Chapter 2: Take me with you

~ Two weeks later ~

The club was in full swing, with neon lights flashing on and off, loud music playing, and bodies moving to the beat on the dance floor.

But 25-year-old Simona Smith was feeling the complete opposite of everything. However, she has managed to put on a strong facade to hide her inner turmoil. But judging by the way her best friend sitting across from her was looking at her with a worried expression, she realized she was doing a bad job at hiding her pain.

“Cheers to finally getting divorced!” She suddenly exclaimed, lifting one of the glass shots in front of her up; she gulped it down, feeling high from the number of tequila shots she had already taken.

That was the sixth or seventh shot she was taking, but it still hurts. She wanted to forget, but everything reminded her of him, making it impossible for her to stop thinking about him. 

He had laid down his rules: she was to be his substitute and contract wife for two years; he would provide her with everything; he would give her the respect she deserved, but never his heart; but she stupidly agreed.

She had been his secretary for 3 freaking years and had been secretly admiring him, but he never spared her a glance, and if, thanks to her lucky stars, she was given the chance to become his wife, even if it was just for two years and she was just a substitute for him, she agreed.

She thought, like in the many romance novels she read, he would come to love her along the way.

But the stone-cold devil, as they referred to him at the company, never looked at her, and when he came to know she was in love with him, the bastard terminated their contract, just a year after their marriage.

“Hey? Why are you crying?” Diana asked, snapping Simona out of her trance. Simona wiped the tears she didn't know she was shedding off her face with the back of her hand and muttered,

“I'm sorry.” 

“Hey, it's okay; he wasn't the one for you; he was stupid to not have recognized the gem he had; now it's his loss; you will find someone better, okay?” Diana said, and Simona nodded, the action making her dizzy, but she said with a weak smile,

“Yes, and it's time I moved on to a new phase of my life. New life, here I come!” she exclaimed, raising another glass of tequila in the air.

“Yes, that's my girl; now let's get you home; you're so wasted,” Diana said, reaching for the tequila in Simona's hand. “Give it to me; you've had enough.”

“No, please, just this last one,” Simona said in a pleading voice. Diana shook her head in disapproval but nodded, giving in to Simona's request.

“Okay, that is the last one, and I will take you home. Your father will be mad at me if he finds out I allowed you to get this drunk,” Diana said with worry etched on her face.

“Don't worry; since he's on a business trip and won't be back in three days, he wouldn't know if you don't tell him. Now tell me, do you have something going on with my dad?”

Simona asked, remembering the intimate position she saw Diana and her dad in two weeks ago when she returned home after leaving her ex-husband’s home.

“What... Are you talking about...?" Diana asked, wide-eyed, nearly choking on her drink and coughing hysterically. Simona used the opportunity to quickly gulp down another tequila and raised her eyebrows at Diana.

If there is something she knows about Diana, it's that she can't lie and definitely doesn't keep secrets. 

Four years ago, Simona confided in Diana and told her she hid her identity and applied to be a secretary at Adrian's company. It didn't last a minute when Diana informed her dad she was working as a secretary at Adrian's company when she could have worked as a top designer there.

“Hey, calm down. Why are you stuttering?” Simona asked with a raised eyebrow. Because it almost looked as if they were kissing back then, and the way Diana had looked nervous on seeing her that day. She was sure something was fishy, and why is Diana choking on her wine because of a simple question: is she guilty of something?

“Yes, I admit your dad is super hot and handsome, but there's nothing going on between us; your question caught me off guard. Sorry," Diana explained, tucking a hair behind her ear.

Simona looked at her face but found it hard to believe Diana was telling the truth, but she nodded anyway.

“But just a hypothesis: if you find out your father is dating someone younger than you or maybe a friend. How will you feel? Can you accept it?” Diana asked, looking at Simona as if she were afraid of her answer.

"No, I wouldn't mind, but eww, why would a girl whose age is two times my father's want to date him? She must only do that because of my daddy's money.” Simona said, and Diana looked at her like she didn't expect her answer for a second before looking away.

Simona felt Diana looked sad for a moment, but she thought it was just her imagination. 

“What if she genuinely loves your dad and it's not about the money?” Diana suddenly asked again, making Simona look at her skeptically.

“Hey, is my dad messing around with someone younger?” Simona asked back, and Diana choked again and started coughing.

“Okay, you know what? Let's forget about my dad, okay? I'm sad, and I want to dance,” Simona said, standing on her feet but feeling dizzy and falling back into the sofa.

"Let me take you home; you can't even stand," Diana said as she walked to Simona's side to help her up. 

“But I want to dance,” Simona lamented, her lips pulling in a pout.

“Don't worry, I will play you your favorite song once we get home so you can dance, ok?” Simona nodded and wrapped her hand around Diana's shoulder as they walked out of the club. 

On reaching outside, Diana asked Simona to wait for her while she fetched the car. 

Simona went into a squatting pose to stabilize herself, but then her eyes moved to the entrance of a Michelin restaurant, and she saw Adrian walking out, loosening his tie as he walked towards his car parked ahead.

“Adrian?” She murmured, standing up but staggering. She took a few deep breaths to steady herself and walked towards him.

A few meters from reaching Adrian, Sophia, Adrian's top model, walked out of the restaurant, calling after him informally and sultrily like they both were lovers. 

“You bitch! I'm going to make sure no establishment in New York would want to work with you; all your endorsements, when I'm done with you, you'll wish you were dead.” Adrian warned in his icy cold voice, staggering a little, making Simona realize that there was something wrong with him.

“Adrian? Are you alright?” Simona spoke, and both Adrian and Sophia turned her way. 

Adrian looked at Simona, his eyes moving down her body.

‘What the hell was she wearing?

And since when did Simona start wearing revealing dresses like that? And did she fucking wear that to a damn club?' He thought possessively, and the drug in his system wasn't helping matters.

He was feeling for sex alright, but feeling disgusted by the Sophia who drugged him. He had managed to keep his urges in check, but looking at Simona's flawless thighs and pumped breasts, he could feel blood rushing down his cock.

‘Damn it, he didn't want Simona; he knows for a fact it was the drug in his system,’ Adrian reminded himself and turned to open his car without giving Simona an answer.

Sophia saw how Adrian looked at Simona. She heard from one of Adrian's maids, whom she bribed some time ago to be her intel, that Simona was kicked out two weeks ago. So she intended to become the new Mrs. Adams.

She wasn't going to stand aside and let her hard work tonight go to someone else. Sophia thought as she began walking towards Adrian. 

“Adrian, please, it's late. Can you please send me home? I'm scared,” she said, stretching her hand to take his hand, but Simona ran forward and jumped on Adrian, her skirt pushing up her hips.

Adrian had opened his car door to enter, but hearing the shameless bitch spewing nonsense, he turned around only to find Simona jumping on him. He swiftly wrapped his hands around her on reflex but staggered backward, and his back hit his car. 

“Take me with you,” Simona said, wrapping her hands tightly around his neck. 

“What are you up to, Simona? And you reek of alcohol; you're drunk. Just how much alcohol did you take?” Adrian questioned, about to let her down.

But when Simona moved and his erection brushed her pussy through her flimsy panties, she moaned into his ears.

Adrian stood there, frozen from Simona brushing his erection and moaning into his ears.

He didn't want to do this, but every fiber in him wanted this; he would compensate Simona later, but right now, he needed her, and he must have her. He went around his car and seated her in the front seat and fastened the seatbelt for her, got to his side, and drove off to his penthouse at full speed, leaving a screaming Sophia behind.