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Chapter 20

last update Last Updated: 2025-04-01 07:42:29

I stared out the window, watching as the city bustled below. My mind, however, was elsewhere.

“Aria, you keep getting lost. These past few days have been full if you are drifting off,” My mom woke me up from my reverie.

"I'm telling you, Mom, I'm fine," I said, trying to reassure her. We'd been shopping, had lunch together, and even taken her to the doctor for a check-up. She was getting better, slowly but surely. And we were getting closer like I hoped.

"But Aria, I can see the worry in your eyes," my mom replied, her voice laced with concern. "You can't fool me, dear. What's going on with you and Julian? Does it have to do with the pictures from the other day?"

I shook my head, “No, those pictures are of his therapist. And they were sent by Ethan and his accomplice, Vanessa. You might not know her but she’s so evil. Take it from me.” I said

“Why would Ethan involve himself with someone evil?” She asked, puzzled.

“Mom, the truth is that Ethan is not a good person. I can’t really ex
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  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    chapter 22

    Who was behind this message?, and what did they mean by saying that Gabriella's mother had gone mad?Thinking of the mother of the girl I call daughter, going mad was not a particularly pretty picture in my head.“Why has Julian not deemed it fit to talk about this?” I asked myself.I decided to hire a private investigator to look into the matter. I couldn't just sit back and do nothing, not when my own sanity was being questioned.As I waited for the PI to get back to me, I tried to go about my daily routine as normally as possible. But it was hard to pretend that everything was fine when I was secretly seething with anxiety.Julian noticed that I was on edge, but I brushed it off, telling him that I was just stressed about some work-related issues."You're working too hard, Aria, have you been painting all night again?" he said, concern etched on his face. "You need to take it easy."I forced a smile, trying to reassure him. "I'm fine, Julian. Really."But the truth was, I was far f

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  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    chapter 23

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  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    Chapter 24

    I was taken aback when Gabriela asked, "Did my mom ask about me?" Her voice was laced with a mix of sadness and longing.I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "No, Gabriela, I haven't spoken to her yet. But I'll try to reach out to her, okay?"Gabriela's eyes welled up with tears, and she whispered, "Please tell her I want to see her."My heart went out to this little girl, and I knew I had to make it happen. "I'll find a way, Gabriela. I promise. But I have to warn you, your dad might not be okay with it."Gabriela's face fell, but I quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll figure something out. You will see your mom, okay?"Gabriela nodded, and we shared a hug.Fast-forward to my visit to the mental asylum, I was surprised to find Lauren looking more cognizant and better than I expected. She didn't seem like someone who belonged in a mental asylum.I explained to Lauren that Gabriela wanted to see her, but Lauren was adamant, "I don't want to see her. She's a reminder of my past w

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  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    Chapter 26

    I called Ethan immediately, my heart racing with anticipation. "Hello, Ethan. What's going on? Why did you text me about Gabriela?"Ethan burst out laughing. "Oh, my ex-wife calls me again. What do I owe this pleasure? Do you miss me, or is it just about your stepdaughter?"I rolled my eyes. "Don't be stupid, Ethan. If there's one thing I hate, it's you. Love doesn't even come near it."Ethan chuckled. "Oh, please, Aria. Stop being tough. We both know you miss me. I could marry you again in a second if you just say the word."I felt a wave of disgust. "You're unbelievable, Ethan. I thought you'd be married by now, or at least engaged. Why are you still bothering me?"Ethan's tone turned serious. "Because you married my rival, Julian. That's what I don't like. You need to find your way back to me, or you'll never see Gabriela again."My eyes narrowed. "If you have Gabriela, put her on the phone."Ethan laughed. "What would that gain me? I could just help you find her... if you come bac

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  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    Chapter 27

    Days turned into an agonizing wait, with no sign of Gabriela. Julian's frustration grew, and he became increasingly disorganized. He lashed out at everyone, including me.I'd never seen him like this before. His usual composure was gone, replaced by a desperate, angry man.I couldn't blame him, though. I was a mess too. Without Gabriela, everything felt off. My mom, who'd grown to love Gabriela like her own granddaughter, was worried sick.As we sat at the kitchen island, my mom tried to reassure me. "Have faith, Aria. Gabriela will be found soon."Just then, one of Julian's private investigators burst into the kitchen, looking like he had news.I immediately followed him upstairs to Julian's study, leaving my mom behind. "Mom, don't worry, I'll get back to you. Let me see what's going on."In the study, the investigator was explaining his findings. "I haven't found Gabriela yet, but I've discovered a link between Vanessa, Clara, and Ethan."My eyes widened as the pieces fell into pla

