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Chapter 22: The Tension Between Us
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
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The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 23: A New identity
Ava was lost in thought, she couldn’t just sit idly by while the empire he built slowly crumbled. Out of his three hotels, only one was performing well, and if she didn’t act fast, the rest would be sold off. The weight of that realization pressed down on her. A sudden knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Ethan walk in, carrying a file. Without a word, he handed it to her. Confused, she took the file and opened it, her eyes scanning the contents. It was a new identity—papers with a different name, background, and history. She stared at him, waiting for an explanation.“I figured you might need a change of identity for the time being,” Ethan said, his tone casual.Of course, Ava knew she needed it. Going back into the business world as herself, given all that had happened, would be dangerous. But she didn’t want to admit it to him, not after the way he had dismissed her plea for help the day before. She wasn’t sure what to make of his sudden change of he
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 24: First Day at Work
Ava had been waiting for this day, excited and anxious all at once. Morning finally arrived, and she found herself awake much earlier than usual.She wanted to make a strong impression on her first day, so she slipped into a classic dress—an elegant, fitted sheath in a deep navy blue that hugged her curves just right. It had a modest neckline with a cinched waist, and it flared slightly at the knees, giving her a sophisticated yet powerful look. She paired it with black heels, adding just the right amount of height, and styled her sleek bob carefully. After applying light makeup, she admired herself in the mirror. It was simple but enough to feel like she was in control.Feeling ready, Ava made her way to Ethan’s room. She knocked softly but there was no answer. Was he still asleep? Curious, she opened the door slightly and peeked inside. Ethan was there, halfway through buttoning his shirt, his abs still showing. For a moment, she stared, caught off guard by the sight. Her cheeks flu
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 25: meeting Gabe
Ava’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of liquid being poured into a glass. she sat up quickly, her gaze landing on Ethan. He stood across the room, casually sipping wine, his expression as calm as ever.“You’re up, princess,” he said, a small smirk playing on his lips.Ava frowned, rubbing my eyes. "You didn’t wake me up? What time is it?" She glanced at her watch, noticing that barely an hour had passed since she had dozed off. Still, the embarrassment of falling asleep in his office made her fidget.“You could have woken me,” she mumbled, her voice tinged with frustration. “Don’t you want me to come with you to the shareholders’ meeting?”Ethan placed his glass down on the table and turned his cool gaze on her. “And what part of ‘don’t touch anything’ did you not understand?”Ava sat up straighter, her cheeks flushing. “I didn’t touch anything! “I just… I wanted to look around, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” she stammered, her tone defensive.He eyed her for a moment, his face un
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 26: Old Ties, New Burdens
The meeting was over, and Ava couldn’t believe what she had just witnessed. The hotel was in critical condition, and half of the shareholders wanted to pull out. Out of the three hotels her father had built, this was the only one still thriving. How did things get so bad?Ethan had stepped in at the last minute, offering a significant amount of money to keep the hotel from going bankrupt, making him a business partner.“This way, Mr. Wilson,” Gabe said, leading Ava and Ethan to his new office as the hotel’s newest business partner.Ethan turned to Gabe. “Miss Jackson will be staying in my place. I trust her with most of my business deals, so she’ll be handling this one as well.”“Miss Jackson?” Gabe looked at Ava with a polite smile, extending his hand. “We’re looking forward to working with you.”She took his hand in a daze, barely registering his words. As Gabe walked off, leaving her and Ethan alone, Ava turned to him, her mind racing.“Why would you hand such a huge responsibility
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 27: let me take you home
Ava was busy typing on her laptop when a soft knock on the door caught her attention. Looking up, she saw Gabe standing there, his face lit up with a friendly smile."I noticed your office light was still on, so I thought I’d come check on you," he said, stepping inside.“I’m almost done,” Ava replied, glancing briefly at him before looking back at the screen. “Just arranging the accommodations for the important guests staying over this week.”Gabe moved closer. “I’ll handle that. How about I take you home?” His smile widened, offering her a bit of warmth.“No!” Ava blurted out before catching herself. She softened her tone. “I mean, I don’t want to bother you. I’ll just take a cab.”Gabe chuckled. “I insist, just for today. It’s the least I can do, especially after everything Mr. Wilson has done for the company.”Ava checked her phone, hoping for a text or call from Ethan, but nothing. She’d already messaged him saying she was ready to leave, but he hadn’t responded. When she tried c
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 28: Where's Ethan?
