Once Rejected Twice desired のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

The black sports car screeched to a sudden halt right at the hotel entrance. Valets in matching gold-trimmed vests rushed forward, pulling the door open for me. I stepped out onto the concrete, pausing just long enough to adjust my cuffs. The smooth fabric of my black silk shirt strained against my shoulders as I moved.Instantly, flashbulbs blinded me. Photographers lined up behind the velvet ropes, tracking my every movement as I walked up the wide marble steps. I didn't glance at them. I kept my chin high, soaking in the attention.I handed my silver invitation to the doorman. The man glanced down at the name, blinked in sudden recognition, and quickly bowed his head to usher me inside.The ballroom was a suffocating sea of crystal chandeliers, clinking champagne glasses, and expensive designer dresses. At the far end of the room, standing beneath a massive floral arch, was Adrian Hayes. He wore a pristine white tuxedo, his arm wrapped tightly around his fiancée, Chloe.I walked st

Adrian’s lips were shaking. He stayed so close to my mouth. The sharp metal corner of the black USB drive pressed right into his shirt. His heart was beating so fast. His chest hit mine every time he took a ragged breath. The air in the narrow hallway felt super hot.Slowly, he pulled back. His eyes were wet and glossy. He looked full of shame, but his body was hard. He was turned on because I was crowding him.I stepped forward. I pushed him until his back slammed into the wall. I hooked my fingers into his silk tie. I yanked it down hard. His hot breath hit my neck."What... what is on that drive?" Adrian choked out. He swallowed hard."Everything your father hid," I whispered right against his ear. My lips brushed his skin. "Every bribe. Every fake signature. It will destroy the Hayes name tonight."I slid the black drive back into my pocket. I stepped back. Adrian felt the cold right away.He backed up until his spine hit the opposite wall. He looked so small under the dim light.

The heavy service door slammed shut behind me. The thick wood completely cut off the sound of Adrian’s frantic, panicking voice as he scrambled to lie to his fiancée. I stood right there in the dark transition hallway for a second. I did not quicken my pace. I did not look back. I slowly lifted my hand to brush a thick smudge of grey hallway dust off my black tailored trousers. My hand did not shake at all. My chest rose and fell in a perfectly slow, steady rhythm. Inside my inner pocket, my fingers slid over the cold, sharp corners of the black USB drive. It felt heavy against my ribs.I pushed through the heavy velvet curtains and stepped back out into the bright, blinding glare of the main ballroom. The live band was still playing a slow jazz melody. But the moment my shoes hit the polished marble floor, the nearest group of rich socialites stopped talking. Their heads turned instantly. They stared at me."Noah."Julian Vance stepped right into my path. His massive frame blocked ou

The board of my company just voted me out.Elijah Hayes stood right in front of me, stepping back with a big, victorious grin on his face. His voice was dark and happy. "The board just voted you out, Noah. You came here to bankrupt my family. But while you were playing dirty games with my little brother in the staff hallway, I bought out all your investors. By tomorrow morning, you won't own a single cent of your precious empire."My phone violently buzzed in my hand again. The harsh vibration bit into my skin. I looked down at the bright screen. It was an official alert from my company's headquarters: Emergency board meeting concluded. CEO Noah Carter stripped of all executive voting rights.My heart gave a heavy, painful thud against my ribs. The shock felt like cold water running through my veins. Elijah had anticipated my return. He had planned everything. He let me humiliate Adrian just to distract me. He used his brother as bait while he cut the legs out from under my own busine

The heavy, white fabric of Adrian’s designer tuxedo jacket was soaking up the dark red pool leaking fast from Julian's forearm. The thick liquid spread across the pristine white cloth like an ink stain, turning it a deep, ugly crimson. But nobody stepped forward to save him. The wealthy guests just stood there in a massive circle, holding their breath, their eyes wide with shock. The same people who were laughing at Adrian’s jokes ten minutes ago were now pulling their expensive silk dresses back. They did not want the wet red puddle to touch their shoes. His fiancée, Chloe, had already run out of the room. His father was completely missing. The great golden boy was totally alone, knocked out cold on the hard floor, and his entire world was watching his absolute ruin.The hotel security guards finally rushed past the heavy velvet curtains. They did not drop to their knees to check his pulse or see if he was breathing. Instead, two large men roughly grabbed Adrian by his upper arms, dr