CHAPTER 1

Avery whitmore

I stared at the third bottle I was drinking for the night while waiting for Cole to show up, my eyes struggling to stay opened as the tingly taste of the liquor blurred the thoughts in my mind. They say alcohol seems to take away worries, right?

The dim light in the bar didn't help matters as the atmosphere was the perfect place for relaxing and letting off stress but then I wasn't there because I wanted to relax. My hand dragged around the cup lazily as I tried hard to stop thinking about all that transpired during the day. The memories kept pressing against me and anger welled up in me.

My boss had called me that morning. I had walked to his office after I dropped his call and that was how I was slammed with disheartening news.

“We have no choice but to let you go, Miss Whitmore," Mr Dune said, his eyes gentle behind his trimmed glasses.

I shook my head in confusion and refusal, “Let me go? You are relieving me of work. Did I do something wrong?” I questioned, my voice tightening.

“You did no wrong. It was just the management decision to cut away excesses from the company,” he said, his tone icy.

My stomach knotted, “And you think I'm the excess? I have been committed to my work and have always delivered well,” I said, my voice breaking.

He shrugged, “Well, unfortunately, there's nothing I can do to help you. The management had come to a final decision,”he replied flatly.

My hands trembled as the fear of being unemployed gripped my heart. This job was an answer prayer to me, it wasn't even up to a year. I can't accept this, because how would I be able to pay Danny's hospital bills? I can't accept this.

My hands clenched into a tight fist, standing my ground, “I won't accept this, Mr Dune. You can't sack me on such flimsy terms,” I said, firmly.

Mr Dune rubbed his hands together,his eyes glinting with something mischievous as his eyes hovered my body. “Well, maybe I would be able to convince the management,”he said, a low grin spreading across his face.

Oh…such a good man.

My brows shot up with hope, “Thank you so much, Mr Dune,” I said, dipping my head respectfully.

His tongue flicked over his lips, his eyes not leaving mine as he stood up and closed the distance between us. He held my hands, his fingers tracing up my arm while his other hand snuck round my waist.

“Sir, what are you doing?” I asked, edging back a little as unease crawled up my spine.

His lips curved into a big hideous smile, “You don't have to be afraid, I'm just feeling the softness of your body. You want to remain in the company, right? How about you give me a suck?” He asked, his breath sour against my ear as he let his eyes roam shamelessly.

“Suck?” I asked, my brows furrowed.

His eyes widened in surprise, “Yes, suck my dick. I will talk to the management on your behalf,” he said, his breath hitching with sick anticipation.

I shrinked back, irritation evident in my eyes, “Suck yourself, you old fuck,” I yelled at him in anger.

I brushed my hair back in frustration as I opened his office door and slammed it in frustration. Silly me, thinking he was a good man.

I had left his office with a heavy heart, and was walked out of the company by the security men. A part of me regretted not giving in to his demand but then I promised myself to keep myself until marriage and I wasn't going to compromise that now.

Cole, my boyfriend, had pulled strings to get me this job. I wondered how he would react if he found out that I have been sacked but then I'm in a tight corner, I need the help I can get.

I pulled out my phone to call him but the call didn't go through. “Oh no, Cole, please pick up the damn call,” I muttered underneath my breath.

After several attempts of calling him and not answering, I left him a message, “Hey babe, I really need to see you. Let's meet at our usual spot, please,”

I checked my phone to see if he had replied to my message when I realized that I was on my fifth bottle and there was no message from him either. I raked my hand through my hair as the air suddenly became hot, prickling warmth crawling up the back of my neck. My pulse kicked up and I swallowed hard, trying to mask the rising discomfort twisting inside me.

‘I need some fresh air,’ I muttered beneath my breath, standing up from the stool but my foot slipped and I fell backwards, the room swaying in my blurry vision.

A gasp tore through me. I squeezed my eyes shut, brazing for a big fall but it didn't instead, a pair of strong hands wrapped around my waist, firm and steady, preventing me from falling. My breath hitched and my heart fluttered in my chest as my gaze met piercing blue eyes staring at me.

For a moment, I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the sudden warmth that rushed through me, making my inside heat up because of the way our bodies were in close range.

I blinked my eyes slowly as my eyes traced his sharp jawline, and handsome face and then dropped to his plum and firm lips making me swallow hard. A kind of weird feeling pulled in my lower belly as his mint scent wafted through my nostrils making me want to sniff him.

“God…you smell so good,” I said, aloud in my drunkenness before I could think about it.

