Hot Mysterious Millionaire

The Viral Encounter

The rest of the day passed in a blur, but Aria's mind was consumed with thoughts of *him*-Lucian Blackwell. She couldn't shake the image of those dark, intense eyes locking onto hers, or the way his deep voice had resonated in the small café. Even his light chuckle echoed in her mind, making her heart flutter again every time she replayed the moment.

As she sat on her bed that night, her textbooks spread out before her, Aria stared blankly at the pages. **I'll have it cleaned,** he had said. But that wasn't what kept coming back to her. It was the strange sense of power that surrounded him, the way the room had seemed to shift when he spoke. She couldn't stop thinking about how, in those few minutes, she had felt like the only person in the room to him.

She reached into her bag and pulled out his business card again, the sleek black rectangle catching the soft glow of her desk lamp. *Lucian Blackwell.* The name practically hummed with authority. Who was this guy? And why did he have a bodyguard following him around? The whole thing felt unreal.

Unable to concentrate on her homework, she grabbed her phone and absentmindedly scrolled through TikTok. But her fingers froze on the screen as an idea took shape.

**What if I posted about it?**

She bit her lip, debating for a moment. It was ridiculous. But... people loved crazy stories like this, right? Especially when they involved mysterious rich men with bodyguards. Before she could second-guess herself, she opened the app and began recording.

"Okay, so something totally insane happened to me today," she began, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I was just minding my own business in this little café, trying to get my vanilla latte, and... I spilled it all over this ridiculously hot guy in a suit. But that's not even the craziest part-he had a freaking *bodyguard* with him!"

She laughed nervously, explaining how she had tried to clean his suit with tissues and how embarrassing the whole thing was. "And then, just when I thought I'd die of embarrassment, he *gives me his business card*! Like, who even does that?"

Aria paused, holding up the card in front of the camera, carefully covering the contact details. "Lucian Blackwell. I don't know if you guys have heard of him, but I'm pretty sure he's, like, super rich."

She finished the video with a shrug, not thinking much of it. "Anyway, if anyone knows who he is, let me know because I'm still trying to figure out if this whole thing was real."

Hitting 'post,' Aria tossed her phone onto the bed. She didn't expect much; her TikTok videos usually got a couple hundred views at most. It was just something to share with her friends, really.

But within an hour, her phone was buzzing non-stop.

"Wait, what?!" Aria grabbed her phone, eyes widening as she saw the notifications piling up. Comments. Likes. Follows. Her video had gone viral. In just a few hours, it had thousands of views-and the number kept climbing.

**@user32989:** *Omg I think I've heard of him, he's like some tech billionaire or something!*

**@fashionlover:** *Girl, you better be ready, cause you just stumbled into something crazy!*

**@richguyfan:** *Lucian Blackwell? He's connected to some major business deals... careful with that one.*

Aria's stomach did a nervous flip as she scrolled through the comments. Some people were joking, others were genuinely excited for her, but a few comments stood out-warning her. The mystery of Lucian Blackwell deepened, and with it, her unease.

---

For the next few days, Aria's life took an unexpected turn. Her video continued to blow up, and strange numbers began to call her phone at all hours. Some left cryptic voicemails, others hung up before she could even answer. She ignored most of them, figuring it was just part of the viral madness.

But on the third day, her doorbell rang.

Aria frowned as she peered through the peephole, only to see a man in a dark suit standing on her doorstep. Her heart skipped a beat. **No way...**

She opened the door cautiously, only to find herself face-to-face with a man she hadn't expected to see. He was not Lucian, but he definitely looked the part of someone who worked for him-polished, professional, and slightly intimidating.

"Miss Aria Hayes?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.

"Y-Yes," she stammered, gripping the door tightly.

"My name is Nathan. I'm Mr. Blackwell's chauffeur. He's been trying to reach you for the past few days regarding your recent... online activity."

Aria blinked, her mind racing. "You mean... the TikTok video?"

He nodded. "Exactly. Mr. Blackwell would like to discuss it with you over dinner. He sent me to collect you, as we've been unable to reach you through phone calls."

Her pulse quickened. Dinner? Lucian Blackwell wanted to have dinner with her? And all because of the video?

"I-I didn't mean for it to blow up like that," she stammered, stepping back nervously. "I just... I thought it was funny. I didn't think-"

Nathan raised a hand, silencing her. "Mr. Blackwell understands. But he would still like to meet with you in person. He has a proposal."

Aria's stomach twisted in knots. A proposal? That sounded... ominous.

Nathan continued, "He'd prefer to keep this private, away from the media. The video has garnered a lot of attention, and he believes it's in both your interests to handle it discreetly."

Aria swallowed hard, her mind spinning. She had only wanted to share a funny story. Now, it had spiraled into something much bigger than she had ever imagined.

"Alright," she said quietly, her curiosity getting the better of her. "When?"

"Tonight, if possible," Nathan replied. "We'll take you to a private location, and Mr. Blackwell will explain everything."

Aria hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. Let me just grab my bag."

---

Less than an hour later, Aria found herself in the backseat of a sleek black car, her hands clenched nervously in her lap. She watched the city lights blur by as they drove, the weight of the situation settling over her. What did Lucian Blackwell want from her? And what kind of proposal was he going to make?

They pulled up to an exclusive-looking restaurant, the kind of place that made her feel wildly out of place in her casual jeans and sweater. Nathan led her inside, where they were greeted immediately and whisked to a private room in the back.

Lucian was already there, seated at the table, his eyes lifting to meet hers the moment she stepped inside. That same magnetic pull she had felt in the café washed over her, and her breath hitched slightly.

"Miss Hayes," he greeted, his voice smooth and controlled. "Thank you for agreeing to meet me."

She nodded, still too stunned to speak as she took a seat across from him.

Lucian leaned forward, his hands folded on the table. "I'll get straight to the point. The video you posted-it's attracting attention, the kind I'd prefer to avoid."

Aria's heart sank. "I didn't mean-"

"I know," he interrupted gently, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I don't blame you. But there are... complications. I'd like you to take it down."

Her eyes widened. "Take it down? But it's gone viral... I don't even know if that's possible."

Lucian's expression didn't change. "I'll make it worth your while."

Aria blinked. "Worth my while?"

He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a sleek envelope, sliding it across the table toward her. "There's a sum of money in there that I believe will compensate you for any... inconvenience. In return, I'd like the video deleted."

Her hands hovered over the envelope, her mind racing. She hadn't expected this. What had she gotten herself into?

---

In this chapter, Aria's impulsive TikTok post spirals out of control, attracting viral attention and a series of strange phone calls. Lucian Blackwell's team reaches out, and Aria finds herself drawn back into his world-this time with a proposal that could change everything.