The Tutor's Seduction novel Chapter 1

"One, two, three..."

The private room was dimly lit, with men and women sitting together. The colorful liquor bottles on the marble table were illuminated by the lights. Amidst the laughter, Ariella Flores ignored the curious and suggestive gazes of the people around her. She mechanically repeated the same action, tilting her head back and downing her drink.

"Eleven... twelve!"

Finally hearing that number, Ariella stopped. After drinking twelve bottles in a row, the accumulated heat rushed to her face. She forced herself to look calm, catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure sitting across from her. Looking from her angle, all Ariella could see were the man's perfectly pressed suit pants, without a single wrinkle.

After a moment, the man's deep voice came from across the table, simply saying, "Sit."

Ariella took a deep breath, walked around the table, and sat down, keeping a distance of one and a half persons between her and the man. He had very short hair, a high nose, and deep-set eyes and brows. But Ariella didn't dare to look at him. He was Everett Carter, the most notorious man in the city.

Everett didn't look at her either. He casually took out his phone and asked, "How much do you charge?"

It was the first thing he asked her after she sat down. Ariella immediately replied, "there’s no charge during the trial period."

The faint light from the phone screen barely illuminated Everett's face. He looked at her with a calm expression and a low, pleasant voice, "How do we do the trial? Should you come to my place, or should I go to yours?"

The man's captivating voice sparked people's imaginations, especially with the laughter emanating from the nearby crowd, suggesting that Ariella wasn't the only one with wandering thoughts.

Without pausing for more than two seconds, she replied in her usual tone, "Customer satisfaction is our priority. It depends on your specific requirements."

Everett shifted the conversation, saying, " Light me a cigarette.“

In the room filled with laughter and smoke, it was customary for the female waitresses to light the cigarette with their mouths and then handed it, with their lipstick marks on it, to Everett.

Ariella lowered her gaze, picked up a cigarette box from the table, tapped one out, and held it to Everett's lips. She then skillfully lit it for him. In the moment of the flickering flame, she noticed that the man had attractively shaped lips, but for some reason, they made her think of the word "acerbic."

Everett’s slender fingers took the cigarette from his lips, accompanied by a swirl of white smoke. His voice remained nonchalant, "So, what's the price for your service?"

A chill descended upon the room as everyone held their breath. Ariella stood up straight, her expression unwavering, though her heart was filled with conflicting emotions. She had been in the city for a month, facing hardships from her boss. Everett was the ninth client she had encountered, and the first eight had eroded her pride and principles. Her double master's degrees in mathematics and physics seemed insignificant. In order to meet Everett, she had to wear a nightclub waitress-like uniform and serve him drinks and cigarettes.

She thought her job was about ability, but others were only interested in her "talent." The harder she tried, the more ironic it became.

Just as tensions were escalating in the room, the door swung open, and a short, plump middle-aged man holding a glass of wine walked in. He looked around the room and headed straight for Everett, saying, "Mr. Carter, I heard you were here, so I thought I’d come and raise a toast to you."

The man's face was filled with flattery, and he glanced at Ariella, exclaiming with surprise, "Ms. Flores?"

Ariella felt a wave of misfortune. The man standing in front of her was Marv, one of the eight clients who had canceled her bookings this month. She didn't look at him, only asking Everett, "Mr. Carter, can I leave now?"

Everett didn't respond. Marv noticed Ariella's outfit and took it upon himself to interject, "Ms. Flores, where are you rushing off to? What a rare coincidence to run into each other, let's sit down and have a chat."

Ariella ignored Marv and continued walking straight ahead. Sensing that Everett didn’t want her to leave, Marv blocked her way and said, "Ms. Flores, you don't have to show me respect, but you should show Mr. Carter some respect. Besides... you've already changed your clothes. You've taught so many students, what harm is there in being a student yourself for once?"