As Ava stepped out of the building, a sleek black car pulled up in front of her. The window slowly rolled down, and Noah’s familiar voice called out.“Hello, cupcake,” he called, a grin spreading across his face.Ava bent slightly to peer into the car. "Where’s Ethan?" she asked, slipping into the passenger seat.Noah hesitated, his smile faltering for a second. "Oh, uh… Ethan’s at the hospital," he muttered, his voice holding an uncertain edge. Ava could sense the unease in his tone but decided not to push further. She leaned back in her seat, and they drove off in silence.The car ride home felt heavier than usual, with neither of them speaking for a while. The only sound came from the hum of the engine and the occasional honking outside. Finally, Noah broke the silence, turning slightly towards her.“How was your first day, cupcake?” he asked, his tone lighter, trying to ease the tension.Ava sighed. “Hectic… I mean, it was fine, but there’s so much work to be done. It feels like I
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 29: In bed with Ethan
Ava paced around her room, unable to sleep. glancing at the clock every few minutes. The thought of Ethan not being home yet gnawed at her, though she wasn’t sure why it bothered her so much. She tried to push the thoughts aside, telling herself he was probably fine, but it didn’t help. She was about to lie down when the sound of a car engine drifted through her open window. Rushing over, she peered outside and saw a car pulling up to the house. Her heart leaped, hoping it was Ethan. Ava quickly left her room, her footsteps light but hurried as she moved toward the stairs. She spotted Noah and Liam heading downstairs too and decided to follow them. At the front door, Mr. Collins, the elderly family driver, was helping Ethan, who was clearly drunk. Ethan could barely stand, his body slumping against the older man. "Is he… drunk?" Noah asked, his face etched with confusion. He glanced at Liam, looking for answers. "He never gets drunk. What the hell happened?" Noah and Liam rushe
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 30: Awkward Morning
Ava had been avoiding Ethan all morning. The awkwardness from the night before weighed heavily on her. Every time she thought about waking up in his bed, wrapped in his arms, her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She dressed for work quickly, hoping to slip out of the house unnoticed. But as she reached the dining room, she froze. Ethan, Noah, and Liam were all seated at the table, enjoying breakfast like it was any other day. Ava paused, debating whether she could slip away unnoticed. She took a small step backward, ready to make her escape, but Noah’s voice cut through the air, stopping her in her tracks. "How was your night, cupcake?" he asked, his tone dripping with amusement. His eyes darted to Ethan for a second before landing back on her. Ava swallowed, her back still turned to them. "It was… fine. I slept well," she muttered, feeling her face heat up again. "You meant it was niceeeee…," he teased, dragging out the word for effect, a mischievous grin spreading across hi
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The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 50: He found out
“Grace killed him,” Ava said, her voice trembling as she moved closer to Ethan. Ethan’s brows furrowed, his eyes fixed on her. “How sure are you?” he asked, his tone calm but probing. “Because I was there…” Ava whispered, her voice breaking. She swallowed hard, trying to hold back her emotions. “I was… I was there when she pushed him to his death,” she burst out, the tears she had been holding back spilling freely. Ethan moved toward her, pulling her into his arms. “I’m sorry you had to experience that, Princess,” he said softly, as he held her trembling form. Ava couldn’t hold it in any longer. She broke down completely, her legs giving way as she clung to Ethan. “I want her to pay,” she sobbed. “I want justice for my father. All he ever did was love her, and she killed him.” Ethan tightened his hold on her, his hand gently rubbing her back in an attempt to calm her down. He didn’t say anything at first, letting her release the pain she had bottled up for so long. When her