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  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    Chapter 28

    I sat on the bathroom floor, the positive pregnancy test still trembling in my hand. My heart trembled. This was not the time for this.. I couldn’t be excited, I couldn’t feel the joy that should come with creating life. All I felt was fear. Fear of Julian’s reaction, fear of what will happen to the baby in a world where its father has so many enemies. Fear for missing Gabriella.I strolled around the quiet mansion like I normally do if I’m trying to relax. Julian had left earlier without informing me as he has always done since the kidnap of Gabriella hadn’t told him. I placed my hand on my belly. I couldn’t tell him about this pregnancy. At least not yet.“We agreed that there would be no kids in this relationship. Damn I messed up.” I muttered to myself. I wasn’t even sure if Julian still had any proper kind of affection for me anymore. With this whole Gabriella thing he has been a bit hostile. This couldn’t be more wrong timing. I stayed deep in thought until I fell asleep on t

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Latest chapter

  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    Chapter 28

    I sat on the bathroom floor, the positive pregnancy test still trembling in my hand. My heart trembled. This was not the time for this.. I couldn’t be excited, I couldn’t feel the joy that should come with creating life. All I felt was fear. Fear of Julian’s reaction, fear of what will happen to the baby in a world where its father has so many enemies. Fear for missing Gabriella.I strolled around the quiet mansion like I normally do if I’m trying to relax. Julian had left earlier without informing me as he has always done since the kidnap of Gabriella hadn’t told him. I placed my hand on my belly. I couldn’t tell him about this pregnancy. At least not yet.“We agreed that there would be no kids in this relationship. Damn I messed up.” I muttered to myself. I wasn’t even sure if Julian still had any proper kind of affection for me anymore. With this whole Gabriella thing he has been a bit hostile. This couldn’t be more wrong timing. I stayed deep in thought until I fell asleep on t

  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    Chapter 27

    Days turned into an agonizing wait, with no sign of Gabriela. Julian's frustration grew, and he became increasingly disorganized. He lashed out at everyone, including me.I'd never seen him like this before. His usual composure was gone, replaced by a desperate, angry man.I couldn't blame him, though. I was a mess too. Without Gabriela, everything felt off. My mom, who'd grown to love Gabriela like her own granddaughter, was worried sick.As we sat at the kitchen island, my mom tried to reassure me. "Have faith, Aria. Gabriela will be found soon."Just then, one of Julian's private investigators burst into the kitchen, looking like he had news.I immediately followed him upstairs to Julian's study, leaving my mom behind. "Mom, don't worry, I'll get back to you. Let me see what's going on."In the study, the investigator was explaining his findings. "I haven't found Gabriela yet, but I've discovered a link between Vanessa, Clara, and Ethan."My eyes widened as the pieces fell into pla

  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    Chapter 26

    I called Ethan immediately, my heart racing with anticipation. "Hello, Ethan. What's going on? Why did you text me about Gabriela?"Ethan burst out laughing. "Oh, my ex-wife calls me again. What do I owe this pleasure? Do you miss me, or is it just about your stepdaughter?"I rolled my eyes. "Don't be stupid, Ethan. If there's one thing I hate, it's you. Love doesn't even come near it."Ethan chuckled. "Oh, please, Aria. Stop being tough. We both know you miss me. I could marry you again in a second if you just say the word."I felt a wave of disgust. "You're unbelievable, Ethan. I thought you'd be married by now, or at least engaged. Why are you still bothering me?"Ethan's tone turned serious. "Because you married my rival, Julian. That's what I don't like. You need to find your way back to me, or you'll never see Gabriela again."My eyes narrowed. "If you have Gabriela, put her on the phone."Ethan laughed. "What would that gain me? I could just help you find her... if you come bac

  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    Chapter 25

    I tried to brush off Julian's cold behavior, focusing on getting ready for the public outing. I dressed in my best, did my makeup, and held Gabriela's hand as we waited for Julian in the sitting room. Julian finally emerged from his study, his expression still tense. We exchanged minimal small talk as we got into the car. "You look good." "Thanks, Julian," I replied, trying to sound cheerful despite the tension between us. "You look pretty great yourself." Gabriela, sensing the awkwardness, piped up, "Daddy, where are we going?" "We're going to a big event, sweetie," Julian explained, forcing a smile. "Lots of people will be there, and we need to show them what a great family we are." As we got into the car, the silence was palpable. Gabriela's occasional questions broke the silence, but the tension between Julian and me was unmistakable. When we arrived at the event, Julian transformed into a charming politician. "Smile, everyone!" he whispered, holding my hand and Gabriela'

