Bill had chosen a Russian girlfriend because, in his mind, Russian women were easy to deceiveâsimple, undemanding, and even willing to financially support their men.
All he had to do was sweet-talk her a little, shower her with compliments, and he could rake in cash whenever he wanted.
Due to his own insecurities, he never dared to reveal his true nature to her. He was afraid that if she realized the kind of person he was, he'd lose his golden ticket.
Now, being forced to answer these questions, he felt embarrassed.
But as he looked at the stacks of cash in front of him, he clenched his teeth and lied through them:
"Even if her body changes after marriage, I'll still love her."
"I've never doubted her. I trust she would never betray me."
His words moved Sasha, who gazed at him with heartfelt affection. If it weren't for the other people in the room, she might have thrown herself into his arms in excitement.
"Good, good, good!"
James clapped his hands, loudly praising him.
"Brother Bill, you are a true man of honor. I really admire you."
"My questions are over. You can now take your girlfriend and leave."
"Oh, by the way, Sasha will be working as my personal trainer for the next year. If she comes home late, I hope you won't misunderstand."
Bill froze, not knowing how to react to the abrupt end of the conversation.
He had expected the rich man to try and buy his girlfriend outright, to throw money at him until he couldn't refuse.
He had even mentally calculated a priceâif the man offered a million, he'd respectfully hand over Sasha without hesitation.
After all, with that much money, he could easily find another girl to trick.
But to his surprise, the rich guy had stopped at a mere $170,000 and told him to leave?
This left Bill feeling unsatisfied.
From the earlier questions, he had realized the truth: he couldn't keep Sasha.
The man in front of him was rich, generous, and, worst of all, better-looking than Bill.
If this guy truly wanted Sasha, spending time with her day in and day out, it was only a matter of time before she fell for him.
Rather than letting that happen, Bill figured he might as well cut his losses and get some benefits while he still could.
With that thought in mind, Bill forced a servile smile and waved his hands dismissively.
"Of course not, I would never misunderstand someone as important as you. It's Sasha's honor to work for you. You two can train as late as you want. If you plan to pull an all-nighter, just let me know in advance."
Sasha frowned, sensing that something was off.
"Nighttime is meant for rest and recovery. Intense exercise isn't appropriate at that time. We wouldn't train all night," she said firmly.
James glanced at Bill with a knowing look and said with a chuckle,
"Exactly. We're not doing anything improperâno need to overthink it, Bill."
Sasha understood the implication behind James's words and turned to her boyfriend.
"You should trust me more. I won't betray our love," she said seriously.
Seeing that it wasn't the right moment to talk openly, Bill decided to discuss things privately with James.
He bowed slightly and pulled out his phone, displaying a QR code.
"Sir, why don't you add me as a contact? We can chat on WhatsApp. Everything's negotiable."
James glanced at him, smiled, and shook his head.
"No need. I prefer face-to-face conversations. If you have something to say, just say it now. If I'm in a good mood, I might agree to it."
Agree to what?
Bill mulled over James's words.
Was this guy trying to make him name a price for Sasha in front of her?
But doing so would undoubtedly cause Sasha to flip out.
She was his only leverage, and without laying the groundwork first, he couldn't risk it.
Yet the $170,000 sitting on the table was right in front of him.
If he let this opportunity slip away, who knew when he'd get another chance to chat with this rich man?
Thinking about the possibility of Sasha eventually leaving him, Bill decided to take the risk.
"Sir, you're a straightforward man, and I appreciate that. So, let me askâdo you see anything valuable about me? Feel free to name your price, and if it's reasonable, I'll sell."
James blinked in surprise.
"What the hell? I'm a decent person. What would I even want from you?"
Bill clenched his jaw in frustration. Was this guy deliberately playing dumb, or did he genuinely not understand the hint?
Looking at James's serious expression, Bill gritted his teeth and said,
"Things outside of myself are negotiable too. I could even... assist you. Whether you want her drunk or unconscious, it's all doable."
James stared at him in shock.
What the hell?
This is illegal. Is this guy trying to set me up or something?
