and plain white sneakers were completely out of place here.

As they passed each other, the girl timidly glanced up at her, a fleeting look of awe in her eyes.

Vesper Grayson watched them push open the door to Elias Hawthorne’s private room and go inside, raising an eyebrow slightly.

A short while later, the manager emerged with the girl, looking utterly dejected.

"Mr. Hawthorne wasn’t interested. You can go."

"Manager, you said you’d give me two thousand, whether it worked out or not."

"I said that? I don’t recall."

"You know you did!"

The manager’s gaze raked over her. "If you really want to make money, I have other avenues. As long as you’re open-minded, I guarantee you’ll be rolling in dough."

"What do you mean?"

The manager leaned in and whispered a few sentences to her.

All the color instantly drained from the girl’s face.

"It’s the fastest way to get cash. Don’t forget, your grandmother is waiting for you to come up with the money for her life-saving surgery."

Seeing the conflict on her face, the manager’s lips curled into a cold sneer.

"Think it over. If you’re in, come with me. If not, get lost."

Just then, the girl’s phone rang.

Whatever was said on the other end, her expression changed dramatically, and she began to plead frantically.

"Please, just give me a few more days. I’ll definitely get the money for the surgery..."

After she hung up, she prepared to leave with the manager.

Vesper Grayson’s expression hardened. "Wait," she called out.

The pair stopped in their tracks.

Seeing her distinguished air, the manager didn’t dare to be dismissive and quickly approached.

"Ma’am, is there something I can help you with?"

"Any service offering ’paid companionship,’ whether for gaming or otherwise, is against regulations. As the club’s manager, surely you’re aware of that simple rule."

The manager froze for a second, then offered a low, obsequious laugh.

"Miss, you must be joking. This has nothing to do with the club. It’s just that some clients have certain... needs. I’m merely making an introduction at someone’s request. There’s absolutely no coercion involved. They’re single men and single women; dating is perfectly legal and reasonable. These girls need money, and I’m helping them out of a tight spot. You could even call it charity."

How sanctimonious.

Vesper Grayson looked at the young girl, who was anxiously wringing her hands.

"Miss, think carefully. Once you go with him, it’ll be too late for regrets."

’She looks like she’s barely twenty. Just starting out in the world, how could she possibly understand how sinister people can be?’

"Ma’am, I know..." The girl’s eyes welled with tears, her voice barely a whisper. "Thank you, but I... I have no other choice."

’If I can’t get the money for the surgery, Grandma will really be gone.’

’She and her grandma only had each other. No matter the price, she had to make sure her grandma lived.’

Vesper Grayson saw the despair threatening to spill from the girl’s eyes. Her own voice was soft yet firm, carrying an undeniable power.

"In this world, a dead end is never the only option."

"You can always earn more money. But once you take the wrong path, you can never go back. If your grandmother knew you saved her this way, she would never live in peace, even if she survived."

The girl’s body shuddered, and tears finally streamed down her face.

Vesper Grayson’s tone softened.

"I can help you. You don’t have to sell yourself, and you don’t have to bow down to anyone."

The girl shot her head up, her eyes wide with panicked disbelief.

"Ma’am, are you... are you really willing to help me? If you can help me, I’ll do anything you ask."

As she spoke, she moved to kneel, but Vesper Grayson quickly caught her arm.

"Get up!"

’I don’t deserve this.’

The girl stood up straight, looking at her uneasily.

"How much is the surgery?"

"A hundred thousand..."

’To someone in her social class, it was just the price of a few designer bags. But to others, it was the price of a life.’

With mixed feelings, Vesper Grayson took a card from her purse and handed it to her.

"There’s a hundred and twenty thousand on here."

The girl’s eyes filled with tears again. "Ma’am," she choked out, "I’ll consider this a loan. I swear I’ll repay you if I get the chance."

"Don’t worry about it. Just go pay for your grandmother’s surgery."

The girl gave her a deep, solemn bow, saved her number, and then rushed off.

A flicker of displeasure crossed the manager’s face. ’She was a prime find, and it took him a lot of effort,’ he thought. The sting of his financial loss was unbearable.

"You should do less of this despicable business in the future." Vesper Grayson shot him an icy glare. "If that were your daughter, would you still think you were performing a charity?"

"What does this have to do with..."

Before the manager could finish, a stern voice cut in.

"What’s going on here?"

Jared Hawthorne had come looking for Vesper when she didn’t return for a while. He found her confronting the manager, her expression cold and displeased.

The manager’s heart sank. He hadn’t realized she was with one of the Hawthornes.

Vesper Grayson glanced sideways at him. "What was that you were about to say?"

The manager stammered, "N-nothing..."

He had been about to say, ’What business is it of yours? Mind your own business.’

Vesper Grayson said, "About what just happened... are you going to explain, or should I?"

Steeling himself, the manager recounted the whole affair from start to finish.

"You may go," Jared Hawthorne said dismissively.

As if granted a pardon, the manager turned and fled.

"Do you think I was being nosy?"

"Not at all. Miss Grayson is as kind-hearted as she is beautiful. You can’t stand to see suffering in the world. I admire that."

Vesper Grayson tilted her head up and stared at him, taken aback.

"I’m not as good as you think. I just can’t stand seeing men treat women like products with a price tag."

’My Prue,’ he thought, ’is as kind as ever.’

"Let’s go back inside. I ordered you another serving of the salt-and-pepper ribs you like."

Vesper Grayson was surprised. "How did you know I like them?"

’I don’t think I’ve ever told him that.’

Jared Hawthorne raised an eyebrow, perfectly composed. "I saw you were eating a lot of them, so I figured you must like them."

Her heart skipped a beat.

’I can’t believe Jared Hawthorne was paying that much attention to me!’

Before they went inside, she tugged on the corner of Jared Hawthorne’s sleeve and whispered, "Jared, is your uncle... not exactly straight?"

Jared Hawthorne’s eyebrow twitched violently. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, he doesn’t seem interested in me. And that girl from before looked like a living doll, but he wasn’t interested in her either. Plus, I’ve heard he hasn’t had a woman by his side in years..."

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