"Dave, I love you..." Shienna babbled and slowly opened her eyes, turning her head briefly to find a man still sleeping beside her. Her eyes traveled down from the man's head to his bottom; he was not wearing any clothes and was only covered by a waist-length blanket. Shienna widened her eyes and checked herself.
"Oh my! Why didn't I wear—" Shienna's sentence was cut short when she heard the man beside her moan."Selena, I love—" The man turned, and his face was now facing Shienna, whose eyeballs were almost stroking."Bryan?!" she screeched, waking the man who was just as shocked as she was."Shienna? What are you doing here?!""Shouldn't I be asking you? What are you—no way!" Shienna covered her mouth with both hands.The two simultaneously looked at their respective bodies. Shienna pulled up the blanket to cover her bare chest and body while the man did the same. One blanket was a struggle between Shienna and the man she had probably spent a hot night with."Take it off! It's my blanket! What are you doing in my room, huh?!" Shienna screamed, still trying to maintain a blanket to tip over her breast. "You must be looking for an opportunity in a tight spot because you know I just broke up with my boyfriend—ooh... that's right. You're the cause of all the bad luck in my life, you bastard!" Shienna attacked Bryan brutally, beating him until she didn't realize that the cloth covering her chest was now open and revealing his naked body.Bryan, who originally tried to protect the part of his body that Shienna attacked, no longer cared whether the girl beat or even killed him because his gaze was now fixed on the beautiful scenery before him."I can finally see the part you've been covering up all this time. Hmm... you're not bad. I didn't expect that even though you are a spoiled and fierce girl, you have well-arranged curves," Bryan complimented with a flat look that made Shienna stutter and covered her body immediately."You bastard! You perverted bastard! Even without meeting you, I already feel unlucky. Now I have to meet you after being free for so long and feeling happy. Do you know why? Because your swearing is unproven, and now—damn it! You must have been stalking me on purpose! You maniac! You must have followed me everywhere I went! What's your purpose, huh!? Are you trying to make fun of me for being cheated on and having my heart broken again?!" Shienna nagged at the man and then rubbed his forehead. "Get out of here, asshole! Get out!"Bryan seemed undaunted by Shienna's wrath and moved closer to the girl cause Shienna's words instantly disturbed him."Cheated on? What are you talking about?" asked Bryan."You pretend you don't know, now, huh? Get out of here!""Ouch! Shie, I don't know what happened to us, but while I'm still here and the junior will rise soon, how about we reenact what happened last night?" Bryan teased, raising his eyebrows. Hearing the words of him, who was now cutting the distance from her, Shienna backed away with a worried look. "Why? Are you scared?""Leave! If you don't, I'll call the hotel security to arrest you!" the girl threatened, making Bryan chuckle."Calm down, calm down. I'll go." He got off the bed and put on his clothes before Shienna, who turned her head the other way. "No need to look away. You saw everything last night. And must have felt how fierce the junior is.""Ewh! Disgusting! You must be bragging! There's no way I'd do that with you!"Hearing Shienna's harsh words, Bryan only gave a crooked smile. "You don't even remember how naughty you were last night. Naughty and fierce. I like that." He finished putting on his clothes and stood straight to face Shienna, still on the bed, clutching the blanket to keep her body from being exposed. "Alright, tell me, how much did you charge me for last night, hm?""Wh-what? Charge you? Do you think I'm a slut, huh?!" shouted Shienna intending to provoke his reaction, but to no avail. Bryan, with his firmly chiseled jaw and athletic curves, stared at Shienna with a sharp, unfeeling gaze.The sharp and hilarious look in Bryan's eyes instantly turned cold and seemed to portray the pent-up anger in his heart that he was reluctant to show in front of Shienna."Don't you like men with money, huh? What else is there to do if not give them pleasure? Oh, of course, on me too. Because I already felt it last night." Bryan grinned sarcastically. The look on his face that had originally shown a mischievous and lascivious character suddenly changed drastically. He then took out his cell phone and contacted someone. "Come here quickly and bring clean clothes for me. I'm in room number... just found out via GPS; I don't remember this room number. Yeah, you know—business as usual. The rate is too expensive. Maybe you can find another woman for me later. Okay, I'll wait."Bryan ended the call, which left Shienna dumbfounded. What did too expensive mean? Was he referring to her? And again, he calmly waltzed away, leaving Shienna, who was still pensive, trying to collect memories of what happened last night. Not long after, however, footsteps returned to her room."Take it! Is it good enough for you? This is my business card. You can call me at the number above if you feel like what I gave you wasn't enough—or if something happens to you. If you don't get an answer, call the number below. That's my assistant's number." He tossed a few hundred-dollar bills and a business card onto the bed."What do you mean? Are you consider me a whore? After all, what did I contact you for?""Well, just in case you wanted me to take responsibility. Because from what I remember, we didn't use protection at all. If you don't want to, that's fine. But I assure you I won't believe you, let alone take responsibility if you come and claim to be carrying my child. Offers don't come twice. Bye."Bryan left, leaving Shienna, who was again uncertain. After ensuring he would not return, Shienna checked her lower body and the clean sheets without any stains. She sighed with relief when she realized there was no trace that she had made love to the man."Thankfully, there are no blood spots. They say that if it's the first time, it will bleed. That means I didn't do anything with that bastard last night. What a bastard! I must never see that pesky man again." Shienna grumbled to herself amidst her relief at discovering that she