The Ceo’s Contract Lover

Nina’s heart skipped a beat as she found herself pulled into a secluded corner. Her breath was caught in her throat when she realized that the person who had caught her off guard was none other than Jayden.

Her beautiful amber eyes met his dark orbs, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

The emotions that had been roiling inside her moments ago surged back with a vengeance.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, gathering her thoughts and summoning her composure.

As she met his dark and intense gaze, her eyes reflected a blend of emotions-surprise, hurt, and a lingering trace of defiance.

She tried to pull her arm out of his grasp, but she was no match for him.

“What are you doing here?” The man asked. His voice was low, almost a whisper, tinged with a hint of concern.

His grip on her arm was firm but not forceful as if he wanted her attention.

Nina took a deep breath, her voice steady despite the tumultuous whirlwind of emotions raging within her.

“Why can’t I be here?” she countered.

Hearing her words, Jayden gave her a faint look. It was just a glimpse, but it was enough to send Nina under pressure.

She exhaled sharply and looked at him coldly.

“I’m here because I was invited,” Nina replied again. “Besides, I’m not the one who needs to explain their presence at the event.”

Jayden’s gaze softened, a flicker of regret crossing his eyes as he absorbed her words.

He loosened his grip on her, though there was barely any distance between their bodies.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were talking about this event?”

Nina scoffed. “Why? So that you could cover up for your sweetheart?”

Her strange words instantly made him furious. With a frosty look, he lambasted. “What? Are you crazy? She’s my-”

“I don’t care about your relationship with her.” Nina cut him in ruthlessly, trying to sound indifferent. “You don’t owe me any explanations.”

“Why are you angry, then?”

Nina’s gaze held his, trying to detect any flicker of emotions on his face. But as usual, It was impossible to discern his thoughts.

It was as though nothing in this world ever mattered to him.

“You didn’t have to lie to me, Jayden. If you had told me that you also found it shameful to bring me out, I would’ve respected your decision.” She remarked suddenly.

Like his stepmother had unveiled.

She was just a lowly woman with no status. A stain on their family.

Jayden’s face suddenly darkened, and his eyes flashed with anger.

“You know that’s not the case, Nina,” he snapped, his words sharp and defensive. “Don’t make assumptions about how I feel or what my intentions are. If you just let me explain, I’ll-”

“There’s nothing to explain.” She raised her voice as a mix of frustration and sadness welled up inside her. “I remember. I remember it clearly that we had an agreement.”

From the beginning, it had been a transaction, devoid of genuine emotions or promises of love.

Despite that, she did not know why it pained her so much to see his look of indulgence when he accompanied that woman.

But what was even more infuriating was that she did not even have any right to be upset at him.

Jayden looked at her as if he wanted to say something, but hesitated.

Nina didn’t want to be near him at the moment. Even breathing the same air as him was becoming difficult for her.

“Now, if you please excuse me, I want to return to the banquet.” With a forceful tug, she freed her wrist from his grasp and walked away, leaving Jayden standing there.

As he stood there, Jayden pinched the space between his brow and let out a frustrating sigh.

His handsome face, which glowed under the orange light, was devoid of any emotions as his mind raced with thoughts.

How could he forget that his woman could be so stubborn?

Still reeling from the emotional rollercoaster, Nina had just walked inside the banquet hall when she saw two figures approaching her.

It was her stepsister, Alyson, and Mr. Johnson.

Alyson’s face reflected genuine remorse as she said. “Sis, I want to apologize for what happened earlier. I shouldn’t have judged you without getting to the bottom of things.”

Mr. Johnson, who was beside her, chimed in. “That’s right, Ms. Santiago. I hope you can let bygones be bygones and won’t hold it against her.”

“Mr. Johnson, I’ve already said what I wanted to say earlier. There’s no need to harp on it.” Nina said sharply, not intending to give them any face.

“We understand where you’re coming from. But believe us, Alyson is deeply remorseful about the misunderstanding earlier.”

“You don’t need to be her spokesperson.” Nina glanced at him coolly. “She can tell me herself.”

Hearing her words, Mr. Johnson immediately nudged Alyson with his elbow.

“I’m sorry, sis. Please forgive me. As a token of my apology, I would like to raise a toast to you. Let’s put the past behind us and move forward, shall we?”

Nina hesitated, her instincts warning her of the ulterior motives behind their sudden act of apology.

