Lahat ng Kabanata ng TEMPTING THE TYCOON : Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Aria's POV The cold early morning wind bit at my skin, raising goosebumps that made me shiver uncontrollably as I slipped into the taxi. "St. Peter's Avenue," I muttered to the driver, my voice barely above a whisper. I rubbed my palms over my arms, trying to chase away the chill, but my mind kept drifting back to last night's chaos. Julian had offered to take me home, but I'd refused—instinct told me to keep my distance from someone like him. Instead, he'd booked me a room at The Chivalry, New York's premier five-star hotel, as if I were some damsel he could buy off. It was generous, sure, but I knew better; men like Julian didn't help without strings attached. Flashes of our encounter replayed in my head like a bad dream. We'd been alone in that lavish hotel room, me standing in front of the dressing mirror, still reeling from Ethan's betrayal. His hands had gripped my waist from behind, his breath warm against my ear. "You're stunningly beautiful. You know that?" he'd murmured, h

Aria's POV . . "Don't you think you're too close?" I leaned back, trying to create some space between us as I cleared my throat. Julian's proximity was unnerving, his magnetic presence both alluring and suffocating. "We're going to be even closer." A smirk formed on his lips as he leaned in, closing the space I had worked hard to create. His lips were just inches from mine, and for a wild moment, I thought he might kiss me. My heart thrummed erratically, and I jerked back, overbalancing in my haste. The legs of the chair lifted off the floor, and I grasped at the air in a futile attempt to stop myself from falling. Just in time, Julian wrapped his arms around my waist and, with surprising strength, pulled me upright, anchoring me as the chair hit the ground with a sharp thud. My body pressed hard against his stone-like physique, his warmth seeping into me, melding with mine. My hands rested on his chest, feeling the taut muscles beneath his shirt. As soon as I registered how cl

Aria's POV . . . After my mother's surgery, I returned home to take a shower. I slipped into a simple black gown. After putting on my red lipstick, I stepped outside my house. My eyes fell on the sleek black car that looked out of place in the scrawny area. Like a diamond amid dirt. The driver came out and opened the car door. As I entered the car, a familiar musky scent filled my nose, and I whipped my head to the figure beside me. Lo and behold, the devil in the flesh—Julian. My body tightened as I wasn't expecting him, but his P.A. His eyes lingered on me, the intensity reviving faint flutters in my stomach. "How did the surgery go?" His eyes returned to the newspaper caught in his hands. Remembering our last encounter this morning, the air suddenly thickened in the confined space of the car. "It was successful, thanks for your assistance," I fidgeted with my fingers. "I thought I was meeting with your P.A." Without moving his head, his eyes tore to me. "You're not happy to

I stood up, tossing my napkin onto the table. "We need to leave. Now." Aria nodded, her eyes wide but her jaw set. She understood the gravity of the situation, even if she didn't know the full extent of it. I took her hand, leading her out of the restaurant and to the car waiting outside. We rode back to the penthouse in silence, the tension thick between us. It wasn't until we were behind closed doors that Aria turned to me, her arms crossed. "Okay, start talking. What the hell is going on, Julian?" I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It's a long story." "Well, I'm not going anywhere," she said pointedly. I nodded, gesturing for her to sit. She did so reluctantly, perching on the edge of the couch. I took a deep breath, trying to collect my thoughts. "Vanessa is my ex-wife. We had a...tumultuous relationship. When things ended, she didn't take it well." Aria's eyes narrowed. "Clearly. But what does that have to do with the photos? And the leak?" "The photos..." I hesi

ARIA’S POV I stand in front of the mirror and stare at myself. This gown was as simple as they come. I had had one wedding with long white ball dress, I wasn’t going to do that again. “Time to go, sis” Vivian said as she came into my dressing room. I nodded and followed her. “Mum is not here to walk you down the aisle like she did last time, let me.” Vivian offered. “No. This is no real wedding. I deceived myself once and dragged you guys into my mess. I won’t do it again. This is pure business and I need to work alone to shake hands with my patner.” Vivian looked at me with empathy. “Don’t cry Vivian. I’m not being forced here. I’m doing this with my reasoning in tact. I only want what is best for us. For me, you and Mom.” I cupped face. She immediately wiped her face. The generic ‘here comes the bride’ starts playing. I took a deep breath and braced myself for my new reality. Walking down the aisle, I kept my eyes focused on Julian. I didn’t want to see the faces