Ginny's eyes fluttered open, her head pounding fiercely. But the headache was nothing compared to the pain she felt between her legs. Her eyes frantically scanned the room as the events of the night before came rushing back to her. Her eyes widened as she peeled the sheets off her body.
"Damn it!" She cursed, as her eyes flew to staring at the bloodstain on the bed. Her eyes suddenly caught sight of a note, and she grabbed it angrily, reading the contents aloud:
“Sorry, Sugarplum, I would have stayed a little longer, but I had to catch my flight. Just wanted to let you know... you're really naughty for a virgin."
She crumpled the paper and tossed it away angrily. "Damn you!" She groaned, her hand flew to rub her hair. "I was saving it for Mr. Right, and you have the nerve to take it in one night! Fuck!" Her voice was loud with reverberation.
'Flight.' The word suddenly rang in her ear, her eyes widened and she jumped to her feet immediately. Just then, her phone rang. Her eyes frantically searched the room before spotting it on the table beside her. She grabbed the phone and quickly silenced the alarm, which clearly stated, ‘’An hour to flight.’
She tossed the phone onto the bed and dashed toward the bathroom. In less than twenty minutes, she was done, fully dressed in a long pink gown with a white strap that slightly exposed her back and a slit up to her knee. Her lips were painted a vibrant red.
Ginny yanked the wardrobe open, pulled out her traveling box, and rolled it out, securing her handbag with her other hand. She stopped at the reception desk and dropped off her key.
"I'm signing out" She said, pushing the key onto the table and flashing the receptionist a smile, which was returned.
"Thanks for patronizing us" The receptionist replied.
Ginny nodded and quickly walked out, rolling her bag behind her. She stopped right outside and waved down a cab. She immediately got in, and they drove off.
Her phone beeped suddenly. She glanced at the screen to see a message from Jane:
‘Hey, love! Sorry for ditching you yesterday. I got drunk and almost ended up in someone else's bed, but I ran home before he could do something stupid. I'm sorry I couldn't see you off. I've got a crazy…"
She groaned, shoving her phone back into her purse, not reading the entire message. She still couldn't believe she had lost her virginity so carelessly, especially when she had been saving it for Mr. Right. It was supposed to be a celebration of her breakthrough from college, and she had urged Jane to go with her in booking the hotel and also clubbing but now it felt like a nightmare.
"Why did I meet him?" She muttered angrily. "I hate him!" She mumbled, facepalming herself.
"We're here, ma'am" The cab driver informed her, jolting her out of her thoughts.
"Thanks" She muttered, pulling the door open and dragging her luggage out before grabbing her handbag. She headed into the airport, and just then, an announcement echoed through the halls:
‘The next flight to New York is about to take off in ten minutes. All passengers should be on board now!’
Ginny tightened her grip on the handle of her luggage and quickly rushed toward the reception desk. She dug into her bag and pulled out her passport and ticket, handing them to the receptionist.
"You're just in time, ma'am" The receptionist said with a smile, checking her documents. Ginny kept tapping her feet on the floor repeatedly, impatiently waiting for her to be done.
“Your documents aren't completed ma'am, I can't find your passport” The receptionist pointed out.
“Is it that you're blind, or you can't see I'm standing right here!. What do I need a passport for…” She smacked her hand hard against the desk and the receptionist flinched backward, not expecting the impact.
"I'm sorry” She quickly apologized realizing her mistake. She sighed before stuffing her hand into her handbag and brought out a passport, handing it over to her. The receptionist scanned it before handing all her documents back, this time with a frown. "You can proceed to Gate 5."
"Thank you" Ginny replied, grabbing her things and making her way through the bustling airport. Her mind was still swirling with the events of the previous night. She couldn't shake the feeling of regret and confusion. How could she have let things spiral out of control so quickly? She had never been the type to lose herself in the heat of the moment, especially not with a stranger.
The encounter had left her feeling vulnerable and exposed. The fact that the man had simply vanished without a trace, leaving nothing but a hastily scribbled note, made her feel used and discarded.
As she reached Gate 5, Ginny took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She handed her boarding pass to the attendant and walked down the jet bridge to the plane. Once inside, she found her seat by the window and settled in, placing her bag under the seat in front of her. She stared out the window, watching the airport staff bustling about, but her thoughts were miles away.
The plane took off smoothly, and Ginny leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes. Despite the noise of the engines and the chatter of the other passengers, she felt a deep sense of loneliness. The excitement of graduating and moving to New York, which had been her dream for so long, was overshadowed by the emptiness she felt inside.
Her phone hummed in her pocket, snapping her back to life. She pulled it out to see another message from Jane:
‘Hey, babe, are you on your way? Call me when you land. Let's catch up soon!"
Ginny sighed, staring at the screen for a moment before typing a quick reply.
‘Yeah, I'm on the plane now. I'll call you when I land. Take care.’
She put her phone back in her pocket and closed her eyes again, trying to push the negative thoughts out of her mind.
