Too Late, Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

Aiden's POVI leaned back in my leather chair, finally alone in my office after a relentless morning of back-to-back meetings. Acquisitions, negotiations, board updates—every minute had demanded sharp focus and absolute control.Now, with a rare pocket of quiet before the afternoon resumed, I opened my phone—and smiled.Aria's counterattack had landed flawlessly.The evidence I'd given her had done exactly what I knew it would. The audio recording had thrown White Industries into chaos, and their clumsy attempts at damage control were only making things worse. Public opinion had turned swiftly, decisively. #TeamAria was trending worldwide.Another blow to White's reputation.Good. Let the bastard suffer.I allowed myself a moment to enjoy it, satisfaction simmering just beneath the surface.But victory or not, the fatigue was starting to creep in.The morning's meetings had been particularly draining, and the adrenaline that had carried me through was now wearing off. I needed twenty

Aria's POVI woke to sunlight streaming through my curtains, stretching lazily as I climbed out of bed. After a quick shower, I didn't bother changing—I just threw on my favorite silk pajamas - a navy blue set that hung loosely on my frame and headed downstairs for breakfast, my mind still foggy with sleep.The moment I stepped into our dining room, I froze. My father wasn't alone. Sitting across from him, casually sipping coffee and looking ridiculously handsome in a tailored suit, was Aiden.My face instantly burned. Here I was in thin silk pajamas that left little to the imagination, while he looked like he'd stepped out of a business magazine cover.When he caught sight of me in my thin pajamas, his eyes darkened perceptibly, gaze traveling down my body before quickly returning to my face."Good morning," he said, voice deeper than usual.Heat rushed to my face as I crossed my arms over my chest. "I didn't... I'll be right back."I fled upstairs, mortified. Throwing open my closet

Aria's POVI stared at Aiden, my mind blank at his promise. What could I possibly say? My body still hummed with pleasure, my thoughts scattered like leaves in a storm. Thankfully, the car rolled to a smooth stop before I needed to formulate a response."We've arrived at the estate, Mr. Carter," the driver announced through the intercom.I exhaled in relief, quickly smoothing down my dress and running fingers through my disheveled hair. Aiden adjusted his clothing with practiced ease, not a single hint of what had transpired visible on his composed face. How did he do that?He exited first, extending his hand to help me out. Without thinking, I slipped my arm through his, seeking stability as much as keeping up appearances.The warmth of his muscular arm beneath my fingers reminded me of what those hands were capable of just minutes ago, sending a fresh wave of heat through my body.When I finally looked up, I froze in awe. The Carter estate wasn't just a house—it was a monument to ge

Aiden's POVI stood in the doorway, watching my grandmother and Aria laughing together over my teenage humiliation. The sound of their combined laughter should have irritated me, yet something about it felt... right.I'd rushed back from the office earlier than planned, consumed by visions of Aria accidentally revealing our arrangement to my grandmother. The Carter Industries meeting had been straightforward, but I couldn't focus. All I could think about was what might be happening back at the estate.When I arrived, Lucas informed me that Aria and my grandmother had been inseparable for hours. Rather than interrupt, I decided to observe from a distance. Through the partially open door, I watched as my grandmother showed Aria my childhood photos, telling stories I'd hoped were long forgotten.What surprised me wasn't Grandma's openness—she'd always been sentimental about those albums—but Aria's genuine interest. She wasn't putting on a show; her reactions were unguarded, her questions

Aria's POVThe air between us crackled with electricity. My breath caught in my throat at his proposition. Everything in me screamed this was a terrible idea—we were business partners, nothing more. Yet my body betrayed me, responding to his nearness with a fierce hunger I couldn't deny."Yes," I whispered before I could stop myself.The word hung in the darkness for a heartbeat, and then his hand was cupping my face, turning me toward him. In the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains, his eyes were midnight pools, intense and hungry."Tell me to stop," Aiden murmured, his breath hot against my neck. "Say the word, and I'll go back to my side."I should have. God knows I should have.Instead, I turned to face him, finding his eyes gleaming in the moonlight, intense and hungry. Something primal and needy coiled inside me, demanding release after months of denial and heartbreak."Don't stop," I whispered.His hand moved from my shoulder to cup my face, thumb stroking across my ch