did not do anything with that man. It could be that the effect of the wine she drank made her overheated and undressed last night.She then put her clothes back on and pensively thought about Bryan, who was her ex-boyfriend when she was in college."What is he doing in this country? It can't just be a coincidence, can it? He's changed so drastically, and so..." Shienna shook her head violently, trying to drive away the shadow of Bryan, and slapped herself on the cheek. "Wake up, Shienna! He's the least okay ex-lover. He probably came to try his luck. There's no way he has that money to go abroad and pay me. Shit! He paid me like a whore! Or maybe..."Shienna was still lost in thought about her ex-boyfriend when her cell phone rang. She had sent a text message to her best friend before she finally got a call from her friend.They talked for a while before Shienna decided to go outside for a breath of fresh air. Not fresh, but cold and bone-chilling. She regretted going outside without a layered coat. Her bones felt like they were being stabbed, and her teeth began to chatter. Shienna entered a convenience store to warm up, and unexpectedly, she met the man she had spent the night with.Don't tell Shienna that night was beautiful because for her, it was still a nightmare."You changed your mind?" Bryan taunted, flashing a crooked smile. Shienna didn't know what dream she had last night that she had to spend the night with that man and in a matter of hours have to meet him again."Don't be so confident, Mr. Sanders. I'm unwilling to hold you accountable because nothing happened last night!" Shienna snapped with a serious look. Bryan just snorted, grinning mockingly."Why? Am I not filthy rich by now? You shouldn't be ashamed to take me everywhere you go and take me on top of you simultaneously.""Watch your mouth, Bray! Or I'll scream at you for harassment!" snarled Shienna in a half-whisper, making Bryan laugh even more at her attitude."Alright, I'm sorry. I'll get serious now." Bryan stepped up to erase the distance between himself and Shienna, who was about to retreat, but he quickly wrapped an arm around her waist. "Don't run away again, Shie. Come with me. Let's see if you're pregnant or not.""I'm not going to get pregnant because making love with me was your fantasy a long time ago. I won't wonder why you're in this place. A sociopath like you would not be at ease if you did not interfere with my life," Shienna retorted."Let's stop this bickering because the one who should be angry and resentful is me after you broke off our relationship for absurd reasons. And I meant it when I asked you to come with me. I know you still have a feel for me.""Dream on, Bryan!" Shienna was about to leave Bryan but turned around, reached into her bag and pulled out the money she had been carrying, and handed it to him. "Take your money because I don't need it!"Shienna stepped away from the stunned Bryan for a moment. He then realized that he couldn't let the opportunity slip away again. Bryan hurried after Shienna, who had already left the shop."Shienna! I only have one chance. If you don't come with me, you'll have trouble finding me for the next few months. Let's stop this pointless bickering and come with me. I'll wait for you at the airport until ten o'clock. I hope you come because if you don't, there won't be another chance for us."Three months later... "Shie, how are you feeling? Are you still thinking about Bryan and your passionate night with him?" Shienna's assistant asked as she found her holding Cello, but her gaze fixed blankly ahead. Shienna was deep in thought, seemingly transported to another place and time, even when her assistant tried to snap her out. Shienna still couldn't believe that the man she had slept with was Bryan, her ex-boyfriend from college. She only remembers the bad things about him: his bulky body, odd jobs at a fast-food outlet, and being able to attend college because of a scholarship. Shienna started dating Bryan two years ago, and they continued their relationship for a considerable time. Bonding of their hearts must have happened during these two years. Two years is not a short time or a flash in the pan, as their hearts should have bonded over time. Unfortunately, this was not the case for Shienna. As the youngest daughter of a wealthy family and one of the richest business
Shienna tapped her heels on the marble floor she was standing on. She had been waiting in the lobby for almost half an hour, but the man she was waiting for had yet to appear. She had purposely come to the office of the man she had spent the night with in Palmerston, Cook Island. The receptionist had told Shienna to wait, but she felt her efforts were in vain. Shienna took her cell phone and dialed the number on the business card the man had given her. "Damn it! Is he trying to avoid me?" she muttered, annoyed. She got up, stomping her feet through the men on security duty, standing in front of the escalator, making sure no one could access the metal box to get to the boardroom. "Excuse me, miss. Where are you going?" the guard asked as Shienna pressed the button for the elevator to the 21st floor, where the room of the man she was looking for was located. "I'm going upstairs to meet the owner of the company." "Do you have an appointment?" "I did a few minutes ago." "Then show m
The wedding's procession went smoothly and solemnly. It was the first time Shienna had seen a live wedding because she was the bride. Meanwhile, the look on Bryan's face did not show a glow of happiness, nor did it look sad. He could deliberately hide his feelings because he is trying to maintain an image. This wedding is not something Shienna and Bryan were expecting. Newshounds began to crowd the halls of the Gladiola Palace, checking in on the diva's wedding and the wealthiest businessman who had never been seen with any woman. It meant that the rumors were true, that they had indeed spent a hot night in Palmerston. Now, reporters are waiting for Shienna and Bryan to clarify the news. "I've asked some people to come to your house and get all the stuff you need," Bryan said once they were in the bridal suite of the Gladiola Hotel. They didn't want to spend the night having sex because that's not what they wanted. It's just that the image is what they need right now. "What for?"
