The Ten-Million-Dollar Lullaby Chapter 2

Liam and I grew up together. We were the high school sweethearts everyone envied.

Everything changed the year Liam's startup failed during our junior year of college.

He needed a huge sum of money to balance the books. It was a debt our middle-class families couldn't pay even if we sold everything we owned.

At that time, Christian Vance, the "Crown Prince" of the city's wealthiest family, posted a job listing.

— Ten million dollars for a "Sleep Companion."

Requirements: Same age, same school. Consistent winner of speech contests since elementary school. Currently working at the campus radio station.

He even specified height, weight, and hairstyle.

It was detailed enough that he might as well have written my name.

The campus forum exploded.

Someone leaked that the Prince indeed suffered from severe insomnia. But hiring a "sleep companion" instead of seeing a doctor? What was that about?

Most people thought it was just his way of pursuing me.

Just as I was about to go clarify things with Christian, Liam stopped me.

He said, "Sarah, I've never asked you for anything growing up."

"This time, only you can save me."

...

"What are you standing there thinking about?"

Christian grabbed my waist and lifted me into the car with one arm.

"Is everyone at your station dead?"

He held my cold hands, his face dark enough to drip ink.

"Is a small interview like this worth leaving me and standing in the cold wind?"

"Don't tell me it was to see some long-lost childhood brother?"

I was about to explain.

A spoon was shoved into my mouth.

Christian held a thermos of pear soup, looking fierce.

"Before you finish this soup, don't say a word!"

By the time I was allowed to speak, the car had arrived at his residence.

Christian silently dragged me to the dining table and forced me to eat an extra half bowl of rice.

"I've fed you for three years and you still lost a pound."

"People will think I'm abusing you!"

As he spoke, he pulled out a book from somewhere.

"Tonight, I want to hear this one!"

It was the fairy tale I read when we first met three years ago.

The Little Mermaid.