The CEO’s Hidden Love Midnight Temptations and Deep Desires

When Craig married Aurora, he was flat broke a real nobody. She never minded, not even a little. But looking back, he knew he'd let her down.

Insecurity was always their biggest problem. Aurora tried a million times to get him to drop it, to show him she never looked down on him—not her, not her parents. But Craig, with his pride wound up tight after a lifetime of feeling less-than, just couldn't let it go. He always put his ego first.

And in the end, that's how he lost her.

After the divorce, Craig pretty much fell apart. He spent his nights at the local bar, drinking cheap whiskey until he could barely stand. He hated himself, regretted everything, but also kind of felt like he deserved it.

Then he saw his son.noveldrama

That was the moment he snapped out of it. No matter what happened between him and Aurora, they still had a kid together. That was a tie he'd never shake, not

ever.

Compared to the lonely future he'd once pictured for himself, at least now he still had his boy. At least now, every month, he had a reason to talk to Aurora, even if it was just to swap stories with the nanny about how their son was doing. That was enough.

Adults screw up. Craig owned it. He wasn't going to make excuses.

When he told Aurora that, she just stared at him, caught off guard. When she finally snapped out of it, he was already gone.

"Still the same," she muttered to herself. "Always stuck in his ways. Never could go with the flow."

Back in his truck, Craig finally glanced at his buzzing phone. He'd ignored it before-figured if he had a rare chance to see Aurora face-to-face, he wasn't about to waste it staring at a screen.

He hit redial. "I'm here. But I'll come in ten minutes."

"Understood, Mr. Cullen!" the voice replied quickly.

He hung up and looked back at Aurora's house-well, technically, the new place just across the street. The freshly painted, sparkling white. house? He'd bought it. Not that he'd ever had the money to buy a place so close to Aurora and their son before. Her dad, Everett, had bought her a place so expensive it made Craig's head spin. He'd only gotten his first big break thanks to Everett's advice, but the rest he'd done himself. Scraping together enough for a million-dollar house in just a few years? That was pretty much impossible.

But the second he had enough, he didn't hesitate—just signed the papers.

He hadn't thought through what

Aurora would say if she found out. He just wanted to be near his son. And honestly, he was only stopping by to Check out the renovation progress. He hadn't expected Aurora to be home in the middle of the day. When she saw him, he panicked. He was terrified she'd find out and decide to move. After all, Aurora was Everett's princess—if she wanted a new place, he'd buy her one overnight. And if it was even pricier? Craig didn't even want to think about how many more years he'd have to save.

He waited in the car another ten minutes before heading inside.

The house was almost finished. He pointed at the biggest wall in the living room.

"I want my wedding photo right here," he said.

"Right here?" The designer tried to hide her surprise. "Sure thing, Mr. Cullen."

"And hang all the family photos in the kid's room, too."

The designer nodded, thinking, This guy's taste is seriously out of date. Who hangs up giant wedding photos anymore?

But she didn't get it. For Craig, those

photos

just his house. It was a home. even if it was a little broken.

1eant he wasn't alone. This