Chapter 1: Found A Man

Nathalie Wrights's P. O. V.

I cried harder after my body slammed on the cold and hard wall of our room. I was unmoving when I fell on the floor.

My eyes are full of tears, so my vision is blurry now, but I am sure that he's standing next to me and watching me to crawl on the floor like a prey trying to run away from a monster like him.

My body is aching all over, but I can't cry. I don't want to cry and satisfy this man for hurting me. But how can that be possible if my body is not cooperating of how my mind works? Slowly, my tears fell on my eyes before I received another slap on my face.

"I told you not to go out!" He shouted before pulling me by my neck. "Were you trying to cheat on me, huh?!" He tightened his hold on me before he pushed me into the wall.

"I-I told you... I j-just want to go out to see my f-friends!" I told him while having difficulties in breathing.

"To see your friends? Or to see your man?!" He angrily asked me.

All I saw was nothing but pure anger in his eyes. I can't believe him. How can he ask me that when I already sacrificed my life just so I could be with him? For Pete's sake! I left school and did homeschooling just to prove to him that I am willing to give my all to him and after all that, this is how he will repay my love for him? By beating me up whenever I escape from him to see my friends and bond with them? By locking me here so that no one would be able to see me?

I know that my face is probably turning red now because of lacking air, but even after that, he won't just let go of me!

My tears never left my eyes while looking at him as realization hit me.

This man... He doesn't love me! He's obsessed and it's scary...

The love and gentleness on him whenever he's with me are now gone, changed by his dark and obsessed look while choking me. My visions are getting much more blurred than it was. Slowly, my eyelids are dropping as I lose my way to breathe.

"I own you, Nathalie! No one gets to touch you other than me.." He said to me with a hard tone before he leaned down and whispered something in my ear. "I will just kill you if you ever try to be with someone else, baby... Mark my words."

Ever since that night, I knew that I was haunted by his words. It never left me. I have it even in my dreams. His touches. His words and kisses. His obsessions. All of it. It's always haunting me. And I know that even if I go anywhere, I can never escape him. A day would come, and I would face him again, but I just hopes, that, that day... would never come, because if it does, it'll be my doomsday.

***

Holding my head high, I walked in the middle of the crowds who are feasting over me.

Everyone already knew that my company is sinking, and yet, I am here in front of them to join them for a party.

If not only that this party would benefit me if I get to attract some businessmen to invest in my company, I won’t be wasting my time here and I would just probably drown myself with a bunch of papers on how I can restore my company and save it from bankruptcy.

I sat down at the table with my cousin, Mia, and watch how the emcee walked onto the stage to greet everyone.

“I hope everyone’s doing good tonight?” He asked with a huge smile on his face while roaming his eyes around the room.

I heard when a lot of people gave him applause as they scream their answers.

“Good evening, everyone! I am Liam Lee, your emcee for tonight! And I would like to be the first one who will introduce you to our smart, handsome, and young bachelor of the year, Mr. Kyrie Menzel!” The lights turned off after he said that.

Seconds later, we all heard a light footstep approaching us. I looked down at my hands because even if I can’t see who that person is, I have this familiarity in my mind that I once heard that sound of a person’s footsteps, but I just couldn’t remember where.

I felt anxious for an unknown reason. My hands are shaking and now soaking in wet as I feel so nervous while waiting for the lights to open again, and when the pin light pointed on the grand stair, I held my breath as I saw who that person is.

I just lost my breath while looking at how handsome he is now. His muscular and well tone muscles are well defined now, unlike before when he looked like someone that every woman would drool with, this time, they will definitely drool over him.

My heart skipped a beat after I saw him walk up to the stage with a bored and emotionless look in his eyes. He didn’t throw a glance at anyone, not even at the emcee who greeted and introduce him.

His cold and dark aura is sending a chilled feeling inside me. Just seeing him already brought me back to my memories of the past. I wanted to stand up and ran away from him so that he won’t see me, but my mind informed me that if I do that, he would just notice me right away and I might not even like it once he made fun of me in front of everyone.

“You okay, cousin?” Mia asked me when she noticed my shaking hands as I try to shake my legs too to calm myself.

“Y-Yeah..” I answered her.

Mia doesn’t know him because she was already living in this country when I met Kyrie Menzel.

“You sure?” She laughed a little before placing a table paper napkin on my hands to wipe it because it’s freakin’ wet now.

I heard when Kyrie welcomed everyone but I didn’t manage to look at him because I was busy calming myself down. All of a sudden, I felt when a warm feeling was darting at me so I looked up, only to regret it after I met his cold and dark gaze, straight in my eyes. I feel like he’s trying to enter my soul just by looking at me.

The feeling never changed. Kyrie Menzel is still the same whenever he looks into my eyes. He can still make me lost.

This isn’t good! He’s just the same to him! I can’t just let myself fall for a man’s trick again.

“Mia, I think I should just go for now..” I turned to my cousin to say that to her, but instead, I found her hypnotized by Kyrie’s looks.

Mia always has a hots for men like Kyrie. No doubt she can’t take her eyes off of him.

I shook my head in disappointment at Mia’s actions before I stood up from my seat.

“Ms. Wrights!” I diverted my attention to my left side.

There, I saw Mr. Roockin with his business partners.

They were approaching with a smile on their faces.

I didn’t feel so good with their presence, especially since they’re all men and we’re starting to have the other guests' attention too. It’s embarrassing, but this could be a chance for me to attract investors to my company.

“Good evening, gentlemen!” I greeted them with a huge smile on my face.

“It’s nice to see you here, Nathalie! I didn’t expect you to attend tonight. I mean, we all do, don’t we, gentlemen?” Mr. Roockin’s asked me with a grin on his face.

Was he really surprised or he’s just simply insulting me in front of his companies?

“You know, Nathalie,” his hand reached my shoulder and caressed it gently. I felt this urge to push him away, but if I do that, I will just look so desperate and embarrassing to them. “Our company always competes with each other.. Maybe, this is the time for us to be one, what do you think?” He asked me with a grin on his lips as he wink at me.

I laughed a little when I saw his actions. Can’t he look at himself? He’s too old and yet he’s still acting like a fresh teenager! For Pete’s sake, can’t he act like a decent old and successful man?!

“Mr. Roockin, I appreciate your offer. Although…” I took my purse from the table. “It’s kind of boring to work with my enemy and be successful without any challenges, don’t you think so?” I smiled at him before facing those men who heard us. “Excuse me, gentlemen.”

I walked passed by them. I actually plan to leave now, but I can’t just leave Mia while drooling to Kyrie Menzel.

Gosh! She’s young and hot, and yet, she’s using her heart over her brain that she came to the point that everything is love for her. Only if she knew of what love can do…

On the side, I saw the comfort room. I wanted to go there, but I was stopped again after a female voice called out for me. I turned to them and saw when they motioned me to come over.

These are the elderlies of the social class. Some called them queens for their beauty despite their age. And I must admit that they’re indeed beautiful.

“Hello, ladies! How’s your night?” I nicely asked them with a smile on my face.

“We’re perfectly doing good, Ms. Wrights! How about you? Found a man to be with for the night?” Mrs. Dickson asked me as she handed me a glass of champagne.

I accepted it before I answered her question. “Not looking for some. I’m much focused on business than hunting some boys down.” I grinned at her before I took a sip of my drink.

"I really admire your hard work, Ms. Wrights! I hope my granddaughter can be as hard-working as you are," she complimented while holding my hand before she called out to someone. "Oh, Mr. Menzel! Come over here and join us, please!"

I choked on my drink after I heard her words while smiling brightly on my right side.

'No, hell!'