Semua Bab HIRED BY THE RUTHLESS CEO : Bab 31 - Bab 40

Aria POVTwo weeks pass in a blur of basement filing and avoidance.I arrive early, leave late, eat lunch at my desk. Sophie reports that the office gossip is dying down, but I don't go upstairs to check.I'm surviving. Barely. But surviving.Then Cross Technologies announces a mandatory company mixer.Team building. Networking. All employees required.I consider calling in sick.But Sophie convinced me that hiding makes me look guilty, so here I am, in the hotel ballroom where Cross Technologies has rented space, wearing a dress I can barely afford and a smile that feels painted on.The room is full of people who've seen me naked through Damien's window.I grab a drink from the bar and find a corner."Aria Holt? I can't believe it's you!"I turn to find a handsome man with an easy smile approaching. He looks familiar, but I can't place him."I'm sorry, do I—""Julian Prince. We had microeconomics together at UCLA?" His smile widens. "You used to sit in the front row and ask question

Damien’s POVI watch her Uber disappear into LA traffic. Already missing seeing her face."Boss?" Henry appears beside me, concern etched across his face. "You look like you're about to punch someone.""I might." I pocket my phone with more force than necessary. "Julian f#ucking Prince.""The guy from TechVista?" Henry's eyebrows rise. "What about him?""He's interested in Aria. Asked her to dinner.""And?""And she said yes."Henry studies me for a long moment. "You do realize you have no right to be upset about that, right? You're not together. You made that very clear after Victoria released those photos.""I know." I loosen my tie, suddenly feeling like it's strangling me. "I know that.""But you're upset anyway.""I'm more than upset." I turn to him, not caring how unhinged I sound. "I want to destroy him. I want to make sure he never looks at her again.""Jesus, Damien." Henry runs a hand through his hair. "Listen to yourself. This is obsession, not love.""It's both.""That's n

Chapter 35 – “Five Minutes”Aria’s POVHis jealous rage is terrifying and intoxicating in equal measure.I slide into the passenger seat of his Aston Martin, immediately surrounded by leather and his cologne and the tension radiating off him in waves. The door closes with an expensive thunk, sealing us in together.Damien doesn’t start the car. Just sits there, hands gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles are white.“Five minutes,” I remind him, keeping my voice steady. “Talk.”“Julian Prince.” He bites out the name like it’s poison. “TechVista’s golden boy.”“An old friend from college who offered me a job. That’s all.”“That’s all?” He turns to face me, and the fury in his gray eyes makes my breath catch. “He hugged you. On the street. Where anyone could see.”“It was a friendly hug, Damien. Not everything is…”“Don’t”. His voice drops dangerously low. “Don’t insult my intelligence. I saw how he looked at you.”“How? How did he look at me?”“Like he wants you. Like he thin

Aria’s POVSophie and Henry are worried enough about both of us that they arrange to meet me together.Friday evening. I’m curled up on my couch in pajamas at seven PM because I’ve given up on pretending to be functional. The board meeting is tomorrow morning, and I still don’t know if I’ll attend or just email my resignation to Victoria and be done with all of it.The doorbell rings.“Go away, Sophie,” I call. “I’m wallowing.”“Let us in, Aria.” That’s not Sophie’s voice—it’s Henry’s.Us?I shuffle to the door and open it to find Henry and Sophie standing together, both wearing expressions of determined concern. Sophie pushed past me into the apartment while Henry follows.I close the door, suddenly very aware that I’m in my rattiest pajamas with unbrushed hair and probably still have mascara smudges from yesterday’s crying session.“Since when do you two coordinate?” I ask, following them to the small living room.They exchange a glance—quick, but telling.“Oh my God.” I sink onto t

Aria’s POVHis unexpected kindness cracks something open in my chest that I’ve been trying to keep protected.It’s Saturday morning, and he’s making it happen.Dr. Patel arrives with a specialist from Cedars-Sinai—Dr. Rachel Kim, who heads their advanced Parkinson’s program. She reviews Dad’s scans while Damien handles paperwork in the administrative office, securing immediate admission and covering all costs.No negotiation. No payment plans. Just a credit card and his signature, erasing the impossible barrier between my father and survival.Mom and I sit in stunned silence while it happens around us.I saw something in his eyes last night. Something raw and real that had nothing to do with revenge or control.I saw grief recognizing grief.Dr. Kim finishes her review and turns to us with cautious optimism. “I think we can help him. The program is intensive, but his overall health is stable enough to withstand the treatment. We’ll need to move quickly—I want him transferred to Cedars