All Chapters of The Price of A Bet: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

 The morning after the kiss, Vivian walked into the school building with her head held high, her spine rigid, and her pulse hammering against her throat. She had spent the entire night berating herself, dissecting every moment, every mistake. She had sworn to herself—sworn—that she would not let it happen again.And the only way to ensure that was to stay as far away from Ethan Carter as humanly possible.She clutched her coffee cup like a lifeline as she made her way to her classroom, her heels clicking against the tile floor in a determined rhythm. She ignored the curious stares of students who noticed her slightly frazzled demeanor, the way she seemed to move with more purpose than usual. No one could know. No one could suspect.Especially not him.She stepped inside her classroom, shutting the door behind her with a relieved sigh. Safe. She was safe here. She could lose herself in lesson plans, in literature, in anything but the dark eyes

 Ethan Carter had never been one for complications. Life had always been a game—one he played well. He knew the rules, the strategies, the risks. Women, in particular, were predictable. They swooned at his charm, melted under his touch. There had never been a woman who posed a challenge he couldn’t conquer.Until now.Until Vivian Hayes.As he sat in class, watching her from his seat, something felt different. It wasn’t just about the bet anymore. It wasn’t about the challenge of seducing her or proving to his friends that he could do it.It was her.The way she brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear when she got lost in a lecture. The way she pursed her lips when a student gave a particularly insightful answer. The way she looked at him—not with admiration, not with amusement, but with something deeper, something she was afraid to name.And damn it, he was afraid to name it too.Vivian was at the front of the room

 Vivian had told herself she was making a mistake. That allowing Ethan another inch into her life was a dangerous game—one she wasn’t prepared to play. Yet, here she was, standing in the quiet corner of a downtown café, waiting for him.The air smelled of freshly ground coffee and vanilla, the low hum of conversations blending with the soft jazz playing overhead. She exhaled slowly, fingers gripping the ceramic cup in front of her, wondering how she had let herself get to this point. She should have never answered his call. She should have ignored his persistence. But despite all logic, she was here, giving him another chance.Then, the doorbell chimed.Ethan walked in, looking both casual and confident, dressed in a fitted black shirt and jeans. His eyes found hers instantly, a small smirk tugging at his lips as he strode over. His presence was overwhelming in a way she didn’t want to admit, like he belonged anywhere he set foot. Vivian’s heart did

Ethan Carter had never been one to second-guess himself. Confidence came as naturally to him as breathing, and women had always been just another conquest. But as he sat in his car outside the café where he and Vivian had just met, he realized something unsettling.He wasn’t just playing anymore.For the first time, the thought of losing interest, of moving on to the next challenge, didn’t sit right with him. The bet, which had once seemed like an exciting dare, now felt like a noose tightening around his neck. Because the truth was undeniable—he was beginning to feel something real for her.He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. He had to be losing his mind. Vivian Hayes was off-limits in every possible way—his teacher, older, more experienced, and bound by rules that could ruin her if she ever made the mistake of crossing a line with him. And yet, he couldn’t stop thinking about her, couldn’t shake the feeling that she was slipping through his fingers before he even had th

Ethan stormed out of the classroom, his mind spinning. Fiancé? The word echoed in his head like a taunt, each syllable slicing through him. He had expected Vivian to push him away, to deny whatever was growing between them—but this? This was a betrayal he hadn’t seen coming.The hallways were empty as he walked with quick, angry steps, fists clenched at his sides. He didn’t know where he was going, only that he needed to move. If he stayed still, he might explode.She was engaged.All this time, while she looked at him with those conflicted eyes, while she whispered in the dark corners of their conversations, while she let him believe that maybe—just maybe—there was something real between them… she belonged to someone else.Vivian’s RegretInside the classroom, Vivian felt the weight of Ethan’s absence like a physical force. Daniel stood beside her, adjusting the expensive cufflinks on his suit, completely unaware of the storm raging inside her.“I thought I’d surprise you,” he said s