Seduced by My Ex's Tycoon Brother

A problem

Kade’s POV

The club had become a headache.

That much was obvious as I absently watched the CCTV footage displayed across the large screens in front of me. There were too many people. Every minute, countless patrons streamed in and out of the building. It was a level of success I had never imagined when I first started the club.

A knock sounded at the door, pulling me from my thoughts. I sighed, turned my chair around, and leaned back in my seat.

My assistant walked in carrying a stack of files, a deep frown etched across his face. "The game developers from Fridox are asking for a ridiculous profit share," Kelvin said.

"And how ridiculous is this profit share?" I asked, tapping my fingers against the desk.

"Seventy-five percent right off the bat." He shook his head. "And that's not even including the additional bonuses outlined in their contract."

I scoffed, gesturing for him to hand over the files.

"Not happening." I grabbed my pen and signed a document. "They can shove those stipulations down their throats. I'm not even giving them twenty-five percent. Twenty percent with no bonuses. That's my offer, and they'll accept it."

"Sure thing, boss. I'll let them know."

He turned to leave, but I stopped him before he reached the door. "Kelvin."

He immediately turned around. "Yes, boss?"

"Never bring up work in this club without asking me first." My voice hardened. "Never."

He nodded nervously before hurrying out of the office. He knew exactly what mistake he'd made.

I never discussed business inside the club, and I never discussed the club during business hours. The two worlds remained completely separate.

I had never intended to own a club, let alone one like this. Places like these had never interested me, and I certainly didn't participate in what they offered. As the CEO of Whitmore Tech, the leading technology company in New York, I had to be careful. My reputation couldn't afford unnecessary scandals.

Suddenly irritated, I tossed the files aside and turned back to the screens. The club had become incredibly popular. I'd originally started it to deal with... a problem.

A problem was the nicest way to describe it. A curse was probably more accurate. Over the years, I'd spent a fortune on tests, consultations, and treatments, all in an effort to fix it. Nothing worked.

I couldn't get hard.

It didn't matter if the most beautiful woman in the world stood naked in front of me. I wouldn't feel the slightest urge to touch her. It was frustrating and unsettling. At first, I hadn't paid much attention to it. Throughout my teenage years, I'd buried myself in my studies. As an adult, I'd thrown myself into work, dedicating every waking hour to securing my position as CEO of my family's company. Once I achieved that goal, my focus shifted to taking the company to heights it had never reached before.

Then the attention started. Women, dates, and expectations. My mother became determined to see me married and began arranging introductions. That was when I realized something was wrong.

No matter how attractive my dates were, I felt absolutely nothing. Some flirted openly and practically threw themselves at me. Others made it painfully obvious what they wanted by stripping their clothes off during dates. But, I remained completely unaffected.

Another knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," I muttered.

The door opened, revealing Gerald, my doctor. "I apologize for being late," he said. "Traffic was worse than expected."

The middle-aged man stood awkwardly, waiting for permission to sit. "You can sit," I said. "But remember, I don't take lateness lightly."

He nodded. "My mistake. It won't happen again."

After settling into a chair, he opened his briefcase and retrieved my latest report. "There are still no changes."

As if I didn't already know that. Leaning back in my chair, I fixed him with an unamused stare. "I'm beginning to think you're making suggestions without any real understanding of the situation."

My frustration was obvious. Three years ago, after a series of tests, Gerald concluded that my condition might be linked to an incident from my childhood… One that I hate to think about. To improve matters, he'd advised me to expose myself to more sensual environments and experiences. Like s*x clubs.

The suggestion had been ridiculous. I wasn't about to risk my company's reputation by getting caught in a scandal involving escorts or questionable establishments. So I'd created my own solution. I started a private club operating under a completely different identity. Nobody knew it belonged to me. Despite all that, unfortunately, nothing had changed.

Gerald shifted uneasily in his seat. "I'm surprised as well. I genuinely expected some progress by now."

I scoffed. The only thing making progress was the club itself.

What began as a secret experiment had grown into a highly profitable business generating hundreds of thousands of dollars every month. I tapped my fingers against the desk. "Clearly, that isn't the case."

The situation irritated me. Not only was the problem unsolved, but the club's growing popularity meant I had to work even harder to conceal my involvement. Investors constantly approached me with offers, hoping to buy their way in. I wasn't interested.

"I still believe we're approaching this correctly," Gerald said. "Tell me... have you felt any physical attraction toward anyone recently? Even just based on appearance?" He uncapped his pen and prepared to write.

The answer was simple. "No."

I'd seen women I considered attractive. Pretty faces, beautiful smiles, but nothing more. Never enough to make me look twice. Frankly, I didn't care.

What I cared about was my work, my position, and my future. A wife would eventually become necessary. Children too. And to have either, I'd need to solve this problem.

"Nothing different?" Gerald asked.

"Nothing," I replied.

He nodded and began packing his things. "I'll speak with a colleague in Turkey. Perhaps a different perspective will help."

I highly doubted geography had anything to do with it. I'd traveled extensively and met women from all over the world. The result had always been the same.

Still, there was no point arguing. "Very well."

"I'll take my leave now."

After he left, I tossed the report into my drawer without reading it. It would only aggravate me further.

My phone suddenly rang, and I glanced at the screen. It was Kelvin. I answered immediately.

"Boss, I need help reviewing the financial projections for the new booth designs."

"Where are you?"

"In the office near the club entrance. Down the hallway."

"I'm on my way."

Ending the call, I shoved my mask into my pocket and left the office, locking the door behind me. As I headed toward the second floor, my phone buzzed with a text message.

I glanced down to reply. That was when I collided with someone. The impact caught me completely off guard. A woman's body abruptly crashed into mine before stumbling sideways just as a startled cry escaped her lips.

Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed her arms before she could fall. The movement pulled her closer. So close that her whole body was pressed into mine.

My gaze narrowed. An unfamiliar warmth spread through me as she steadied herself against my chest, her breathing uneven.

For a brief moment, neither of us moved. Then I looked down, and bright blue eyes met mine. They were wide with shock.

Her full lips parted as though she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.

She quickly stepped back. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

The warmth disappeared the moment she slipped from my grasp. Oddly, the loss irritated me. Intrigued, I opened my mouth to ask her name.

But before I could speak, her phone rang. She dug it out of her purse, glanced at the screen, and immediately looked flustered.

"Sorry," she said again. Then she hurried away.

I stood there for several seconds, staring at the empty space in front of me. When I finally snapped out of it and looked around…

She was gone.