The Hockey Roommate's Filthy Desire novel Chapter 164

Chapter 164

ARIA’S POV

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I didn’t spend much more time at the office after the manager hurried out. My head was pounding from the sheer amount of stress

I had already endured on my very first morning, and honestly, my heart wasn’t fully in the paperwork yet. My mind kept drifting back home.

Amelia would soon be back from school, and the last thing I wanted was for her to walk into an empty house and be alone. With everything shifting so fast in our lives, she needed stability.

I realized right then that I desperately needed to hire a reliable nanny to look after her while I handled the

company.

I packed my laptop into my leather bag, straightened my suit jacket, and took the private elevator back down to the ground floor.

I had barely stepped out of the elevator and into the busy reception area when I suddenly froze.

Standing near the tall glass doors was Blake.

It was my first time seeing him in a very long while. I stood there for a split second, just taking him in. He looked different. The boyish, carefree look he used to carry was gone.

He looked older now, a bit tired, and definitely more mature. When his eyes landed on me, he looked relieved. He walked over quickly, stopping a few feet away. “Hello, Aria,” he said softly, his voice guarded.

“It’s Miss Aria in this building, Blake,” I responded flatly, keeping my expression completely blank. I didn’t have the energy for pleasantries. “What are you doing at my office?”

“I’m sorry, Miss Aria,” he corrected himself quickly, looking a bit uncomfortable as a few passing employees glanced our way. “I really need to talk to you. It’s important. Can we please sit down somewhere for just a few minutes?”

“There is no time,” I said, checking my watch and shaking my head. “My daughter is being dropped off from school right about now, and I need to be home with her.”

I started to walk past him, but Blake moved to block my path. He looked completely desperate. His eyes were wide with a kind of panic I hadn’t seen in him before, and he almost dropped to his knees right there on the polished reception floor, begging for just a moment of my time.

“Please, Aria–Miss Aria, please,” he stammered, his hands half–raised in a pleading gesture. “Just five minutes. I wouldn’t come here and bother you if it wasn’t urgent. It’s about… everything. Please.”

I looked at his desperate face and sighed. I really couldn’t wait around right now because Amelia came first, but I also knew Blake wasn’t a malicious person. If he was humbling himself like this in public, something was truly wrong.

“I cannot stay here and talk, Blake,” I told him, my voice firm but slightly softer than before. I pulled a small

Chapter 164

notepad from my bag, scribbled down a line of text, and tore the paper off.

55 vouchers

“Here is my address. I am inviting you for dinner tonight. We will discuss whatever it is you have to say over a

meal.”

Blake took the paper like it was a lifeline, nodding quickly. “Thank you. I’ll be there. Thank you.”

Before he could get too relieved, I stepped closer and fixed him with a cold, hard stare. “I am giving you a very stern warning right now, Blake. I do not want to see Julian with you. Do not bring him to my house, do not let him follow you, and do not even let him know you are coming. If he shows up, I will call the police immediately.”

“I understand,” Blake said seriously, holding his hands up. “I promise you, it’s just me. I won’t bring him.”

“Good. See you at seven,” I said, and walked out to my car.

When I finally drove up to my house and walked through the front door, the heavy corporate stress instantly melted away.

Amelia was already there, sitting on the rug in the living room with her backpack dumped nearby. The moment she heard the door click, she jumped up, her little face lighting up with pure joy.

“Mommy!” she squealed, running across the room.

She threw her small arms around my waist, hugging me as tightly as she could. “I missed you so much. School was okay, but I wanted to come home to you.”

I smiled warmly, bending down to kiss the top of her head. “I missed you too, my love. How was school?”

“It was good,” she said, leaning back to look at me. Then, her eyes twinkled with excitement. “Mommy, where is Uncle Brandon? Is he coming over soon? I really want to show him my new drawing.”

My smile widened at how much she already adored him. “Uncle Brandon has some work to finish up today, sweetie, but he will visit you very soon. I promise.”

“Yay.” she cheered.

“Go wash your hands and get your books ready,” I told her, patting her shoulder. “I’m going to quickly freshen up, and then I’ll help you with your school assignment.”

I hurried upstairs to my bedroom, peeled off the stiff business suit, and took a quick, relaxing shower. I changed into a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a soft t–shirt, feeling like myself again.

When I came back downstairs, I sat at the dining table with Amelia for an hour, patiently putting her through her math and reading homework. Seeing her focus and laugh made me realize exactly what I was fighting for at that company.

While we were finishing up the last pages of her workbook, the doorbell rang. I walked over and opened the heavy front door, expecting a delivery, but there was no one there.

Instead, sitting right on my doorpost, was a massive, breathtaking bouquet of deep red roses.

Chapter 164

255 vouchers

The scent immediately drifted into the cool air. I picked up the heavy vase, noticing a small white envelope tucked into the green leaves. I pulled the card out and opened it. The handwriting belonged to Brandon.

I know today was tough, but you handled it beautifully. This is just the beginning. I’ll be dropping off four more bouquets over the next few days–one for each of the five years I spent chasing you. Love, Brandon.

A soft, genuine smile crept onto my face. Brandon was already doing boyfriend duties so perfectly, making sure I felt loved even when he wasn’t in the room.

I picked up the bouquet, buried my face in the fresh petals, and sniffed them, feeling a warm rush of comfort in my chest. “Mommy, who is that from?” Amelia asked, running into the living room.

“They’re from Uncle Brandon,” I said, setting the large bouquet down carefully on the coffee table.

Amelia ran up and gave me another sudden hug around my legs, looking up at the beautiful flowers.

“They are so pretty. Uncle Brandon is nice.”

“Yes, he is,” I murmured, returning her hug.

While Amelia went back to put her schoolbooks into her bag, I pulled out my phone and quickly typed a text to Brandon.

Thank you so much for the beautiful roses, Brandon. The note was incredibly sweet. It completely brightened my day. Talk to you later.

By the time I hit send, it was almost time for dinner. I walked into the kitchen to prepare a light, simple meal. I didn’t want anything too heavy or complicated since I was expecting Blake, so I decided to make a fresh batch of tomato garlic pasta.

The pasta was just finishing up on the stove when the doorbell rang right on time. I wiped my hands on a kitchen towel and went to answer it. Blake was standing on the porch, looking nervous, wearing a casual jacket.

“Come in,” I said, stepping aside.

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