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 49: He agreed
“Ethan… about Grace’s party,” Ava began, standing a few steps away from him. Ethan looked at her, his expression unreadable as his piercing eyes locked onto hers. He didn’t say a word, just waited. Ava took that as her cue to continue. “I know you said you didn’t want to go, but it would mean a lot if you came with me,” she said softly, keeping her voice calm while her eyes pleaded. “It’s… it’s been a long time since I’ve been to my father’s house, and I really don’t want to go alone.” Ethan’s gaze didn’t falter. After a moment, he asked, “Why do you want to go so badly, Ava?” For a brief second, she considered telling him everything. But instead, she answered, “There are things I need to do there,” she murmured. “And… I feel safer when you’re there.” Ethan’s expression softened just slightly, the corners of his lips curling into a faint smile. “No,” he said plainly, turning his back to her with that same faint smile as though the conversation was already over. Ava frow
The Betrayal's kiss chapter 48: Morning touch
Ava lay in bed, tossing and turning all night, her mind too restless to let her sleep. The thought of going to her father’s house for Grace’s birthday party—or skipping it altogether—kept running through her mind, refusing to settle. What if that party is my chance? she wondered, recalling that there was a CCTV camera on the balcony of her father’s home office. Maybe it had recorded something from the night that changed everything. The possibility kept her pulse racing. Finally, she glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was already 5:00 a.m. Ethan should be awake by now, she thought. A small plan began forming in her mind. Maybe if I dress for the gym, I could catch him there and try to convince him to come with me to the party. Ava sat up, quickly slipping into her gym clothes, which hugged her body perfectly. She tiptoed to her bedroom door, peeking out cautiously to see if anyone was in the hallway. It was quiet and still, just how she wanted. Taking a deep breath, she m
The Betrayal's kiss chapter 47: Ethan's effect
Ava hesitated just outside Ethan’s home office, her hand hovering over the door. I don’t know if I should be doing this, she thought, her nerves twisting in her stomach. But finally, she took a deep breath and knocked.After a moment, she opened it and saw Ethan standing by the window, gazing out at the view with a paper in his hand. As she stepped inside, he turned to face her, his eyes following her every move.“The hotel was trying to reach you, but you weren’t picking up,” Ava said, holding up the rumpled card in her hand. “So I brought this for you.”She stepped forward to place the card on his desk, aware of his eyes still locked on hers.“What’s that?” Ethan asked, his voice low and cold, sending a chill through Ava. She forced herself to stay calm.“It’s an invitation,” she replied, trying to steady her voice. “It’s for Grace’s birthday party… she’s hosting it at my father’s house. I was hoping I’d go with you.”Ethan barely glanced at the card before turning back to the paper
The Betrayal's kiss chapter 46: shameless
Ava was just about to toss the invitation in the trash when the door burst open, causing her to pause, her hand still hovering over the bin. “Don’t you ever–” she began, turning around. But her words caught in her throat when she saw Gabe entering, a smile on his face. “Oops, sorry!” he said, slightly sheepish, “forgot to knock again. I’ll remember next time.” He grinned as he walked toward her. You won’t remember, Ava thought. You’ve never been the type to knock. Gabe noticed the invitation card in her hand and held up his own copy. “Oh, so you got the invite. I was just about to bring you one.” Ava raised an eyebrow. “Why?” she asked, not hiding her curiosity. “It’s an important event for the company,” he replied as he took a seat across from her. “Besides, Grace is the chairwoman. Everyone’s invited.” Ava held back a frown. “But you never…” she trailed off, lowering her voice. “You’ve never liked her much. Why are you so eager to go to her birthday party?” She murmured, hal
