Chapter 1

As I watched Victor walk down the aisle with a smile on his face, I realized that my dad's words were true: “What's meant for you will come to you.” Victor was never meant for me, but I have always ignored the signs. Now here I was, watching him get married to another lady simply because she's from a wealthy background.

I couldn't take this anymore so I left. Well, only a fool will be rejoicing watching the guy that once told her he loved her just last week walk down the aisle to get married to another woman.

I walked into the bar, just ready to drink my sorrows away. I was on my second cup when the phone rang, and I saw that Sarah, my best friend, was calling.

“Ava!!!” She screamed, and I had to push the phone a little further away from my girl.

“Geez, Sarah, what now?” I tried to sound okay, but even to me, my voice cracked a little.

“If I find you at Victor’s wedding, I swear…” she started.

“Relax,” I cut her off. “I’m not that pathetic.”

The lie tasted bitter.

I signed and answered her, “I am at a bar.”

“Send me your location, I am coming there." I didn’t want Sarah to come, I just wanted to stay on my own, but I know one thing, she would come. So I did as she asked.

“What a coincidence, Ava, it just had to be the bar close to the wedding venue,” she said sarcastically, and I just gave a nervous laugh.

“Is this seat taken?” I heard someone ask the moment the call ended.

“Enjoy,” I said, gesturing with my hands. I was planning to leave once Sarah showed up. Anyway. For now, let's just enjoy ourselves.

“I have a story to tell you.”

“Me?” The guy asked.

“Of course, is there any other person here besides you?”

“Okay? Let's hear it,” he sounded amused, but I didn't mind.

“If you had two birds, one is gorgeous and brings you gold and the other is just plain looking, which would you choose?”

“You said it was a story.”

“Shhhh,” I said , gesturing with my finger, “Your answer determines if you get to hear the story." He chuckled low, amused and something inside me loosened. Maybe it was the drink, or maybe I was just tired of being the sad girl.

I wanted to talk to someone, anyone, before my thoughts drowned me again.

“Well, I will go for the plain-looking one.” He leaned closer and whispered, “I have a lot of money.”

“Very funny, I would believe you,” I laughed. Jokingly, I bowed down to him and chanted

“All hail Adrain Blackwell! Oh, you can't be him. Adrain Blackwell, the CEO of my company, is an old man, so you would be his son. All hail Adrian Blackwell’s son,” I said with a sloppy bow.

It was supposed to be a joke, but my voice cracked halfway through.

He didn’t laugh.

I wished I hadn’t either.

“Looks like you attended the wedding down the street, are you acquainted with any of them?”

I turned to look at the guy who was talking to me. Wow! I didn't know a beauty was with me here. He was effortlessly striking, the kind of man who made silence feel heavy. A sharp jaw, lips curved in quiet confidence, eyes dark enough to make you forget what you were saying. The faint shadow of stubble traced his skin, and every movement carried a promise, slow, certain, and impossible to ignore. To refuse.

He didn’t have to touch you to make your skin react. The space between me crackled with something unnamed, a pull that defied reason. I don't know what came over me, but I knew one thing wasn't going to happen: I am having a one-night stand with this hot devil.

“Yeah I am…” Fuck this was bad timing. I had already exceeded my limit, I was too drunk. I didn’t know what I was saying, but I know one thing for sure: I was only saying something that doesn't make sense. The next thing I knew, the world was spinning into darkness, and soon it was all gone.

When I opened my eyes again, morning light burned through the curtains and my headache was punishment enough.” I got out of bed to prepare for work and almost screamed. There was someone on my bed, a guy at that! That was when the memories of last night filled my head. I was naked on the bed, we really did it last night and I have no memory of it.

I will think of this later. For now, I just have to get out. So I did and I just left him with all the cash I had and left a note apologizing about last night as he dashed home.

“Ava, I could barely sleep last night, so just spill the tea already.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked Sarah, confused. I have no idea what she has been going up with since I came to the office.

“I saw the really hot guy carry you to his room last night, so don't deny it and tell me everything that happened,” Sarah said with sparkles in her eyes. I could tell she was really excited.

“Honestly, I think my influence has finally rubbed off on you. I am so excited. Did you do everything I taught you? I am sure you captured his heart with one step. I am so glad you have finally decided to move on,” she said the last statement with a relieved expression.

“So, start talking,” she demanded.

“Okay, I admit the guy looked really good look…”

“Hey Ava! You can't just describe his look as average!” She half screamed and half whispered.

“What i saw wasn't ordinary.”

“Tell me everything without missing anything,” she said, pretending to cry. I chuckled and started my story.

“When I got to the bar…”

“Ava!!! I don't know what you did, but Mr Blackwell is demanding to see you and, boy, he doesn't look happy,” Seth, my colleague, shouted. Both Sarah and I looked at each other with fear.

“I have never crossed parts with him before. The only time we did was during the award ceremony when I was awarded for my idea, and he wasn't even the one who gave me the award," I said, almost crying. I hated standing out, even during the award ceremony, I had begged Sarah to go as me, but she refused, and I ended up going.

“What if he found out you broke his car mirror?” Sarah said, holding her mouth.

“Sarah! That happened two years ago.”

“Well, maybe he just remembered it. Or what if he found out you cursed him because of the change of menu in the cafeteria?”

“Sarah, remind me again why I’m friends with you,” I muttered, pacing.

My heart was racing too fast to sound convincing. “He never comes to the office, so why is he here? and worse, asking of me?”

“Ava, don't make this worse by going late, hurrying and running. Think of the guy you slept with last night. His face may help ease the tension.

“Sarah!!!” I screamed, but she just pushed me out laughing.

“You can go in,” Mr Dave, his secretary, said. My palms were sweating so much, I could barely hold the doorknob. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Good morning, Mr Blackwell,” I said, not attempting to look up.

He didn’t answer me, but the next thing I knew was I was pinned to the wall.

“So you think I’m only worth thirty dollars?”

His voice was calm, too calm, the kind that made your blood run cold.

My heart stopped. I knew that voice. That face.

Mr. Adrian Blackwell.

My CEO.

My one-night stand.

Fuck!