Chapter 1

Nathan's POV

It wasn't long before the drug's effect rushed through my system even more aggressively, leaving my body limp and burning up. I didn't even have the strength to lift a finger.

In the meantime, once Andrew Heath, my best friend, was taken away, the people who drugged me returned and surrounded me.

I suffered through the ordeal in a blur for God knows how long, and once the assault finally ended, they dragged me out and dumped me outside the private room.

I barely managed to steady myself against the wall when I saw Hailey Somerville, my fiancee, helping Andrew into the private room across the hallway.

I then heard soft panting and moans coming from behind the slightly ajar door.

I dragged my exhausted body over to the door, and just as I raised my hand to knock, a black card was tossed through the crack and landed at my feet.

Hailey's voice sounded from the darkness, seductive yet impatient. "Go buy me a box of ultra-thin condoms and bring it over—make it fast!"

I silently picked up the black card, my legs trembling uncontrollably. I limped over to the front desk and bought a box of condoms.

I then returned to the private room, pushed open the door, and placed it on the coffee table. "Here's what you asked for."

Hailey and Andrew, who were making out heavily on the couch, snapped out of it and went still. Hailey froze the moment she saw my face, the lust in her eyes being replaced by utter shock. "W-What are you doing here, Nathan?"

"I was the one who messaged you," I replied flatly, staring at the two of them wrapped around each other.

Hailey finally snapped out of it, pushed Andrew away abruptly, and scrambled to put on her clothes.

In the midst of the chaos, I took her phone from her pocket and unlocked it with my birthdate. I noticed that Andrew's chat was pinned at the top, while my own chat had been put on "Do Not Disturb" mode, with more than 99 unread messages in it. I felt a sharp pang in my chest when I saw that.

It turned out Hailey wasn't ignoring my messages because she was too busy to reply. She didn't even bother to read any of them. I swallowed every bit of resentment I wanted to voice after seeing how much attention she gave Andrew.

Hailey grabbed my hand, her voice laced with an unusual hint of panic. "Please hear me out, Nathan."

I said nothing and just stared fixedly at her chest.

Hailey was extremely particular about cleanliness and had always been restrained when it came to intimacy. She never let me leave any hickeys on her body. I accidentally left a hickey on her that one time, and she was so angry that she wouldn't let me near her for three months.

Yet, at this moment, Hailey's chest was covered with hickeys.

Upon seeing that I wasn't screaming or making a scene, Hailey became even more panicked. "A-Andrew was drugged, so this was all just an accident, Nathan!"

Andrew leisurely sat up and draped his shirt over Hailey, right before my eyes. He then pulled her by the waist and grinned at me. "I guess there's no point in hiding it anymore since the cat's out of the bag. I'd like you to meet Hailey Somerville, my girlfriend."

Hailey snapped, "Shut up!"

Andrew ignored her completely, picked up the box of ultra-thins on the coffee table, glanced at it, and let out a mocking laugh. "Hailey really hasn't slept with you that often, huh? How can you buy such a small size? It's so tight that it'd squeeze the life out of me, Nathan."

"I told you to shut the hell up, Andrew!" Hailey barked, her eyes bloodshot as she clapped her hand over his mouth.

Andrew chuckled as he touched the back of her hand. "You don't need to be so harsh. You sounded a lot better earlier when you were moaning and clinging to me, Hailey."

"Get out!" Hailey lost her temper completely and shoved Andrew out the door.

She then turned around and grabbed my hand, saying, "You have to believe me, Nathan. I just lost my head for a moment—"

She cut herself short when the light spilling in from the hallway illuminated the blood and bruises covering my body.

Her eyes widened in shock, filled with worry. "What happened to you, Nathan?"

I pulled away from her hand and replied flatly, "I had a fall, that's all."

"I'll go get the first-aid kit, so stay right here, Nathan," Hailey said, her eyes brimming with tears. She gently helped me down onto the couch before rushing out of the private room.

I had no idea how much time had passed when the pain finally started to sink in. I curled up on the couch in a daze after Hailey didn't show up for a long time.

I absentmindedly called Hailey's number, and this time, the call went through instantly.