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 45: Birthday invite
Good morning,” Ava mumbled as she stepped through the front door, hoping to make her exit quick.“Good morning, cupcake,” Noah replied, glancing up with a grin. “You look so… sexy today.”A loud, deliberate throat-clearing echoed from across the room, causing Noah to shift his gaze and quickly change the subject. “Uh… so, where are you off to this morning without even having breakfast?” he asked, motioning to the untouched food on the table.“I’m not hungry,” Ava replied, her voice slightly tense. “I’ll probably just eat at the office.” She felt Ethan’s eyes on her, but she kept her gaze firmly down, not daring to look up.“Ethan’s almost done with breakfast. Wait for him, and he’ll drive you to work,” Noah suggested casually.“No!” Ava blurted out, louder than she intended. She quickly cleared her throat. “I mean… no, Ethan doesn’t like being disturbed. Besides, I… I prefer taking a taxi.”Noah gave her a look. “Since when? You’ve never taken a taxi to work before,” he said, his brow
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 44: His lips
Ava's POV Ethan’s mouth covers mine before I can even think, his kiss fierce and overwhelming. I gasp, but my hands find their way into his hair, holding him close as the intensity of his kiss sinks into me. Every inch of my skin feels on fire, especially when his hands glide down my back, gripping me like he’s frustrated with the space between us. Suddenly, His arms encircle my waist and he lifts me, carrying me over to the kitchen counter and holding me against his chest. My heart pounds so fast it’s almost painful, and my hands are grabbing onto whatever they can, desperate for stability. His lips leave mine, trailing slowly along the corner of my mouth and down to my collarbone. The heat of his touch spreads down my neck, and when he finally reaches it, I can’t help the quiet moan that escapes my lips. It’s like he’s listening to every sound I make, and I feel him smile, taking it as encouragement to keep going. His teeth playfully nip at my neck, making me shiver and
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 43: Not a game
Ava pushed open the front door, stepping into a dark, silent room. Why is it dark everywhere? she wondered, feeling the unsettling quiet around her.“Do you still like him?”,” Ethan’s voice echoed from somewhere in the darkness, low and unexpected.“Ava jumped, startled. “Oh, my—Ethan! You scared me. Why are you sitting here in the dark?”.She fumbled for the light switch. “Alexis, lights on,” she called out to the AI, and instantly, the lights brightened, and there was Ethan, sitting on the couch, staring at her, his expression unreadable.“What?” Ava asked, noticing his intense stare.“Do you still like him?” Ethan asked again, his voice now colder, sharper.“Who?” Ava asked, her brow furrowing.“Gabe. I saw the way you smiled when he touched you,” Ethan said, his gaze darkening.Ava hesitated for a moment, feeling the tension in his words. “What if I do? Gabe is not as bad as you think,” she said, narrowing her eyes. At least he’s not leading me on… or making me feel confused all
The Betrayal's kiss Chapter 42: Feelings
Ava's POV I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Why does the thought of Ethan kissing Victoria bother me so much? I asked myself, rubbing my temples. I’m not anything to him, am I?But then, my thoughts drifted back to the park. He kissed me too. My fingers brushed over my lips, remembering that soft peck. But it was just a quick kiss. A peck, I told myself, shaking my head. "Ugh, stop overthinking it," I mumbled, tapping my forehead lightly.Just then, a soft noise interrupted my thoughts. “Hmm…mmm…mmm.”I jumped in my chair, startled. “Ethan?!” I blurted out, wide-eyed as I saw him standing in the doorway.Oh no, it’s Ethan, I thought, my heart racing. Why is he here? I’d been avoiding him for over a week now, and suddenly, there he was.“What’s wrong, princess?” Ethan asked, a smirk playing on his lips as he walked toward my desk. “N-Nothing,” I stammered. “What are you doing here?” I asked.“I work here too,” Ethan said smoothly, pulling out a chair and sitting across from me.I