Their hypocritical smiles sent a shiver down her spine. But with the scrutinizing gazes of the onlookers, she felt obligated to play along.

She reluctantly took the glass from Alyson, the crystal clinking against her fingers.

Mr. Johnson and Alyson raised their glasses and clinked with her.

With a deep breath, Nina downed the contents of the glass, the bitterness seeping into her taste buds.

Alyson’s eyes gleamed with a meaningful smile as she watched her empty the glass.

However, in a place where she could not see, Mr. Johnson’s eyes glinted menacingly under the illuminated lights.

Nina placed the empty glass back on a passing server’s tray, her expression composed. She offered a polite nod and excused herself.

The couple moved aside and exchanged a knowing glance, waiting for the show to unfold.

As she walked away from the duo, Nina suddenly felt a strange heat spread throughout her body. Her vision blurred, and she almost tripped over but held onto the chair nearby to hold her balance.

—

“Hey, did you see that man earlier?” A man whispered, a mischievous smirk on his face. “He’s so horny that he couldn’t even wait to get himself a room,”

His companion chuckled and nodded. “That’s right,” she said, leaning in closer. “I heard they started making out in the middle of the crowd. Quite the show.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Another person joined the conversation. “Can’t blame him, though,” he interjected, his voice laced with a touch of envy. “Any man would lose his mind with such a beauty in his arms.”

The woman rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but be curious. “Well, do you know who that woman is? I don’t think I’ve seen her before.”

A pause followed as they tried to recall the elusive name.

“This was also my first time seeing her,” the first man admitted. “I swear, I’ve been in the circle for almost half my life, but I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful than her. She looked beyond stunning in that black dress.”

As they wracked their brains, trying to retrieve the name from the depths of their memory. “What was her name again?”

Another voice immediately slapped the shoulder of his friend, finally recalling her name.

“Nina Santiago. That’s right. The woman is called Nina Santiago.”

As the words hung in the air, their conversation caught the attention of a familiar figure nearby.

Jayden’s handsome face darkened.

The name uttered by the strangers seemed to have struck a chord within him

As if possessed by an uncontrollable force, he abandoned his composure and quickly moved toward the source of the words.

Without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed the collars of the men.

There was a turbulent storm in Jayden’s heart, and he gritted his teeth furiously.

“Where are they?” he demanded, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. His dark eyes bore into theirs, searching for any hint of truth behind the rumors.

The few people, startled by his sudden appearance, stumbled over their words. The man’s gaze was so frightening, as though he was out for blood.

“They… they went that way,” someone stammered, pointing in the direction where they had seen the people in the question earlier.

Without wasting another moment, Jayden swiftly moved through the crowd.

Thoughts raced through his mind, a whirlwind of conflicting emotions raging within him.

He suddenly panicked when he realized that there were hundreds of rooms in the hotel.

Where were they?

He immediately dialed Rick’s number and asked him to investigate. “Check the surveillance cameras and find Nina’s location asap!”

Rick acknowledged and swiftly went into action.

On the other hand, it was as though Jayden had gone crazy from the blow; he started examining every room.

He kicked open every single one of them, creating a huge scene.

The guests nearby were so frightened that they immediately scrambled away from him lest they incurred his wrath.

However, even after checking a dozen rooms, he did not find the person.

Jayden slammed his fist against the wall. The piercing pain spread throughout his body, but it could not compare to the pain he felt in his heart.

Fortunately, Rick was quick in his work, saving him from this relentless torture.

“Master, madam was last seen on the twenty-eighth floor around half an hour ago. She seemed to have entered the room no. xx and hasn’t come out yet.”

“Got it.”

Hanging up, Jayden sped through the corridor and took the elevator to the twenty-eighth floor.

The corridors stretched before him, and the distant sound of moans reached his ears, growing louder with each step.

The explicit nature of the sounds sent a surge of fury coursing through his veins.

Following the tantalizing sounds, Jayden quickened his pace.

The moans grew louder, mingling with the rhythm of passion as the rustling sound of two bodies hitting each other could be heard.

“Ah… Nina, bounce faster.” The voice moaned.

Bang!

Anger rushed up in him. Jayden’s eyes were a deep shade of red as he kicked open the door, his eyes blazing with a mix of disbelief and rage.

Time seemed to have stopped still. The scene that unfolded before him was like a dagger that stabbed his heart.