Sorry Ex, Your Dad Chose Me

Elyse had never kissed anyone before.

She had dated Ian for three years, but her reserved nature had kept their relationship from going beyond an occasional hug.

Now a stranger had taken her first kiss without warning.

Elyse fought at once and pushed hard against his chest.

Michael was barely aware of what he was doing. The moment his lips touched hers, the fever raging through his body eased and gave way to a dizzying sense of relief.

A light jasmine scent lingered on Elyse's skin, and it made him hold on instead of releasing her.

"Please... help me." His deep voice came out rough and strained.

"N-no! Stop!" Elyse braced both hands against his shoulders. His body felt painfully hot even through his shirt. "Sir, you need to control yourself!"

Her resistance made no difference. Michael was far stronger, and she couldn't break free from the kiss.

Soon, the struggle left her breathing uneven.

Unfamiliar heat spread through Elyse's body. His kisses caused physical reactions she neither understood nor wanted.

Her knees buckled beneath her, but Michael caught her before she fell. He lifted her to his chest and carried her toward the bed.

The mattress sank when he placed her down, and the impact made her bounce slightly. His body followed, trapping her beneath him.

Michael laid a burning hand against her waist and fought to restrain himself. "I'll make this up to you."

Elyse tried to answer, but her voice broke into frightened pleas.

The last of Michael's control gave way. He tightened his hold on her waist and forced himself on her.

By morning, Elyse's entire body ached as though she had been torn apart.

For several seconds, her mind remained empty. Then broken pieces of last night rushed back all at once.

She had entered the wrong room and spent the night with a stranger?

Elyse scrambled out of bed, pulled on her clothes, snatched up her phone, and rushed toward the door.

"Planning to leave without a word?" Michael's voice made her stop.

Elyse flinched before turning around, then froze when she saw him.

He sat bare-chested on the bed with the sheet gathered around his narrow waist. Muscle defined his broad shoulders and strong arms, which made it clear that he trained regularly.

Faint lines of his abdomen remained visible above the sheet.

His face shocked her most. Every feature looked sharp enough for a movie screen, and he was so handsome that she struggled to look away.

"Are you finished staring?" Michael asked without emotion.

Elyse quickly looked away. "About last night... I entered the wrong room. None of this was supposed to..."

Michael assumed she was the woman his mother had chosen for him, and his tone turned cold. "How much do you want?"

The insult erased the fear from Elyse's eyes.

She reached into her bag, pulled out two hundred dollars, and threw the cash onto the bed. Contempt filled her gaze as she looked him over. "That's all last night was worth."

Before Michael could respond, Elyse turned around and left the room.

His eyes settled on the cash scattered across the sheets. A brief laugh escaped him because he couldn't believe what she had done. No one had ever treated him with such disrespect.

Moments later, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," Michael instructed coldly.

Jack Thomas, his assistant, opened the door and entered. "Mr. Wright, this was my mistake. I didn't expect your mother to put an aphrodisiac diffuser in the room."

Michael lifted one hand to silence him. "Save the excuses."

Jack bowed his head at once. "I stopped the woman your mother arranged to send last night. The young woman who entered this room wasn't part of the plan. She came in by accident."

Surprise flashed across Michael's face as he looked up. "My mother didn't send her?"

"No. I reviewed the security footage. She left the lounge reserved for the Spencer family and entered this room by mistake."

Michael frowned. Had he judged her entirely wrong?

His gaze moved to the empty side of the bed. A small dark red stain stood out against the white sheets.

He pressed his fingers against his temples as he felt a headache coming on.

"Mr. Wright, should I take care of her before this causes trouble?" Jack asked cautiously.

Michael looked at the two hundred dollars on the bed. "Find out who she is, but don't do anything without my permission."

A chill passed through Jack. "Understood."

Elyse had barely escaped the hotel when her phone began ringing. Ian's name appeared on the screen.

His angry voice came through as soon as she answered. "Elyse! I've been calling you all night. Why didn't you answer? Stop sulking already. You got the Spencer family to sign the contract, didn't you?"

Her fingers tightened around the phone. "No, I didn't. I'm done helping you."

Ian immediately lost his patience. "Keep playing these games, and you'll regret it."

He ended the call without another word.

Elyse hadn't recovered from the threat when her phone rang once more.

She saw the caller's name and answered at once.

Panic filled the voice on the other end. "Elyse, something terrible happened at the orphanage!"