4 - Engagement is off

Cassandra's POV

My head was a complete mess, and I wasn't thinking straight at this point, like it mattered.

His lips were intoxicating, I knew I should not kiss him and didn't know why I couldn't stop.

His hold on my waist was firm, and I clung to his shirt, deepening the kiss, nibbling and licking his lower lip until we both moaned into each other's lips.

We unravelled each other. A gasp escaped my lips, his hand squeezed my butt, and I didn't even know when his fingers crawled over my skin to get to the edge of my panties. He ignited something forbidden in me.

He forced our lips apart, his teeth nibbling under my ear, sending jolts of sparks through my spine. He hovered over my ear, and a soft chuckle rang in my ears. "Be careful with fire or it might burn you."

The warning came in through one ear and left through the next. I tiptoed to nibble his lower lip once more before giving him a half-witty smile. "Enough talking, hubby, or don't tell me you are scared chicken now?" I taunted him.

He cocked his brow at me, something dark ran through his eyes. My legs almost gave up. A low rumble escaped his throat. Next, I spun around, my back against the cold wall.

A man over twice my size is hovering over me. "You really love pushing me." There was something dark and alluring in his voice, but my brain couldn't register it properly because he was all over me like a storm.

His kiss trailing down my neck and his hands wandering in place, it shouldn't be. The rest of the night drowned in heat, his lips, his hands, the taste of liquor on my tongue until everything blurred into darkness.

*******

The rest of the night was a blur, once he started consuming me. The irritating sound of my high-pitched ringing tone rang next to my ears.

My eyes jerked open and shut back immediately. It was too bright. Why were all the windows open?

I groaned rolling to the side opposite the window. My eyes opened again, and for a moment, I was dazed.

I jolted up without thinking; a sharp headache struck me, and my entire world spun at once. I hissed under my breath trying to make sense of what was happening or where the fuck I was?!

The room was completely foreign like a luxurious penthouse. My body acted on its own, ignoring my piercing headache or the fact that my legs were wobbly.

I ran off the bed, my eyes darted around the room and fell on a mirror. My reflection stared back at me. I was wearing an oversized black shirt, shrouded with a strong masculine cologne clinging. Several hickeys could be spotted from the gaps in the shirt

‘ Fuck!!. What have you done, Cassie? Another mistake you can’t take back.’

I cried out invisible tears, my aching head screamed.

Luckily, my clothes were folded on a nearby table, and they were already dry-cleaned. I didn't need an explanation of what happened, I just needed to get out of here ASAP.

The sound of rushing water echoed from the bathroom. Shit, he was still here. I didn't even remember his face because the entire night was a blurry mess upto when I asked him to marry me.

My hands moved the fastest it has in ages, I grabbed my purse and phone and ran barefoot for my life, leaving the tiara.

It was a miracle my wobbly legs didn't collapse until I got to the elevator. I slouched on the floor to catch my breath while dreading the hangover.

A few minutes later, the elevator ding opened and I fled the building, ignoring the curious stares from the onlookers. A taxi pulled over and I successfully escaped further embarrassment. So I thought.

*****

The entire ride home, I did my best not to cry. What the fuck did I just do? Even if Sinclair was a cheating scum, I shouldn't have stooped to his level.

Cassandra Sterling, the boring, nerdy daughter of the Sterling family, hooked up with a random gigolo on the eve of her wedding.

"I'm dead," I cried, earning a suspicious look from the driver through the rare mirror. My lips clamped together and I sank back into my thoughts. What if he didn't use protection and I accidentally got pregnant, or worse, contracted some kind of disease? Was it worth it?

Time wasn't on my side, soon the taxi drove through the Villa's gate from the glass window I could see Aurelia patiently waiting for me.

The car door slammed behind me and the taxi drove off. Our eyes met and she narrowed suspiciously at me. My stomach churned looking back at the large villa, which was my home, yet filled me with dread of what awaited beyond those doors.

Aurelia scoffed at me, "the slut is finally back." My brows furrowed. Something was off. Did she change after last night?

