Chapter 1.

Chapter 1.

— Once upon a time there was a bar...

|Today |

I will never put another drop of alcohol in my mouth for the rest of my existence on earth!

This was the first thought that occurred to me when I woke up the next morning after a night of drinking with a complete stranger. In fact, it only took two glasses of vodka and three martinis to get me drunk. A grunt of pain escaped my parched lips, while my head throbbed in an irritating way. Without much choice and feeling an irresistible urge to pee in the first bathroom that came into my field of vision, I sat down on the bed in one sudden movement, causing a strong nausea to hit me like a runaway truck.

Why did I drink?

Still in the cloud of having just woken up minutes before, I realized that the mattress, on which I was still sitting with my head throbbing and my eyes closed, was strangely too soft for an architect, practically newly graduated and hired by a big construction company like me, to boast as a luxury item in an ordinary bedroom. It was so cozy that I hardly noticed the small details: how I was under the effects of a dog's hangover, a terrible urge to throw out what I hadn't eaten, and the burning between my legs, the result of a wonderful fuck I had with a complete stranger the night before.

Why did I drink in the first place?

— What? — The incredulous whisper jumped through my dry lips all by itself.

Like a slap in the face, my eyes widened and my heart raced.

— What did you do this time, Carina Maria? — I asked in desperation. — Holy shit! — I exclaimed a little louder.

That mattress definitely didn't belong to me. In fact, that room wasn't even mine, to tell you the truth. Oh, no! The room was airy, bright, and very spacious. There was a huge double bed, the same one I was still sitting on, in the center, plus a white sofa to the left and two doors on the right.

It was a room worthy of a Hollywood movie. However, in my case, it would be a low-budget horror movie.

— My God! — I ran my hands through my hair, which was tangled, my curls a complete mess. — Where are my clothes? — I whispered in horror.

Things went from bad to much, much worse when I heard a soft, husky murmur coming from my left. I immediately turned my head toward the sound and found myself staring at the back of an unfamiliar blonde woman.

The same blonde I’d met the night before at the bar where I’d been with my two best friends.

| Previously|

The singer’s melodic, husky voice echoed throughout the room, while the music filled the ears of everyone in the luxurious bar. The dim lighting, expensive and colorful drinks, well-dressed people, and side conversations completed the sensual atmosphere of that exquisite place. Surprisingly — or perhaps not so surprisingly — I felt a little uncomfortable and out of place being somewhere my salary wouldn’t even be enough to pay for a club soda.

Fortunately, I never liked sparkling water. Amen, sisters!

— Why are you making that face, Cah? — Arabella asked, laughing uncontrollably, while I couldn't stop staring at the clear liquid inside the small, elegant glass. — Drink up, girl! — she exclaimed in the same tone.

She'd already had way too much to drink!

Frowning with pure distrust and fear, I looked away from the glass and fixed my gaze on one of my best friends. A wide smile spread across her red lips, and she let out a short laugh when I raised an eyebrow at her.

— How much does this vodka cost, Bella? How much money did you spend on it?— I asked suspiciously, without looking away from her amused expression. She just rolled her eyes in response. — Arabella! — I raised my voice so she'd take me seriously.

Again, she rolled her eyes.

It was so satisfying to be taken seriously by her.

— Fifty dollars, Cah, — she replied, shrugging. It was as if she were talking about the weather rather than such an expensive drink. — Carina, relax and drink up, — she urged, sitting down on the blood-red padded bench beside me. — We brought you here to help you forget about that boyfriend of yours, — she added bitterly.

Putting the glass aside, I let out a heavy sigh and leaned back on the bench. At that moment, not even the singer’s wonderful voice seemed loud enough to drown out the conflicting thoughts in my head. My desire to be at that luxurious bar was already almost nonexistent, and having Arabella remind me why I’d agreed to go out on a Friday night only made me feel even more despondent. On the other hand, she was right, because my nearly year-long relationship had reached a critical point, with little hope of being saved.

