CHAPTER ONE

Arielle’s POV

I had a feeling that things would go sour but I could not place my hands on them.

It was my engagement party with my fiancee Daniel at his apartment and I was worried the my best friend Anna noticed it too.

“Girl relax, you look like you're about to walk into a funeral and not your engagement party”. Anna murmured beside me, nudging my arm lightly.

“I’m fine, Anna” I said forcing a smile but internally I knew I wasn't.

When we got to Daniel’s apartment, the house was full of guests, music was playing firm the speakers and I could people laughing and giggling at each other. 

I looked around the room but Daniel  was nowhere in sight.

“Where’s Daniel?” I asked quietly while scanning the room.

Anna looked at me and shrugged

“He is probably hiding from responsibilities as usual. You know him to well for these question” She said.

Though I ignored Anna but I knew she was right after all because Daniel avoids duties.

“You should stay here to help look after things while I will go look for him,” I said.

“If by chance anything goes wrong please don't fight at least not today” She said grabbing my wrist briefly. 

 “Why would I fight anybody on my supposed happy day, I won't do that.” I said frowning.

But she gave me a heartwarming but warning look before letting my hands go.

“You can go but please be careful”. She said softly. And I left.

When I stepped I to the hallway, it was so quiet compared to the noise downstairs. I moved slowly trying to make noise with my heels as my fingers brushed lightly against the wall but the feelings I had initially grew heavier like something was wrong.

As I stepped closer to Daniel’s room, I began to hear smooching noise mixed with laughter and excitement. I could hear moaning sound and ass slapping sounds which made my scared and confused.

As I held the door knob my heart raced so fast but I eventually opened the door to meet the shock of my life.

I saw Daniel my fiancee and Elena my sister, in an intimate situation. They did not even took notice of me when I entered. Daniel cock was buried deep inside Elena who in turn was grabbing him tightly to her chest.

The scenario before was not looking like a one time thingy as it appeared to be a repeated reoccurrence between the two. I stood there motionless without knowing how react. Then Elena noticed me first and she froze instantly thereby making Daniel to turn to my direction.

“What is going on here?” I asked in a mild tone even to my own amazement.

“Arielle, wait….listen”. Daniel said while running his hand through his hair and already stepping away from Elena.

“Don’t you dare tell me that and don't lie to me .” I thundered with a heavy heart, controlling myself not to cry.

I sighted Elena wrapping  her arms around herself, but there was no shame in her eyes. That alone hurt more than anything.

“This is not what you think, I was not in the right frame of mind. I think it’s the devil’s handwork. Wait let me explain” Daniel tried explaining again but his excuses are coming off as stupid reasons because he obviously has nothing to say.

“Then make me understand then”. I said letting out a soft but disbelieving breath.

Daniel exhaled, with his tone shifting to be less defensive now, which made me more irritated.

“By the way, you weren’t even supposed to be up here, I thought you should be downstairs with our guests,” he said. I felt something inside me crack and I was left amazed.

“Excuse me?” I asked with so much disbelief.

“ I’m sorry Arielle, but the thing is that you’re always busy and always occupied with work that you forget that sex matters in a relationship and by the way I never thought that you would walk in on us like this”. He said and I almost ran crazy.

“Ohh my God, you didn’t think I’d walk into a room that was supposed to be ours anytime soon?, Daniel you really amaze me by the things you say.”  I concluded still trying to process what was going on.

“You always act like everything revolves around you,” Eliana finally spoke after being quiet for a long time .

“What do you mean by that Elena?” I asked, stunned at her statement while turning slowly towards her.

“What I meant is that you control everything. Your work, your money, your life and obviously Daniel isn’t one of your projects that you control.”She said.

“And so you decided to take him and maybe manage him yourself?” I asked, letting out a soft laughter.

“Dont pretend to act surprised, It’s not like you needed him anyways,” she snapped back at me without guilt or regret in her voice but justification.

At that moment, Daniel sighed like everything was becoming exhausting to him.

“Arielle can't you see that this isn't working for the both of us,” He said. My stomach dropped, not because I was not expecting that from him but how easily he said like three years relationship was nothing to him.

“And also I  think you should leave to avoid creating a scene here please,” he added.

And that was the moment everything ended. Daniel spoke to me like I was the inconvenience in his space and the betrayal was not a big deal for him.

Heartbroken, I stared at him for sometime before finally making my way to the door.

I left in silence with so many thoughts in my head as I could remember all the red flags that I ignored while I was with Daniel and being supportive of all his silly dreams. I have also ignored so many negative comments from Elena too.

When I got out of the house, Anna approached me with so many questions.

“Arielle., where is the Daniel you went to look for? what happened in there?” She asked at the same time but I ignored her and only shook my head.

“I just need to leave this place.” I said and she nodded taking the car keys from me.

“I will drive” I added 

When we got inside the car, I spoke up first.

“ I don't think am getting married anytime soon” I said 

“Why are you saying that? , Did something happen in there?” she kept asking.

“ I caught Daniel in his room cheating on me with Elena” I said. Anna opened her mouth wide open in surprise.

“What are you saying?” She asked fixing her gaze at me.

“Thats the truth and they neither sorry about their actions” I concluded

“Ahh, I'm so sorry about that. I have always known that Daniel is up to no good an I have always suspected their closeness but never thought that it will happen this fast”. She consoled me.

“So where are we going now?” she asked

“I'm going to the club” . I answered.

“Okay, I'm coming with you” she said

And I drove off to the club.

When we got to the club, the music was so loud and the lights were too bright with everywhere filled up with people just like I wanted it to be because I needed something to drown all the emotions I was feeling out.

