From Heir's Ex to His Aunt novel Chapter 2

Outside the door, Alicia staggered backward slightly. Her high heels sank into the plush carpet, muffling the sound of her footsteps.

Though it was the height of summer, an icy chill had seeped deep into her bones.

She tried to convince herself that it couldn't have been because of the betrayal.

It was just the air conditioning.

So… why did her heart hurt so much?

Her mother's death, which took place when she was ten, had taught her that neither love nor marriage was reliable.

"Never trust a man—and never expect anything from one."

The years she was exiled abroad had further transformed her; she had changed from a pampered little princess into a strong and independent woman.

Having sworn to reclaim her rightful inheritance and her mother's dowry, she armored herself with indifference and forced herself to mature quickly.

She knew her grandfather had given her an impossible task, but she had gritted her teeth and accepted the proposition anyway.

After all, she was determined to prove herself. She had to earn her grandfather's vote so that she could secure her position in Gibson Corporation.

Then, David came into her life. Like a ray of sunlight breaking through the dark clouds, he had gradually warmed the frozen heart that she had long sealed away deep within her.

She had always known—it was her fate to be forced into a marriage alliance. If that was the case, why couldn't she choose a wealthy man who actually loved her instead?

But what she thought was a match made in heaven… turned out to be an elaborately orchestrated scam.

He had approached her not out of love, but for a crude bet. It was nothing more than the arrogant game of a wealthy heir with too much time on his hands.

To men like him, a cold and gorgeous woman like her wasn't a partner but a target for conquest.

I should have known better…

Someone like him… would have every type of woman hanging at his fingertips. There was no way he would believe in love at first sight…

Her heart ached as though it were bleeding.

She stared at the simple ring inside the velvet box.

For a time, she had truly imagined marrying him and spending her entire life with him.

I'm so stupid. How could I have forgotten Mom's warning? It's my own foolishness that has landed me in such a humiliating mess.

Sitting in a dark corner, Alicia gulped down glass after glass of wine.

She saw David leading an escort into the elevator, his arm wrapped around the woman. There were private rooms upstairs, for resting… or other things.

So that's where he'd been, on the nights he hadn't come home…

Those nights when he claimed he was watching the games with his friends… He had actually been here, spending the night in someone else's bed.

Of course… He's the heir of a wealthy elite family from Litchbrook. What woman couldn't he get?

Even if it's something I refuse to offer, someone else will gladly take my place.

Why would he ever need to compromise?

She was a woman who could hold her liquor. After all, years of social dinners had trained her well, but tonight, she was truly drunk.

Her body swayed as she staggered out of the establishment, her steps uneven. All of a sudden, she found herself falling forward.

But the pain she expected never came. Instead, a pair of strong hands caught her by the waist.

Her head bumped into the firm chest of a man, the impact making her even dizzier.

Then, a deep and magnetic voice entered her ear. "Are you okay?"

She lifted her head in a daze, only to meet a pair of dark eyes.

The man was dressed sharply in a tailored suit, and his handsome features were chiseled. But it was his gaze—dangerous and piercing—that sent chills down her spine.

For a split second, she thought it might be her imagination, but… he seemed to resemble David in appearance.

However, their auras were completely different. One was calm and composed, radiating with power. And the other? A charming playboy, arrogant and outgoing.

The image of David leaving with the escort abruptly flashed through her mind, and just like that, the thought of revenge surfaced.

Her red lips curled into a faint, seductive smile. "Hey, do you have a girlfriend?"

She had no idea how drunk she was, or how much rationality she retained, but she had seen the way he studied her, his gaze laced with quiet scrutiny.

"No," he finally answered in a low voice.

Stepping closer, she hooked her arms around his neck and flashed a radiant smile.

"Well, now you do."

To hell with love. I'm done with such stupid emotions.

David wanted me to give myself to him willingly, didn't he?

Well, he's about to lose his bet!

If David can do it, then so can I.

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