The boardroom was silent except for the shuffle of papers and the faint hum of the air conditioning. Ginny sat stiffly, her hands clasped together so tightly that her knuckles turned pale.Every breath she took felt heavy, thick with fear and hope.Annabella sat beside her, calm on the outside, but Ginny could feel the tremor in her cousin’s hand where their fingers brushed.Margaret was across from them, her face sharp with determination, and Joshua, though bruised and pale, sat straight-backed as if refusing to show weakness before Lucy.The doors opened.Lucy walked in like she owned the air they all breathed. Her heels clicked against the polished floor, her dress immaculate, her smile calm, controlled, a queen entering her throne room.She didn’t spare Ginny a glance as she took her seat at the head of the table.The board members murmured faintly, unsure, restless.“Ladies and gentlemen,” Lucy began, her voice dripping with authority. “I called this emergency meeting because the
The night city lights spilled into the car windows as Ginny sat beside Annabella, her palms damp against the leather seat. Every bump on the road felt like it echoed in her chest.The investigator drove in silence, his jaw tight, eyes locked on the road as though he too carried a burden heavier than the air around them.“Are we really ready for this?” Ginny whispered, her voice fragile but steady enough for Annabella to hear.Annabella turned her face, her eyes burning with determination. “We don’t have a choice. Lucy has painted you as a thief. If we don’t cut Victor down, the board will never listen to us.”Ginny nodded, though her stomach twisted. She had imagined the face of the man who helped Lucy weave her lies.Now, she was on her way to meet him, to wrestle her fate back from his hands.The car slowed before a dimly lit diner tucked away at the end of an almost deserted street. The signboard flickered, half-broken, as if the place itself was tired of hiding secrets.The invest
The morning carried no peace. By the time Ginny stepped out of her room, whispers were already spilling through the hallways.Faces turned toward her, some with pity, others with suspicion. She felt the judgment like stones pressing against her chest.At the dining hall, Annabella hurried in, her face pale, clutching a folded newspaper. She dropped it on the table before Ginny. “She’s done it,” she said, her voice shaking. “Lucy has moved first.”Ginny’s eyes fell on the bold headline. Her name screamed across the page—accused of siphoning funds, manipulating accounts, betraying her own family’s trust. A wave of heat rushed through her body.She gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles whitening. “This is false,” she whispered, though the heaviness in her throat made her voice crack.“She’s framing you,” Annabella said firmly. “And she’s doing it publicly.”Margaret entered slowly, her face stern, her hands holding yet another folder. “It’s worse than that. She’s called for an emer
The night air felt heavier than before, pressing against Ginny’s chest as she and Annabella stumbled out of the hidden passage with the ledger clutched tightly in Annabella’s trembling hands.Their breathing came in broken gasps, not just from running but from the weight of what they had left behind.Joshua.Ginny’s heart pounded at the thought. She could still hear his voice in her head, telling her to go, telling her to finish the fight, even as he stayed back to face Lucy’s men.The guilt was like fire in her veins. She had promised him she would end it, but the promise did not make the emptiness in her chest any lighter.Annabella slowed, pressing her back to the wall once they reached the east corridor of the mansion.Her face was pale and streaked with sweat, but her grip on the ledger was fierce. “Ginny,” she whispered, almost choking on the words, “we left him… we actually left Joshua down there.”Ginny’s throat tightened. She looked at her cousin, tears glistening in her eyes
The room was suffocating, filled with the sharp tang of fear and the heavy sound of panting breaths. Ginny’s heart pounded as Lucy’s men spread out, eyes sharp and muscles tensed.Annabella leaned against the cool stone wall, holding the book of accounts as if it was her ticket to life. Joshua, on the other side, has his jaw clenched, fists too tightly bunched at his sides."You actually thought that you could outsmart me?" Lucy's voice sliced through. There was an undercurrent in her voice: humor laced with rage. She did another step and, by that light, her eyes sparkled menace. "You have underestimated me once too often."Standing her ground and her eyes fixed on Lucy, Ginny said, "We aren't afraid of you anymore, Lucy. The truth's out, and it is only a matter of time before the board sees it.Lucy's lips curled into a smile, but it was anything but friendly. "The boa"rd? Oh, darling, you don't think I'm worried about the board, do you?"She turned to one of her men, nodding sharply
The early morning air was sharp and cool as Ginny stood on the balcony of her room, staring out at the sprawling estate below.It was the calm before the storm, that silence that always heralds the expectation of an up-and-coming battle.Two days had gone by since they had met with the investigator, and their plan had begun its motion. Her testimony to the embezzlement of Lucy into papers, with the damning link to Victor Kane, had all been set in place.She had learned to make the most of moments like this; when the quiet seemed to cradle her in its fragile, uncertain peace. She knew it wouldn't last. The board meeting loomed ahead, and with it, Lucy's inevitable counterattack."Morning." Annabella's voice snapped her from her thoughts. She stepped onto the balcony, joining Ginny with a determined expression."Morning," Ginny said, offering her a small smile. "Are you ready?"Annabella glanced over at her, the light in her eyes unwavering. "As I'll ever be. We've come this far, and no