CHAPTER 4
Ariana’s POV
"Your Advice turned my girlfriend into a stranger," he said, his voice cutting through the quiet like a blade. "You humiliated me in front of the entire city, and now you’re going to make it right."
I froze. His tone, his presence, his eyes cold, sharp, and impossible to read were all so familiar.
It hit me in a rush.
The incident.
The man.
One year ago, the city’s most talked-about breakup had gone viral. The CEO of Vale Resorts & Casinos had proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Sienna Hart, in front of hundreds at a charity gala. Cameras caught every detail of her turning him down. The footage flooded every screen, every feed, every late-night joke segment.
I’d made it worse.
On my show, I’d analyzed the rejection. I’d told millions that if a man’s relationship lacked passion and trust, a woman should walk away even if it happened in the middle of a proposal. My comments were sharp, confident, and, if I’m honest, smug.
And now, here I was. In his hotel Room. Naked.
"If I’d known I’d be here now, I would have kept my mouth shut," I muttered under my breath.
"What was that?" Ethan Vale’s brow furrowed.
"Nothing."
He stepped closer, the air shifting with his presence. "We’re going to make a deal, Ariana."
I pulled the sheet tighter around me. "What kind of deal?"
He opened the drawer of the bedside table, taking out a sleek black folder. His movements were slow, deliberate, like he wanted me to watch.
"You’re going to be my wife."
I laughed quickly, sharply, nervously. "That’s… that’s not funny."
He didn’t smile. "I’m not joking. You’ll marry me. You’ll play the part. You’ll live with me, be seen with me, and attend events with me. And after two years, we’ll go our separate ways."
"Why?" My voice was thin. "Why would you want me for that?"
"Because it will fix two problems at once," he said flatly. "My reputation needs a controlled narrative. And you…" His gaze swept over me, not in desire, but in calculation. "You need this video to disappear."
My stomach knotted. I didn’t have to ask which video. The memory of the screen flashing on my body tangled with his, every detail in high definition made my throat burn.
"You’re insane."
"Maybe," he said, setting the folder on the bed. "But I’m not bluffing. Sign the contract, and the Video stays buried. Walk out without signing, and it’ll be online before you get home."
The panic crawled higher in my chest. "Ethan, this is blackmail."
He tilted his head. "It’s business. You’re the one who always said relationships are about negotiation."
I wanted to scream, to throw something, to wipe that smug calm off his face. Instead, I stood there shaking under the weight of the voice in front of me.
"So what’s it going to be, Cruz? Public scandal… or Mrs. Ethan Vale?"
I swallowed hard.
He blinked, clearly not expecting me to give in so quickly. "You’ll be the mother of my children too," he added, as if testing me.
"Fine." The word was bitter on my tongue. "Now if you’re done, I need to take care of something before I sign anything."
He studied me for a long time, but then he gave a slow, knowing smile. "Don’t try anything stupid, Ariana. You’ll regret it."
---
Two hours later, I stood on the front porch of my ex-boyfriend’s townhouse, sunglasses hiding most of my face. My hands trembled as I hovered over the doorbell.
Maya would call me insane for even being here. Ethan’s warning was still in my ears, but I had to do this. I had to see Brent one last time, to make him understand, to maybe undo some of the wreckage.
I pressed the bell.
The door opened almost instantly, but it wasn’t Brent.
A tall brunette in silk pajamas stared at me, brows knitting together. "You’re Ariana Cruz."
Before I could answer, Brent’s voice floated from inside. "Babe, who is that?"
He appeared behind her, wearing the same smirk that had once made me fall for him. That smirk now made my stomach twist.
"Ariana," he said, his tone caught somewhere between disbelief and Annoyance. "What are you doing here?"
My gaze flicked between them. "Who’s she?"
Brent sighed like I was a child interrupting him. "Go inside, Jess. I’ll handle this."
"Handle this?" My voice was sharper than I expected. "Like I’m some problem you can just… manage?"
"You are a problem," he said coldly. "You always have been. That’s why I ended things the way I did."
"You ended my career, Brent." My chest was tight, but I forced myself to hold his gaze.
"You did that to yourself." His eyes were hard, unfeeling. "Now, leave before you embarrass yourself more than you already have."
The door slammed before I could finish.
I stood there, frozen, the echo of Wood on wood reverberating through me. Slowly, I pulled off my sunglasses and wiped the tears that had slipped free.
I didn’t know where I was walking to, only that my feet kept moving. The streets blurred around me, neon signs flashing through my haze.
I was so lost in thought that I didn’t notice the black SUV until it screeched to A stop in front of me. Two men got out tall, broad, wearing dark suits.
Before I could react, one grabbed my arm, the other pushing me toward the open door.
"Let me go!" I thrashed against them, but their grip was iron.
No one on the sidewalk stopped. Vegas was loud, chaotic, and indifferent.
They shoved me inside. The door slammed, the locks clicked, and the car pulled away from the Curb.
I tried to steady my breathing, but every nerve in my body was on fire.
And then I saw him in the back seat.
Ethan Vale.
Calm. Perfectly composed. Like he’d been expecting me.
"Told you not to try anything," he said, his voice low, almost amused.
I stared at him, my heart pounding in my ears. "You had me followed?"
He didn’t answer.
Outside, the City blurred past. Inside, his gaze never left mine.
And for the first time since this nightmare began, I realized something.
I was no longer just caught in Ethan’s game.
I was trapped in his world.