He Exchanged The Wrong Monster Chapter 2

The moment he said those words, Harrison became the most beautiful man I’d ever seen.

I wiped my mouth, unable to resist the lure of a lifetime supply of gourmet meals. "Fine. Deal."

I moved out of the dorms and into a sprawling estate Harrison bought for me. He hired two professional chefs who prepared a feast every single night.

I called my mother while gnawing on a roasted duck leg. "Mom, look! I have a boyfriend. He bought me a house, and he covers all the catering. I'm retired."

My mother sounded skeptical. "Sera, are you sure you aren't being scammed? Humans don't just give away free food."

I pulled a perfectly clean bone from my mouth. "I don't think so. He’s great. Room, board, and a huge monthly allowance. He's way more generous than you ever were."

"Watch yourself," she muttered. "Men have hidden faces. If things get dangerous, you shift and you run. Understand?"

"I’ve got it under control," I said, waving her off.

The sunlight caught the diamonds on my new bracelet, nearly blinding her through the screen. She squinted. "He bought that too?"

I nodded.

A look of realization dawned on her face. "Sera... you’re a kept woman. He’s 'maintaining' you."

"Maintaining?" I tilted my head, trying to find the right human term. "Is that like being a pet? Like a... domestic animal?"

I wasn't sure. I was a snake. Being "maintained" sounded a bit weird, but being "fed and housed" made perfect sense for a predator of my stature.

"Whatever it is," my mom said, "if he’s giving you that much money, Venmo me a few hundred. I just learned how to use Amazon, and I need some gardening supplies."

It was pathetic how poor she was after four centuries. I transferred ten thousand to her account. "Spend it. Let me know when you need more."

She practically teared up. "My daughter, the success story."

For four years, I lived a life of pampered luxury. There were rumors at the university about my "arrangement," but Harrison shut them down by publicly declaring me his girlfriend. He treated me well, so I tried to be a good partner in return.

Two years ago, Harrison’s business rivals kidnapped him. I tracked them to an old cannery and took them out single-handedly. His right hand had been crushed in the struggle. To heal him, I exhausted nearly all my spiritual essence—the energy that allowed me to keep my human form. I barely managed to drag him to safety before I felt my skin start to itch and tighten.

Luckily, he was unconscious. He never saw me revert to the twenty-foot monster that I was. If he had, he would have been horrified.

Now, lying in the dirt of the warehouse, I thought back to a few weeks ago. Harrison had taken me to a high-society gala, claiming he wanted to finally introduce me to his inner circle.

I remembered the way they looked at me when I entered the room—like I was a cheap knockoff in a designer dress.

They didn't even try to hide their whispers.

"I told you Harrison couldn't get over Isabelle. Look at that face. It’s a mirror image."

"She’s a total rube, though. No class. Isabelle had grace. This girl looks like she’s just happy to be invited."

"Isabelle is coming back next month. I wonder how fast he’ll dump the placeholder."

I didn't understand all their metaphors, but I understood the venom.

Harrison’s face had darkened. "That’s enough. Sera is my guest. If anyone has a problem with her, they have a problem with me."

The room went quiet, but the atmosphere remained cold. Later, while Harrison was distracted, a woman in a gown that cost more than my first car cornered me near the restrooms.

"Don't get comfortable," she sneered. "You’re a distraction. A way for him to spite Isabelle for leaving. When the real thing comes home, the counterfeit gets tossed in the trash."