PROLOGUE

Anika let out a sigh as she exited the office room after a recent meeting. The board members of her late father's company had informed her that she was to take over the company shortly, leaving her unsure of what steps to take next.

Reflecting on the words of a highly-ranked member of the company, she felt trapped. Throughout her life, Anika had always felt like a solitary figure, lost in a daunting world and her father's passing had intensified that feeling. 

She struggled to find a sense of purpose, a reason to keep moving forward. However, she found solace and support in her boyfriend, Richard.

From the moment they met, Richard had a way of comforting and uplifting her. His words were like a warm embrace, providing a welcome respite from the cold and indifferent world around her.

Feeling uncertain about herself and her abilities, Anika decided to turn to Richard for guidance, hoping that he would offer some direction. She picked up her phone and called him, but after a long silence, the line went dead; he wasn't answering.

Unable to reach him, she decided to go to his house, knowing that he didn't appreciate unexpected visits but she was going to apologize later. 

Fidgeting along the way, she drove to Richard's house and rang the doorbell repeatedly. Despite her attempts, he wasn't answering which led her to enter his house using his passcode and as she did, voices from his bedroom caught her attention. 

Intrigued and puzzled, she cautiously walked towards the sound as the voices grew louder and clearer, revealing a conversation that seemed far from innocent. 

Her heart pounded in her chest as she strained to listen. "I enjoyed spending time with you. You're the best partner I've ever had," she heard Richard's voice, filled with affection.

She was confused as she as she absorbed his words but before she could process it, she heard a response that made her blood turn cold.

"Shut up. You only say that because you need me for sex," a voice, familiar to Anika's ears, spat out with bitter resentment.

Recognition struck her like a bolt of lightning. She knew that voice all too well. It was her best friend, Victoria.

"That's not the only reason, sweetheart. You know I love you and your irresistible body," Richard's voice carried a hint of mischief.

Disgust washed over Anika as their words pierced her heart, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable. How could they do this to her?

"Then why don't you break up with that bitch if you love me? What's stopping you?" Victoria's voice trembled with urgency and desperation.

"You know I can't love. She is my cash cow. Leaving her would mean no more luxury for you," Richard said.

Anika's mind spun in a whirlwind of emotions - 

betrayal and disbelief. At that moment, she could no longer contain her rage. With a burst of strength, she barged into the bedroom, flinging open the door with a resounding bang.

Both Richard and Victoria froze, their eyes widening in shock and horror at her sudden appearance. Anika's heart sank as she took in the scene before her. 

It was true. Her suspicions had been confirmed. The two people she trusted most had betrayed her in the cruelest way imaginable.

The weight of their betrayal settled heavily upon her shoulder. She looked at Victoria, her best friend- now ex-best friend, who couldn't meet her gaze, her guilt and remorse evident in her trembling form.

"F*ck!" Richard cursed, moving to cover himself with a nearby blanket as he stumbled off the bed.

Anika's chest rose and fell with each ragged breath, her voice trembling with a mix of hurt and anger. "How could you do this to me? After everything I've done for you?"

Richard attempted to approach her, his voice pleading, "Babe, I can explain. It's not what you think. She-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Anika's hand swung through the air, connecting with a resounding slap against his cheek. Richard staggered backward, shock etched across his face. He couldn't believe she was capable of such a display of strength.

"How could you do this to me after all that I've done for you?" she whispered, her voice laced with restrained fury, tears glistening in her eyes. She refused to let him see her pain. He wasn't worth it.

"It's not what it looks like, I swear. I was seduced," he pleaded, attempting to come closer, but she stepped back, sternly warning him.

"Don't," she warned, her eyes filled with hatred. At that moment, Richard knew better than to challenge her.

"Anika, I'm sorry. I never meant it like that. I love you, you know that. I didn't mean any of what I said, I..." Richard tried to reason, but Anika interrupted him.

"You don't know the first thing about love, Richard. You were just using me for your gain. Now I see you for who you truly are. We are over, and I never want to see your face again. If you do, you'll pay for what you've done." she seethed.

"Have a nice life" She gave Victoria a stern look before she turned on her heel and drove straight to the bar where she contemplated her next move.

~*~

Anika walked into the bar and made herself comfortable on a stool then she told the bartender to make her a strong drink. She wasn’t a fan of alcohol but tonight, she wanted to get drunk and forget everything that she had seen or heard earlier.

She took a huge gulp of the alcohol handed to her and her face twisted immediately but she didn't care, she kept drinking.

Anika couldn’t help but reminisce about her and Richard’s relationship. She didn't know why he would do that to her, she had been nothing but nice and faithful to him for the past two years of their relationship. 

