To prove Carlos meant it, Tristan took out his phone and sent him Carlos' phone number. "Jared, this is Mr. Huo's number."

Everyone was surprised.

Debbie wondered why Carlos was so possessive. Obviously, he was trying to keep her from Jared. Worried about where this was leading, she raised her head and declared, "Jared and I are just good friends. How can you undermine our friendship like this? It's uncalled for."

Unexpectedly, Jared cut in before Carlos could respond. "Mr. Huo, I'm so glad to hear what you just said. Before, Debbie, the naive girl, did so much for Hayden. But the moron didn't appreciate it at all. Now, finally, there is a man who cares about her. I'll do anything you say. If Tomboy needs help or anything, I'll be the first to call you."

Among Debbie's friends, Jared had known her for the longest time. He knew everything that happened between her and her ex-boyfriend Hayden. As far as he knew, Hayden was to blame for Debbie's tomboy tendencies.

But right now, Debbie was surprised by something Jared had said. Since when did she become naive in Jared's eyes?

Carlos was quite pleased with what Jared had said. Yet the name Hayden made his eyes dim. "Tristan, send them home."

"Yes, Mr. Huo."

When the couple were left alone in the private booth, Carlos turned to Debbie.

Finding her in a daze, he pulled her into his arms and sat her on his lap. Unaccustomed to such intimacy, Debbie struggled to stand up.

But Carlos wrapped his arms around her tighter and whispered in her ear, "Hayden, huh?" That was the first time he had heard that name, but quickly he connected the dots and remembered the man who had called her Deb in the messages and said he missed her.

It must be the same guy.

"What?" Debbie didn't understand what he had meant by that, but Carlos didn't explain.

Instead, he kissed her.

Apparently, he was angry. The kiss was impudent and overbearing, and his hands were not gentle either. In his grip, she now felt trapped, and powerless, despite her many years of rigorous martial arts training.

Next, he threw her onto the table roughly. Fearing that she might fall, Debbie locked her arms around Carlos' neck while his hands were all over her.

After a long moment, the man said in a coarse voice, "I take back what I said."

"Huh?" Debbie, overwhelmed underneath his weight, muttered.

At that moment, she wasn't that reckless tomboy anymore. She was a woman, a seductive woman. Every time he kissed her, she blushed. Right now, looking her in the eye, Carlos could hardly control his urge.

"I said the other day that if you slept with me, I would set you free. Now I want us to have another deal." Debbie hadn't expected a man of words like Carlos to take back his own offer.

His hands tenderly moved all over her body, her face, her hair. With every touch, his breathing got heavier and heavier. "God, you're such a femme fatale. A tormenting temptress."

'A femme fatale? Me?'

Among many nicknames people gave her, she never heard anyone call her a temptress or femme fatale before. For her rather boyish personality and less feminine figure, that was a misnomer. Couldn't Carlos see that? 'There must be something wrong with his eyes.' She wanted to laugh.

"The new deal is: if you sleep with me, I'll give you anything you want." Anything she wanted? If he had said this earlier on, on the stormy days of their relationship, she'd have told him she wanted a divorce without hesitation.

But recently, she was beginning to have a change of mind.

After shelving her push for a divorce, she actually didn't know what she wanted.

When he saw her shaking her head, Carlos thought she didn't agree to his offer.

Suddenly Debbie remembered what he had said on the cruiser; how he had humiliated her, announcing that she wasn't worth a hundred million. Tightening her grip on him, she assumed an air of dejection and said, "I remember the other day you said I wasn't worth much. What should I expect to get from a man who thinks I'm not worth a penny? Have you forgotten the way you put me down, Mr. Handsome?"

Seeing that she was still holding a grudge, Carlos smiled, gave her a kiss on the lips and said, "Forget about that, dear. To be honest. I wouldn't say you're worth a hundred million..."

Just as he had expected, her eyes burned with anger. But he looked at her affectionately while stroking her hair. Of course, he was pulling her leg, but she didn't seem to get his drift. "Well, maybe you don't get the gist of of it. You're worth far more than you seem to ask. A billion dollars or even more is what I'd peg on a girl special like you.

You misunderstood me." Debbie was left open-mouthed. 'Is he kidding me? Is he willing to give me that much, just to sleep with me? This guy must be a joke!' She brushed his words off.

"I'm for real! If it's money that you want, I'll give you whatever sum you name." For her love, Carlos couldn't care less about money.

Besides, they were husband and wife. What was his was hers too. It didn't make a difference who had the money.

However, Debbie misunderstood him again. 'What does he take me for? A gold digger?' The passion she had felt only a minute ago died out at once. In a huff, she pushed him off her abruptly.

Carlos' eyes were filled with puzzlement. Debbie held her head high and tried to defend her honor. "Mr. Handsome, not everyone loves money as much as you think. Maybe in your mind, you can buy me or even everything with your money. Unfortunately, that's not me. If I don't like you, I wouldn't sleep with you even if you gave me all the money in the world.

But as long as I love you, I'll sleep with you even if you are dead broke. Sorry to tell you, I'm not who you think I am. Maybe, you don't understand me, in which case I'd suggest we separate as soon as possible," she declared.

She felt insulted. If it was his money she was after, she wouldn't have only taken a little from her monthly allowance, nor would she have asked for a divorce.

Reading from a different script, however, Carlos found her charming at the moment. It was not because she didn't want his money. It was just that she looked so proud and confident when she told him what kind of person she was.

Watching the serious look on her face when she spoke, Carlos let out a chuckle.

However, that chuckle came across as a taunt. Debbie was too young to understand what he was thinking. "That's not funny!" She snapped. "Let's go to the Civil Affairs Department and get a divorce right now. I will never bother you again..."

In the amidst of her rant, however, Carlos leaned close and kissed her fiercely.

Over the years, he might have had more than his fair share of women, but no one could come close to this special woman. No matter what her moods were, he always found her cute.

By now she had freed herself from his embrace. Angrily, she demanded, "Hey, what do you want?"

Regardless of her obvious irritation, Carlos grabbed her tight again. He patted her back and comforted her. "Don't worry. I won't force you into anything, unless it is what you want."

Somehow, that relieved her. But she wanted an apology which he didn't seem ready to give directly. 'The ego problems, ' Debbie thought.

Giving him an annoyed snort, she grabbed her backpack and was ready to leave.