The Saviour

Getting home, Gabriella was overwhelmed with joy as she danced around her room, while gushing on the phone with Khloe.

“I can’t believe I actually got the job,” she screamed as she dove into her bed.

“I always knew you would get it, Gabby. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you so much,” Gabriella responded with the biggest smile.

“Hey, why don’t we go out to celebrate tonight. This is a big deal, and you deserve it.”

“I don’t think I should, I start work tomorrow.” Gabriella felt skeptical about going out to party the night before she resumed her new job.

“Come on Gabby, you never go out. You’re always cooked up in your apartment. You need to live a little.”

Khloe was very persuasive, and her enthusiasm was difficult to resist. After considering the idea for a few moments, Gabriella finally agreed.

“Alright, fine, but we can’t stay out too late.”

“Yessss!!!” Khloe screamed, making Gabriella pull the phone away from her ear.

“I’ll be at your place by 9. Oh, and wear something cute. We’re going to have so much fun.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Gabriella laughed as she hung up the phone. 

It was currently 6 o’clock, which gave Gabriella some time to herself before Khloe would arrive. She recalled the events of the day and how everything happened so fast. One moment, she was about to cry over not getting the job, and the next moment, she was hired.

“Keep wearing the shirt. I like how it looks on you.”- She recalled the way Alexander looked at her when he said those words. The way his eyes lingered over her chest for a moment longer than necessary.

‘But I thought he didn’t like it,’ Gabriella said to herself.

Deciding not to dwell on it any longer, she drifted off to sleep, exhausted by the day’s events.

Gabriella was rudely woken two hours later by a call from Khloe, reminding her to start getting ready for their planned outing.

Although she didn’t take kindly to her friend interrupting her sweet dreams, she felt quite energetic and refreshed after the nap.

For the night, she had chosen to wear a black, pleated mini skirt, which she paired with a white and black corset to match. To finish the look, she wore a pair of open-toe stiletto heels and a sequin black clutch with silver details all over.

Her makeup was light but flattering, and she had just concluded curling her hair when Khloe arrived.

The pair hailed a taxi, and 10 minutes later, they arrived at a club which had the word “Highlight” written boldly in front.

“This is where we’re going?” Gabriella asked, surprised. 

Club Highlight was always the talk of the whole city. It was the go-to location for celebrity hangouts and was always making headlines as the scene where many scandals occurred.

“Yes!!! And we are going to have so much fun.” Khloe pulled Gabriella with her as they walked towards the entrance.

The club was a sophisticated den, with plush decor and dim lighting. The air was thick with smoke, and the music thumped an upbeat bass, making the floor vibrate in a rhythm that was hard to resist.

In the middle of the dance floor, Gabriella and Khloe moved with the sea of bobbing heads, all united by their desire to unwind.

“I need to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back.” Khloe leaned in to say to Gabriella so she could hear her over the music, before strutting away in the direction of the restroom.

Now, without her friend, Gabriella felt a bit awkward on the dance floor, but she continued to dance and move with the pulsating energy radiating through the crowd.

As she danced by herself, she suddenly felt someone come up behind her, matching her movements and draping his arms around her waist. She didn’t turn around to face the stranger, forcing herself to ignore the alarms that were going off in her head.

‘We’re just dancing,’ she thought.

With every minute that went by, the stranger grew bolder, inching his palms lower and pulling her against him roughly. Gabriella soon grew irritated and decided to walk away. She had indulged him enough, and she certainly wasn’t interested in making any headlines for the club.

Freeing herself from the stranger’s hold, she started to walk away when he suddenly pulled her back by the arm and turned her around to face him, landing a slap to her butt.

Gabriella felt her skin crawl, and her blood boiled with anger. She tried to push him away, but he would not let go of her.

“Where do you think you’re going?” The man asked her, his breath stinking of alcohol.

“Get your grimy hands off me,” she said as she struggled to release herself from his grip. She clawed at his chest and pushed to no avail, only making him grip her even tighter.

Suddenly, the man was pulled back with a quick force, and a tall figure stepped between them.

The savior sent a swift punch to the man’s jaw, sending him stumbling backward till he fell to the floor with a thud, drawing the attention of the formerly oblivious crowd and causing them to stare with wide eyes as people pulled out their phones and the room filled with the sound of flashing cameras.

‘Just great,’ Gabriella thought.

The savior turned around and met her gaze, his face etched with concern as he scanned her for any signs of distress.

“Thank you,” Gabriella said with a breath of relief, her voice barely audible over the music.

“ You’re welcome,” he mouthed back.

He had a commanding but friendly presence. His eyes were gentle and warm as he looked at her, and for a brief moment, they both stood there smiling at each other, without saying a word.

Khloe finally reappeared and stepped between them, making Gabriella break eye contact with the man to face her.

“You miss me?” Khloe said, laughing, as she started dancing between them, not noticing the man.

“What took you so long?” Gabriella asked, a little upset with her. In the few moments Khloe left, she experienced the most revolting encounter of her whole life.

“If it wasn’t for that guy…Hey, I didn’t get your name.” Gabriella looked to where the man had been standing previously, only to find that he was gone.

“What guy?” Khloe turned around in the direction Gabriella pointed.

“Never mind, I guess.” She said as a disappointed frown crossed her face.

“Ok then. Let’s go get drinks,” Khloe said, pushing her in the direction of the bar.

The rest of the night, Gabriella felt an unfulfilled sense of gratitude towards the stranger who saved her. She really wished she knew his name, and even as she slowly drifted off to sleep later that night, she could still picture his face in her head.

The next day, Gabriella was chirpy as she went about adjusting to her new role as the CEO’s secretary. She had woken up bright and early and arrived at work at exactly 8:45 AM. 

She spent the morning organizing files and reports, scheduling meetings, and responding to e-mails, and by lunch time, she was totally exhausted.

Pulling out a sandwich from the small, brown paper bag she had prepared earlier, she got comfortable in the dining hall as she proceeded to scroll through her phone while she ate. She was halfway done with her sandwich when a picture on a particular post caught her attention.

“CEO Dennis Raymond saves damsel in distress.” Gabriella read the words as she stared at a photo of her and her savior from the previous night. Her features were a bit blurry due to the lighting in the club, but you could tell it was her if you looked closely.

“So the man who helped me last night was Dennis Raymond.” Gabriella didn’t know how to feel. The post had thousands of likes and comments from girls saying they wished to be in her shoes.

‘Well, I guess this is better than making headlines for being groped at a club.’ She sighed as she scrolled to the next post.

She had laughed at a couple of funny videos and liked a few pictures of celebrities when another post came up on her screen, making her eyes widen. The headline was in bold red letters, making it impossible to miss.

“THE END OF KINGSTON ENTERPRISES-Alexander Kingston, failed CEO.”

Gabriella choked on the last bite of her sandwich.

“What?”