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Chapter 38: The Morning After
Last Updated:
2025-04-28 23:58:55
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The Price of A Bet Chapter 39: The Storm We Began
The rain-tossed world outside was gray and shaking, but within Ethan's arms, Vivian was warm for the first time.For a few precious minutes, they just stood there in the doorway, clinging to each other like shipwreck survivors.Breathing each other in.Recalling.Vivian didn't want to move.Didn't want to break the magic.But the real world, as always, was in no mood to wait.Her phone buzzed wildly in her coat pocket. Again. And again.Ethan recoiled, his face darkening.Vivian pulled out her phone.Forty-two missed calls.Texts upon texts piling up like a tidal wave.From her mother. Her father. Daniel.Her chest tightened painfully.She knew what they were saying without even looking.Where are you?What are you doing?Come back now.**You don't have to answer them,**" Ethan breathed, his gaze on her face.Vivian hesitated.The weight of years of obedience was crushing her shoulders.But then she remembered the dead-eyed girl looking back at her in the mirror at the dress fitting.
Last Updated : 2025-04-29The Price of A Bet Chapter 40: Constructing Dreams Out of Ruins
The rain continued unabated.It beat against the hood of Ethan's truck like an angry drummer as they cruised through the tight streets, out of the gold cage of Vivian's past and into a future she and Ethan could barely imagine.Vivian hugged herself, looking out the window.She had no suitcase. No clothes. No clue.Nothing but the clothes on her back, the shattered phone in her pocket, and the boy sitting next to her.But for the first time in her life, she didn't feel trapped by what she lacked.She felt free.Ethan's hand brushed against hers along the bench, hesitant.Vivian intertwined their fingers without hesitation.He smiled, weak, tired smile, and squeezed.They traveled in silence for a great length of time, the only sound the repetitive slap of the windshield wipers and the rush of water underneath the tires.Finally, Ethan cleared his throat.**"There's not much at my place,"** he said. **"But it's dry. And it's ours."**Vivian's throat tightened.**Ours.**As if a promise
Last Updated : 2025-04-29The Price of A Bet Chapter 41: Bread and Battles
The sun beamed through the filthy blinds, casting lines of illumination across Ethan's chest. Vivian awoke, her eyes squeezed shut against the light, and sat up on the edge of the bed. The apartment was quiet save for the soft groan of the ceiling fan and the distant honk of traffic below.For the first time in days, she slept peacefully, without a feeling of foreboding closing her chest.No yelling downstairs.No calls from her mom.No threats.Just Ethan.She opened her eyes and stretched, muscles sore from sleeping in a new bed, but heart somehow at peace.Behind her, Ethan groaned and rolled over, face planted in the pillow. His words were muffled but teasing.**"You get up early nowadays? Who are you and what have you done with Vivian?"**Vivian smiled, her voice gentle but playfully protective.**"I didn't exactly sleep well with your arm lying across my entire back."**He sat up and screwed his eyes at her.**"You mean my loving hug?"****I mean your Hulk-strength grip,** she s
Last Updated : 2025-05-03The Price of A Bet Chapter 42: Shadows of the Past
Vivian rested against the counter of Rose's Diner, wiping down a stack of menus for the hundredth time that morning. Her apron was sticky with syrup and sneakers stuck to the greasy floor slightly whenever she moved her weight. She didn't mind. The sore in her calves and the numb tingling in her shoulders felt like badges of pride. For the first time ever, she was starting something from scratch.The doorbell over the door buzzed, and she was distracted from the menus. Her smile, now second nature, dropped like a reflex onto her lips."Morning! Booth or counter?"The tall, mid-forties, charcoal suit-wearing man who strode in was conspicuous as a bruise in the modest diner. His hair was slicked, his shoes gleamed, and the very atmosphere around him appeared to weep money.His gaze locked onto hers.Vivian's stomach dropped."Ms. Blake," he said coldly.Her hold on the menus was a vice.No. Not here. Not now."You're mistaken," she replied tightly. "I believe there's been some confusion
Last Updated : 2025-05-06The Price of A Bet Chapter 43: Reckless Heart
