*Naomi's POV*

Today is the happiest day of my life and obviously Tomorrow will be even better.

"Aren't I the lucky one?" I asked my designer as she adjusted the fabric of my dashing wedding dress.

"Yes, you are, ma'am. Not everyone gets to be with the love of their life," she replied and smiled.

"Well, I guess I am," I murmured, running my fingers over the fancy, delicate dress. The dress was elegant, and had nice designs and gosh—it was perfect Just like my love for Alexander.

I sighed, the only thing missing was my cousin, Rachel.

"I just wish Rachel was here. At least she would have helped me get fitted, we'd have had fun fitting this dress. She always does all the hyping and all.”

"Don't worry, ma'am," my designer reassured me. "She said she'll be back later for your bachelorette party. No need to worry."

I forced a smile. "Yes I know. Alright, I'll leave you to continue your work."

"You should rest, ma'am. Tomorrow is such a big day. You need enough rest, so you can have strength."

"Thank you ma'am, I'll rest once I get home."

As I left her store, I felt strange, and I couldn't say why exactly. I brought out my phone to call Alexander, I wanted to hear his voice.

The phone rang twice before he answered.

"Hi, hi, darling husband-to-be."

"Oh, Naomi, my lovely wife to be" he said, his voice warm. "How are you doing? I can’t wait to see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, me too," I said, feeling a rush of love. "So, what's your plan?"

"Plan? For what?"

"For tomorrow, silly. Our wedding."

He chuckled. "It’s a surprise, Naomi."

I started blushing, all my face turned red. "Wow, that’s so romantic, I can't wait to see all of it. So, are you home or out with your friends?"

"No, I’m home alone, preparing for you, my darling wife."

Home alone. I bit my lip, a naughty idea crossed my mind.

"Okay," I said, grabbing my coat. "See you tomorrow."

But tomorrow felt too far away. I wanted to see him now, I wanted to surprise him.

The ride to his house was quick, my heart was filled with excitement. I was already imagining the look on his face when he sees me. Would he scoop me into his arms and kiss me? Whisper how much he loved me?

The thought made me giggle like a child as I got to his entrance. I was about to knock when I noticed it was slightly open.

That was strange.

I was reluctant at first but curiosity got the better of me. I stepped in, quiet as a whisper. And then the next thing I heard sent shivers down my spine.

"Ah, yes, harder," came a very familiar feminine voice from his room.

I froze.

Rachel?

I moved forward, every step making my stomach twist.

"Oh, yeah, baby, don't stop, oh… I wish I could steal you from that wretched girl, Naomi," Rachel said while moaning.

I was shocked.

"Oh baby, don't ruin the fun," Alexander responded.

No. No, no, no.

"I wish I could have you all to myself and not Naomi, but you know she's the key to the inheritance."

That instant, it was as if the ground should open and swallow me. I couldn't breath, it was as if all the air in me had been taken out. I felt suffocated.

I kept shaking my head, I wished it was a dream, a hallucination. But then the moans and their bodies on each other, reality hit me like a slap.

Their tangled bodies, The sheets, the way he held her, whispered to ears—the way he touched her like he once touched me, the way her nails dugged into his skin.

I almost fell,

I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t think.

I turned and ran.

It was late already, so I turned to leave. I had no idea where I was headed, I just knew I found myself at the one place I had sworn never to return to.

The bar. I used to love coming here, especially Friday night, T.G.I.F. After a stressful week at work, I'd just come to the bar to chill and relax. But Alexander doesn't like that, I wanted to be a better person for him, so I stopped.

The smell of alcohol and regret wrapped around me as I pushed through the doors.

"This is your sixth bottle, ma'am," the bartender said, snatching the seventh before I could grab it.

"Killjoy," I said mumbling.

The world tilted, My mind was in chaos. But the more I drank, the heavier the betrayal sat in my chest.

"Another," I said in my drunken state.

"No."

I glared at him. "Aren’t you just interested in the money?"

"I am," he admitted, "but not with your safety on the line. I don’t want the cops asking me questions after your death."

