All Chapters of TEMPTING THE TYCOON : Chapter 21 - Chapter 25

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

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

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'