Vivian sat alone in her apartment, huddled on the couch cushion, knees drawn up to her chin. The city's light filtered through the high windows, creeping into the room in broken reflections off the polished hardwood floors. A half-full cup of tea had cooled next to her, left behind. Her phone lay on the coffee table, its screen dark, though she hadn't ceased checking it every five minutes.Ethan hadn't called.After everything that had happened—the kisses, the declarations, the emotional tug of war and push—no calls. Not since the last good-bye they'd shared at the train station with surreptitious touches and aching hearts. She'd told him she needed space, clarity. Clarity was a punishment now.Her heart thudded with a weight she could not define. Vivian had built walls her whole life, tough and impenetrable, made of rules, reputation, and control. Ethan had burst into her life with a tempest, with his wild heart, and shattered everything she believed she knew about herself.She recal
Last Updated : 2025-05-06The Price of A Bet Chapter 44: Frail Truths
Evening was a gossamer skim stretched over raw emotion. Ethan and Vivian didn't say much after returning to her apartment. Residue of the confrontation with Daniel hung in the air—rich, intricate, and trembling with unspokens.Vivian had her arms crossed over her chest standing by the window, watching the city lights shine in the distance. The tension between them vibrated with warmth, but not with passion, but with strain. Ethan remained in the doorway, his jaw set, smoothing his hair back with his fingers as he stood there and watched her."You haven't spoken since we left," he breathed finally, his voice low and husky.Vivian spun away from him, her eyes obscured. "What do you want me to say to you, Ethan? That I was humiliated? That my father hates me? That Daniel treated me like some. stranger in his life?"Ethan stepped off the door, advancing on her with slow, deliberate steps. "You don't owe anyone an explanation. You don't owe anyone anything—not him, not your father."She la
Last Updated : 2025-05-07The Price of A Bet Chapter 1: New Obsession
Ethan Carter leaned back in his seat, arms folded behind his head, a smug smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. The usual monotony of senior year had just been shattered the moment she walked in.Ms. Vivian Hayes.She wasn’t like the other teachers—dull, uninspiring, predictable. No, she was something else entirely. She carried herself with a quiet confidence, her deep brown eyes scanning the room with authority. Her fitted blouse accentuated every curve, her pencil skirt hugging her hips in a way that made Ethan’s mind drift to places it shouldn’t.He exhaled slowly, watching her every movement as she placed her books on the desk. Her auburn hair cascaded over one shoulder, catching the sunlight streaming through the window, making her look almost ethereal. A slow, predatory grin spread across his face.“Well, well,” he murmured under his breath. “Looks like Lit class just got interesting.”His best friend, Jason, nudged him. “Dude, are you seeing what I’m seeing?”Ethan chuckled,
Last Updated : 2025-03-17The Price of A Bet Chapter 2: The Bet
Ethan Carter slumped lazily against the worn leather booth in the back of King’s Diner, the usual Friday night hangout spot for him and his friends. The place smelled like greasy burgers and burnt coffee, but Ethan barely noticed. His mind was still reeling from his first encounter with Ms. Hayes. The woman was something else—elegant, composed, and completely immune to his charm.For now.“You’re unusually quiet, Carter,” Jason smirked, tossing a crumpled napkin at him. “What, the new teacher got you all hot and bothered?”Ethan scoffed, grabbing his soda and taking a slow sip. “She’s just a challenge,” he admitted, voice laced with confidence. “And you know I don’t back down from challenges.”Tyler, the cockiest of the group, leaned in, his dark eyes glinting with mischief. “Oh yeah? Prove it.”Ethan raised a brow. “Prove what?”“Seduce her.”A slow, wicked grin spread across Ethan’s face. “Is that so?”Jason chuckled. “No way in hell you can pull that off, man. She’s a teacher. She’
Last Updated : 2025-03-17
Latest chapter
The Price of A Bet Chapter 44: Frail Truths