I laughed bitterly. Death. Wouldn’t that be nice?

I stood up from the stool, my legs wobbling, I was seeing double. The walls seemed to breathe, the lights too bright, the floor too unsteady.

I needed more, maybe somewhere else.

Anywhere but here.

As I tried walking out, my head started spinning, I was seeing stars. My legs twisted. And then—

I bumped into someone.

"Whoa!" A Strong arm caught me before I fell to the ground.

"Hey, miss," a deep voice said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I muttered, swaying. "I'm fine."

"You reek of alcohol."

"And you don't," I smiled at him.

"Where do you leave?" The handsome guy asked, "Cause you are in no driving state," he continued.

I giggled, poking his face. "Why should I tell you where I live?"

"My mom warned me about strangers." I smirked tightening my grip around his neck.

He sighed. "Maybe because this stranger is your only way of getting home safely tonight?"

I didn’t know where or how I got the boldness, but I leaned in, my voice dropping into a sultry whisper.

"Can I have a feel of you inside me tonight?"

His grip on my waist tightened, his jaw clenching.

For a moment, the air between us crackled.

Then, he exhaled sharply. "You’re drunk."

I pouted. "So?"

"So, I don’t take advantage of drunk women."

His words sliced through me.

I stared at him—at the sharp lines of his face, the storm in his eyes. Something about him felt… safe. Even as my world spun, even as my heart shattered, he was steady.

"Come on," he said, slipping an arm around my waist. "Let’s get you out of here."

And for the first time that night, I let someone hold me without breaking me.

*Naomi’s POV*

I woke up with a hangover, my mouth was dry, my head reeling, and my entire body ached in ways I couldn't explain. "What happened?" I asked myself as I held my head trying to recall.

The sheets that was wrapped around me were softer than mine. The scent lingering in the air was different—rich, masculine, intoxicating.

I stood up and watched as the covers slipped off my body. My naked body.

What the hell?

My hands trembled as I did a quick check—no clothes, no memory of putting them back on. Just bare skin and the faint traces of last night’s madness tingling all over me, just thinking about it was already giving me goosebumps.

Suddenly, my mood changed as I remembered all the drama from yesterday. Alexander and Rachel, the betrayal, the bar, and the stranger.

A stranger who kissed me like I was his last breath, Who whispered sweet nothing to my ear and everything against my skin, Who worshipped my body like he had spent lifetimes searching for it.

I started smiling like a child, he stared at me with his brown eyes that was filled with something dark, something dangerous.

He stares at me intently like I was a sin worth committing.

His lips had sent fire down my body, his hands molding me to his will. His mouth… Oh, his mouth.

I swallowed hard, my fingers brushing against my collarbone where his lips had lingered. My skin still felt raw from his touch.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to recall his face—but it was a blur. The only thing I could clearly remember was those piercing brown eyes and the way they had devoured me.

I groaned, burying my face in my hands.

What had I done?

I never did things like this, I have never given myself to a man I didn’t know.

But last night… Last night, I wasn't Naomi, the woman preparing to marry her so-called perfect fiancé. I was someone else entirely. Someone desperate, Someone reckless.

And now, I was alone in a stranger’s bed, the weight of my choices sinking in.

I turned my head, scanning the room. My clothes were neatly placed on a chair. My heels sat on the floor beside them.

And then—

"A note"

The note was neatly folded into half and was placed placed on the desk beside the bed.

I moved closer to the desk and picked the paper up, my heart beating.

"Thanks for last night." Attached to it was a bundle of dollar bills.

A cold, ugly feeling spread through my chest as I stared at the money, frustrating rising in me.

Wait. Did he think I was a whore?

I became furious, I squeezed the note tightly, crumpling it in my hands.

"How dare he?"

I wasn’t some woman he could pay off and forget. I didn't ask for his money neither did I sell myself to him.

I threw the sheets away, stood up from the damn bed and picked up my dress, my hands were shaking as I wore my clothes, frustration building inside me. When I was done, I turned to leave but then I stopped.

