All Chapters of His Contract Mistress: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

The Blackwood Corporation boardroom was colder than the winter morning outside. Polished glass stretched across the long table, reflecting the glitter of Manhattan’s skyline. Aria sat quietly at the far end, clutching a leather folder Ethan had given her to carry.She had never set foot in a place like this. The walls hummed with power, with the weight of billion-dollar decisions and men who thought they owned the world. And sitting across from Ethan, lounging with a predator’s ease, was the man she recognized instantly from whispers—Nathaniel Cross.Tall. Elegant. Dangerous. His silver tie gleamed like a blade, his smile cutting sharper than any knife.And the way his eyes slid to her… made her shiver.Ethan was steel beside her, his profile carved with determination. “We’re not here to waste time. State your terms, Nathaniel.”Nathaniel’s smirk deepened. “Straight to business, Blackwood? Pity. I was hoping for some… pleasantries.” His gaze drifted shamelessly to Aria again, lingerin

The storm outside mirrored the one brewing inside Ethan’s penthouse. Rain lashed against the windows in violent streaks, but Aria barely noticed. She sat curled on the sofa, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her mind spinning with Nathaniel’s words.He’ll never give you freedom. He’ll never love you. He only knows how to own.The truth of it gnawed at her.Ethan had been distant all day, locked away in his office with calls and meetings. When he finally emerged, his tie was loosened, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion—and rage.“Aria.” His voice cut through the silence like a blade.She looked up warily. “What is it?”He stepped closer, holding up his phone. On the screen was a single photograph.Her heart stopped.It was her. Walking out of the café with Nathaniel.Her lips parted, but no sound came.“You met him,” Ethan said, his voice dangerously calm. “You went to him. After everything I’ve done to protect you, you walked straight into the enemy’s arms.”Aria’s chest tighten

The air in the suite was thick, electric.Ethan stood in the doorway, his chest heaving with fury, his eyes locked on Nathaniel as though nothing else in the room existed. Aria’s breath caught in her throat, her body frozen between them.“Get your hands off her,” Ethan growled again, his voice low, lethal.Nathaniel didn’t flinch. He let his hand linger on Aria’s wrist for one deliberate second longer before he released her, smirking as though Ethan’s rage amused him.“She came willingly,” Nathaniel said smoothly, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “That must burn, doesn’t it?”Ethan’s jaw tightened. His fists curled so tightly his knuckles whitened. “Say that again.”“Willingly,” Nathaniel repeated, savoring the word. “She’s not your possession, Ethan. She’s not a contract, not a toy you can keep locked away. She wanted out, and she came to me. That’s the truth you’re too cowardly to face.”Aria’s chest heaved, shame and panic flooding her veins. “Stop it—both of you. This isn’t

The sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, gilding the penthouse in pale gold. The city hummed far below, but inside, silence reigned.Aria lay tangled in the silk sheets, her body aching from Ethan’s relentless touch. Every inch of her skin carried his mark—red where his mouth had branded, bruised where his fingers had gripped.She stared at the ceiling, her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths.Last night had been madness. A storm she hadn’t been able to stop. She had told herself she hated him, yet when he touched her, her body betrayed her again and again.The mattress shifted. Ethan rose from the bed, pulling on his trousers, his back to her. His muscles were tense, as if the war inside him hadn’t ended with the night.Aria swallowed, her throat dry. “You can’t keep doing this.”Ethan paused, his shirt half-buttoned. “Doing what?”“Using me to feed your obsession. Fighting anyone who comes near me. Controlling every breath I take.” Her voice cracked, but she fo

The restaurant glowed like a jewel in the heart of Manhattan—crystal chandeliers, velvet drapes, and polished tables set with silver and wine. Every detail whispered wealth, exclusivity, and power.Aria paused at the entrance, her hands trembling around the clutch bag. She shouldn’t be here. Every instinct screamed trap. But Nathaniel’s message had haunted her all night, mingling with the echo of Ethan’s raw, desperate words.Safe. Free. Nathaniel had said. Words Ethan never gave her.“Miss Morgan?” The maître d’ smiled politely. “Mr. Cross is waiting.”Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she followed him to a secluded corner. Nathaniel rose as she approached, his tailored suit fitting like second skin, his smile disarmingly warm. The bruises on his jaw were faint now, barely visible under the dim golden light.“Aria.” He pulled out her chair with old-fashioned gallantry. “You came.”She sat stiffly, keeping her guard up. “Only because you said it wasn’t an obligation.”“And