Evening was a gossamer skim stretched over raw emotion. Ethan and Vivian didn't say much after returning to her apartment. Residue of the confrontation with Daniel hung in the air—rich, intricate, and trembling with unspokens.Vivian had her arms crossed over her chest standing by the window, watching the city lights shine in the distance. The tension between them vibrated with warmth, but not with passion, but with strain. Ethan remained in the doorway, his jaw set, smoothing his hair back with his fingers as he stood there and watched her."You haven't spoken since we left," he breathed finally, his voice low and husky.Vivian spun away from him, her eyes obscured. "What do you want me to say to you, Ethan? That I was humiliated? That my father hates me? That Daniel treated me like some. stranger in his life?"Ethan stepped off the door, advancing on her with slow, deliberate steps. "You don't owe anyone an explanation. You don't owe anyone anything—not him, not your father."She la
The Price of A Bet Chapter 43: Reckless Heart
Vivian sat alone in her apartment, huddled on the couch cushion, knees drawn up to her chin. The city's light filtered through the high windows, creeping into the room in broken reflections off the polished hardwood floors. A half-full cup of tea had cooled next to her, left behind. Her phone lay on the coffee table, its screen dark, though she hadn't ceased checking it every five minutes.Ethan hadn't called.After everything that had happened—the kisses, the declarations, the emotional tug of war and push—no calls. Not since the last good-bye they'd shared at the train station with surreptitious touches and aching hearts. She'd told him she needed space, clarity. Clarity was a punishment now.Her heart thudded with a weight she could not define. Vivian had built walls her whole life, tough and impenetrable, made of rules, reputation, and control. Ethan had burst into her life with a tempest, with his wild heart, and shattered everything she believed she knew about herself.She recal
The Price of A Bet Chapter 42: Shadows of the Past
Vivian rested against the counter of Rose's Diner, wiping down a stack of menus for the hundredth time that morning. Her apron was sticky with syrup and sneakers stuck to the greasy floor slightly whenever she moved her weight. She didn't mind. The sore in her calves and the numb tingling in her shoulders felt like badges of pride. For the first time ever, she was starting something from scratch.The doorbell over the door buzzed, and she was distracted from the menus. Her smile, now second nature, dropped like a reflex onto her lips."Morning! Booth or counter?"The tall, mid-forties, charcoal suit-wearing man who strode in was conspicuous as a bruise in the modest diner. His hair was slicked, his shoes gleamed, and the very atmosphere around him appeared to weep money.His gaze locked onto hers.Vivian's stomach dropped."Ms. Blake," he said coldly.Her hold on the menus was a vice.No. Not here. Not now."You're mistaken," she replied tightly. "I believe there's been some confusion
The Price of A Bet Chapter 41: Bread and Battles
The sun beamed through the filthy blinds, casting lines of illumination across Ethan's chest. Vivian awoke, her eyes squeezed shut against the light, and sat up on the edge of the bed. The apartment was quiet save for the soft groan of the ceiling fan and the distant honk of traffic below.For the first time in days, she slept peacefully, without a feeling of foreboding closing her chest.No yelling downstairs.No calls from her mom.No threats.Just Ethan.She opened her eyes and stretched, muscles sore from sleeping in a new bed, but heart somehow at peace.Behind her, Ethan groaned and rolled over, face planted in the pillow. His words were muffled but teasing.**"You get up early nowadays? Who are you and what have you done with Vivian?"**Vivian smiled, her voice gentle but playfully protective.**"I didn't exactly sleep well with your arm lying across my entire back."**He sat up and screwed his eyes at her.**"You mean my loving hug?"****I mean your Hulk-strength grip,** she s
The Price of A Bet Chapter 40: Constructing Dreams Out of Ruins
The rain continued unabated.It beat against the hood of Ethan's truck like an angry drummer as they cruised through the tight streets, out of the gold cage of Vivian's past and into a future she and Ethan could barely imagine.Vivian hugged herself, looking out the window.She had no suitcase. No clothes. No clue.Nothing but the clothes on her back, the shattered phone in her pocket, and the boy sitting next to her.But for the first time in her life, she didn't feel trapped by what she lacked.She felt free.Ethan's hand brushed against hers along the bench, hesitant.Vivian intertwined their fingers without hesitation.He smiled, weak, tired smile, and squeezed.They traveled in silence for a great length of time, the only sound the repetitive slap of the windshield wipers and the rush of water underneath the tires.Finally, Ethan cleared his throat.**"There's not much at my place,"** he said. **"But it's dry. And it's ours."**Vivian's throat tightened.**Ours.**As if a promise
