Chapter 22
**Aiden’s POV p>
As the sun dipped low in the sky, painting the office with hues of orange and gold, I found myself buried under a mountain of quarterly reports. The soft hum of the fluorescent lights above was a stark contrast to the chaos swirling in my mind. Just as I was about to lose myself in another spreadsheet, Lucas burst into my office without so much as a knock.
“Sir, you might want to take a look at this,” he said, his voice laced with urgency as he set his tablet down in front of me. “Miss Jones has just responded to Sophia Clarke’s statement p>
I leaned forward, curiosity piqued. As I scrolled through Sophia’s feeble attempt at damage control-her insincere apologies dripping with crocodile tears-I felt a wave of disdain wash over me. Classic manipulation, I thought, but it was Aria’s response that truly captured my attention: a straightforward audio recording that obliterated Sophia’s meticulously crafted facade.
A grin tugged at the corners of my mouth, an unexpected pleasure blooming within me.
Watching Aria rise from the ashes of Liam’s betrayal was turning out to be far more gratifying than I had anticipated.
“It’s trending, sir,” Lucas continued, pulling up the analytics with a flourish. “Her post is gaining traction at an astonishing rate p>
“Ensure it reaches the top spot,” I commanded, my eyes scanning the numbers with keen interest. “I want everyone to hear this p>
“Already on it. Our media team is working to amplify it across all platforms,” he replied, his enthusiasm infectious.
I nodded in approval, my fingers dancing over the comments that were flooding in. Public sentiment was shifting dramatically, the tide now overwhelmingly in Aria’s favor.
“And keep it trending. If we need to increase the budget, do it. I want this audio to be the first thing people see when they wake up and check their apps tomorrow morning p>
“Understood,” Lucas said, his expression a mix of determination and excitement.
As he turned to leave, a sudden thought struck me like a bolt of lightning. I needed
to set boundaries with Aria; things were spiraling out of control. What was I even doing?
“Lucas, wait p>
He paused, turning back with a quizzical look. “Sir p>
I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. This wasn’t about Aria-it was about dismantling Liam White. The fact that it was benefiting her was merely a side effect. “Nothing. Continue as planned p>
He nodded briefly and turned to leave, but I noticed him linger, a flicker of concern in his eyes as if he sensed something deeper was troubling me.
“Something else?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.
“Yes, sir. Mr. White’s team has been reaching out to our contacts at the social media platforms. They’re trying to get the audio removed and suppress the trending topic p>
I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it. “Of course they are. And p>
“They were informed that it won’t be possible at this time,” Lucas replied, barely concealing a smirk. “Apparently, there’s… technical difficulty p>
“How unfortunate for them,” I said dryly, a wicked grin spreading across my face. “Make sure those technical difficulties persist p>
Just then, my phone buzzed—a call from our tech department. I switched it to speaker mode.
“Mr. Carter, we’ve detected multiple attempts to access our systems from an IP address traced back to White Industries p>
“Interesting,” I replied, my tone calm and collected. “Fortify our firewalls and document every attempt. We may need this information later p>
“Yes, sir p>
After hanging up, I turned my attention back to Lucas. “It seems Liam is becoming desperate p>
“Very,” Lucas said, his voice tinged with amusement. He hesitated before adding, “There’s something else. We’ve received a request for a meeting from White’s team. They want to discuss ‘mutual public relations concerns p>
“And Lucas? Relay a message to White’s team. Tell them if they persist in these pathetic attempts to silence Miss Jones, I will personally ensure that every piece of dirt we have on him and his precious Sophia is released to the press p>
Lucas nodded, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes. “With pleasure, sir p>
Once he left, I picked up my phone and dialed Aria’s number. She answered after a few rings, her voice soft and weary.
“Don’t forget about tomorrow,” I reminded her quietly, referring to our planned visit to my grandmother. “She’s expecting you p>
“I won’t,” she replied, her tone laced with fatigue.
The sound of her voice sent a jolt through my body, dragging my mind back to the dream I’d had earlier. The way her body had fit against mine, her scent enveloping me like a warm embrace.
I craved to hear that sound again—I wanted to be the one to draw it from her.
My grip on the phone tightened as heat pooled low in my abdomen. “Goodnight,
Aria,” I managed to say, my voice rougher than I intended.
“Goodnight,” she whispered back, her words wrapping around me like silk.
I hung up abruptly, tossing the phone onto my desk and leaning back in my chair with a frustrated exhale.
My body was responding in ways I hadn’t anticipated my desire throbbing painfully against my zipper. Christ, just hearing her voice was enough to make me hard. This was becoming pathetic.
Had it genuinely been that long since I’d been with someone?
I retrieved my phone again, scrolling through my contacts until I found her-Victoria,
a high-end model I’d shared my penthouse with several months ago. No strings, no complications. Exactly what I needed to purge thoughts of Aria from my mind.
Victoria answered on the second ring, her voice dropping into that practiced seductive purr.
“Aiden… what a delicious surprise p>
“I need you. Tonight.” I wasted no time with pleasantries.
“For you? My legs are already spread p>
Twenty minutes later, I was standing at her door. She answered, clad in nothing but black lace that barely concealed her assets, her body still as flawless as I remembered.
