Chapter 228

Seeing her after a day where he believed she had been wronged and bullied on set, Jason was in a foul mood. His mood worsened upon seeing her. He raised his hand and flicked the bruise on her forehead.

“Ouch!” Grace gasped in pain.

He sneered. “Is it painful?”

Of course it was! She wasn’t made of stone. It hurt, especially since he’d deliberately targeted her bruise.

She glared at him with her almond-shaped eyes.

He laughed angrily. “Great. Great job, Grace. I wanted you to stay with me, but you refused. I thought you had dignity and backbone, but now? Was it fun being an extra, bullied into kneeling and groveling by your sister?”

She bit her lip, subconsciously taking a step back. He was intimidating.

As she retreated, he advanced, until she was backed against the wall, trapped. He closed the distance, his hands on either side of her, almost encircling her.

“I asked you, was it fun?” His eyes were fixed on hers, his voice deeper than usual, laced with subdued fury.

She was confused. She was the one who had been hurt and bullied! Why was he angry?

“I… wasn’t playing,” she replied grimly after a moment.

“Wasn’t playing? What set did you go to? Why become an extra? Want to be a star? Why didn’t you tell me? I could make you a star. Ask me for anything. You don’t have to kneel and grovel and hurt your hand,” he said coolly.

He wished he could chain her to him, preventing her humiliation.

Grace took a deep breath, tilted her chin slightly, and said, “For $330. I earned $130 as an extra, and $200 more by kneeling and groveling for Evelyn. That’s why I became an extra.”

He paused. “$330?”

“Yes, $330!”

“You did that for only $330? Why didn’t you ask me for money? I’ll give you as much as you want. I…”

“I’d have to pay something in return for your money, right?” Grace said. She wanted nothing to do with him anymore. She longed for the old days, before she knew him. Being alone in the house had been lonely, but she wasn't a toy.

“What if I don’t want you to pay?” he asked.

“Then there’s no need. You don’t have to give me any money. I can earn my own living,” she said.

He snorted. “Did you have to humiliate yourself to earn a living?”

She gasped. A trace of gloom crossed her eyes. Then, lowering her gaze, she muttered, “At least I earned this money with my own abilities, and I don’t need to fear anything.”