Chapter 3

Chapter 3

(Arya’s POV)

My eyelids fluttered open as I awoke with a yawn, rubbing my eyes with my index finger. I tried to get up, but I couldn’t move with the arm that was wrapped firmly around my waist.

Was I dreaming? Had Derek returned from his business trip last night?

I turned around gently, and the moment I saw him half-tangled in the sheets, the memories from the previous night came flooding through my brain.

“Oh no. What did I do?” I muttered.

He snuggled closer to me, his breath warm against my cheeks, looking so peaceful as he slept.

My stomach dipped and I found my fingers tracing his perfectly carved eyebrows; my eyes fixated on his lips.

I wanted him… again; but just then, he stirred in his sleep and I was afraid he’d wake up.

Gently, I peeled his arm off my waist, then slipped out of the bed with shaky limbs.

Lying on the floor was my lingerie, creased and torn. There was no way I could possibly just wear it outside. All my body parts would be exposed and everyone would think I was crazy.

I looked around for a solution and soon spotted the gigolo’s shirt hanging over a chair. I grabbed it without hesitation, buttoning it up with clumsy fingers. It hung loose, brushing mid-thigh, engulfing me in his scent.

The slippers provided by the room were thin and useless, but they were better than my bare feet. I glanced at the bed as I left behind all the money I had gotten last night like I had promised I would before slipping out of the room, desperate to put the hot stranger and the best sex I had ever had behind me.

I found my way out of the nightclub, unsure of where to go from there, but one thing was sure: I wasn’t going to return to Derek. No matter what happened, I couldn’t forgive nor forget his betrayal.

The blaring of a sharp horn jolted me back to reality, and I froze as a car screeched to a stop mere inches from my knees.

“Hey, are you trying to kill yourself?” The driver snapped as the door flung open, revealing a woman with a cropped dirty brown hair, wearing a corporate black suit and Louboutin heels.

“I — I’m so sorry,” I immediately apologised.

The frown on her face eased into a smile. “Wait a minute. You are Arya, aren’t you?” The woman asked.

I stared at her all over, wondering how she knew who I was, but then, realisation hit me. “Oh my gosh, Janette!” I squealed with excitement, wrapping my arms tightly around her.

When we finally let each other go, she looked at me with a hint of pity in her eyes. “What happened to you, Arya? Are you okay?” She asked, concerned.

I heaved a deep sigh, blinking back tears.

Her voice softened. “Hey, we don’t have to talk here, okay? My law firm’s right around the corner, we can go there.”

“Thank you, Janette. I’d love that,” I said.

“Come on, let’s go,” she said, motioning me in as she opened the passenger door.

A few minutes later, we pulled into a sleek expensive building which Janette said was her law firm. She didn’t just work there as a lawyer, she literally owned the whole building much to my amazement.

As soon as we stepped inside, everyone present greeted her respectfully. She merely responded with a wave of her hand as she guided me to her office, shut the door and pulled out a seat for me.

“Wow, Janette! You are on top of your game,” I said, impressed.

She laughed softly. “Why? Thank you,” she said.

I fiddled with my fingers, biting down hard on my lower lip. “I should never have gotten married. I should have just worked hard like you, and maybe I’d have a magnificent office like yours.”

Janette placed her hand encouragingly on my thighs. “No, don’t say that. Derek loves you, and if I had a man who loved me that way back then, I’d have probably gotten married to him as well,” she said.

“He never loved me—“

“Listen, I get that all marriages have one issue or another, but that doesn’t mean Derek never loved you,” she cut in.

Tears began to stream down my eyes. “Trust me, someone who loves me or even had the slightest bit of affection of me wouldn’t have had sex with my own sister on our matrimonial bed on our third anniversary,” I said all in one breath.

“He did what?” Janette’s face was horrified.

“You heard me… and that’s not all. He made me adopt a child two years ago… a child I found out yesterday was his affair child with Cassidy,” I revealed.

Janette had her hands over her mouth, shocked to the bone. “That’s insane! Those two! How could they do that to you? You’re the sweetest and most selfless person I’ve ever known. Those bastards! How could they?!”

I began to sob uncontrollably and she pulled me into her arms, patting my back softly. “I’m so sorry, Arya. They don’t deserve you,” she kept repeating until I calmed myself down.

“So, what are you going to do now?” She asked, handing me some paper towels.

I dried my tears slowly. “I want a divorce, but I don’t have—“

“I’ll help you with all that, okay? And rest assured, you don’t have to pay me,” Janette said.

“But—“

“You helped me a lot during our college days. You were always there for me, especially when you used all your savings to pay for my appendectomy. I’ve never forgotten that and I have always wanted to pay you back, but no one could reach you since you got married,” she cut in.

“He made me cut off all contact and I thought he was just protecting me,” I explained.

“Sweetie, you don’t owe anyone an explanation. I’ll get started on your divorce petition now, you just stay here and sit pretty,” she said, with a pat on my shoulders, after which she left the office.

It seemed like ages had passed when she finally returned to the office with a file in hand and a backpack, which she handed to me.

“The file contains the divorce agreement and there are some clothes, my old cellphone and some money in the backpack,” she said.

I tried giving back the backpack, but she refused to take it back.

“I can’t accept this, Janette,” I said.

“Well, I insist,” she told me, acting annoyed.

I sighed deeply, hugging her. “Thank you so much, Janette. Thank you,” I said, giving up.

“You’re always welcome, Arya. If you have nowhere to go, you can stay at my place in the meantime, you know,” she offered.

I shook my head vehemently. “No, I could never. You’ve already done so much for me and I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you,” I told her.

“I thought you might say that. Well, if you do have a change of mind, my number’s saved on that phone. I’m only one call away,” she assured me.

“Thank you again, Janette. I should get going,” I said, standing up.

“Where would you go?” She asked.

“My stepmother’s, I guess,” I replied with a shrug.

“Well, I can’t force you to stay with me, but in case you want to pick up the pieces of your life back, you can start with going back to your Formula 1 race team. I heard they’ve been doing poorly and I bet they could use your help right now,” Janette said.

I thought about it for a moment, but shook my head gently in self-doubt. “Janette, I haven’t worked on a race car in years.”

“Then it’s overdue,” she said, arms akimbo. “You’re brilliant, Arya. Engineering is who you are, and I believe that if you want your life back, you should begin getting it back right where you left it.”

My throat tightened. “And what if I’m not good enough anymore?”

“You are more than good enough. You just need to believe it,” she assured me.

“Where can I get changed?” I blurted out.

“I don’t understand,” Janette replied, confused.

“You don’t expect me to go job-hunting dressed this way, do you?”

“No way you’re taking my advice! That’s my girl!” Janette exclaimed with a proud smile, pulling me into a warm embrace.