The stranger's lips curled into a smirk as he gazed at me, his eyes taking me in over again, “You can't wait to throw yourself at me so badly?” He said, his eyes darkening.

“What!” I exclaimed, pressing my hands against his chest, shoving him away but it was just like pushing a wall.

He didn't move but instead pulled me closer to himself. What's going on? Who was this handsome stranger? And to make it worse, I was feeling a weird sensation go through my body or was it because I was feeling tipsy?

“Wasn't it your plan to get my attention? Luckily you succeeded,” he said, shoving me into his arms.

I shook my head, “No, no,” I muttered, wiggling but he was stronger.

He carried me through a hallway, resting my back on the wall for support, making me stand on my feet. My chest rose and fell as I stared at him, “Who are—” I opened my mouth to speak but he interrupted.

“I know you pretended to fall so you could get my attention. Are you suddenly shy now when I'm in front of you?” he murmured, eyes glinting with smug certainty.

‘What’s he talking about? I don't even know him. This is a misunderstanding.’

“I—” my voice trailed as he tilted his head and placed his lips on mine.

My eyes widened, astonished by the kiss. My first kiss. I tried pushing him away but my strength didn't match his. His hand grabbed my ass while his tongue slid into my mouth.

“Mmmm,” a sound escaped my mouth as my body began to act directly opposite to what my brain wanted.

‘Why am I feeling like this? This is strange.’ I said internally as his touch seemed to spark a weird fire in me. No, I have to do something. Anything to stop this but I found myself leaning towards him.

‘I must be crazy or under a spell.’

“Stop,” I said, my breath hitched as I finally found myself. “I don't understand what you are talking about.”

His brow raised, “I see that you want to pretend that you didn't want this but it's too late for that because I'm going to give you exactly what you want,” he whispered darkly, his voice firm and unyielding.

His response did something to me as if igniting something that has been dormant as I felt something cold in between my thighs. He held my leg, wrapping it around his waist while my other leg was on the floor.

His firm hands slipped into my skirt, caressing my thighs as his fingertip hit my wet cunt. The moral alarm went off in my head again but before I could react, he pushed my pants aside and slid one finger into my slippery cunt.

“Ah,”

“See? You've wanted it for too long, my fingers inside of you,” he muttered against my ears, thrusting in and out of me. “I'm going to fuck you until you won't have the nerve to stalk me ever again.”

“No!” I yelled, mustering all the strength I had to push him away.

This man is crazy.

I scrabbled away as I pushed him away, ignoring the ache I was feeling in between my legs. How could I have allowed myself to get touched by such a pervert? My head throbbed as I made my way out of the bar and it ached more when I realized Cole didn't show up at all.

*****

The ring of my phone woke me up from sleep the next morning, pain shot through my head as I picked the call without checking the ID. “Hello, Avery Whitmore speaking..”

“Avery!!!” A familiar voice broke through the speaker.

I pulled my phone away from my ear slightly, “Why are you yelling?” I asked, resting my head on the pillow.

“You need to check your phone right now,” Ava said, her voice carrying a sense of urgency.

The call was still connected and when I checked my phone, what I saw almost made me dazed. I couldn't believe my eyes, it was a picture of Cole and a woman looking all loving in their wedding outfit.

“No, this can't be real,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief despite seeing the evidence myself. “It could be one of his many works, you know he is a model, right?”

“That jerk left you for another woman, can't you see it? You can go confirm by yourself,” she said, sadly, and sent the location of the venue to me before disconnecting the phone.

I stared at my phone as many thoughts went through my head. Cole and I had come a long way, there's no way he would ditch me. I clicked on the messages I sent to him the previous day and he was yet to view the message.

My mind was troubled and I couldn't sit still. I jumped off my bed, rushed into the bathroom to have my bath. “Ava must have been wrong. Cole loved me so much and wouldn't leave me for another.”

I doubted the news and when I got to the venue Ava sent to me, my breath froze.

There he was. My boyfriend standing on the aisle in a tailored suit smiling at a woman in a white smile like she was his entire world. My chest tightened painfully as they were about to say the wedding vows.

My breath came heavily as hot tears slipped down my face as I watched the man I gave my heart to say his vow to another. I wiped away my tears, something cold took its place inside me.

He can't just leave me just like that, no notice, no heads up and no breakup, I need to know the reason he betrayed me and he was going to look me in the eye and say it himself.

I straightened my shoulders, stepping into the aisle, walking towards him with anger.