Rhea’s Mission

AUTHOR’S POV

After the disastrous dinner, Rowan apologized several times to Rhea.

Rhea kept assuring him it was fine, even though her night had been completely ruined. Still… the image of Rowan standing up for her replayed in her mind again and again, vivid as if it had just happened.

But days passed, yet she never caught a glimpse of Rowan.

The only place she could see him now was on his socials.

Every day after school, Rhea would linger by the gate longer than necessary, pretending to adjust her bag while secretly scanning the road. If a car slowed near the curb, her heart leapt instantly.

Maybe it was Rowan.

But each time, the car drove past. It wasn’t him.

The small burst of excitement in her chest would quietly fade, leaving disappointment curling in its place.

Had he changed his mind?

Or maybe his stepmother’s words had finally gotten to him.

He hadn’t mentioned the wedding again, and neither had her father. Everything felt strangely cold, and it made her uneasy.

More than once, she picked up her phone, staring at his contact as her thumb hovered over the call button. She was so tempted to dial his number.

But what would she even say?

The thought alone made her stomach twist with awkwardness, so she would sigh and drop the phone back on the bed, returning to the one thing she seemed to do a lot these days—stalking his socials.

One evening, during one of her usual stalking sessions, something caught her attention.

A post.

A disco party scheduled to be held at his favorite club.

Rhea’s eyes lit up instantly. Rowan was always present at every trending party.

She sat upright on her bed, a slow grin spreading across her face as excitement bubbled in her chest.

Since he didn’t want to come to her…

Then she would simply make him come to her.

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“Pleaseee…” Rhea pleaded, clasping Lyra’s hand between both of hers and squeezing it dramatically. “Just go with me.”

Lyra rolled her eyes slowly, clearly unimpressed. “Hmm… so you want me to help you go stalk your future husband?”

“You know it would be weird if I show up there alone,” Rhea said, her lips pushing into a pout as she tugged lightly on Lyra’s hand. “It would be obvious that I’m stalking him.”

Lyra studied her friend for a moment, her gaze narrowing as if weighing the level of madness in Rhea’s plan. After a few seconds, she sighed loudly.

“Fine!!” she said, throwing her hands up. “I’ll go with you… but only so I can meet some of his rich friends too.”

Rhea’s face lit up immediately, her grin wide and triumphant.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with Rhea sprawled across her bed, her phone glowing in her hands as she surfed through the internet, scrolling through outfit ideas and fashion pages in search of the perfect look to complete her little game.

Something bold. Something unforgettable.

Something Rowan wouldn’t be able to ignore.

Soon it was time for the party.

Rhea took her time getting ready, carefully applying her makeup in front of the mirror while soft music played from her phone. The faint scent of her perfume filled the room as she slipped into her outfit, adjusting every detail until she was satisfied.

When she finally glanced at the time, she heard a car horn blaring from downstairs.

Lyra.

“I’m off!” Rhea called out loudly as she hurried toward the door.

“Be safe,” her dad replied from the living room.

“I will!” she answered quickly before rushing out.

Outside, Lyra leaned against the car, but the moment she saw Rhea approaching, her eyebrows shot up.

“Girl… you look so good,” Lyra said, openly staring at her.

“Yeah, right,” Rhea replied with a playful shrug, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder as she slid into the passenger seat.

A few minutes into the drive, the club came into view.

Even from outside, the heavy bass of the music vibrated through the air, the flashing lights spilling out from the entrance as people laughed and moved around the front.

“Damn!” Lyra muttered as they stepped out of the car. “This place screams luxury.”

Rhea grinned to herself.

Of course it did.

It was his place.

As they stepped inside, both girls paused slightly, their eyes widening at the sight before them. The club buzzed with energy—people dancing under colorful lights, the air thick with perfume, and alcohol.

Rhea immediately started scanning the crowd, searching for Rowan, but the dim lighting and moving bodies made it nearly impossible to spot him.

“Let’s just ask for VIP,” Lyra suggested. “He would definitely be there.”

Rhea leaned closer and whispered nervously, “VIP isn’t cheap, girl.”

“You literally have his black card,” Lyra said with a dismissive wave. “That solves everything.”