  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    Chapter 24

    I was taken aback when Gabriela asked, "Did my mom ask about me?" Her voice was laced with a mix of sadness and longing.I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "No, Gabriela, I haven't spoken to her yet. But I'll try to reach out to her, okay?"Gabriela's eyes welled up with tears, and she whispered, "Please tell her I want to see her."My heart went out to this little girl, and I knew I had to make it happen. "I'll find a way, Gabriela. I promise. But I have to warn you, your dad might not be okay with it."Gabriela's face fell, but I quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll figure something out. You will see your mom, okay?"Gabriela nodded, and we shared a hug.Fast-forward to my visit to the mental asylum, I was surprised to find Lauren looking more cognizant and better than I expected. She didn't seem like someone who belonged in a mental asylum.I explained to Lauren that Gabriela wanted to see her, but Lauren was adamant, "I don't want to see her. She's a reminder of my past w

  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    chapter 23

    I stormed into Julian's room, my heart racing with every step. "Julian, we need to talk," I said, my voice firm but laced with a hint of desperation.Julian looked up from his book, a mixture of curiosity and concern etched on his face. "What's wrong, Aria?"I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "I found out about Lauren," I said, my eyes locked on his. "Your ex-wife, Gabriela's mother. She's been in a mental asylum, Julian. How could you keep this from me?"Julian's expression changed, a hint of guilt flashing across his face. "Aria, I—""No, Julian, don't try to justify it," I cut him off, my voice rising. "How could you keep this from me? Didn't you think I had the right to know?"Julian sighed, rubbing his temples. "Aria, Lauren...she just started to unravel, okay? She became paranoid, delusional...it was like she lost herself."I shook my head, my mind racing with the implications. "She didn't just lose herself, Julian. Something pushed her to that point. And I think

  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    chapter 22

    Who was behind this message?, and what did they mean by saying that Gabriella's mother had gone mad?Thinking of the mother of the girl I call daughter, going mad was not a particularly pretty picture in my head.“Why has Julian not deemed it fit to talk about this?” I asked myself.I decided to hire a private investigator to look into the matter. I couldn't just sit back and do nothing, not when my own sanity was being questioned.As I waited for the PI to get back to me, I tried to go about my daily routine as normally as possible. But it was hard to pretend that everything was fine when I was secretly seething with anxiety.Julian noticed that I was on edge, but I brushed it off, telling him that I was just stressed about some work-related issues."You're working too hard, Aria, have you been painting all night again?" he said, concern etched on his face. "You need to take it easy."I forced a smile, trying to reassure him. "I'm fine, Julian. Really."But the truth was, I was far f

  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    chapter 21

    I knew I had to be careful. Whoever was behind the creepy gifts and Clara's suspicious behavior was clearly inside the house, watching me. I couldn't let my guard down, not even for a moment."Vivian, I need your help," I said, trying to sound calm, as I called my sister. "I need to get out of here for a while. Can you help me plan a vacation?""Of course, Aria," Vivian replied. "What's going on? You sound really stressed.""I just need a break, Vivian," I said, trying to downplay the situation. "I'll tell you all about it later, okay?"Vivian agreed, and we started making plans. We decided to take my mom with us, and Vivian chose a beautiful resort in Ibiza."I'm so excited, Aria," Vivian said, as we finalized the plans. "This is just what you need. A little rest and some quality time with Mom.""I know, Vivian," I replied. "Thanks for doing this. I really appreciate it."When I told Julian about the vacation, he agreed readily."Take the card I gave you and use it to pay for everyth

  • TEMPTING THE TYCOON    Chapter 20

    I stared out the window, watching as the city bustled below. My mind, however, was elsewhere. “Aria, you keep getting lost. These past few days have been full if you are drifting off,” My mom woke me up from my reverie."I'm telling you, Mom, I'm fine," I said, trying to reassure her. We'd been shopping, had lunch together, and even taken her to the doctor for a check-up. She was getting better, slowly but surely. And we were getting closer like I hoped. "But Aria, I can see the worry in your eyes," my mom replied, her voice laced with concern. "You can't fool me, dear. What's going on with you and Julian? Does it have to do with the pictures from the other day?"I shook my head, “No, those pictures are of his therapist. And they were sent by Ethan and his accomplice, Vanessa. You might not know her but she’s so evil. Take it from me.” I said“Why would Ethan involve himself with someone evil?” She asked, puzzled.“Mom, the truth is that Ethan is not a good person. I can’t really ex

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