I glared at her, as memories resurfaced of how my sister, my only sibling, was hooking up with my fiancé. She shrugged and marched through the doors.

My fingers curled into a fist, that's right I wasn't going to run from this. Why was I scared of them? I gathered every drop of bravery I had in me and marched through those doors.

From the foyer, I could hear several voices and a muffled cry. Not too surprising, I got to the parlour and was welcomed by glares. My parents, Aurelia, the cheating bastard and his parents are all sitting on the couch, glaring at me like some hideous monster.

Mum was the first one to speak. She burst out crying. "Where have you been Cassandra Angelina Sterling?"

What was going on? Mum even called my entire name. Before I could even think of a reply, a harsh slap out of reflex I returned the slap

. "How dare you disgrace the Von Duvall name, you little slut?!."

My palm had already struck Sinclair's mother's face.

"Cassandra!!!" Dad's voice boomed. Sinclair's mother was already stumbling, luckily, he caught her before she hit the floor.

"What do you think you are doing Cassie? You spend the night fooling around and have the guts to slap my mother." He accused me.

Baffled, my brows twitched. How did he know?!

“Don’t look so shocked, sis. Everyone’s already seen what you did last night. You’re trending.” Aurelia pulled out her phone and showed me a popular TikTok video. A man and a girl are dancing carefree in a bar.

My face was very visible to the camera, but the man lurked under the shadows of the dark light, hiding his identity completely. It looked too convenient.

Shit, this was just great. I clutched my dress then glanced at Sinclair. I was immediately taken aback. His eyes looked completely heartbroken.

Mum was breaking down in a corner crying. I laughed, stunning them all. "You even have the nerve to laugh after what you did. You disgraced our family name." Aurelia self-righteously accused me

I could not stand their hypocrisy. My laugh died down. “Slut?” I laughed bitterly. “That’s rich, coming from the one spreading her legs for my fiancé. A pot calling a kettle black.”

" You are losing it, Cassie. Stop playing the victim card. Today is our wedding day for crying out loud." Sinclair grabbed my hand, his grip firm as he trembled.

I arched my brow at him completely unaffected. "Did you forget that fact while you were kissing Aurelia last night?"

The room went silent. Sinclair seemed stunned; his grip tightened.

"You are so shameless. Because you have destroyed your reputation, you want to drag me through the mud. " Aurelia jumped in to defend herself.

I completely ignored her, my head was still aching, and I didn't have the strength to deal with her hypocrisy. My eyes fell on Sinclair and I calmly requested. "Let go of hands."

He didn't react, completely dumbfounded like a hurt puppy. I gritted my teeth and yanked my hand off. "Do me a favour and get out of my face." I barked then stormed away, running up the stairs, knowing he would follow behind.

Sinclair ran after me, his footsteps closing in. "Please stop running Cassie. I know you were probably drunk, I will forgive you as long as you apologise." He kept up the act...

My chest tightened but I didn't stop running. I ran into my wedding dressing room, and the door burst open immediately after I stepped in.

Sinclair's gaze was panicking filled with fear. "Come on, baby, what happened? Did I do something? Just tell me and we can put this aside. You know I love and can do anything for you." He pleaded.

I stood staring at this man I couldn't recognise. "Including fucking my sister behind my back," I asked him

His jaw clenched, “You’re imagining things, Cassie. Aurelia? She’s your sister. I can never do that "

"Shut up." I cut him off then grabbed a bottle of whiskey.

I marched straight to my luxurious designer's wedding dress. "You are the fucking problem!!!" I barked then poured the whiskey on the dress. My eyes didn't even waver.

Before he could process what I was doing. I pulled out Sinclair's old lighter, which I normally carried around, and then tossed it on the dress. It caught fire immediately.

The door was pushed open with the rest rushing in. "What is wrong with you Cassandra?!" Mum cried.

My bloodshot eyes stared back at them. Sinclair looked pale as a ghost. "The engagement is off."