1| Meeting a stranger

**Thelma**

I sat up carefully on the bed and stared at the dark-skinned, handsome man sleeping beside me.

It was an unforgettable moment between us, and I could still feel the throbbing in between my thighs from how hard he had pounded me the previous night.

How did it all start?

I had been ridiculed by my best friends, Sandra and Ella, for still being a virgin at 24 years old. It pained me to realize how foolish I looked in their eyes.

I rushed down to the clubroom to gulp down any available liquor to forget my sorrows, but then a man approached me and said, "Hello, miss."

I stared back at him, wondering what he wanted, but I was too sad to listen.

He grabbed the bottle from my hands and dragged me outside.

"Who are you? Let me go!" I screamed, wearing a red slim-fitted long gown with my black low-heeled shoes.

As I was the only daughter of my billionaire parents and the sole heir of BeeH Group, the patrons in the bar didn’t dare to interfere; they were too busy drinking from their liquor bottles.

"Calm down, miss; I don’t mean any harm," the man said, and I paused to stare up at his face.

He was wearing a black suit and looked older than me—probably in his 40s.

I had never fantasized about having an affair with an older man, especially someone who could be my uncle's age. I immediately struggled to pull away from his hold.

"Calm down, miss; I don’t mean any harm," he repeated, taking me to a corner of the bar.

"If you don’t mean any harm, then let go of my hands," I said, and he sighed, quickly speaking again, "Look, miss, I need your help, and I think you're the best lady suitable for the job."

"What job?" I asked, my sharp blue eyes staring at his dark face.

I wondered if he was a boss or a servant here in City B, where only billionaires could afford to live. What help could this man possibly need from me?

I was a fair-complexioned young lady, and he said, "Look, miss, I know you don’t know me, but I saw you rush in here, and I can see that you're heartbroken."

"So what do you need me for?" I asked quickly, and he released my left hand, which he had grabbed.

"I want you to accompany me to spend the night with my boss."

"What? Your... what?" I asked him again in utter disbelief.

I was the daughter of the richest man in City B. How could this man be offering me such a demeaning task?

I must have looked heartbroken after my friends insulted me, and I heard him say, "I will pay you handsomely, miss, but please come with me; we don’t have much time to waste."

I wanted to protest.

First, I didn’t know this man.

Second, I had never gone out with a stranger before, as I was always heavily guarded by my father's bodyguards.

My dad rarely allowed me out of his sight. At the event I had rushed out from, my father’s security men were still outside, waiting for me on the ground floor, unaware that I had escaped. I had changed into the red gown after my friends poured plenty of wine and water over me to celebrate; in the private hall, they all finally laughed at me.

I thought it best to follow the older man; he looked responsible and honest from his appearance, and I was eager to lose my virginity quickly to avoid another round of ridicule from my friends.

My father wanted to arrange a marriage for me with a top billionaire's son, but he hadn’t found the right match for me who met his requirements.

I silently followed the man outside to the parking lot, and we got into the car. He drove out of the luxurious hotel, and I could see two bodyguards sitting quietly in the back seat while I sat in the passenger seat beside him.

We arrived at a magnificent building, and I wondered who owned the powerful mansion that stood before me.

"Step down, miss," the middle-aged man said, and I realized I hadn’t even asked for his name.

I gulped and stepped out, and he said, "Come with me, miss."

As I followed the man into the magnificent building, which looked powerful like my father's mansion, I noticed the stationed guards around, standing in black uniforms and guarding the premises.

"Welcome, Sir Adam," the young maids greeted the old man who had brought me into the mansion, bowing respectfully to me as well. I waved my left hand in dismissal at them, and I could see Sir Adam looked surprised, but he quickly said, "Follow me, miss."

I followed Sir Adam as we walked upstairs to the second floor of the magnificent two-story building. He paused and spoke to me, "My boss is inside here. Please wait here for a moment while I attend to him."

"Okay," I replied, scared and curious to know who the boss of this magnificent building was.

Was he my father's age or a handsome young man like me?

I was nervous and curious at the same time. I admired the artistic paintings on the walls, which depicted warriors from ancient times.

I stood admiring the beautiful views of the second-floor lounge when Sir Adam later stepped out and said, "Come inside, miss."

I gulped and followed him into the sitting room. The cold air conditioning made my skin prickle.

The sitting room was painted white, with almost everything being white and slightly blinding. Sir Adam said, "Look, miss, just do whatever my boss wants; I have drugged him to have sex with you."

"You what?!" My eyes widened in shock at his revelation.

"I'm not a prostitute," I said, in case Sir Adam thought that of me after seeing me rush into the club.

"I know, miss. Just go in there, and you will meet my boss. I promise to pay you well as we discussed, and I will safely take you back home afterward."

"Is this a joke? Pay me how much?" I asked Sir Adam inquisitively. I wasn't broke; I was a billionaire's daughter, and I owned a black card.

How much did he think he could pay me?

"One million dollars," he said, prompting me to burst into laughter.

"I'm worth more than that, sir. I can't go in there; I'm scared," I replied, afraid of the man in the bedroom that Sir Adam was asking me to meet.

"Please, miss," he pleaded.

"Just call me Thelma," I said, not wanting to mention my father's last name. In City B, mentioning 'Sabastian' made it easy for anyone to know who my father was, as my family was among the richest in the area.

"Okay, Miss Thelma, but we cannot delay my boss any longer. Just name how much you want, and I will speak to my old master about it."

"Your old master? Who's that?" I asked, but just then, I heard a deep male voice emanating from the bedroom. I froze at the sound, which was both powerful and cold.

"Please go inside, Miss Thelma; I will be outside, waiting for you," Sir Adam quickly sneaked out of the sitting room and shut the door behind him, leaving me standing in the white room as I stared back at the door.