“I’ve been waiting for your call,” she purred, pressing her perfect breasts against my chest as I stepped inside.
I didn’t bother with a response, grabbing a fistful of her hair and kissing her fiercely, hard enough to leave a mark. She moaned appreciatively, her manicured fingers deftly working my belt open with practiced efficiency.
“I want that thick cock inside me,” she whispered, dropping to her knees and looking up at me with those calculated bedroom eyes.
But something felt… off. Her perfume was cloying, artificial. When I closed my eyes as she unzipped me, all I could see was Aria.
Victoria’s mouth wrapped around me, her technique flawless as always. But instead of losing myself in pleasure, my mind drifted elsewhere. This expensive distraction wasn’t working.
My body responded—how could it not? But in my mind, it wasn’t Victoria on her knees; it was Aria, gazing up at me with those innocent eyes while doing something decidedly not innocent.
“You like that, don’t you?” Victoria murmured, her voice slicing through my haze of arousal like ice water. “I bet that frigid wife of yours doesn’t do this for you. Poor baby p>
Her words cut deep, snapping me back to reality. I grabbed her shoulder and pushed her back.
“Stop,” I commanded, my voice sharp as I stepped back and adjusted my clothing.
She looked up at me, confusion etched on her perfect features. “What’s wrong? Did
I do something p>
“This was a mistake. Get up p>
“Are you fucking serious?” Her confusion morphed into fury. “You can’t just p>
“I can, and I am.” I pulled out my checkbook, scribbled an amount that would buy her silence, and tossed it onto her glass coffee table. “For wasting your time p>
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Take your pathetic money and get out. Clearly, you can’t get it up anymore p>
I slammed her door hard enough to make the frame shudder. As I walked back to my car, rage bubbled within me with each step. What the hell was wrong with me? Victoria was exactly the type I usually pursued—gorgeous, skilled, and easily dismissed afterward.
Yet all I could think about was Aria Jones. Her timid smile. The subtle vanilla scent of her skin. The way she bit her lip when nervous.
I drove back to my penthouse, my grip on the steering wheel tightening to the point
of pain. This had to end. Aria was merely a business arrangement, nothing more. The fact that I couldn’t get her out of my head couldn’t even enjoy another woman’s mouth on my cock-was becoming a serious issue.
I needed a distraction. Or at least another voice in my head besides my own.
I dialed Ethan Reynolds-the only person who might understand my current predicament without making it into a bigger mess than it already was.
“Tell me you’re not busy,” I demanded when he answered.
“For you? Never too busy,” Ethan replied, amusement dancing in his voice. “Boardwalk Club in twenty p>
“Make it ten p>
The private back room at Boardwalk was exactly what I needed—dark, quiet, and serving the kind of whiskey that burned away thoughts. Ethan was already there when I arrived, lounging in our usual corner booth, a glass dangling from his fingers. “You look like shit,” he observed, raising his glass in mock salute. “Marital bliss not working out p>
“Fuck off,” I growled, signaling the bartender for a double.
Ethan Reynolds, heir to Reynolds Industries and my closest friend since boarding school, lived a carefree life that came with being the second son. While his older brother Henry bore the weight of the family empire, Ethan enjoyed the privileges without the responsibilities. So he was a playboy.
“Trouble in paradise already?” He smirked, leaning back casually. “Can’t say I’m surprised. Marriage was never going to suit you p>
I downed my drink in one go, welcoming the burn as it slid down my throat. “It’s not
the marriage that’s the problem p>
Ethan’s eyebrows shot up. “Do tell p>
“I can’t get her out of my fucking head.” The admission felt like gravel in my throat.
“It’s becoming a problem p>
“Who? Your wife?” He looked genuinely shocked.
I hesitated, then recounted my experience with Victoria—the failed distraction, the intrusive thoughts, the humiliating retreat.
Ethan listened without interrupting, an unusual silence that was concerning. When I
finished, he let out a low whistle.
“You’ve got it bad, my friend p>
“I don’t ‘got’ anything,” I snapped. “It’s just inconvenient.” “Bullshit.” He laughed, the sound grating against my already frayed nerves. “The great Aiden Carter-who once fucked twins during a board meeting break-couldn’t get it up for Victoria Simmons? Because he was thinking about his wife? That’s not inconvenient; that’s historic p>
“Are you done?” I growled, irritation bubbling just beneath the surface.
“Not even close.” He topped off my glass. “Look, why are you fighting this so hard? You’re married to her. She’s technically yours. What’s stopping you p>
I raked a hand through my hair, frustration mounting.
“This isn’t supposed to happen. It’s a business deal. She was never meant to get in
my head p>
He held up a hand, his expression serious. “God knows I’ve never made it past
brunch with the same woman twice. But you?” He pointed at me, his gaze intense. “You married her p>
“Why not give it a shot? Worst-case scenario? She breaks your heart, and we get to do this again in Mykonos with better liquor and worse decisions. Best-case? You stop looking like someone ran over your dog every time her name comes up p>
“You’re the worst fucking advisor,” I muttered, though there was no real heat in my words.
I didn’t answer; instead, I poured another drink, the amber liquid swirling in the
glass.
Because the worst part was-I wanted to try.
Maybe this could turn into something real?