Few minutes inside the club Anna approached me with her phone pressed to her ear.

“Arielle, I have to leave right away” She said.

“Hope there is no problem?” I asked

“Its a matter of urgency, my mom has just been admitted and I need to be there” she said.

“Okay, you can go. Just call me if there is any problem” I said.And she turned and left. I was alone again.

I walked towards the bar to grab a drink, thinking of my current situation and how my three years relationship crashed within seconds and I could feel nothing but emptiness which scared me more.

As the bartender slid my shot of tequila to me, I gulped down the first shot though it burned my throat but I didn’t care, I gulped down the second and the third shot and I couldn’t feel my head anymore.

I was tipsy but that was what I needed to drown all the thoughts in my head.

I felt the urge to use the restroom and I left for the hallway. I walked past people before I pushed one of the doors open.

When I entered the room the lights were dimmed so that I could not see any face clearly. 

Then my attention caught that of a young man in his mid thirties sitting like he belonged to a different world entirely. His gaze met mine and he didn’t blink.

“You’re late,” he said.

 “What do you mean by that?” I asked frowning.

He paused and took sometime to study me but he acted like I was farmilar to him which left me a bit confused.

“You’re not the lady I sent for,” he said after a moment.

When he said that I should have left but I can’t fathom the reason I stayed back.

“Then I need to leave right away,” I said but I didn’t move.

“You don’t look like you want to leave either.” He said leaning back slightly and watching me making my jaw to tighten.

“But I don’t even know you.” I said with uncertainty in my voice.

“You can stay if you want to” he assured, making silence in the room to stretch more.

Then he stood up and walked close to me. His breath was so close to mine and his lips almost touched mine. 

And suddenly the air in the room changed to a more intoxicating one. I tried to resist but my mind was betraying me. For unknown reasons I could not get a hold of myself maybe because I was tipsy.

“I think I should go” I said 

“You should go then” he said with his breath so close to me and his lips still brushing against mine.

He is handsome, tall with his broad shoulders which are irresistible. I thought about my principles, dignity and morals that I have built for myself, then I remembered my cancelled engagement and heartbroken I was which soured my mood. But I decided to stay.

Before I could react my back hit against the wall with his eyes locked in mine.

I felt his fingers move towards my thighs, slowly he raised my gown reaching for my pants. When his hand touched my inner thigh, I swallowed hard and he raised my legs making me balance on his torso and already in that motion he shifted my panties and thrusted into me.

I let out a soft moan and he did not stop as he continued thrusting in with a balanced rhythm which blew my mind away and the rest of the night was so steamy that I forgot that I was with a stranger.

“Oh my God”. I muttered softly while groaning sleepily.

Pain was  the first thing I felt while waking up, it was seething in my eyes like something heaving and my heartbeat was increasing heavily. I gently opened my eyes then realized that this was not my room.

When I  looked up at the ceiling, it was so high, too clean and expensive. My apartment doesn’t look like this or feel the way everywhere feels to me. The air here smells different as I could perceive masculine and colder energy.

I slowly pushed myself up and the sheets slid down my body and I froze. For a second I just stared in bewilderment. There were so many questions in my mind as to why I was naked and in a strange room that was not mine.

“ What the hell?” I said hoarsely.

Just then I noticed a movement beside me and when I turned I was shocked to see a man beside me sleeping peacefully, 

I was shocked but that was the memories from last night began to creep in. I did not hesitate at all, I had to leave this place before he woke up.

The man from last night was beside me and sleeping peacefully and I knew that I was in a big trouble. But I could not understand the reason why I gave in so easily to him. Though I was tipsy but I could not take it as a tangible reason to wake up on a stranger’s bed.

When I took a look at the room properly, the room had minimal designs with dark tones and clean lines. Everything in the room looked intentional and I thought to myself that whoever owned this place is not just rich but wealthy. The place screams power itself.

I hurriedly wore my clothes, carried my bag and tiptoed out of the hotel room and luckily I was not seen by anyone.

I ran outside immediately flagging down the next available taxi, jumped in and the driver zoomed off. I heaved a sigh of relief. 

“We are at your address ma’am”. The Uber driver said.

“Ohh okay”. I said surfing my wallet for his payment.

After I paid the driver, he zoomed off almost immediately and I walked towards the door of my apartment with so much thoughts on my mind. It was mixed with fear and tension which was really overwhelming for me.

“Oh my God, I just had one night stand with a total stranger?, what if he comes after me?” 

These were the questions rumbling in my mind as I searched my purse for my apartment keys.

I entered my flat, as I was still thinking about everything and everyone, Daniel, Elena and the strange man for the night.

My phone buzzed in my hand with the screen showing an unknown number. I hesitated before answering.

“Hello……” I spoke up first. There was silence from the other end before I heard a voice. His voice was low and too familiar

“I was wondering how long it would take you to leave the hotel this morning,” he said.

My entire body froze at the sound of his voice. It was the man from last night. That's not possible.

“How did you get my number?” I asked him

“ I do not need much stress to get information I need to know, Arielle,”  he answered.

When I heard my name I was perplexed. My heart began to race. 

“Who are you? and how did you get my contact?” I demanded sternly. I heard a soft exhale like I just asked the wrong question.

“Look behind outside of your window.” he said but it sounded more like order.

Slowly, I turned my head to the window only to see a black car which I had earlier perceived was following us..

“What is all this for?”  I whispered. 

“This is where you stop pretending like last night didn’t happen.” he said as his voice sounded darker now..