Chapter 11

However, Aaron remained as composed and refined as ever. “Mr. Cleave, I have no idea what you’re trying to say today. If your girlfriend broke up with you, perhaps you should reflect on your own actions instead of coming to me. “And for the record, Claire was my senior in university. She’s an exceptional person, and I admire her greatly. Even if I were pursuing her, you two have already broken up. It’s none of your concern.” At the mention of “pursuing her,” I nearly choked, my face contorting into a full-on are-you-kidding-me expression.I wracked my brain for memories of our time at university, but Aaron and I had hardly interacted. Nicolas’ antics had clearly pushed him to the point of saying something that didn’t quite add up. What was more baffling was that Aaron even agreed to meet with Nicolas in the first place instead of just having security kick him out of the building. “Well, isn’t that just perfect, Mr. Ford,” Nicolas spat, his voice twisting with bitterness. Th

Chapter 12

What an idiot.The so-called “evidence” Nicolas posted didn’t prove anything about me cheating with Aaron. The public outcry? Half of it was just people reveling in the scandal surrounding a high-profile figure like Aaron.The other half, though? That was orchestrated—clearly a paid smear campaign to stir the pot.Someone was definitely out to undermine Ford Enterprises and had found the perfect pawn in Nicolas. When the dust settled, if Aaron decided to hold him accountable, Nicolas wouldn’t stand a chance.Still…I couldn’t help but worry. This mess could be cleaned up eventually, but the current media frenzy might harm Aaron’s reputation or that of Ford Enterprises.My phone rang.It was Aaron.“Claire?”His voice sounded a little tired, and a pang of guilt twisted in my chest.“I’m sorry, Mr. Ford, I…”“You’ve seen the trending news?” he interrupted.“Yes,” I replied quietly.“Don’t blame yourself. This is being pushed by someone with an agenda. It’s not your fault.”Of course, I

Chapter 13

“Mr. Ford, is there any truth to the rumors circulating online about you interfering in someone else’s relationship?”Aaron’s expression remained cool and composed. He glanced at me briefly, his gaze softening for just a moment before he spoke.“Claire and I got together only after her previous relationship had ended. However—” He paused, then added evenly, “I won’t deny that I admired her long before that. But I can assure you, any pursuit on my part was above board.”“As for those accusations,” Aaron let out a faint, humorless laugh, though his eyes were icy. “Let’s just say the consequences he’s facing are of his own making.”Unsurprisingly, the press conference sent the trending topics into overdrive once again.Nicolas’ burner account posts were dug up and plastered all over the internet by Aaron’s PR team and turned into meme-worthy headlines that mocked him mercilessly. He even earned himself a new nickname: “The Bitter Ex.”Meanwhile, Aaron’s statements flipped the public narra

Chapter 14

The moment I walked in, I didn’t see Aaron. Instead, there was a woman sitting elegantly on the sofa, exuding grace with a kind warmth in her expression.One look at her features, and I could already guess who she was.“You must be Claire,” she said with a smile that lit up her whole face. “Honestly, Aaron is just impossible. He’s been dating you all this time and still hasn’t brought you home to meet me.”I stiffly perched on the edge of the sofa, forcing a polite smile.“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Ford. Uh—no, I mean… Ma’am.”“There’s no need to be so formal. I just wanted to come by and meet you myself.”She pulled out an exquisite box from her bag and set it on the table in front of me.“This bracelet was a gift from Aaron’s grandfather when I got married. It’s not worth much, but it’s been passed down for three generations. To me, it’s more precious than any jewel.”Panic shot through me. This was not how I’d pictured this at all. Where was the classic “here’s a check, now leave

Chapter 15

“Mmm, this smells nice.” This was the first thought that popped into my head as I regained a bit of clarity. And why was it so warm in the middle of winter?I slowly opened my eyes and realized that I was in someone’s arms! Looking up, I found myself face-to-face with the strikingly handsome face of Aaron. A short nap hadn’t left him looking the slightest bit disheveled. He still looked sharp, like he could walk straight into three consecutive press conferences without missing a beat. Wait a minute! How did I end up asleep on the couch with Aaron? And I was practically curled up in his arms. No, that wasn’t right. It was Aaron who had pulled me into his embrace. I shot up suddenly, questioning reality. Aaron slowly opened his drowsy eyes, glanced at me once, then closed them again. Come on, seriously? He was still sleeping? I grabbed my phone and checked the time. It was 6:01 p.m., one minute past the end of the workday! I shook Aaron awake frantically.

Chapter 16

I suddenly looked up, surprised to see Aaron not far away, his eyes hazy from the alcohol. When he saw me, the usual cold arrogance and composed demeanor were completely gone. Instead, he gave a slightly dazed smile. Aaron walked toward me. Before I knew it, I was pulled into his arms. His familiar scent, now mixed with the faint aroma of alcohol, surrounded me. His words were slurred, but I understood them perfectly. “Claire… I’m so glad I finally get to be with you.” After leaving the bar, the air inside the car was thick with the smell of alcohol. I settled Aaron into the passenger seat and buckled his seatbelt. But in just those few moments, he wasn’t behaving himself. “Claire… Claire.” He half-opened his eyes, looked at me, and smiled again. Then, a kiss landed gently on my forehead. My cheeks flushed crimson as I clutched my forehead and quickly retreated to the driver’s seat. How unbelievable. "Aaron, just wait. Tomorrow, you’ll be so embarrassed you’