— Cah, please forgive me! — she began murmuring beside me, sounding distressed. A few minutes later, silence fell between us. — I…

I let out another sigh and raised my hand, silently pleading with her to stop apologizing.

— You’re right, Bella — I finally admitted, feeling defeated. — Lorenzo and I have no future. In fact, I should’ve ended our relationship already. — I fell silent, searching for the right words to say what had been stuck in my throat for three days. — He’s cheating on me — I finally confessed.

I expected Arabella to scream, curse, and come up with all sorts of crazy plans to rip his balls off with a rusty knife and no anesthesia, but not a single word escaped her red lips. I frowned, feeling utterly confused, and turned my head toward her, searching for answers. She sat there with her eyes downcast and an unreadable expression.

— Arabella? — I called out to my friend and touched her hand on the table, drawing her attention back to me. — Is everything okay, Bella? — I asked, a little worried.

She looked at me with a seriousness that was highly unusual for her. The South Korean descendant was the most fun-loving, free-spirited, and outspoken person I’d had the pleasure of knowing in my nearly twenty-six years of life. Arabella Hailey Kwon was a true force of nature, unique and eccentric.

— You’re scaring me, Bella.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips.

— I’m sorry, Carina — she finally whispered. I stared at her, relieved that she’d finally said something. — How do you know that dick is cheating on you?

I grimaced in pure disgust.

— I found a pair of used black lace panties in his car when I went to adjust the passenger seat — I revealed, showing little emotion. — Whoever this woman is, she left them there on purpose so they’d be found. And that wasn’t my only discovery, Bella.

She frowned.

— Five days earlier, I found a gold bracelet in the glove compartment while looking for some candy or gum, the kind of stuff he always keeps in his car. — I shrugged and let go of her hand, immediately turning my gaze toward the crowd. — And his mother only wears silver.

Looking around, I watched as she picked up her glass of vodka and downed it in one go.

— I’m going to find out who she is — she said angrily.

At that moment, I turned toward her and found her looking irritated, her lips pressed into a thin line.

— What do you know that I don’t, Bella? — I asked bluntly.

She didn’t seem the least bit surprised by my question.

After more than fifteen years of almost daily contact and a deep, no-secrets friendship with Arabella, I’d learned to read her far more easily than anyone else could. I was absolutely certain that my friend knew something or, at the very least, suspected something.

— First, I need to make sure my suspicions are correct and get concrete proof, Cah — she said firmly. — Then I’ll give you the answers you need. But for now, don’t tell Grace anything — she added, offering no further explanation. — Are you going to break up with him?

I opened my mouth to answer, but a slightly drunk hurricane of brown hair interrupted me, smiling far too much, with her wine-colored lipstick smeared.

— I’m home, girls! — Grace sang out excitedly, throwing herself onto the bench across from us with a glass of some colorful drink in her hand. — Wow, what are those faces? — She frowned, looking at us strangely. — Who died? — she joked, laughing to herself.

— Your common sense, Grace — Arabella snapped, her sharp tone making the other brunette’s laughter die down. I stared at her in astonishment. — For accepting drinks from just anyone — she added a moment later, in the same tone.

Why did I get the feeling that her words meant much more than just a lecture to our friend?

— Jesus, Arabella! — Grace muttered irritably. — What’s wrong with you, girl? Is it because you haven’t slept with a woman in a while? — She laughed again and took another sip of her drink. — Maybe I can help you with that little problem of yours, in case no woman wants you tonight — she suggested dismissively. — You know, don’t you? We could have a little relapse — she added with a wink in my direction.

My mouth fell open in a perfect “O.” Before I could stop Grace from talking nonsense and, consequently, hurting our friend, Arabella sprang to her feet beside me, snatched my untouched glass of vodka, and promptly threw the expensive drink in Grace’s face.

