The Hockey Roommate's Filthy Desire novel Chapter 81

12:19 Thu, May 14 N

Chapter 81

Chapter 81

ARIA’S POV

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Living with Brandon was strange. It was not uncomfortable, not unsafe. It was just unfamiliar.

Days turned into a quiet routine I hadn’t expected. The penthouse remained as pristine as the day I arrived, and somehow, I found myself moving through it like a guest who had overstayed but wasn’t asked to leave.

Brandon was different. He was cold but not cruel and distant but not dismissive.

He spoke only when necessary, never pried, never crossed any boundaries. And yet, there was something about him that made his presence impossible to ignore.

Every morning, he left early. Perfect suit. Perfect posture. Perfect composure. Every evening, he returned the

same way.

He had one routine. Work, then come home, then there was his quiet time. That was his life. There were no women, no friends and definitely no chaos. He had total control of how his life went.

And me? I did nothing. At first, I told myself it was temporary. That I needed rest. That the doctor had said to avoid stress. But days passed. Then weeks.

And slowly, the stillness started to suffocate me. I hated it. I hated waking up with nothing to do. I hated eating food I didn’t earn and I honestly hated depending on someone who owed me nothing.

Because that’s what it felt like. Dependency. And I had promised myself I would never fall into that again. When Brandon came back that evening, I would ask him for a job.

I wanted to warn my keep here. Plus, I didn’t intend to stay with him in his penthouse forever. I needed my own space and for that to happen, I needed to start fending for myself and for my child.

My phone rang, pulling me out of my thoughts. When I saw that it was Elena, I quickly answered the call. “Hey Lena,” I said quietly.

“There you are. How are you? How’s my little niece or nephew?” She asked lightly and I smiled, rubbing my stomach. A small bump was there now, evidence that there was life growing inside me.

“We’re fine, Lena. How are you?” I asked.

“I’m exhausted. Got a job at a tech company today and I wanted to give you the good news. I also wanted to ask how you were. My boyfriend is coming to pick me up in a bit. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Her question made my heart melt. “Congratulations on your new job. And yes, I’m alright, Lena. If I have issues, I know who to call.” She was silent for a moment and then she replied.

“Alright then. I’ll talk to you later, okay? I have to go now.” We ended the call then and I sat in the huge penthouse, counting minutes till Brandon would be back.

That evening, we sat across from each other at the dining table.

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Chapter 81

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The space between us was large, but the silence somehow felt even bigger. I pushed my food around my plate for a while before finally speaking.

“Can I ask you something?”

Brandon looked up from his glass of water. “You just did.”

I almost smiled.

“Can you give me a job?” That caught his attention.

His gaze settled fully on me now, sharper. “A job?”

“Yes,” I said, sitting up slightly. “I don’t want to just… stay here doing nothing.”

He didn’t respond immediately. “Why?” he asked finally.

The question was simple. But my answer wasn’t. “Because I want to take care of myself,” I said quietly. “I don’t want to keep living under your roof and depending on your money like this.”

His eyes studied me carefully. Like he was trying to understand something deeper than my words. Then he leaned back slightly. “What did you study?”

I hesitated briefly before answering. He listened without interrupting, his expression unreadable the entire time. When I finished, he nodded once.

“You can work for me.”

I blinked. “What?”

“As my assistant.”

I frowned slightly. “That has nothing to do with what I studied.”

“I’m aware.”

“Then why would I-”

“Because I want you where I can see you.” The words came out calm and strong.But they made me pause.

“What?” I asked slowly.

He set his glass down. “You’re pregnant. You’ve been through stress. You need a controlled environment.”

My brows furrowed.

“And working under me guarantees that,” he continued. “No pressure. No unnecessary strain. No external interference.”

I stared at him. Because what he was offering didn’t sound like a job. It sounded like protection.

12:19 Thu, May 14 N

Chapter 81

Like supervision.

“You’re not offering me work,” I said quietly. “You’re offering to keep an eye on me.”

He didn’t deny it. “I’m offering stability,” he corrected.

A small, humorless laugh escaped me. “Again with that word.”

His

gaze

didn’t waver. “I don’t need to do this,” he said calmly. “But I am.”

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