CHAPTER 1

**Eva's POV**

Waking up on the bed, I felt a pounding headache. When I moved my left hand, I was stunned to touch another body lying on the bed next to me.

"What? Who are you?" I gasped, sitting up immediately.

The man had a sharp jawline, full brows, and thin lips.

I looked at my body and was stunned to find I was naked in bed with him.

"Who the hell are you?!" I yelled at him, before the events of the previous night hit me hard.

I had been invited by Layla Parker to celebrate her birthday at the hotel. Layla came from a rich family; she was twenty-four, fair, and my best friend from college.

Though I knew Layla came from a rich family, I was from a struggling home. She had promised I would have fun at her party, even when I didn't want to. I agreed—now I was in bed with an unknown man.

"I should be the one asking what the hell you're doing in my bed. This is a VIP suite. How did you get in here, miss?" asked the handsome man, shifting away from me. I was stunned by his masculine physique. He had a broad chest, chiseled abs, and six-pack.

"Don't gawk at me like that. Get up and get out!" he barked at me, but I refused.

"I'm a virgin. I'm not a prostitute, and you slept with me. Is this how you take responsibility for your actions? How did we get entangled on the bed?" I sobbed, unable to believe I had slept with an unknown man. He ignored me and pulled the bedsheet away from my body to shield himself.

He went into the bathroom, the sound of water running filling my ears. The entrance door swung open and Layla came in with Jacob Stone, my fiancé.

"So this is what you do, Eva. You hook up after everything I did to support you," Jacob accused as he stood in the doorway with Layla.

"No, Jacob. I don't know what happened. Layla, you invited me to your party. How did I end up with that stranger in the bathroom?" I asked my best friend, needing her help.

Layla wore a short blue dress and clung to Jacob's arm as if she were his girlfriend.

"Jacob, I don't know what Eva is saying. She came to my party and told me she was looking forward to meeting a rich guy at this luxury five-star hotel, the Owen's Hotel. I honestly don't know how she got here... until I asked the security men," Layla lied to Jacob, and he believed her.

"I cannot believe you would do this, Eva. After everything I did to feed you, sponsor you—this is how you repay me? It's over between us," Jacob said, glaring at me.

"You never let me touch you, and now you gave your body willingly to another man. I want back all the money I spent feeding and clothing you during the five years we dated. Fail to do that and I'll have you arrested. Trust me," Jacob said, pulling his hand away from Layla's hold and walking out of the hotel room.

Layla glanced at me and smiled. "Do you think you're deserving of a rich man like Jacob? Look at you, Eva. A poor woman like you cannot climb the ladder of wealth and power in Dominic City. You are to return to the slum where you belong, and don't worry about Jacob—I will take care of him." Layla smirked and walked out of the room, slamming the door loudly.

Tears flooded down my cheeks as I sat on the bed speechless. Where would I get money to pay Jacob now?

Jacob had promised to marry me after I graduated, and now Layla had ruined everything.

Wiping my tears from my cheeks, I knew crying wouldn't solve anything. But I wouldn't just leave. I needed an explanation from the man in the bathroom.

How dare he use me despite knowing I was intoxicated—and yet he acted like I was the one who had taken advantage of him.

I waited for the man to come out and grabbed my clothes from last night that were sprawled on the floor.

It was the green dress I had worn to Layla's birthday party.

A knock on the entrance door startled me, and I quickly used the green dress to cover my chest and shield my nakedness.

A tall man in a black suit entered the room. Seeing me use the green dress to cover my chest, he lowered his head and apologized, "I'm sorry, Miss. Where's Mr. Owen?"

"Mr. Owen—who?" I asked, confused, and the bathroom door opened as the handsome man who had been attending to me stepped out.

"Leave, Pete. I'll call for you later," he said.

"Okay, boss," the tall man in black replied. My eyes widened—this handsome stranger was someone's boss. Who was he, and why had the tall man called him boss?

The man ignored me and went to get dressed.

"Mr. Owen, you cannot take advantage of me without an explanation. I was drunk last night and I bet you were drunk too," I said, accusing him as he put on his shirt and buckled it.

He turned to face me with his sharp green eyes. "I wasn't drunk. But how do I know you were drunk, when you came into my room, offered yourself to me, and kissed me first? Do you need me to replay the footage to see what you did?"

"No, I…" I was at a loss for words. "I would never do that. You are accusing me wrongly," I said, my voice quivering—I didn't remember doing any of that.

"I see," Mr. Owen smirked, walking up to pick up his phone.

"Have a look," he said, as he played a video from last night on his phone.

In the video, I couldn't believe my eyes: I barged into his room, rushed to the bed, mounted him, and started kissing him.

"I don't remember doing that. That's not me, and how do you have that video on your phone?" I asked accusingly. He smirked.

"Don't play dumb with me, young lady. I own this hotel and the Owen's Group in Dominic City. If there is anyone who needs compensation between us, it's me, because you took advantage of me and I could only help you when I sensed you were drugged. If I hadn't slept with you, who knows what damage might have happened to your body. So you should compensate me," he smirked. My jaw dropped.