The Tycoon’s Surprise Bride

Chapter 9

~Aria's POV~

I felt a jolt of surprise and a hint of panic. Mr. Sterling was here? Waiting for me? And he knew I was with Ethan — and he was displeased.

The thought sent a shiver through me; I hadn't expected the reclusive tycoon to be so... reactive. I checked the time on my phone, I had been with Ethan for longer than I thought.

I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. I needed to get downstairs, and I needed to be clear-headed.

Mr. Sterling was going to be my husband in name, and I couldn't afford to antagonize him, not when our family's rescue depended on this arrangement. But a part of me also bristed at the phrasing, 'demands a meeting', 'displeased' as if I were his subordinate. I typed out a response to Gregory Miles, my fingers moving quickly.

"Mr. Miles, I understand. I will come down to the lobby immediately. Please inform Mr. Sterling that I had a necessary meeting with my…" I paused, choosing the words carefully, "my former husband, regarding our divorce. I am on my way down." I sent the message and took a moment to glance at myself in the elevator's reflective surface.

I looked frazzled, my eyes red-rimmed from unshed tears and anger. I smoothed my hair and straightened my clothes, trying to project a composed and cooperative image.

I didn't want Mr. Sterling to see me vulnerable or flustered. The elevator descended to the lobby, and as it opened, I looked around the surrounding until, I spotted a figure standing by the entrance, tall, with an unmistakable air of authority and impatience.

He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his back to me as he stared out of the hotel's glass doors. No way that was Mr. Sterling.

Gregory Miles stood a step behind him, his eyes fixed on me as I emerged from the elevator. The man in black, Kaden Sterling, I started to presume, didn't turn.

He greeted me with a professional nod, but his expression was tight. "Miss Aria, I must inform you that Mr. Sterling has waited for you in the parking lot, but he's become impatient. He requests your presence immediately, he's waiting in his vehicle."

I frowned slightly, curious about Mr. Sterling's urgency. I had thought the young man standing beside Gregory was Mr. Sterling but he was just one of the body guards.

"Where is the parking lot?" Miles handed me a set of car keys. "It's quicker if you go directly. His vehicle is in lot B, on the west side of the hotel. Please hurry, Miss Aria. Mr. Sterling is not... pleased." I took the keys, my sense of unease growing.

"Thank you, Mr. Miles. I'll go now." Miles nodded. "I will wait here for your return, to finalize any necessary details."

I turned and headed towards lot B, my steps brisk. As I exited the hotel, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the nearly empty parking lot.

I spotted a sleek, black private jet waiting on the tarmac — its engines humming softly, and the name "STERLING" emblazoned on the side.

Confused, I approached the jet, and saw a figure seated inside, visible through the open door of the aircraft.

A chillingly handsome young man with piercing ice-blue eyes was seated in the pluxh interior, his gaze fixed on me with an unnerving intensity.

He looked to be in his early thirties, with sharp, angular features and an expression as cold as his eyes. This was Mr. Sterling? The shocking revelation hit me like a slap. This was the reclusive tycoon? Not the old man my father and the solicitor had led me to expect, but this icy, breathtakingly attractive man.

I stopped at the base of the steps, my surprise and confusion morphing into wariness. The young Mr. Sterling didn't stand or offer a greeting. His cold gaze raked over me, and his thin lips parted.

"Mrs. Sterling," he sounded so formal. "What were you doing at a hotel with another man, when you are married to me?" he asked, his voice low and devoid of emotion. I felt a surge of indignation at his question, and my response was sharp.

The words left my mouth, "Married to you? Only on paper, Mr. Sterling. And I was with my former husband, signing divorce papers, as you were informed." Mr. Sterling's expression didn't change, but his eyes seemed to grow colder. He ignored my response and spoke with an arctic calm.

"You are reminded of the contract, Miss Aria. You are mine for five years. You do not meet with other men, you do not act without my permission. You belong to me." I felt fury rising at his words, the arrogance, the ownership.

"Who are you, really?" I demanded, my voice rising. "What's your actual name? And I was told Kaden Sterling is an old, reclusive man, are you even my supposed husband?"

Mr. Sterling didn't even blink. He ignored my questions completely, his gaze lingering on me with detachment. Instead, he spoke only to the driver, who stood at attention near the diver seat.

"Pilot, adjust our route. We are heading directly to my estate. Inform the staff to prepare for our arrival. We will discuss the... arrangements there." The pilot nodded and replied, "Yes, Mr. Sterling." Mr. Sterling's ice-blue eyes returned to me, his face expressionless.

"Get in. We are leaving. Now." He didn't offer further explanation or wait for my response. I stood frozen, my anger and confusion battling for dominance. I wasn't sure who this man was, or what game he was playing, but I knew I wasn't going to let him treat me like a possession.

"I won't get in until I get answers," I said, my voice firm and angry, planting my feet. Mr. Sterling's gaze narrowed imperceptibly the only sign of reaction.

"You will get in," he repeated, his voice colder, "I am your husband, and you will obey me, or do you want it the hard way?"