Chapter 1517

Tessa, of course, had no objections. As long as she could smooth things over, that was enough. She couldn’t afford to lose Aaron; he was still a valuable asset to her.

“You can choose the time and place,” she said with a faint smile, leaving the message clear.

Aaron immediately seized the hint and picked a hotel without hesitation.

When Tessa saw the location he’d chosen, she wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

A man who was willing to help always had something he wanted in return.

No one offered assistance without expecting a price.

And for her, this was fine. She wasn’t opposed to it.

Aaron met her standards well enough—though his influence still needed to be tested.

If she hadn’t met someone like Edwin, Aaron might have been the perfect choice for her.

But now that she had seen better, there was no way she would settle for less.

Soon, the two met at the arranged place.

Tessa arrived first, already dressed and waiting.

When Aaron came in, he found her sitting on the bed, wearing the kind of outfit she knew he liked.

The moment his eyes landed on her, they darkened.

He’d met many forward women before, but none had ever drawn him in like this.

“Didn’t expect you to be this bold tonight,” Aaron said with a teasing smile, his gaze openly raking over her.

Tessa didn’t mind his teasing at all. Instead, she leaned in closer, her posture openly inviting.

“That’s because it’s you,” she said with a soft, sultry tone. “If it were anyone else, they wouldn’t get the chance.”

At this point, she had no reason to be shy. She spoke frankly, knowing both of them were simply getting what they wanted.

“Hold on,” Aaron said, forcing himself to stay somewhat composed. “Let me ask a few questions first. Then we can continue.”

He still had a shred of reason left. The opportunity before him wasn’t going anywhere, but he needed clarity.

Lucas had already warned him once, and even his parents had ordered him to stay away from Tessa. He was meeting her now behind their backs.

Tessa draped herself over him, her voice smooth and tempting. “Ask me anything, Aaron. I’ll tell you everything.”

He locked eyes with her. “Look at me and say it again: are you really saying you didn’t know the man your sister married was Lucas?”

His stare was sharp, probing, searching her face for the truth.

Even though he thought he already knew the answer, a part of him still doubted. He wanted to hear her say it to his face, to know whether he was being played for a fool.

Tessa had handled far trickier situations before. Lying without so much as a blush was second nature to her.

Dealing with someone as straightforward as Aaron was almost too easy.

“Of course I didn’t know,” she said with perfect composure, meeting his gaze head-on.

“Aaron, think about it. If I really had found such a wealthy man, do you think I’d broadcast who he is to the world?”