All Chapters of The Price of A Bet: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

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’

The air inside Ms. Hayes' classroom was charged with something unspeakable, something neither of them were ready to name. Vivian could feel it the moment Ethan Carter strolled in, his usual cocky smirk in place, his movements slow and deliberate as if he owned the space around him.She hated that her pulse quickened when he entered. Hated the way he looked at her like he was already undressing her in his mind. But what she hated most was the way her body reacted, betraying her completely.“Ethan,” she warned, not even looking up from the stack of graded papers on her desk. “I need to speak with you.”He smirked, tossing his bag onto a nearby desk before sauntering toward her. “That sounds serious.”“It is.” She finally lifted her gaze, leveling him with a stern look. “Your behavior in class is inappropriate.”Ethan placed a hand over his heart in mock offense. “Inappropriate? Ms. Hayes, all I do is ask questions.”She exhaled, leaning back in her chair, fingers threading together. “Yo

Vivian Hayes stood in front of her mirror, running her fingers through her dark auburn locks, her reflection staring back at her with tired eyes. The glow of her bedside lamp cast soft shadows across her delicate features, but there was something distant in her expression—something fractured.Tonight, the past clung to her like a ghost she couldn’t shake.She sat on the edge of her bed, her silk robe loosely draped over her shoulders, revealing the delicate lace of her slip underneath. The room was silent except for the soft hum of the city outside, but inside her mind, voices from the past whispered mercilessly.“You’ll never make it on your own, Vivian. You need structure. Stability.”Her mother’s voice echoed in her ears, laced with disapproval, the same tone she’d always used when Vivian had dared to dream outside of the life mapped out for her. A respectable marriage. A man with power. A life of luxury. A world where feelings were secondary, where duty outweighed desire.Vivian e

 Ethan Carter wasn’t used to waiting. He was the kind of guy who snapped his fingers, and things fell into place. Girls, parties, favors—it all came easy. But Vivian Hayes? She was different. And that difference made him restless, made him itch with the need to push further, to see how far he could go before she broke.That was the real game now.After their last heated exchange, he knew he had to be smart. Vivian was strong, disciplined, always in control. If he came on too strong, she’d shut him down immediately. But if he played it just right, if he gave her a reason to spend time with him outside of class, she wouldn’t even realize what was happening until it was too late.He needed an excuse. And he found one in the most unexpected place.The next day in class, Ethan took his usual seat at the back, twirling a pen between his fingers as he watched her. She was dressed in a fitted blouse and a pencil skirt, her hair neatly pinned bac

 The night air was cool against Vivian’s heated skin as she stepped outside the café, but it did little to calm the storm raging inside her. Her hands trembled slightly as she clutched her bag, her heart still pounding from the moment she had fled.Ethan Carter had nearly broken her.And the most dangerous part? A part of her wanted him to.She pressed her fingers against her temples, inhaling deeply. This had to stop. She had to be the adult, the professional, the one in control. If she let herself slip, even for a moment, everything would crumble.But as she turned to head toward her car, she found herself face to face with the very temptation she was trying to escape.Ethan.He had followed her outside, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his leather jacket, his dark eyes gleaming with something unreadable beneath the streetlights.“Running away, Ms. Hayes?” His voice was smooth, teasing, but there was someth