“But…”

Before Rhea could finish protesting, Lyra grabbed her hand and dragged her toward a waiter.

The next thing Rhea knew, they were standing inside the VIP lounge.

While Rhea was still wondering how she could avoid using Rowan’s black card, her eyes drifted across the room…

And then she saw him.

Rowan.

He was sitting with a group of his friends, laughing casually, looking completely at ease.

All her worries vanished instantly.

“He’s here,” Rhea whispered, gripping Lyra’s hand tightly.

She tried not to stare, she really did.

But damn…

Rowan looked ridiculously hot tonight, his shirt sleeves roughly folded up to his elbows, the top buttons undone just enough to reveal the strong line of his chest.

“Girl… that’s some intense staring,” Lyra murmured with a smirk as she grabbed a glass of wine from a passing tray and handed it to Rhea. “Here, loosen up. Remember our little mission. I’m here to catch my own fish.”

With that, Lyra stood up and headed straight for the dance floor.

Rhea took a deep breath and downed the drink in one go.

Warmth spread through her chest almost immediately, making her feel lighter… bolder.

Soon her body began to move with the rhythm of the music.

One drink became another.

Then another.

The bass pulsed through the floor beneath her feet as she swayed, her waist moving slowly as she danced through the moves she had secretly practiced earlier.

Before long, people began to notice.

Heads turned.

Eyes followed.

Rhea had unknowingly become the center of attention.

But she was too lost in the music to notice anything happening around her.

Except for one thing.

She always made sure her body faced the direction of Rowan’s table.

Meanwhile, Rowan sat with his friends, casually chatting and laughing, when a sudden burst of cheers and excited shouts rose from the crowd.

“What’s going on over there?” one of them asked, glancing toward the dance floor.

When Rowan looked up, his gaze landed on the source of the commotion.

And then he froze.

Rhea.

“Is that not…” one of his friends started, then paused as he slowly turned to Rowan. He had recognized her too.

“She’s on fire, man,” another friend muttered, clearly impressed. “Damn… that body.”

Rowan’s hand tightened around the glass in his grip.

His jaw clenched as his eyes followed the men moving closer to Rhea, watching the way they looked at her—hungry, shameless, and lustful.

Something dark flickered in his gaze.

“Damn it,” Rowan muttered under his breath as he abruptly set the glass down on the table.

“I guess he couldn’t stand it anymore,” one of his friends said with an amused chuckle.

Rowan glared at him before heading straight to where Rhea stood, men surrounding her as she danced. The moment they sensed his presence, the men quickly dispersed in different directions, leaving just Rhea, Rowan, and Lyra, who was obviously tipsy.

Rowan signaled his friend to come take Lyra home before turning to face Rhea fully.

Rhea walked closer, her waist swaying slowly to the rhythm of the music. “Oh, you are here.” She said, her hand sliding into Rowan’s exposed chest.

Rowan swallowed hard and tried retreating, but Rhea simply followed each step he took.

“Come on, let me take you home,” Rowan said as he caught Rhea’s hand before it could get to him.

“Nah, I still want to dance,” Rhea said as she pulled herself backwards and started dancing again.

Rowan sat down and watched her, but Rhea was a girl with purpose, even though she was tipsy, she still knew her mission clearly.

While Rowan sat down to let her have her time, Rhea suddenly climbed on his thighs and started rocking her waist against the fabric of his trousers.

Rowan’s breath hitched, and that alone made Rhea’s lips curl into a small, satisfied smile. She continued rocking against him, slow and deliberate, before leaning closer, her breath brushing lightly against his neck. As she leaned in even closer, Rowan caught her immediately.

“Play time is over” Rowan said as he stood and scooped Rhea into his arms.

Rhea rested her head on his chest before tipsily asking, “What kind of woman do you like?”

Rowan chuckled softly at the question. His gaze drifted to the girl snoring quietly in his arms, her fragile body curled against his chest.

“Someone I could break,” he murmured.

His thumb brushed lazily along her arm, eyes dark with something dangerous.

“I’m a ruiner,” he said quietly. “Every innocent thing I touch… I don’t just ruin it.” His lips curved faintly. “I make sure it never remembers what innocence felt like.”