Mine for a Night のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

(Ethan’s POV)The hospital corridor smelled like antiseptic and anxiety. I was still trying to calm down, leaning against the wall, when the sound of hurried heels clattered against the floor.I turned, and my heart skipped.“Sophia?”She froze when our eyes met, chest rising and falling like she’d sprinted the whole way here. Her hair was a mess—dark curls tumbling down her shoulders—but damn if she didn’t still look like the girl I used to know.“Ethan!” she breathed, rushing toward me. “Maria called me—I came as fast as I could. Is she okay? Your grandma?”“She’s stable,” I said quickly, relief washing over her face. “They’re running tests, but Lucas said she’s fine.”“Oh, thank God.” She pressed a hand to her chest, then looked at me with eyes that were way too soft. “You… you sounded so panicked on the phone. I was scared for you.”Before I could respond, movement caught my eye. Damien. He was striding down the hall like he owned it, black suit flawless, jaw tight, phone in hand

(Aria’s POV)The shopping bags dug into my palms as I walked down the quiet street, humming under my breath. The mall trip had been exhausting, but at least I got everything I needed... books, snacks, a few cheap home items.I was very tired and hungry.“Everything will be fine,” I affirm to myself, forcing a smile as I crossed the road. “One step at a time, Aria.”Then it happened.A sharp screech of tires tore through the air.My head jerked up, and in that split second, I saw headlights—bright, blinding—rushing straight at me.“Oh God—”BANG!Pain exploded in my side as my body slammed onto the hood, then the asphalt. My bags and my items scattered everywhere across the road.Then..... I slipped into darkness.--- Sharp and frantic voices pulled me back.“Move! Get her inside!” a deep voice barked, laced with panic.My body felt weightless and floating. My eyelids fluttered, catching flashes—white walls, bright lights, a man’s face hovering above me, jaw tight, eyes dark with worr

Liam’s POVI sat in my car for a few minutes after leaving the shop, tapping the steering wheel slowly.I thought of calling my trusted friend to investigate Maya for me. Aria had said her name without thinking. And from the look in Maya’s eyes earlier, I knew something—she wanted more than friendship with Aria.She wanted access and she loves power.And I could use that.I pulled out my phone and hit a number.“Find everything you can on a woman named Maya,” I said the second my assistant answered. “Early twenties, lives near a school bookstore in New York. Dig deep—family, work, habits. I want it fast.”“Yes, sir,” came the sharp reply.“And send someone to keep an eye on that shop. Quietly. No mistakes.”When the call ended, I started the engine, the plan already forming in my mind. If Aria wouldn’t let me in, I’d find another way.By the time I reached my penthouse, the information was waiting for me. I skimmed through the file while changing into a fresh suit.Maya Johnson. Twent

(Maya’s POV)I kept glancing at the black card in my hand like it might disappear. Harrington Group International. Liam Harrington. The name sounded heavy. Too heavy for a girl like me.At exactly nine, a sleek black SUV stopped in front of my building. The man who stepped out wasn’t an ordinary driver—he looked like someone from a security agency. Tall, broad-shouldered, wearing a perfectly fitted black suit and an earpiece that glinted under the morning sun.“Miss Maya Johnson?” His voice was deep, calm, and carried the kind of authority that didn’t leave room for arguments.“Yes,” I answered nervously, clutching my worn-out purse like a lifeline.“Mr. Harrington sent me. Please, come with me.”I hesitated for half a second before sliding into the backseat. The car smelled of leather and something expensive I couldn’t name. The hum of the engine was so quiet it made me self-conscious about breathing too loudly.---When the SUV stopped, my jaw nearly hit the floor.“This… this can’t

(Liam’s POV)The hum of the private jet was the only sound filling the cabin as I flipped through the latest reports on my tablet. Numbers, projections, stock movement—all in neat graphs. The kind of language I spoke fluently.Harrington Group had its claws deep in U.S. markets, but expansion wasn’t a dream anymore. It was a necessity. And for that, I needed someone equally ruthless. Someone whose influence could open doors in the East.Damien Knight.The name alone carried weight. Knight International was the kind of empire that didn’t just sit at the top—it owned the damn mountain. If this collaboration worked, it would double my company’s value within a year. If it didn’t… I’d lose nothing but time. I never bet on losing.I closed the tablet and leaned back, fingers drumming against the leather armrest.Across the cabin, Maya sat stiffly, her perfectly styled hair framing her nervous face. She’d barely said a word since we boarded, and the way her hands gripped the seat arm made me