My eyes went back to the money, "I would need the money for transportation, I said to myself."

With a bitter laugh, I grabbed a few bills, threw them into my bag before storming out of the room.

...

The ride home was quiet. The driver barely spoke, and I was grateful. My head was still aching from the hangover, and also the feeling of regret.

By the time I got to my house, the sun was up already and my gut told me I was in trouble.

I barely stepped inside before I started hearing voices.

"Naomi, where were you?"

I searched the room for the owner of the voice and to my surprise, It was Alexander.

His voice came from the living room, sharp and demanding.

Rachel was beside him, arms crossed, eyes wide with concern—or was it guilt?

"Naomi, dear, are you alright?" she asked.

I stared at her.

The audacity.

Memories of last night came into my head again. The sound of her voice moaning my fiancé’s name. The way he had held her, whispered to her, loved her.

My stomach churned.

I turned away, only for another voice to slice through the room.

My Aunty, Rachel's mom.

"You were with your lover, weren't you?"

She smirked, looking me up and down like I was filth.

I was determined not to answer any of their questions, not today.

I ignored them all, heading straight for my room.

I grabbed a suitcase, throwing it open on my bed. My hands worked fast, shoving clothes, shoes, documents—anything important—inside.

Tears burned behind my eyes, but I blinked them away. I refused to cry.

Not over them, not over him.

I took a deep breath as I admired my room one last time.

"Goodbye." Without another word, I dragged my suitcase downstairs.

The sound made them all turn.

"What's going on here?" my aunty asked, her voice sharp.

I met her eyes, then Alexander’s.

Rachel shifted uncomfortably beside him.

"The wedding is off," I said.

There was a sudden silence in the room.

"Naomi, wait," Alexander stepped forward, reaching for me, but I pulled back.

"Don’t," I warned, my voice ice-cold.

His brows furrowed. "At least let’s talk about this."

I laughed, the sound bitter. "Talk? Like how you talked with Rachel last night? Or how you planned to use me for my inheritance?" I wanted to say, but kept quite.

Rachel gasped. "Naomi, what's wrong? Is it wedding glitters? Are you feeling nervous?"

"Shut up," I snapped, my patience gone.

She was shocked.

Alexander exhaled. "Naomi, please. You’re upset. And we don't even know what's wrong. Tell us so we could fix it."

Fix?

I bent my head, staring at the man I once thought was my future.

How easily he could lie, How shamelessly he could stand here and act like he did nothing.

I moved closer, my voice a whisper.

"I saw you."

His face paled.

"I heard you."

Rachel shifted beside him, her face crumbling.

"And now," I said, "I’m leaving you."

"You saw what? Heard what?" He asked, like I was speaking Latin, his face innocent as ever.

"Well I don't have the energy to banter words with a cheat. At least not today!" I said to myself.

I turned to my aunty, who looked the most displeased.

"Go ahead," she sneered. "See where life takes you."

I smirked. "Anywhere but here."

With that, I walked out.

The door slammed behind me, but I didn’t look back.

I never looked back.

*Raymond’s POV*

I woke up very early in the morning, the room was lightly lit, and there she was, the most beautiful woman I had ever laid my eyes on. She was sleeping so peacefully, the pleasing smell of her perfume filled the air —floral, intoxicating, and already fading.

I started smiling as I ran a hand through my hair, forcing myself to remember everything.

She had walked into my life last night like a storm, her eyes looked sad, her voice unsteady, yet her resolve was clear.

"All I want is for you to make me feel good," she had pleaded.

I didn't have the intention of touching her. She was clearly heartbroken, drowning in whatever betrayal had shattered her.

But the moment I kissed her, I was gone.

Last night was magic.

The way she moved her body, the way she responded to my touch, she wasn't desperate, I could tell it was something deeper, something raw. She had trusted me with her body.

And damn, I was glad I said yes, because that was the best night of my life. I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck.

