Chapter 1

ELARA'S POV 

I’ve been in a relationship with Adrian Cross for two years, the owner of the renowned Cross Bakes and Pastries, famous for its delectable sweets. 

He’s the man I always dreamt of spending the rest of my life with. But that dream was destroyed when I found Andrian cheating on me. 

He chose his best friend, Selene Hartman, the girl who obviously faked a sickness to steal his attention. 

Adrian, oblivious, forgot he had a girlfriend. Selene isn’t sick. 

She doesn’t have cancer. 

She just wanted to destroy what we had. One day, I caught Adrian and Selene in an intimate moment inside his condo. 

I’d gone there to surprise him for his birthday, but I was the one blindsided.

I was reaching for another glass when Callista stopped me.

 “Enough, Elara!!! You’re already drunk!!,” she said, her voice firm.

“Chill… I’m not drunk, maybe a little though,” I shot back, snatching another glass and downing it in one gulp.

“What the hell Elara, I said enough!!!!” Callista grabbed my hands, her eyes locking onto mine.

 “Look, drinking won’t numb the pain,” she said, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

 “I rented a VIP room upstairs. We can’t make it home tonight. Go shower and sleep. We’ll head home first thing tomorrow. I’m just going to talk to Vivi. Got it!!??”

“ No! I want to drink more,” I protested.

“Elara, please… listen to me. Your dad will lose it if he finds out about this,” she pleaded.

I raised a brow. “How old am I? I’m twenty-five,” I said, taking another swig. 

“Don’t worry, Dad won’t get mad. He trusts me. Besides, I’m a grown woman….”

“Oh, come on,” Callista muttered, exasperated.

 “My point is, if your dad finds out what Adrian did to you, you’re done for…..”

“Fine! What room?” I asked, giving in.

“A-02,” Callista replied.

Once I entered the room, I unzipped my dress, slipped off my underwear, and threw them aside. 

I went straight to the bathroom, turning on the shower and letting the cold water feel my body. 

My head was heavy from the alcohol, but my heart ached more, always replaying the moment Adrian and I broke up. 

Or perhaps he cheated on me because I didn't give him my virginity.

 Though there were times I gave it a thought, especially when he brought it up during our dates. 

But now, I’m so happy I made the right decision. 

Kissing and romance can lead to desire, but that doesn’t mean it’s love.

 If a man really loves you, he’ll wait until you’re ready. It turns out that Adrian didn't love me. 

It’s been five days since our breakup. I cried for two days straight. 

The next day, I started hanging out with my friends, drinking until I was drunk. 

I even had to request a week’s leave from my dad and decided to stay in my condo instead of going back to the mansion.

“ Damn it!!” I muttered when I discovered there was no towel or robe in the bathroom. 

What kind of VIP room is this?

With no other option, I stepped out of the bathroom, naked. 

There was a white towel on a small wooden table near the door that caught my eye. 

I was about to wrap it around myself when the door swung open.

“Are you…..” I froze, after seeing the shadow of the man who entered.

 I couldn’t see his face; the room was dark, with only the light of the moon reflecting in the room.

 He was tall that I could tell. His shadow covered me as he approached, forcing me to tilt my head to meet his gaze, though his features was still unclear.

He examined my exposed body. 

 Damn! I’d forgotten to cover myself.

 I quickly wrapped the towel around me.

But this stranger chuckled. 

“Playing games, huh?” he asked.

I gasped, and froze.

 Before I could do anything, he closed the gap between us, his hands finding my waist and pulling me close to him.  

He caressed my back and inhaled deeply. “You smell so heavenly, baby,” he whispered to my ears.

My mind screamed to push him away, but my body betrayed me, refusing to move. 

His breath sent chills across my skin, stirring something unfamiliar.

His hands went down. Even through the towel, I felt the warmth of his touch. 

My knees started shaking as desire took a whole of me, something I’d never felt before.

 I’d only ever shared kisses with Adrian, nothing more.

Is this what every man wants? And is this what they enjoy?

He gently squeezed me.  

My heart raced fast, my stomach flipped, and I couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol or if it was him. 

The towel fell to the floor with a soft thud. 

He then shed his shirt, tossing it aside, then lifted me effortlessly, laying me gently on the bed. 

He positioned himself above me. I couldn’t speak,I couldn’t think, My body was already drowning in desire.

In one swift move, his lips claimed mine, his hand cupping my breast slowly. 

I groaned as he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring my mouth with an intensity that set me on fire. 

 I kissed him back, matching his hunger.

I’m a virgin, but I’m not naive.

 I’ve watched movies full of nudity, and read romance novels. 

But this!!! It was so real. Desire consumed me.

I moaned as he caressed me roughly, kissing my nipples slowly before sucking it aggressively.

 His lips started exploring downward, savoring every inch of me until he reached the space between my thighs. 

I gasped as his tongue explored my core, pushing me to the edge until I nearly shattered.

 He stood, shedding his pants and undergarments. 

My eyes widened at the sight of him, firm and ready. He grabbed something from the bedside drawer - a condom and slipped it on before returning to me.

 He kissed me again, and I lost myself in it, wanting him, needing him. Pain flashed through me as he entered, unguarded.

 Can’t he be gentle? a small part of my mind protested.

“You’re a virgin?” he asked, surprised in his voice.Biting my lip to dull the pain, I nodded. 

He kissed me softly, easing himself in while stroking me gently. 

The pain morphed into a sweet, tingling sensation. He moved faster, deeper, and I began to match his rhythm. 

The pain lingered but was bearable. I wanted to memorize every moment of this my first time.

 Lust and uncertainty swirled within me, building until I felt myself teetering on the edge.

“Ah!” we groaned together as he thrust one final time. He rolled off, removing the condom and tossing it into the trash bin beside the bed.

 He closed his eyes, unbothered by his boldness. Won’t he clean up or shower? I wondered. 

Is he just going to ignore me now?You’re doomed, Elara, I whispered to myself. 

You gave in to a stranger. But as I replayed it in my mind, it felt… good. Frustrated, I tugged at my hair, pulled the comforter over my naked body, and sighed. 

The pain lingered between my thighs, but there was a strange satisfaction in it.

 To escape my thoughts, I let the darkness pull me under as I closed my eyes