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CHAPTER 121
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A deal with the playboy CHAPTER 122
TRENT'S POVLydia's words echoed in my mind, each one driving the truth home like a dagger to the heart. "...the man, he was there that day. He was with my husband, lurking around outside the car, watching him hit that poor man down the street."So it was true - my father hadn't simply been an accessory to whatever cover-up Mr. Stewart was involved in. No, he was the one pulling the strings from the very beginning.The memory of Lydia's pained expression as she struggled to recall more details as she said. "I'm sorry, but I really didn't get a view of the man he hit," she'd said, that same vacant look clouding her eyes once more.Of course she hadn't - because there was no random victim, no tragic vehicular accident at all. Just a cold-blooded assault staged by my father's own hand.I pushed through the front door of the house, But the sight that greeted me made my blood run cold.There was my father, pacing back and forth as he barked furiously into his phone. "What did you just say?
A deal with the playboy CHAPTER 123
TRENT'S POV I sighed deeply as I collapsed into the leather chair behind Dad's desk, utterly deflated. For hours, I've been meticulously scouring every nook and cranny of this study, desperate to uncover some clue, some hint about the dark secret he was so hellbent on keeping buried.But my search had proved fruitless, yielding absolutely zilch. Typical, really. Of course the old bastard would be extra careful in concealing anything incriminating about his past misdeeds. He was nothing if not a calculated, diabolical son of a bitch.Raking a hand through my disheveled hair, I swiveled the chair to gaze out at the imposing shelves of books and files lining the walls. So much for my harebrained idea of somehow cracking this case wide open through some miracle discovery. Fat chance of that happening now.There has to be a better way of prying those ugly truths from Dad's tightlipped grasp.My mind drifted back to that fatefulday at the hospital, mulling over his ramblings about a food
A deal with the playboy CHAPTER 124
ELLA'S POVI stared down at the flyer in my hands, the bold letters seeming to mockingly leap off the page:"RIVERSIDE ANNUAL TALENT SHOWCASE - DANCE COMPETITION!$5,000 GRAND PRIZE FOR THE BEST DANCER!"My gaze tracked lower to the rest of the details, and my brief thrill of hope quickly morphed into one of doubt."Dancers will be evaluated by professional instructors from renowned academies, including..."The list of highly prestigious dance schools went on and on. Just reading the names made my palms start sweating. This is a huge cash prize, sure...but also having to put myself out there and compete against all the town's most elite, experienced dancers? With a frustrated sigh, I tossed the flyer back down onto Ryan's coffee table, flopping onto the couch beside him. This was just a pipe dream, nothing more. As much as I'd grown to love dancing under Ryan's patient guidance these past few months, I was still just a beginner at best. A total amateur compared to the real talents o
A deal with the playboy CHAPTER 125
TRENTS POVI watched Ella from my spot sprawled on the living room couch, unable to suppress an adoring smile as she sat cross-legged on the floor, brow furrowed in intense concentration over her textbook. Leave it to her to turn a lazy Sunday afternoon into an impromptu study session.As if sensing my eyes on her, she glanced up, strands of her chestnut hair falling across her face. Those big, soulful eyes of hers narrowed when she caught me staring instead of studying like I was supposed to be."You know, staring at the textbook doesn't actually constitute reading it," she teased.God, she looked so adorably smug in that moment. Heat crept up the back of my neck as I quickly pretended to straighten up, cracking open the calculus book she'd all but forced into my hands earlier."Easy for you to say, Mrs. I Breezed Through Calculus With Flying Colors," I shot back, snapping the textbook closed. "Some of us mere mortals actually have to put in effort to understand this mind-numbing non
A deal with the playboy CHAPTER 126
TRENT'S POV TWO DAYS AGO AT MR MATTHEWS OFFICE "So are you telling me that this was the reason Daniel was acting that way before he disappeared?" His gravelly voice sliced through the silence. Slowly, I rose from the plush leather chair, squaring my shoulders. "Yes, Mr. Matthews," I stated. "It wasn't just family issues that made him go off the rails back then. There was more to it, sir." I watched him intently, taking in the rigid set of his broad shoulders, the tense lines etched across his forehead. This powerful titan of a man was clearly grappling with some immense inner turmoil. At last, he came to a halt, hands stuffed into his pockets as he lifted his eyes to meet my stare once more. "I warned him that this was getting too dangerous," he murmured. "I told Daniel we needed to stop this idiotic digging before it was too late." He shook his head slowly, jaw clenching. "But I know how stubborn he gets once he got a notion stuck in his head. I didn't know he still contin
A deal with the playboy CHAPTER 127
ELLA’S povI stared down at the crumpled divorce agreement papers in my hands, my heart clenching painfully. Ever since the other day when Trent freaked out after seeing these, that look of anguish on his face has been burned into my mind.What could possibly be in these legal documents that shook him to his core like that? I've pored over them a hundred times and can't find anything too abnormal - just the standard jargon about the separation of assets, custody agreements, all the typical divorce minutiae. Sure, seeing my dad's name printed there is always a harsh reminder of his absence from my life. But other than a few brief pangs of melancholy, these papers never broughtup such a dramatic reaction before. So why now? And why from Trent of all people?Ugh, I just don't get it! I flopped back against the pillows with a frustrated huff. Absentmindedly, I reached for my phone, instantly navigating to Trent's text thread like I'd done a million times over the past few days.Only th
A deal with the playboy CHAPTER 128
Ella's POVOkay, this was getting a little out of hand. As I glanced up at Ryan from the frilly pink dress I was currently swimming in, I couldn't help but giggle at the oversized bow on the back."You've got to be kidding me with this one," I teased, giving a little twirl that made the poufy skirt flare out ridiculously. "Do I look like a giant cupcake or what?"Ryan's eyes danced as he shook his head. "Maybe not that particular number," he chuckled. "But don't worry, we'll find the perfect dress for you yet."I threw up my hands up. "Ryan, you really don't have to do this, you know. A simple 'thank you for being such an awesome tutor' would've been just fine." "Ah, but where's the fun in that?" he countered with a wink. "Consider this my way of showing a truly exceptional teacher my gratitude."Rolling my eyes, I retreated back into the changing room to slip out of the cupcake catastrophe. As I shimmied into the next potential option Ryan handed over the door, my mind drifted back
A deal with the playboy CHAPTER 129
Ella's POVMy feet could barely keep up with how fast I wanted to go. I wasn't just walking anymore - I was practically running, unable to contain my excitement at the thought of finally seeing Trent again. With each hurried step, I replayed his text over and over in my mind. "Ella, we need to talk." At last, I turned the corner onto his quiet neighborhood street, his house coming into view. And there he was, patiently waiting for me out front like he'd said. The sight of Trent's tall frame standing on the porch made my heart flutter wildly in my chest. Oh, my handsome, silly boyfriend - did he have any clue how much I'd missed laying eyes on that warm smile and tousled hair of his?Before I could stop myself, I came barreling towards him, his arms opening in anticipation of my embrace.But rather than leaping into his waiting arms like I'd imagined a million times, my emotions boiled over into something else entirely. Without warning, I started beating his chest with a breathless
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