Finally I stood up from the bed, not wanting to wake her up, I had to pick up my suit for my brother's wedding. It was happening today and I couldn't get it last night because I was with an angel. And not to lie, it was worth it.

I left her a note, along with some cash in case she needed anything before I got back.

But now, she was gone.

I looked around the room and I saw the note I dropped for her on the floor, she already squeezed it.

I bent down to pick it up and straightened it and then I read what I wrote. "Thanks for last night." That was when I realized I had made a silly mistake.

Then I saw the money on the desk, she barely touched it.

Oh no.

She must have misunderstood. I was really angry with myself.

I only left the money so she wouldn’t feel stranded, not because I thought she was a damn prostitute.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath, rubbing my face.

I should’ve stayed, I should've waited until she woke up.

But now she was gone, and I didn't even ask for her name.

Idiot.

I exhaled sharply and checked the time.

My brother’s wedding was today and time was not on my side.

I picked up my phone, quickly getting dressed, I adjusted my tie, straightened my cuffs, and checked my watch.

It was already late morning hours.

I typed out a quick message to Alex.

"Hey man, meet you up shortly."

His reply came almost immediately, as if he had been waiting for my message.

"The wedding has been cancelled. Meet me at home. Mum and Dad are also waiting."

I froze.

What?

A cold wave rushed through me, my grip tightening around my phone.

Cancelled?

What the hell happened?

A million questions ran through my head, but none made sense.

Alex had refused to introduce us to his fiancée, he kept her identity hidden like a damn government secret.

Had she run away?

Or worse, did something bad happen?

I clenched my jaw, stuffing my phone in my pocket before grabbing my keys.

I used my morning time reminiscing about a woman who had already left and I don't know how to get her.

Now, I had another problem to deal with.

...

The ride home was a long one.

The city buzzed outside the tinted windows, but my mind was elsewhere.

Why was the wedding cancelled?

The closer I got to the Darlington's Estate, the more I grew curious.

When I finally arrived, the atmosphere was heavy.

The grand house, usually alive with movement, felt like a damn mourning hall.

I stepped out of the car, fixing my suit before heading inside.

The moment I stepped inside the house, all eyes were on me.

My parents sat on the couch, their faces unreadable.

Alex stood near the fireplace, his back stiff, his expression dark.

Something was very wrong.

I exhaled and forced a smile. "Hello, Mum. Hi, Dad."

My father barely looked at me. My mother pursed her lips, her gaze cold.

I adjusted my tie. "Okay, so what the hell happened? Why was the wedding cancelled?"

The silence stretched.

Then, finally, Alex met my gaze.

Just for a second.

Then he said, “I caught her cheating on me."

His voice was flat.

Emotionless.

Dead.

I blinked.

"What?"

Alex exhaled, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the weight of his own words.

"I can’t marry a cheat."

The way he said it sounded like he was so certain, so sure of it.

Something felt off.

My mother sighed. "We always warned you, Alex. Marrying a woman from a different class."

"Your Dad and I told you this would happen," she continued, shaking her head. "You should’ve listened."

This is really bad, "I can't even imagine

how much embarrassment this family will face when this news goes out. How will I face the world now," mother said.

Alex didn’t respond and just watched everyone. Now that the wedding has been cancelled, I'm pretty sure all the pressure will come back to me now.

Just like I thought, my dad that hasn't said a word since I came in finally spoke up. "No need to cry over spilled milk, the did has been done, now is the time for Raymond to take over the responsibility he has been running away from for a very long time. I can't keep going to meetings with my old age."

"As for Alex... Go on a break to clear your head first." My dad added.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or lose my damn mind, I already expected this. I turned to face him "I'd only accept to run the company and all the things you want me to do if only I'm not pressured to get married or find a wife." I only said that to get him angry because my father always believes that behind every successful man lies a woman.

The old man stood up almost like he was going to hit me with his stick, "nonsense, Raymond, you will get married and you will run the company, Playtime is over."

"If not I will will everything to your younger brother, since he seems more responsible." Alex smirked at dad's words.