Bought A Lover, Got A Butler: The Demon CEO’s Secret Chapter 04

Bought A Lover, Got A Butler: The Demon CEO’s Secret Chapter 04

The question struck a nerve I hadn’t expected. It felt like getting caught shopping for a replacement behind my partner’s back.

But the more I thought about it, the more the guilt started curdling into something else. I was just a paying customer looking for some intimacy — what exactly had I done wrong?

I’d put up with Liam’s cold shoulder for months and nearly got myself into legal trouble over it. He’d never once told me he was off-limits, just kept brushing me off with “another time,” and then acted like he was shocked I wanted him.

“That’s none of your business.” I kept my voice flat, my expression colder than I felt. “Stick to your job and don’t worry about the rest.”

Liam blinked, visibly caught off guard, like he hadn’t expected that from me. “…Fine. Understood.”

He pulled the shirt off in one swift motion, folded it, and pressed it back into my hands. I let out a quiet breath, but the relief barely touched the knot in my chest.

I’d always been the one chasing Liam, the one coaxing, pushing, wheedling. Snapping at him like that was a first, and it sat badly in my stomach.

He’d probably freeze me out now and turn into a glorified appliance. But maybe that was for the best — there was never going to be anything between us anyway, beyond this arrangement.

Except that evening, Liam knocked on my bedroom door again.

He stood there holding a blanket, a pair of wolf ears perched on his head. My gaze dropped before I could stop it.

Liam hooked a finger under the hem of his shirt and tugged it up, slow and deliberate. A thin chain glinted against his skin, the cool metal trailing down past his waist, the small silver charm at the end swaying with the faintest movement.

I nearly stopped breathing.

It was the body chain I’d bought him. He had never once put it on.

I blinked hard, my throat going dry. Liam swallowed, turned his face slightly aside, and when he spoke, his voice came out tight and uneven.

“I know this one was definitely for me.”

“Y-yeah.” My resolve almost crumbled, but the customer service agent’s warning flashed through my mind just in time.

He was just a domestic model. He was only trying to appease his owner. The desire drained right out of me, like someone had pulled a plug.

Liam looked incredible, but he had no idea what showing up at my door dressed like that actually meant.

I waved him off, too tired to pretend it didn’t hurt. “Go back to your room. What I said yesterday still stands — you don’t need to force yourself to do this anymore.”

His shoulders slumped, but Liam’s face gave nothing away. Something stubborn crept into his voice.

“…Fine.”

“Good.” But just as he turned and started down the hall, I heard myself call after him.

Liam stopped. When he looked back, the hard line of his profile had softened, and something almost like hope flickered in his eyes.

“Set an extra plate for lunch tomorrow.”

Liam’s gaze searched mine, his voice dropping low. “Are you having someone over?”

“Mm-hmm.” I kept my tone casual, already fighting back the smile trying to break free. Nobody needed to know that “someone” was Ethan, arriving tomorrow.