I bought a fox fae.

The owner of Vulpyr Hall had been very clear. He was only here to help me get rich, nothing else.

A year later, my assets had skyrocketed to a billion.

But… Wasn’t he supposed to stay out of anything intimate?

Why did it feel like he wanted to get under my skin?

Vulpyr Hall had finally reopened for the year. Rumor was they were selling a batch of fox faes again.

By the time I rushed over, only one fox fae was left.

The owner practically dragged him out to meet me.

And wow.

Tall. Broad-shouldered. Sculpted features that were almost too perfect—like the kind of beauty that felt dangerous to look at for too long.

Shame he looked like he couldn’t care less about my existence. He only stared at me with a haughty, cold look.

The owner shot him a warning glance before turning to me with a salesman’s grin. “He’s the last one we’ve got. I’ll give you… ninety percent off.”

Ninety percent off? Yeah, that screamed something’s wrong with him.

Vulpyr Hall only opened once a year, specializing in ridiculously handsome, fully-trained fox faes. I’d come because I was stressed out of my mind and wanted something nice to distract myself with.

A ninety percent discount?

Either I was getting scammed, or he was defective.

The owner must’ve read my expression because he rushed to explain. “His training went a little… sideways. Most fox faes study how to please their owners. This one? He studied how to make money. Humans always wish for wealth, right? Well, he can help you get rich.”

Help me get rich?

Okay, that got my attention.

“Then why hasn’t anyone bought him?” I asked.

The owner rubbed his hands awkwardly. “Oh, he has been sold a few times. But the customers kept trying to get… intimate with him. He hated it, so he kept running away.”

So… he was pure? A chaste fox fae?

The owner added quickly, “We have a one-month return policy, no questions asked. Try him out. Just… if he helps you get rich, you can’t try anything physical with him, alright?”

I glanced at the fox fae again.

Well… since the owner said all that…

Fine. I’d take him.

⸻

I practically skipped home with my new fox fae in tow.

On the way, I tried to break the ice. “So… what’s your name?”

“Fennrick Thorne.”

That was a name befitting a haughty male lead in a CEO romance novel.

I grinned and stuck out my hand. “I’m Autumn Lockhart. Guess that makes me your new master!”

My friends always bragged about their fox faes who called them “Master” every so often. It sounded kind of amazing.

But Fennrick simply turned away, his voice cold and sharp, dripping with authority. “I’m not like them.”

A chill shot straight down my spine.

I quickly changed tactics, hand still awkwardly hovering in the air. “Okay… In that case, let’s be friends.”

He looked down at my hand like it offended him and snorted. “Don’t touch me. If you do, I’m going back.”

It was just a handshake. Was he for real?

Fine. If he wanted ice-cold, I could do ice-cold.

But honestly speaking, is it possible for Fennrick to make me wealthy?

I gave a faint, amused laugh. “So how do I know you can actually make me rich? What if the owner gave me a busted fox fae, took my money and fled?”

I meant to annoy him, but he didn’t even flinch.

He merely glanced at me with a look that was consisting of disdain, mockery and frozen daggers.

My heart throbbed, and I hurriedly averted my eyes.

Fox faes were trouble by design, weren’t they?

Just making eye contact with him made my heart flutter.

⸻

Once we got home, I couldn’t help asking, “So… when will you start making me rich?”

Without a word, Fennrick walked straight into the bathroom.

When he came out, his hair was dripping wet. Beads of water slid down his chest, and disappeared at the towel around his hips.

My brain short-circuited. I shook my head violently, resisting every feral urge in my body, and forced out the only words that mattered.

“Make me rich.”

He finished blow-drying his hair, sat on the couch with perfect posture, and switched the TV to the finance channel.

Only then did he speak.

“I’ll observe you for seven days. If you touch me during that time, I’m leaving. But if you pass the evaluation… I’ll make you filthy rich.”

I stared at Fennrick in silence.

Seriously… how full of himself was he?

However, I couldn’t deny my racing heartbeat.

At this point I was convinced Fennrick had hit me with some kind of fae glamour spell. Because I was, unfortunately, just a little obsessed with him.

I follow a ridiculous number of hot guy influencers, but none of them—and I mean none of them—looked like this fox fae.

Fennrick’s physique walked that razor‑thin line between sensual and elegant. It was a feast for my eyes.

If I could just touch-

Nope.

No.

Riches first. Physical contact later.

If I became a millionaire, I could find any man I wanted. That was how I comforted myself.

I marched into the bathroom, flinging one last line over my shoulder.

“Relax, sweetheart. I’m definitely not interested in you.”

When I came back out, wearing a tiny slip dress and towel‑drying my hair, my reflection in the hallway mirror was almost intimidating even to me.

I mean, come on. My looks weren’t exactly average. I refused to let a fox fae walk all over me in my own home.

But Fennrick didn’t even blink.

He just frowned slightly. “Miss Lockhart, you’re blocking my view of the television.”

…Wow. Okay. Fine.

The next seven days basically became a full‑on war of attrition.

When he lounged shirtless, I wore one of his oversized dress shirts.

When he went jogging in grey sweatpants, I would go for a swim in a bikini.

At dawn, he did ab workouts on the balcony. So I sat next to him and did core exercises.

Neither of us was willing to give in.

However, all that bravado on my end was an act.

When I saw my bestie’s fox fae, I nearly drooled.

Hers wasn’t “mistrained” like Fennrick. Sure, he was not as handsome, but his looks were still miles above any regular guy.

