Chapter 5: GO RUIN THAT CHEATING SCUMBAG

~ BRENDA ~

I woke up to peace. For a second, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting the peaceful energy settle around me.

I turned my head but the other side of the bed was empty.

I reached across the sheets, and they were cold beneath my fingertips meaning Dimitri had been gone for a while.

The suite was sparkling clean, the curtains drawn tight against the daylight.

If not for the tangled sheets and the dull ache lingering in every part of my body, I might have convinced myself last night had been a dream.

But I knew it hadn't, every stretch of my muscles reminded me exactly how real it had been.

I reached for my phone on the nightstand, it was 11:47 a.m.

I blinked once, trying to remember where I was supposed to be. My brain finally caught up with the numbers, and my stomach twisted painfully.

Fuck! The asset review.

"Oh, no."

I jumped up, the moment my feet touched the carpet, my phone started ringing.

The caller ID showed it was Patricia.

My heart nearly dropped to my stomach. I shakily answered before the second ring.

"Mrs. Clarke."

Her calm voice somehow made me feel even worse.

"Our meeting was scheduled for eleven."

"I know." I pressed a hand against my forehead while desperately searching the floor for my dress. "I'm so sorry. I overslept. I'm leaving right now."

There was a brief pause, I thought she would lose instead, "I've moved the review to one o'clock. Be here by twelve thirty."

Relief flooded through me, next, she added, "And Mrs. Clarke... don't be late again."

Before I could say anything, the line went dead. I lowered the phone slowly.

Fantastic, so much for getting revenge.

One freaking job, I had exactly one thing to do this morning, and I had slept through it.

No wonder they played me for a fool. I stood in the middle of the suite feeling like an absolute idiot when something white caught my eye.

It was a folded piece of hotel stationery resting on the pillow beside mine.

I picked it up.

The handwriting was neat, confident, and looked as arrogant as him.

I HOPE I MADE YOU FORGET ABOUT THEM? YOU OWE ME ONE, BRENDA CLARKE AND I’LL COME COLLECT IT SOON…DIMITRI

A laugh escaped before I could stop it.

"You really are unbelievable."

I read the note again, smiling despite myself, thereafter I placed it back on the pillow.

Only then did I notice another note resting on the armchair across the room.

It was placed neatly on top of a folded garment. Curious, I walked over and unfold the note first.

I ASSUMED YOU WOULD NEED SOMETHING NEW. THIS WILL LOOK GOOD ON YOU… DIMITRI

I looked down at the outfit, it was a lovely navy-blue pantsuit. It looked and felt expensive.

The corset-style top hugged the waist and dipped lower than anything I normally wore.

Beneath it sat a velvet jewelry pouch containing a pair of gold earrings, a delicate necklace, and a matching bracelet.

Everything matched and looked like it had been thoughtfully chosen for me.

I frowned, how did he even know my size? And when exactly had he found the time to buy all this?

My alarm blared signaling it was 12:pm. Shit! My questions could wait. Right now, I need a shower more than I need to meet up with Patricia.

The hot water washed away the exhaustion, but it couldn't erase the evidence of last night.

The moment I stood in front of the mirror with a towel wrapped around me, my cheeks warmed.

Lord above, his marks were everywhere in my body, from my neck to my collarbone.

There's a particular one sitting just above my breast, impossible to ignore.

I sighed. My first instinct was to find something with a high neckline. The thought alone made me pause.

Why?

Because Alexandre wouldn't approve? For three years, I had dressed for him and chosen clothes he considered "appropriate."

I had foolishly covered my body because he preferred it that way. I made myself so smaller and less noticeable.

All for a man who had been sleeping with my own sister behind my back. I stared at my reflection for another moment.

Then I reached for the corset top.

No. I wasn't dressing for Alexandre anymore. From now on, I will dress for myself.

When I finished, I barely recognized the woman staring back at me, the deep navy complemented my skin beautifully.

The fitted corset hugged my curves perfectly, giving me more confidence than I hadn't felt in years.

The gold jewelry added just enough sparkle without looking overdone. And the marks on my neck?

They were even more pronounced now. I tilted my head, studying them and found myself smiling instead of my usual habitual character of worrying about how Alexandre will feel about the mark.

Yeah, in previous life, my husband after marking me would force me to apply concealer saying he didn't like to see the fact that he was too rough and caused me harm.

What a joke!

My phone buzzed on the bed, pulling me away from the mirror.

It was my best friend, I smiled the second I saw her name.

RILEY: BRENDA AMARA CLARKE, IF YOU DON'T TEXT ME BACK IN THE NEXT SIXTY SECONDS, I AM CALLING THE HOTEL AND REPORTING A MISSING PERSON. ALSO… WHO WAS THAT MAN? AND WHY DID LEAVE THE CLUB LOOKING LIKE YOU WERE GOING TO GOBBLE HIMP? CALL ME!

I couldn't help laughing, only my best friend could sound concerned and nosy at the same time.

I typed back quickly.

ME: I’M OKAY. I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING TONIGHT. I AM ON MY WAY TO MEET PATRICIA.

Three dots appeared almost instantly.

RILEY: YOU’D BETTER TELL ME EVERYTHING. AND FOR THE RECORD… YOU LOOKED INSANELY RAVISHING WALKING OUT WITH HIM. GO RUIN THAT CHEATING SCUMBAG DAY, BABE.

I replied with a love emoji and my smile stayed on my face long after I locked my phone.

It felt good. Being alive and being able to chat with my best friend whom I died and left behind in my previous life.

She must have been so sad, thank God, I am back to the past, I will make sure to change it all for the better.

I picked up my bag and glanced around the suite one last time before leaving.

My eyes landed on the note still resting on the pillow, I hesitated. Quickly I backtracked, folded the note, and slipped it into my bag.