Knock, knock, knock!"Shie, I'm sorry to disturb you. I just wanted to tell you something about tomorrow's schedule," Shienna's assistant said after knocking on the door late at night. Bryan, who knew the assistant as well as his wife's best friend, glanced at her and went back to his work on his laptop. "Say it, J." "Ever since you became Mrs. Sanders, the press has been polling to see who would be interested in hearing clarification from you." Jennifer paused her sentence to ascertain her best friend's reaction. "Can you do the press conference for tomorrow?" "Um... that matter..." "Ahem... let's not forget the agreement between us," Bryan interrupted, unable to hear the conversation as if he wasn't there. "Do you want me to tell people you mistakenly conceived the baby?" Shienna gave Bryan a sharp look, then returned her attention to Jennifer, awaiting a response. "Jennie, I'm sorry. There are conditions where I can't give them what they want. This marriage is a personal thing
Shienna arrived at a familiar building. She turned to Bryan when they reached the lobby and stepped into the skyscraper she knew was Bryan's office. Several employees who had been busy working got up and faced Bryan and Shienna, an assistant, and several bodyguards followed. "Welcome back, Mr. and Mrs. Sanders!" They greeted. Shienna and Bryan received the same greeting every time they met another employee, even when entering the elevator. "Not the 21st floor, Bertha. Take us to 21A," Bryan ordered as the neatly uniformed woman was about to press the button she usually pressed every time she escorted her boss to the penthouse. Today, for the first time, Bryan asked Bertha to take him to the penthouse above his personal space. She nodded, took the card out of her pocket, and held it up to the sensor on the elevator wall. One side of the elevator opened to reveal a few buttons that she pressed, and the metal box they were riding in immediately went to the floor Bryan wanted. They ar
Shienna looked at Ray as he stepped out of her penthouse with a sad look. Shienna was unwilling to let go of a bodyguard as reliable as Ray, who had made her feel safe wherever she was. However, one thing she emphasized to Ray was that he should keep her updated on his situation, and if he ever needed help, she would be able to help him. Plus, there is a promise that Shienna will use his services again when her business with Bryan ends. This time, it was Jennifer's turn to sit not far from Shienna's place, who seemed hesitant to start the conversation. "Shie, are you sure you'll agree with your husband's decision? Are you going to dismiss me? Is this the end of our friendship?" "Tsk! Of course not, idiot! I don't want to make trouble with that psycho guy. Didn't you hear what he said last night? Your presence here is just as a friend, not my assistant anymore. That means you can stay here for the rest of your life." Jennifer rolled her eyes as she heard Shienna's explanation. That
Shienna smiled happily as she saw the package arrive, and she unwrapped it. Jennifer sent the piano and other musical instruments to the penthouse, bringing her to sudden tears. "Oh, look at that! She's so considerate of me," Shienna muttered as she wiped away the tears and dialed the number on her cell phone screen. "J... are you free? I want to meet you and thank you for your concern." "What? What for, Shie? Never mind... I did that as your assistant, so consider it my duty, and you've paid a good amount. Your husband has also added a severance bonus for me," Jennifer replied. "What? Are you sure he increased the severance bonus for you? Why would he do that?" "I don't know. Ask your husband." "No, I won't. I want to hear from you. La Café, at lunchtime. I don't want any rejection. This is a reunion of friends, and you must make time, okay?" After getting an affirmative answer from her friend, Shienna went back to opening some packages and arranging them in the empty room that
Shienna finally made it out of the crowd and arrived back at the penthouse. She was now holed up in her room, not opening the door—no matter who knocked from outside. She had no idea who to trust. Bryan didn't say anything when they got married, not even when she and he talked about the contract, the terms of which she forgot to double-check. However, their marriage was not based on love, so was it right for her to ask for clarity from her husband on this matter? Knock, knock, knock! "Shie, it's me. Elea said you've been reluctant to leave the room since earlier. What happened?" asked a voice that Shienna knew very well must be Bryan. However, she was reluctant to meet anyone for now. She was depressed. As long as she was a public figure, she had never once dealt with romance. Let alone being a suspect in the destruction of someone's relationship. She had always been betrayed and cheated on, and now she was making a man cheat on his fiancee. Could it be true what the woman at the c