My bestie, Lila Merrick, was completely hooked. It took me a few days before she agreed to meet me.

While her fox fae prepared lunch, she whispered, “So? How’s yours? Is he good in bed?”

“…I’ve not tried that.”

“What?! Don’t be shy! They’re literally like toys made for our pleasure. You don’t need to feel guilty about anything!”

Right as she said that, her fox fae silently appeared behind us, eyes shimmering, lashes wet.

His lips trembled as he said, “Master… am I only a toy to you?”

The expression. The tone. Straight out of an incubus’ playbook.

Lila froze. She then casually stood up and said, “I was exaggerating. Why would I think that of you? You know how much I care about you.”

He ignored me completely and yanked her into his arms.

“Then show me.”

Lila peeked at me over his shoulder, silently telling me to leave.

Fine. I wouldn't be a third wheel.

⸻

When I got home, Fennrick was still watching the finance channel. His legs was spread out lazily, while his arm was draped over the back of the couch.

As I walked by, the angle of his shorts revealed the sharp line of his thigh disappearing into shadow.

A few days ago, I would’ve gotten myself a pair of black stockings and stretched a leg right in front of him just to mess with his head.

But after seeing Lila’s fox fae?

My mood was dead.

What was this miserable dry, flavorless existence I was living?

At least tomorrow marked day seven.

He said he’d make me rich. But if he couldn’t keep his words, I was absolutely going to devour him alive. One way or another, I was not walking away empty‑handed.

Just one more night. I could do it.

I ignored him, hopped in the shower, slipped into my ugly-but-comfy pajamas, and went straight to bed.

Fennrick came knocking a few times.

Once. “Do you want fruits?”

Twice. “How about milk?”

Thrice. “Autumn? Are you asleep?”

I snapped.

I threw the door open and pointed at him. “Knock again and I swear I’ll kiss you!”

His expression didn’t change. “Go ahead. Try it.”

…Was that a threat? Well, it worked.

I slammed the door shut and spent the next hour tossing and turning, completely unable to sleep.

At two in the morning, I thought I heard some weird noises on the balcony.

Curiosity got the better of me, but what did I see?

Fennrick, in nothing but boxer briefs, working out.

Wait. Who works out in the middle of the night?!

Right then, my phone buzzed with a voice note from Lila: “Babe… did you get home safe? I forgot to ask.”

Her voice was hoarse.

I’d been home for three hours.

They couldn’t just be finishing now, could they?

I typed nervously: “Does your fox fae ever wake up in the middle of the night to… workout?”

Two quick voice notes pinged back.

“The owner said fox faes have strong desires. If they can’t satisfy those desires, they get restless at night and workout to relieve themselves.

“Maybe you should try it with yours… hmm.”

…She’d been kissed again.

The sound alone was driving me crazy.

Add that to Fennrick’s taut, sculpted back under the balcony light?

I nearly lost my mind. Argh!

So I edged closer, pretending to be curious.

“Fennrick… what exactly are you doing?” I asked.

He jumped at my sudden presence, but quickly recovered his icy composure. “I’m working out.”

“Working out, huh? At this hour?” I stepped even closer and blew a hot breath over his ear.

Technically, I hadn’t touched him. So I didn’t break any rules.

He stood perfectly still, but the slight throb of his throat betrayed him.

I leaned even closer, exhaling deliberately against his throat. “Or… Are you having trouble sleeping? Why not, Mr. Thorne? Do you… want something?”

He froze completely, then stepped back, cheeks flushing crimson.

“Autumn, you…”

His voice caught and died off. His eyes, though, screamed frustration laced with embarrassment.

I raised my hands innocently and arched an eyebrow.

“See? Didn’t touch you.”

He grabbed his sweat-damp clothes from the floor and retreated to his room in a huff.

Only then did I notice the sheen of sweat glimmering on his skin under the dim light.

⸻

Seven days of observation was finally over.

At sunrise, I stormed into Fennrick’s room, voice booming, “Time for riches!”

He opened his eyes slowly, irritation flickering across his brow.

Fennrick looked exhausted. It looked as if he hadn’t slept a wink.

He scrolled through his phone and pulled up a news article. It was about a billionaire spending a fortune trying to find his lost dog.

“Contact him today,” he said lazily, stretching, “I’ll go find the dog in a bit.”

I hesitated. “Can you really locate this dog?”

Fennrick gave me a single, sharp glance.

After some thought, I didn’t call the billionaire. What if Fennrick failed, or the billionaire got annoyed and cut me off from the money…

That was the reality for the average joe. We couldn't afford to take risk.

But then, Fennrick found the dog.

The billionaire, completely thrilled, hugged the dog and wired ten million dollars straight into my account.

I counted again and again. My bank balance was now eight digits. My jaw dropped.

Fennrick wasn’t lying.

He wasn’t a fox fae. He’s a living, breathing god of wealth!

I vowed to never disrespect him again. From then on, I’d treat him like he was my god!

And yet, Fennrick still wanted to play his little games.

After his morning shower, he left his freshly-dried shirt in plain view. I dutifully ironed it and tucked it back into the closet.

He glanced at my frumpy pajamas and frowned.

“Why aren’t you wearing my shirt anymore?”

“Do you… want me to?”

“…No.”

Okay, so what’s the issue?

“Mr. Thorne, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do from now onward.”

He lifted an eyebrow, half-amused. “You’re surprisingly considerate.”

“Of course I am.”

He returned his gaze to the TV, flipping through channels like he couldn’t find anything worth watching.