— Go to hell, Grace! — Bella screamed at the top of her lungs as the first tears streamed down her face. — I’ll talk to you later, Carina — she whispered, her voice breaking, before grabbing her purse and storming off like a hurricane.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, touching the crease between my eyebrows with my fingertips. I tried to keep myself calm and resist the urge to yell at Grace, because that wouldn’t change the fact that she’d been a complete bitch to Arabella.

— Why did you do that, Sofia? — I asked, addressing her by her first name as she opened her eyes. The brunette, sitting across from me, had already wiped her face with a few napkins and wore an astonishingly calm expression for someone who’d just hurt another person’s feelings for absolutely no reason. — You knew you’d hurt her — I insisted, beginning to lose what little patience I had left. — I’m talking to you! — I shouted, slamming my clenched fist onto the table.

Sofia Grace, who’d been leering at a tall, dark-haired man across the bar, turned her attention to me. She stared at me with obvious boredom and rolled her brown eyes, refusing to answer. Finally, she simply shrugged and raised her arm to flag down a waiter passing by.

— Another martini, please! — she asked politely, still ignoring my question.

— Just a moment, miss. — The waiter smiled warmly at her. — Would you like anything? — he asked, turning toward me.

I simply shook my head.

— I’ll be right back!

— Thank you, Chris! — she said with a huge smile after reading his name on his uniform badge.

I furrowed my brow.

— Aren’t you going to say anything, Sofia?

— What do you want me to say, Carina? — She turned toward me, her face twisting into a bitter scowl. — That my expensive makeup was worth every penny and survived Arabella throwing a tantrum and splashing vodka all over me? — A disdainful smile tugged at her lips. — Well, I’m still pretty, and my mascara is still intact. — She leaned across the table toward me. — Relax, Cah, and enjoy your night. — She winked at me and walked away.

I opened my mouth to snap back, but no words came out. I was too indignant and bewildered to react. My eyes were actually burning with angry tears, but I refused to let them fall.

— Besides, I didn’t say anything that bad, and it’s not my fault Arabella still hasn’t gotten over our breakup. — She continued with a shrug. — Thank you! — She thanked the young man as he set her martini glass in front of her, then left with a nod. — Have you spotted any guys you’re interested in, Cah? — she asked casually, as if nothing had happened.

— You’re an idiot, Sofia — I muttered through clenched teeth, getting up and walking away without looking back.

I stormed through the crowd, barely registering anyone’s face. I simply let my feet carry me wherever they wanted, as long as it was as far away from Grace as possible. She was a selfish creature with not an ounce of empathy! I was heading for the exit, but at the last second, I changed course and made my way to the main bar.

— A vodka, please! — I said as I settled onto one of the tall, red-lacquered stools and rested my elbows on the counter. — Actually, make that two.

The bartender simply nodded.

— God... — I muttered wearily, closing my eyes.

More than two years ago, Arabella had confessed to me that she’d been in love with Grace since her freshman year of college, and that Grace, the brunette with the brown eyes, had feelings for her, too. At the time, all I could do was laugh and tease her, telling her it was hardly news to me. I’d been overjoyed. They were both my best friends, and the thought of them being together made me incredibly happy. But all those good feelings eventually gave way to an avalanche of bitterness, tears, and, in the end, one broken heart.

— Rough night? — a husky female voice asked beside me, its strong Italian accent catching my attention. — A martini, please! — she added, addressing the bartender in the same husky voice.

I immediately opened my eyes and turned toward her. My breath caught in my throat, and my mind went blank for a few seconds. I’d just laid eyes on a stunningly beautiful blonde.

— I’m Beatrice — she continued, her smile widening. — And you?

All it took was a name, a mysterious blonde, and a few glasses of alcohol to turn my life upside down.

|Currently |

Don't panic, Carina!

— I'm going to panic! — I groaned in desperation. — I'm going to freak out! — I repeated, my heart pounding in my chest and my breathing becoming increasingly erratic.

What else could possibly go wrong in a situation that was already a complete disaster?

— Buongiorno! — The same husky female voice greeted me, still thick with that strong Italian accent.

Oh, right! She woke up next to me!