Drunk and Daring I Kissed a Tycoon novel Chapter 17

Vespera opened the message.

Raymond had replied, "On Friday, I'll be accompanying Mr. Reid to a meeting at the Amara Hotel. Ms. Gildon, perhaps you could deliver the suit there."

Vespera blinked. "What does that even mean?"

A flood of questions filled her mind.

Dominic asked to meet her again, and it was at a hotel—not just any hotel, but a secluded one—so isolated that if someone screamed or even committed a crime, no one would hear a thing.

She thought, "What… exactly does Mr. Reid want?"

She refused to overthink it. It wasn't about being scared or turning down an opportunity handed to her. She simply couldn't read this man.

She had no interest in getting caught up in anything beyond her career.

After a long moment of consideration, she decided to handle it the same way he did—by ignoring it for now.

…

In the parking garage, Raymond sighed and slipped his phone back into his pocket.

He knew there was no need to force things, but he had a feeling that wasn't what Dominic truly wanted. Besides, he had heard from Gerard that Vespera had actively applied to be Dominic's secretary.

There had to be some misunderstanding between them.

So, he had taken the liberty of arranging this. They could only clear things up face-to-face.

But Vespera was just as stubborn.

The Bentley pulled out of the community, passing by a Ferrari parked on the side of the road.

Inside the Ferrari, Luke sat motionless.

His calls had gone unanswered. His messages were ignored. His patience was on the verge of snapping.

Moments later, the resident list for Lanton Residences, the one he had someone look into, came through on his phone.

But what shocked him first wasn't seeing Vespera's name—it was the name listed for the penthouse—Dominic, the heir of the Reid family.

Luke had already heard whispers of Dominic's return. 

The Reid family had always ruled over Halewick from the shadows, keeping an air of mystery. Their family members rarely appeared in public, and while Luke wasn't in the same circle as Dominic, they had crossed paths before.

At 15 or 16, he had seen him at an event—aloof, distant, and untouchable, like a statue of polished marble.

And now, Vespera had secretly bought a place right under his penthouse.

He wondered if there was a connection between them or if it was merely a coincidence.

Luke's mind drifted back to that moment on the golf course.

…

Two hours later, Vespera finally drove out of the Lanton Residences.

The moment she spotted that familiar Ferrari on the side of the road, she slammed on the brakes.

Luke sat inside, smoking, white tendrils curling against his sharp features.

His expression was terrifying.

Vespera's mind raced.

By the time she pulled up next to him, she had already thought of a plan.

She stepped out of her car, opened his passenger door, and slid in. Taking the initiative, she spoke first, her voice cold and direct. "What are you doing here? Are you following me?"

Luke took the cigarette from his lips, picked up his phone from the dashboard, and tossed it onto her lap. "Explain this."

Vespera picked it up and saw the resident list from Lanton Residences on the glowing screen.

Without hesitation, she handed the phone back. "I've worked for years. What's wrong with buying myself a place? I paid the down payment with my own money. Not a single cent of yours."

Luke's gaze darkened, unfazed by her attempt to shift the conversation. "Vespera, don't play games with me. Is this about money? Why did you buy that apartment, and why did you keep it from me?"

She replied, "I didn't think it was necessary to tell you. I wanted a home that truly belonged to me, with my name on the deed. Is that so unreasonable?"

Back then, the Munoz family accused her of being after their wealth and forced her to sign a prenuptial agreement.

Luke stilled for a moment, then let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "Have I ever been stingy with you? The jewelry and gifts I've given you over the years—don't they add up to more than an apartment?"

She said nothing.

Luke pulled out his wallet and grabbed a handful of black and gold cards, tossing them onto her lap. "You want to buy property? Go ahead. Buy as many as you want. Put your name on every single one until you're satisfied."

Vespera let out a faint smile. "How generous of you, Mr. Munoz."

Maybe she should just focus on the money, turn a blind eye to his betrayals, and be the unfeeling woman who does nothing but take his money.

It wouldn't be the worst option. But deep down, she knew she could never accept a life that felt like a dead end.

She thought buying herself an apartment with her own money made her independent. That was just a small act of defiance.

"I'll drive you home," he said, starting the car.

"What about my car?"

"I'll have someone bring it back for you."

Luke didn't give her a chance to argue. He locked the doors and drove off.

…

For the next few days, Vespera remained cautious, barely stepping outside.

At the same time, she was mentally preparing herself for Luke's reaction when he found out about the divorce.

At first, he would explode with rage. That was inevitable. So she had no intention of facing his fury head-on.

She had already decided—she would go on a trip and give him time to calm down.

After that, if things went as expected, he would eventually go along with it. After all, his sugar baby would be pushing for a proper title as well. If she leaves quietly, without making a scene, he should be relieved.

Rebecca reminded her over the phone. "There's one more thing. You better be careful with your mother-in-law. She's been making moves lately. I wouldn't put it past her to cause trouble."

"Don't worry. Until the divorce is officially finalized, she'll be too afraid of me backing out to make any reckless moves," Vespera said confidently.

All Felicia did was spread the news that Vespera and Luke had broken up and that he was engaged to Tina from the Sowle family. If she wanted to talk, she could talk all she wanted.

On Friday afternoon, Vespera booked a flight to Eldoria. Then, Felicia called again.

Three days had passed since their last conversation. She knew Felicia had something to say, but she didn't bother reaching out first.

She answered, "Hello, Mrs. Munoz."

"We need to meet and update the agreement," Felicia said.

"Your lawyer can handle it with mine."

"Vespera, you raised your price from ten million to fifteen million. Now, I'm asking you to come in person, and you're acting difficult? You need to come in person. I'm at the Amara Hotel. It's quiet here—no risk of running into anyone."

Vespera immediately thought of Raymond's message. "Amara Hotel?"

Dominic was meeting someone there today. She wondered why everyone seemed to be gathering in the same place.