She didn’t discriminate against him when he wasn’t able to get a job after they graduated from college. Instead, she helped him and tried to provide for his needs as much as she could.

She should have seen the darker side to him when he became more possessive, more controlling towards her, insisting on knowing every detail of her life. He would criticize her for the things she wore and the people she talked to. He would often get angry or manipulative when she tried to assert her independence. He would also ask her for money openly and she gave him it without complaint.

Despite all of this, she remained submissive to Richard, feeling like she needed him to survive and would always want his opinion on every little thing in her life. 

Like a fool, she would take his advice and do as he pleased, not knowing that he had been cheating on her all along with her best friend and using her for her money.

That wasn't going to happen. She was done with love.

“You should stop drinking; it's getting too much” she heard a voice beside her. 

It was a tall young man; a good-looking man at that and it didn’t help that he had hazel eyes that contrasted with his skin.

“And what if I don’t” she asked but her tone came out flirtatious. The man smirked and sat beside her.

“Then I’ll do this” He collected the drink from her and gulped it at once while staring deep into her eyes.

“Hey, that's mine!” she protested but the handsome man just chuckled in response.

“You should be careful, pretty girls like you shouldn’t get drunk alone, especially in a place like this,” the fine man said and she looked around. She cringed as some men stared hungrily at her body without bothering to hide it.

“I am not drunk” She faced the godly angel beside her. The man arched his brows. 

She rolled her eyes. “Fine I am drunk but slightly, that doesn't mean I don't know how to defend myself though, I'm a tough girl,” she said making the man chuckle again, his dimples visible as he did so. She didn’t know he had one but she wasn’t complaining. 

"Just be careful princess," A smile was still plastered on the man's face and at that moment, she forgot about everything and stared at the man.

“So mind telling me why you are here in the first place?” he asked and just like that, she remembered her sorrows. Her smile vanished, this didn’t go unnoticed by the handsome stranger.

“I am just here to clear my head,” she lied, motioning for the bartender to pour her a drink but the man waved him back. She frowned at him and he gave her a wink in return.

“It doesn’t look like it,” he said, making her sigh.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Even though she was drunk, she knew better than to spill out all her secrets to a mere stranger.

“Let me guess, you got cheated on,” Her mouth was agape.

“How did you-”

“It’s a common thing.” he chuckled while she just stared at him with an unknown feeling in her heart.

Before she knew it, they locked lips and began kissing.

***

The hotel door was slammed shut as both the stranger and Anika kissed. 

They were in a hotel room, he suggested it when the kiss at the bar was getting intense and immediately carried her and her belongings to his car then drove to a nearby hotel.

She tried unbuttoning his shirt but she couldn’t, not with her shaky hands. She groaned at this and the man chuckled before taking his lips off her and stripped out of his shirt.

Her lips parted as her gaze swept through his perfectly chiseled chest; tattoos mostly covering his hard muscular torso down to his defined arbs, going down and tracing the V-shaped line leading beneath his white underwear just above his pants.

He looked perfect.

“My face is over here,” the man said with a knowing smirk on his face. She rolled her eyes and shut him up with a kiss.

His fingers wrapped around the hem of her dress and pulled it off. Within seconds they were both naked on the hotel bed, skin to skin as their tongues frantically moved against one another. His lips lay light torturous kisses down her neck, chest, and every other part of her body.

“Are you sure you want this?” the man asked, his eyes holding eye contact with hers, asking for permission. 

She nodded her head in consent and only then did he enter her, causing a series of moans to leave her mouth. She gave herself fully to him that night as they both reached ecstasy.

The next morning came and Anika woke up to an empty bed naked, she remembered everything that occurred between her and the man.

“What have I done?” she asked herself in disbelief and began to change back into her clothes quickly. Luckily the man was in the shower so he couldn’t hear her scuffling around.

Once she was done dressing, she grabbed a check that contained a large amount from her bag and placed it on the bed before walking out of the hotel room quietly.

She entered her car and placed her head on the steering wheels, still grasping what she had just done. She wasn’t like that; she was never a one-night stand person so she couldn’t understand why she slept with a stranger.

She wanted to get away from everything, from Richard and Victoria, her sister, and the recent occurrence. The only choice she had was to take the offer given to her by the board members so she picked up her phone and punched in a contact.

“Hello Miss Downs.” the voice said with a formal tone.

“I accept,” she said to him, taking a deep breath before continuing.

“I accept the position of CEO,” she said.

“That’s great ma’am, I'll inform the board members of your decision and we will begin to make preparations for your departure.” the man said.

T.B.C

Noeline.