The CEO's Rejected Wife And Secret Heir novel Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Jealousy Games

Aria’s POV - Three Days Later

I was reviewing acquisition reports when my assistant buzzed through.

"Ms. Monroe? Lucas Hayes is here to see you." Her voice held a knowing edge. "He has flowers."

My fingers stopped on the keyboard. I stared at the screen without seeing the numbers anymore. The last time Lucas had shown up uninvited, I’d had to slap him to make him leave.

"Ms. Monroe?"

I pressed my palms flat against the cool desk surface. "Send him in."

A moment later, Lucas walked into my office carrying a bouquet of white roses—my favorite. The scent hit me before he even reached my desk, sweet and cloying. It made my stomach turn slightly. He wore a charcoal suit that fit him perfectly, but his smile seemed more careful than warm. The easy confidence from before was gone, replaced by something that looked almost like shame.

"Aria." He set the flowers on my desk. The cellophane crackled loud in the quiet office. "Peace offering for the awkwardness last time."

I didn’t touch them. "Lucas." I gestured to the chair across from me, keeping my hands visible, folded on the desk. "You didn’t need to do that."

"I know." He sat slowly, like he was approaching something fragile. He didn’t cross his ankle over his knee with his usual casualness. Instead he leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "But I wanted to. I value our professional relationship, and I don’t want things to be weird between us."

The air conditioning hummed. Outside my window, traffic moved silently twenty floors below as I could hear my own breathing.

"They’re not weird." I leaned back in my chair, putting more distance between us. The leather creaked under me. "You were honest and I appreciate that."

"Even though I got shot down?" His smile didn’t reach his eyes this time. There was something tight around his mouth, like the words hurt to say.

"Especially because you got shot down." I picked up the flowers, more to have something to do with my hands than anything else. The stems felt damp through the paper. The scent was overwhelming this close. "Most men would have carried an even deeper anger and grudge."

"I’m not most men." He paused. His jaw worked like he was chewing on something bitter. "Actually, I came here for another reason. The Sterling Foundation Gala is next Friday. It’s the biggest charity event of the season, and I have an extra ticket." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

My heart did a weird skip as the flowers suddenly felt heavy in my hands. "Lucas"

"Before you say no, hear me out." He held up a hand. I noticed it trembled slightly before he steadied it. "It’s purely professional. Monroe Global should have representation there. Major investors, potential partners, everyone who’s anyone will be attending."

I set the flowers down as they landed with a soft thud. "I can buy my own ticket."

"True." He tried for a grin but it looked more like a grimace. "But it’s more fun to go with someone who actually likes you. Plus, my company is sponsoring a table. You’d be doing me a favor."

I studied him. Lucas was attractive, successful, and trying so hard to be kind. A few months ago, I might have said yes without hesitation. But that was before Damien started making pancakes with Noah, the smell of vanilla and butter filling the kitchen every morning, before I’d started noticing the way his eyes followed me across rooms.

The memory of Lucas’s hand gripping my arm flashed through my mind. The way he’d refused to leave until I’d made him. The red mark my palm had left on his cheek.

My throat felt tight. "It’s just business?"

"Just business." He placed a hand over his heart. The gesture looked rehearsed. "Scout’s honor. Though if you happen to look devastatingly beautiful and make every other man in the room jealous, I won’t complain."

I didn’t laugh this time as the silence stretched between us. I could hear the clock on my wall ticking, my computer fan whirring.

"You’re trouble," I said finally, but the words came out flat.

"I’m fun." He stood but the movement was too quick, like he wanted to leave before I could change my mind. "So is that a yes?"

I thought about Damien. About his jealous texts when I’d had dinner with Lucas. About the way his jaw had clenched when he’d seen us together, the muscle jumping under his skin. About how his hands had gripped my waist in the hallway, the heat of them burning through my shirt. About how satisfying it had been to see him lose that famous control.

The white roses stared at me as their scent made my head hurt.

"It’s a yes." I made my decision, and something twisted in my gut. "Purely professional."

"Purely professional," he echoed but his eyes didn’t sparkle. They looked relieved, like he’d been bracing for rejection. "I’ll pick you up at seven."

After he left, I stared at the white roses. The petals were perfect, not a bruise or brown edge on any of them. They probably cost a fortune. Guilt gnawed at my stomach.

I wasn’t doing anything wrong. It was a business event, Lucas had been clear this time—professional only. No more grabbing, no more refusing to leave.

So why did my skin feel too tight? Why did the office suddenly feel smaller?

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