Sasha finally began to realize what was happening. She looked at Bill in disbelief, as if seeing him for the first time.
"Are you talking about me?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Bill quickly tried to smooth things over.
"No, no, I was talking about some girls I know from the bar. They're very open-minded."
Sasha wasn't stupid. She didn't believe a word of it.
She returned to the couch, sitting down with a hollow expression.
Suddenly, the man she had thought she knew felt like a complete stranger.
He was nothing like the sweet, caring person she had fallen for.
James had seen enough to gauge Bill's character.
Although he hadn't intended to go this far initially, he decided it was necessary to help Sasha see the truth.
Snapping his fingers, he signaled Jay Johnson, who left the room and returned with three identical suitcases.
Each was the same size, the same color, and filled with the same amount of cash.
When they were opened and neatly arranged on the table, the vibrant red hue of the money seemed to light up the entire room.
No ordinary person could resist such temptation.
Leaning back on the couch, James asked the fatal question:
"Here's $1.8 million. Over there is your girlfriend. If you had to choose, which would it be?"
Bill's heart pounded in his chest.
His palms grew slick with sweat as his eyes locked onto the money, unable to look away.
"I choose the money," he said, his voice filled with greed.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he lunged for the cash.
But James calmly pressed a hand on his chest, stopping him. Pulling a stack of bills from the suitcase, James handed it over and said with a smile,
"We agreedâone question, $10,000."
Drenched in cold water, Bill felt his anger flare up but quickly suppressed it when he saw Jay Johnson standing nearby.
Now completely unconcerned about Sasha's presence, he openly said,
"Sir, isn't my girlfriend worth at least $2 million to you?"
James raised an eyebrow and replied slowly,
"Even if she were worth $20 million, why would I give you any money?"
Bill panicked.
"Sir, I can help you. I know her temperament better than anyone. You could do whatever you want with herâwouldn't that be worth it?"
His words made Sasha's face turn pale.
She stood up and slapped him hard across the face.
SLAP!
The sound echoed through the room as Bill staggered half a step, clutching his stinging cheek in shock.
"You dare to hit me?" he shouted in disbelief.
Sasha's face was cold as she stepped forward and slapped him again.
SLAP!
As a fitness trainer, she had more strength than most men. The second slap left his face visibly swollen.
Bill cried out in pain and stumbled back, raising his hands defensively as Sasha moved in for another hit.
"Don't come closer, or I'll call the police!" he yelled in desperation.
Sasha, furious and ready to kill, didn't care about the threat. She rushed forward for another slap, but this time Bill managed to block her hand.
"Crazy woman! I'll call the media and expose you! I'll tell them you were cheating on me, and you hit me when I caught you!"
As Bill ranted, Sasha clenched her fists, preparing to unleash a flurry of punches.
But James's calm voice interrupted her.
"Leave the $170,000 you're holding. Call the police or the media if you wantâI'll play along. But you won't leave with the money."
Bill hesitated, weighing his options. If he lost the money, he'd have endured the humiliation and abuse for nothing, and he'd be walking away without his girlfriend.
Ultimately, he decided $170,000 was better than nothing.
Glaring at Sasha one last time, he turned and bolted for the door.
Jay Johnson followed him out, closing the door behind them.
Now, only Sasha and James remained in the room.
Sasha collapsed onto the couch, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed uncontrollably.
James gently pulled her into his arms, grabbing a tissue to wipe her tears.
"Recognizing the truth about a man early is a blessing. I would never treat my woman like an object," he said softly.
Sasha looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, then buried her face in his shoulder, crying even harder.
"Don't cry. He's not worth it," James said, patting her back gently.
Unlike Chinese girls, who cried delicately with a "pitiful beauty," Sasha's sobbing was loud and raw.
Her tears soaked her clothes and made her grief all the more evident.
James had initially planned to take advantage of the situation, to sneak in a little physical intimacy.
But seeing her so devastated, he felt it wasn't the right moment to act.
There would be other opportunities.
Eventually, Sasha's sobbing began to subside.
She raised her head and looked at James with red, puffy eyes.
"He doesn't love me," she said softly.