Surprise Marriage to a Billionaire
Chapter 41: Temptation

Chapter 41: Temptation

Dina frowned as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you serious right now? I’m talking about us, and you’re asking about Rain’s husband?"

"Just tell me what you know!"

Paul barked out, his impatience seeping into his tone. He didn’t have time for Dina’s attitude. He needed information damn it. That damn Erotoxin Pill had been so difficult to acquire, and now it all went to waste because of that man’s sudden appearance.

Dina rolled her eyes at him, clearly irritated by his abrupt shift in focus.

Paul clenched his fists at her, trying to process the turmoil inside him. He needed answers, and Dina was his only lead. Even if she was more annoying than helpful at the moment, he had to press her for answers.

Meanwhile, Dina, still fuming from being ignored and dismissed, kept her arms crossed as she glared at Paul. "Look, I don’t know much about Rain’s husband, okay?" she insisted. "I’m sure he’s just some nobody. No prominent family would ever accept someone like her."

Paul’s eyes narrowed as he absorbed Dina’s words. "A nobody? Are you sure about that?" he questioned. "Because the man I saw tonight didn’t seem like a nobody. He had an air around him that felt like he owned the damn place."

It was true. He had never felt so intimidated in his life until a while ago. Damn that bastard! Was this why Rain had been so confident and arrogant toward him lately?

Dina’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wait, you actually met Rain’s husband? How did that happen?"

Paul leaned against the doorframe, trying to keep his frustration in check as he quickly crafted an alibi. "Yeah, I ran into him at the gala," he said, his voice steady. "I saw him picking Rain up. It was all very sudden."

Her eyes narrowed with interest. "What? He showed up at the gala? Rain has the nerve to bring him there but not to us?" She clicked her tongue. "Father will be furious when he hears about this!"

Paul simply shrugged, dismissing the concern about her absence. "So, who is Rain’s husband anyway?"

Dina’s irritation was clear as she replied, "Whatever. If he were someone important, we’d have heard about him by now. For all we know, Rain probably just paid someone to marry her."

Her brow then arched as she demanded, "Wait, stop dodging my question! Why didn’t you bring me to the gala? It was a perfect opportunity for everyone to see that I’m your official girlfriend!"

Once more, Paul did his best to force a smile before pulling Dina into his arms. "I just got caught up in a scandal recently, Dina," he reasoned. "I’ve already discussed our engagement with my father, and he approved of it. How about you take charge of organizing everything and set the date?"

"Really?!"

Predictably, Dina beamed, and Paul simply nodded. As he had anticipated, her focus quickly shifted to their upcoming engagement party, and she seemed satisfied with the current situation.

*****

On the other hand, Tyron couldn’t believe he had to fill a female wardrobe for his boss. Well, it was practically for Mrs. Lancaster, but it was still a situation he didn’t want to be in.

"What sizes do you need?" the manager asked.

Tyron simply smiled before giving the sizes his boss had mentioned. Once done, he then quickly headed to the penthouse to drop off the bags. However, he simply left the bags outside the door before messaging his boss.

"He’s playing with fire." he mused to himself. "Goodness, I wonder how things will turn out once Miss Carla Cartier returns..."

Meanwhile, inside the penthouse, Alexander stared blankly at the ceiling while trying to calm his racing thoughts. It almost felt like it was working until his phone beeped on the bedside table. Grabbing it, he quickly saw Tyron’s message about the clothes he’d instructed him to get for Rain.

He let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes to try and relax again before his body stiffened. Again, Rain had shifted closer to him, snuggling her face deeper into the crook of his neck.

It would seem that his control was being tested tonight, and he was truly struggling to maintain it.

"How can she sleep so peacefully?"

He muttered to himself under his breath, feeling her warmth against him as she pressed herself closer. Rain had practically turned him into a human pillow; brushing herself against him every now and then as if seeking comfort in his presence.

Gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face, he let his fingers linger on her soft skin. The rise and fall of her breathing was steady, and he could feel her heart beating against his chest, a rhythm that should have been soothing only serving to heighten his awareness of her.

Alexander clenched his jaw as he willed himself to focus on anything other than the feel of her body against his. His mind raced with thoughts he knew he shouldn’t entertain, but the temptation was still overwhelming.

As he lay there fighting his own desires, he couldn’t help but wonder how long he could keep this up. The room was silent except for the sound of their breathing, and it almost felt like every breath raised the temptations even more.

Taking a deep breath, Alexander carefully untangled himself from Rain’s embrace, doing his best not to disturb her. As he slipped out of bed, the cool air immediately hit his skin, a stark contrast to the warmth he had just left behind. He then grabbed his phone from the bedside table before quietly making his way out of the bedroom.

From what he recalled, Tyron’s message had mentioned leaving the clothes outside the penthouse door. He knew Rain needed proper clothes, especially underwear if she was going to feel more comfortable. He couldn’t just let her keep wearing his shirt and nothing else after all.

Reaching the door, he opened it only to find several paper bags neatly lined up near the doorway. One by one, he pulled the bags inside. Pulling out the clothes Tyron had carefully selected for him, his fingers brushed against the soft fabric of the underwear, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of awkwardness.

"I can’t believe I’m doing this," he muttered with a frown as he glanced back toward his bedroom. "There’s no way I should go back in there." Despite such thoughts, however, he knew Rain needed proper clothes, especially underwear.

So he carried the clothes back into the bedroom and placed them on a chair by the bed. With one last glance at her sleeping form, he turned around and headed towards the door, eager to put some distance between himself and the only woman tormenting him with just her proximity to him.

But just as his hand touched the doorknob, he heard her stir behind him. Her voice was soft, and groggy, and it made him freeze in place.

"Alexander...?"