TEMPTING THE TYCOON

Aria's POV

My eyes zoned in on my laptop screen as I searched for a hall to celebrate my fourth anniversary with my husband, Ethan . Next, tomorrow was the set date. I had already hired the best caterer in the state and one of the most famous bartenders. It was guaranteed to be spot on.

“Perfect,” I muttered, saving a picture of the hall for reference later. Ethan and I always celebrated our marriage anniversary with a huge banquet, and this year, it was no different. Every single social elite in town would attend, so I had to make sure everything was prim and proper.

The unmistakable perch of Louisa's heels on the tiles drew closer as she approached the dining room with her mom sauntering behind. The smug look on their face was seen beneath the white chandelier.

“Sign it bitch.” Louisa slammed the brown envelope on the white marble table, the thud snapping my thoughts out of my head.

My neck craned and my eyes flickered between the envelope, Louisa, and Tracy. “What's this?”

Louisa was my sister-in-law and Tracy was my mother-in-law. But they both despised and treated me like I was filth. I probably was to them, since I came from their own words

“wretched background.”

Louisa snickered. “They're your divorce papers. Time's up, you gold-digging slut.” She folded her arms as she cocked her hip.

Tracy stood behind like some sort of bodyguard. She wrinkled her nose. Oh, she always wrinkles her nose when I am close by. She had told me I smelt like poverty.

“What?” I snatched the envelope; its roughness grazed against my fingertip. Opening it I pulled out the white paper. My eyes dragged to the bottom of the paper, where Ethan 's signature was unmistakably seen. My eyes fluttered. The blood drained from my face as it turned pale and my heart thudded against my rib cage.

“What is the meaning of this?” I asked, the strain in my voice not going unnoticed.

Louisa stared daggers into my soul. “Divorce as in you should get your sorry ass up, and leave. My brother is fucking done with your slutty nature.” She snarled. She went round the table and forced a pen into my hands.

My head became hazy as I attempted to make sense of what was happening. Ethan And I saw each other this morning. We were fine this morning. So why so sudden?

“What are you waiting for? Sign it you whore!” Tracy strutted towards me, moving closer to probably slam my face on the desk like she always did.

I slithered out of the chair before she caught up. Tracy growled in annoyance, but my mind was elsewhere.

I shook my head. “It can’t be,” I muttered, inching backward till I leaned on the dark brown sideboard against the off-white wall.

“Stop being so dramatic and sign these papers,” Louisa yelled, tapping her foot against the white marbled floor.

My eyes tore at them. “I'll wait for Ethan to get back.”

Louisa and Tracy had always hated our union. They had made several attempts over the years to ruin it, introducing their friend and friend’s daughter respectively to him. I have been accused of atrocities I couldn't dare to commit. This was probably one of their schemes.

Tracy grimaced as she approached me. The high-pitched smack sliced through the silence as she struck my face. “Are you calling us liars?” Her voice was as cold as ice.

My face turned red and tears pricked at the corner of my eyes. Was it because of the slap or the divorce papers that taunted me from the table? That I didn’t know.

Ethan loved me. There’s no way he would do that. This has to be their doing. Ethan Always protected me from them. I have to wait for him.

Louisa and Tracy didn't say anything more, just left the room with devilish grins on their faces.

.

.

Two hours of pacing back and forth the living room came to an end when the familiar rev struggled beneath the clatter of the rain as Ethan ’s car pulled into the driveway.

My sore fingers from all the biting clenched tighter on the paper as I stomped toward the front door, anticipation and trepidation flooding my veins. “Ethan , what are these?” I held up the papers.

“Divorce papers.” A cold expression rested on his face—one that sent chills down my spine—as he shrugged off his partially drenched coat and tossed it on the white sofa. “Your services are no longer needed.”

His words punched the air out of my lungs. I thought he….loved me. Although it was a contract marriage, I thought what we had was real. Was it all an act for the cameras? It was just three days to our anniversary.

“Ethan ...why would…”My words hung in my pain-constrained throat.

“Because he doesn't want you anymore, you witch! What don't you understand?” Louisa yelled from below the stairs, clearly enjoying what was happening.

