Chapter 3

“Fuck, no, no, no, please don’t stop,” Natalie exclaimed, rolling on the bed till she stirred awake from her dream.

She groaned in pain and close her eyes when the morning sun shine on her face and a throbbing headache that reminded her of how much she took the previous night.

She stretched, trying to rise from the bed, but the soreness and ache she felt in her area made her stop. She lay still on the bed, trying to remember everything that happened the previous night together. 

But she snapped her eyes open when she heard the loud shrill of her phone’s alarm, reminding her that it’s 7am. Looking around, she was a room different from hers. The room is big and there's a chandelier on the ceiling with gold trimming designs on the wall, and she was lying on a king-size bed with white bedsheets. 

“Damn it,” she said, as the memory of her conversation with the stranger flashed through. The way she asked if she could kiss him, the way his sultry voice teased her until she kissed him, and how he wrapped his strong protective arms around her and kissed her back and ..…. She blinked, raking a hand through her head, trying to remember what happened after that, but everything else was a haze. 

“Why can’t I remember what happened?” she asked, her frustration boiling over as she rose from the bed. Did she actually dream of what happened to her? She remembered how she kept saying she wanted an older man to fuck her to get Matt off her head, but why can’t she remember what happened with the man she met. Why didn’t she remember how he made her feel, if she was boring just as Matt said, or if he couldn’t get enough of her? 

She needed no one to tell her that the sex was so damn good from the way her down was aching, but she wanted to know how he felt about her. Matt’s betrayal had reduced her self esteem in a way she didn’t know it could affect her, and led her to have sex with another jerk who couldn’t even wait to compliment her before leaving. 

Her thoughts drifted back to Lily and how she wouldn't have slept with another scumbag if she didn't leave her there at the club and allow her look for her in the VIP rooms. 

She saw a white paper, folded on the lampstand while she was looking around for her clothes and bag. Curiosity ate at her and she took the note and read it. 

“Hey, gorgeous. Yesterday was unforgettable. I hope to see you again soon.” 

Natalie smiled and heaved a sigh of relief. The words felt strangely comforting and made her regret disappear. It was a proof that Matt was a cheating bastard and didn’t deserve her. 

She clutched the paper inside her bag and dashed out of the hotel. 

A smile spread across her lips as she rested her head on the seat of the taxi she entered and closed her eyes, trying to see if she could remember anything about the night and what she did to the stranger to make him compliment her that way. 

She knew she was supposed to feel bad about sleeping with a random stranger immediately after breaking up with Matt, but weirdly, she felt even more relaxed. Matt didn’t just break her heart, he destroyed every hope she had in marrying a young guy like him all because now she thinks they are the same and has nothing to offer her except to have sex with her. 

But just a night with an older man she doesn’t see has changed her perspective about love, and she’s definitely not holding back again regardless of what her parents would say. 

Her thoughts drifted back to Lily and she dialed her number. 

“Hey, Nat,” Lily exclaimed, her voice filled with mocking concern over the phone. “Are you okay? Where did you sleep?” 

“Why bother ask when you left me all alone at the club” she hissed, hiding her excitement. 

“I'm sorry, Nat. But what happened when I left? Don't tell me you slept with a man old enough to be our father?” she yelled, Natalie smiled, already pictured what the look on her face would be like.

“Shut your mouth, Lily. Do you want Mom and Dad to hear you?” she said, rolling her eyes. 

“I bet Dad will wed you to one of his rich old friends if he hears what you just did,” she whispered, pulling her legs.

“I'll gladly seduce that friend if he's as hot as the man I slept with yesterday, but I bet Dad will disown me first.”

“So you really did have sex. How old was he? What does it feel like? Did you enjoy it?” 

“Just so so, you know.” Natalie said with a smirk, “But you can also try it if you are that curious about it.” She changed the topic since she didn't have a memory of what happened with the man before Lily started asking for something else. 

“But are you not afraid that you might meet him again? What if you get pregnant or if he has STDs?”

“Stop saying rubbish, Lily. How will I even meet him when I don't see his face or know his name? Besides, have you forgotten that I learned from the best, so I can't get pregnant? And I'm sure…” the words trail off her mouth when she realizes she's about to reveal the truth.

“We…used a condom.” She lied, her mind racing with the possibility of whether they really did use condoms or not.

“Well, that's better, but be careful next time.” 

“Okay, sis,” she said, heaving a sigh of relief as she cut the call. But another call entered almost immediately and private number appeared on the screen. 

Who could this be? She mused inwardly as she contemplated on answering or not. 

“It’s me, Natalie.” the voice said, and recognition dawned on her immediately, giving her the chills. 

The voice that has sounded warm and pleasing to her for the past fifteen years now sounds irritating to her.

She smirked, wondering what audacity Camilla had to call her after betraying their friendship of fifteen years. 

“Yes, did you dial the wrong number? Natalie asked, rage burning in her eyes.

“Well…” Camilla stammered, the silence stretching between them. “I'm guessing you've not received your package yet?”

“What package?” she asked, her voice irritatingly cold. “Get to the point or get the fuck off my phone.” 

“You can cut the call for all I care, just know that I’ve sent your dirty things at Matt’s house over to your parent’s shop. And that’s if they haven’t received it.”  

“Are you crazy, Camilla?” Natalie yelled, her voice louder than she intended. Her mind drifted to the things she had in Matt's house; her pants and lingerie she’s been using whenever she slept at Matt’s house.

“You don’t have to thank me, Nat. This is me announcing the end of our friendship to my ex-best friend that telling you that Matt and I are together now.” 

“You this bitch. How dare you betray me like this?” she said, but her phone went dead since it’s been warning her to plug it in since earlier. 

Natalie’s head was spinning, knowing her mom would definitely check the things they sent to her before collecting it and she’s most likely to get a heart attack from it. And Lily would definitely not be in the shop by this time and she’s about one hour away from her family shop and home.

“Driver, please drive faster,” she said, even though she knew it was going nowhere. 

No, this is bad. Why will Camilla deliver such a thing to her when she knows her mother’s condition? Is she doing this to get back at her? 

Natalie met people standing in her parent's shop with their faces sour as she got home. Natalie stopped in her tracks, her eyes moving from one person to the other, tears dripping down her cheeks as the reality that she just lost her mom sank into her head.

Has my trust in love really cost me everything?