The Price of A Bet Chapter 39: The Storm We Began
The rain-tossed world outside was gray and shaking, but within Ethan's arms, Vivian was warm for the first time.For a few precious minutes, they just stood there in the doorway, clinging to each other like shipwreck survivors.Breathing each other in.Recalling.Vivian didn't want to move.Didn't want to break the magic.But the real world, as always, was in no mood to wait.Her phone buzzed wildly in her coat pocket. Again. And again.Ethan recoiled, his face darkening.Vivian pulled out her phone.Forty-two missed calls.Texts upon texts piling up like a tidal wave.From her mother. Her father. Daniel.Her chest tightened painfully.She knew what they were saying without even looking.Where are you?What are you doing?Come back now.**You don't have to answer them,**" Ethan breathed, his gaze on her face.Vivian hesitated.The weight of years of obedience was crushing her shoulders.But then she remembered the dead-eyed girl looking back at her in the mirror at the dress fitting.
The Price of A Bet Chapter 38: The Morning After
Vivian woke to the soft touch of fingers trailing down her naked back.For a moment, she was still, eyes closed, soaking up the feeling—the warmth, the gentleness, the safety.For a moment, she permitted herself to believe that this could be forever.But reality was a cold, unwelcome guest.The engagement.Her family.Daniel.Vivian's heart hurt badly.She opened her eyes slowly.Ethan lay on his side next to her, propped up on an elbow, his brown hair mussed, his blue eyes warm and impossibly wide as he looked at her.**"Good morning,"** he murmured, voice rough with sleep and affection.Vivian swallowed the sob in her throat and smiled.**"Morning."**For a few minutes, they just lay there, silent except for the sound of their breathing and the faint rain tapping against the windows.Ethan traced slow circles on her shoulder.**"You’re quiet,"** he said gently.Vivian stared at the ceiling. She could still feel him everywhere—on her skin, in her blood, woven into her bones.She wa
The Price of A Bet Chapter 37: Cracks Beneath the Surface
The days following Vivian's public commitment to Daniel Ashford were like navigating through heavy, sticky fog.Ethan had trouble faking indifference. He teased his friends. He flirted with women. He played the part of the charming, unattainable Ethan Carter.But inside, something was leaking, raw and ugly.Every time he looked at Vivian—her thin hand on Daniel's arm, that civility stretched so tight across her face—something inside him cracked a little more.And Vivian?She felt every inch of that space, too.She sat at the back of her classes these days, mute, mechanical.Her laughter was gone. Her smiles artificial.The fire that had once blazed between them was reduced to furtive glances, agonized silences, and heavy stares that said everything and nothing simultaneously.---Late one afternoon, when the spring rain lashed against the windows and most of the students had long since deserted the halls, Ethan found her.Vivian was sitting in the library, books spread out in front of
The Price of A Bet Chapter 36: Confessions in the Dark
The darkness was heavy with a suffocating tension as Ethan sat on the steps of the faded bleachers at the rear of the school gym. The field was painted in hues of gold by the sunset, and the gentle thrum of the cicadas vibrated in the night. His elbows on his knees, he drew a hand through his rumpled hair, gone into his mind. His universe had tilted, and for the first time, he had no idea how to get his balance back.Vivian.Her very name sent a searing pain through his chest. All that time with her had blurred the lines between the game he'd started and the feelings he couldn't deny any longer. The bet had been stupid, childish, and callous. And now? Now it was like a knife twisting in his guts whenever he even considered it."You're here," came a soft voice from behind him.Ethan stiffened, then turned. Vivian stood a few feet away, her arms wrapped across her chest, her expression wary but her eyes spilling over with emotion. The fading light made her seem almost ethereal, her dark