Ignoring her presence, my reddened eyes stared at Ethan . “Please talk to me. I don't understand. Why the sudden change of heart Ethan ?” My chest burnt, and I knew it was more than just the heartache—I was losing it.

He sighed, and my bones froze.

I hated that sigh.

It meant he wanted to say something bad, as in bad. “It's not a game, Aria. You should sign the papers and leave. I have no use for you anymore.”

The air hung, heavy with the cold.

My heart shattered, the tiny cracks pierced deep into my bones, engraving pain. Blood rushed to my ears, and my head felt light and woozy. It felt like I was in a dream…a nightmare.

Tracy ambled into the living room. She tossed the pen at me. “Sign the papers and get out of my son’s house.”

The terms of the contract slipped in; I act as his wife and he pays my mother’s bills.

I swallowed hard as a different kind of chill dashed down my spine. I faced Ethan . “What about my mother?”

“She gets nothing. The contract is done. Leave.” Ethan ’s tone was cold and ruthless.

My eyes widened and self-honor fled as I collapsed on my knees, holding his leg like he was some sort of god—savior. Tears as hot as hell, dribbled down my cheeks burning the depth of my skin. “Please. Ethan , you are all I have.” My voice quivered.

Ethan Pulled his legs away as he groaned in disdain.

“Leave you wretched slut. Ethan Has found someone befitting for his caliber. Bethany, the daughter of conglomerate tycoon Walter Reed. She would be a much better wife than your filthy self.” Louisa grinned

I glanced at Ethan, and his expression told me all I needed to know.

Almost immediately, thunder boomed outside and the downpour became heavy.

This was because of another woman. It would never be good enough for me. I could never fit into his world.

Picking my shattered heart, I rose off the floor. “Fine. I'll sign it.” I grabbed the pen and wiped the tears off my face. But it only poured out more, as heavy as the rain outside, soaking the divorce papers spread before me on the black coffee table.

With a sharp inhale, I signed the papers. After all, it was my fault—I got too fucking comfortable. I mistook an illusion for reality.

Shunning the happiness that outlined Tracy and Louisa's faces, I handed over the papers to Ethan. “I'll pack my things.”

Tracy sneered. “What things are you talking about? The things my son got for you? Oh no, no sweetheart. You came here with nothing, so you leave with nothing.”

Louisa giggled in agreement.

I turned to Ethan, who said nothing. Who did nothing… But when he did, he commanded, “Get her out of here.” He turned to the security man who I hadn't noticed standing on opposite sides of the door. I widened my eyes in disbelief. He wouldn't. “Now!”

Within seconds, the man gripped me by my wrist as though I could fly away at any moment. His rough calloused hand bruised my skin. I winced as he pulled me out of the house into the rain with no money, not even a cab fare to get to my house on the other side of the city.

He tossed me outside the gate. I winced as my knees and elbows grazed against the wet, cold tarred ground. The chains clinked as the security man locked the gate.

I remained on the floor before the gate, like a sinner cast out of heaven—for sins I knew not.

After a while I rose to my feet, like a zombie, I trudged beneath the pouring rain. It splattered on my skin as if I was a punching bag for its agony. The blisters formed on my barefoot with each step. The death-freezing cold couldn’t cure the haunting heat in my chest.

I hugged myself and my teeth jittered as the coldness devoured any form of warmth in me.

Before long, a black Ferrari pulled out of nowhere beside me. The tinted glass window slid down gracefully, revealing a man with hair as black as a sky with no moon, and a face chiseled to perfection. “What's a damsel doing under the pouring rain? Let me give you a lift?”

How could something cold stir up something warm? Impossible, right?

Yet, his cold blue-hazel eyes brewed a scorching heat, one that burned my cold breath—burned through my skin, my muscles till I felt the warmth in my bones.

I had seen this face before, I recalled through the fog of pain that had clouded my thoughts. I narrowed my eyes at him and gasped lightly.

It was Julian Edmund, the biggest conglomerate CEO in New York, and Ethan's direct business rival.