Chapter one

Irene's POV.

     The rays from the sun projected directly to my face. I frowned lightly and yawned loudly but a banging headache and a bit of soreness from my other half awakened my consciousness. I rubbed my eyes and noticed the unfamiliar room I was in.

    Immediately, I sat up and my bare body became obvious to me. I quickly grabbed the duvet and wrapped myself in it and memories from last night flashed through my banging head. 

      A month after I moved out of my father's mansion and my childhood home to my mother's penthouse, (which was a gift from my dad to her before her death) I finally honored my father's long invitation. The last time I saw him was the day he willed the company to Cole, my half brother. 

    Since that day, I never had anything to do with my father or his business. I was humiliated in front of the entire company staff by Annabel, my father's mistress. “make it quick dad” I said sitting at the bench in the garden directly opposite him.

My father took a deep breath and explained the purpose of our meeting.

     "Irene, I am in a deep mess. Annabel and Cole left. I was surprised at their actions, but after receiving multiple emails from investors and board members, I found out the actual reason they left". My dad's voice was cracking and I suspected he was holding back his tears.

     I felt sincere pity for him, I went to sit next to him and held his hand assuring him I was with him. "Annabel left nothing in the company's account. Not a cent or a penny. She signed new contacts with our investors and bridged several contracts. Currently Irene, sheet and zincs LTD, is in debt! I am afraid we have gone bankrupt with multiple lawsuits. Irene I have ruined my life”

    I watched my dad break down in tears as I tried to recollect everything he had said. “Bankrupt?" I asked myself surprised. I never expected a multi Million dollar company to break down in three weeks and six days. My whole body went Cold at the thought.

     “Help me Irene. You are my last hope. I am really sorry for everything, Annabel was going to ruin your life if I didn't want to lose you or my company's reputation” he wiped his tears and held my hands as he made me promise to help him. 

  I stared at my dad with pity. After his surgery, he was placed on bed rest for at least six months seeing him break down in front of me,it purged all the grudges I had against him for 3 weeks. “I don't know what to do Dad,” I whispered softly, but he assured me that I could help him.

    I left immediately. Betty , dad's nurse, put him to bed. I searched for several contacts I thought could help me out and fixed a meeting with them. At dawn, seven of them declined to meet me and only two accepted the meeting. I cleared my schedule for the day and got ready for the first meeting with Mr Felix Gallardo at 12pm.

      After explaining everything to Mr Felix, he plainly refused with the excuse “my company is looking for financially stable companies to invest in. We are in a sensitive position right now and we need all the profits we can get”. I simply nodded and politely walked out.

    I tried to be optimistic and hoped my next meeting at 3pm will be fruitful. My hopes were really high because Akmed was my father's personal assistant for twenty years before he decided to set up his company. The company in which my dad was the highest shareholder. 

    After the meeting with Akmed, my emotions kicked in and I broke down in my car. It was another disappointing meeting. Akmed insisted that associating with my father's company was unhealthy for his company. 

     I cried In frustration and banged my steering wheel really hard. I ignored Madison's constant texts and calls and placed my phone in flight mode. I drove out of the city and held back from yelling. I settled in at a bar at 6:56pm and ordered hard vodka.

    Shots after shots I noticed how weak my knees had become. “It's time to go home" I whispered to myself. I walked out to my car and I felt really dizzy, “hotel" I nodded to my faint idea. I bashed my car twice before I located a nearby hotel.

        I took my room card and walked to the elevator almost tripping over. “Room 690" I muttered while walking through the hotel walkway. “Gotta ya” I smiled and hiccupped at the same time. I held the door knob to my surprise when it opened. I jumped on the bed and I was totally uncomfortable.

     I took off my clothes and dashed to the washroom to freshen up. My weak knees and dizziness could barely hold up. I got out wrapped in a towel to meet a handsome man staring at my clothes. His hair and broad shoulders made me drool, he turned and our eyes made contact.

    It was the most beautiful eyes I have seen in my life. I walked to meet him and I missed my steps. I saw his eyes fixed all over my body and I noticed my towel had dropped. “What are you doing here?" I heard his voice. It was smooth and sweet. I blushed and walked to touch his face.

   I felt his hands on my bare waist and it sent different sweet signals to my head. I let out a small moan and wrapped my hands around his neck and kissed him. It was soft and cold. I loved how they felt and I recklessly lost control. He kissed me slowly and I clinged around his loins.

     I took off his shirt and explored his bare chest with my hands. His breath on my neck turned me on more than I expected. He kissed my neck, down to my boobs before he fondled my breasts. My moaning became so loud and I demanded for more. He understood what I needed and he laid me on the bed.

      His hands played with my other member while his mouth sucked on my breasts. I bit my lips in pleasure and held his head on my chest. He took off his pants and parted my legs properly before thrusting in slowly. 

    I hissed in pleasure and it pleased him. He slammed in and it felt like heaven. I enjoyed every bit of his stroke and I wrapped my legs around his waist giving him room to go deeper. I heard him moan and it was the most romantic scene ever.We went on different rounds before I dozed off. 

    I heard footsteps from the balcony and I adjusted with a banging headache. I felt the urge to see the handsome man again and set things right. “Good morning" I whispered immediately as he walked in all dressed. He smirked and threw two bundles of dollar bills at me and tried walking out before I stopped him.

     “Excuse me. What is the meaning of this?" I asked picking up the towel beside me. I wrapped it on my body and stood up. He stared at me with a smirk and adjusted his watch. “That's 200,000$ three times the initial pay. That's for giving me a show last night".

    His words felt like rock science to me as I couldn't understand all he said. “Quit the pretense!" He sounded like he was scolding me. I tried to mutter words but my tongue was stiff. “You obviously came to my room for this" he said pointing at the dollar bills on the bed.

    “What? Your room? This is my room. I should be asking you why and what you are doing here!” I protested, irritated by his haustiness. He hissed and threw a card at me. “This is my room miss! That's my room card 690. At first I thought you were just a slut, now I am convinced you are also a pathetic liar and a poor actress".

   His words sent me flying around in confusion. “Slut?" I asked but he walked out on me. Immediately I searched for my clothes and I found them neatly folded beside the bed alongside my purse. I grabbed my purse and found my room card. It was written 960. I hissed and banged my hand on the shelf.

     In regrets, I freshened up and found a pill on the table with a note attached “you can't pull a scandal. Don't even try". I could not imagine how lowly this man could have thought I was. I swallowed the pill alongside my shame and it was the heaviest that has passed my throat.

      After spending half an hour causing,blaming myself and wallowing in shame, I picked up my phone and I met so many texts and voicemails from Madison. I sent her my location. An hour later, Madison walked in with breakfast. Her heart broke immediately she saw me in tears.

   “I failed dad and I made a fool of myself" I said sobbing in her arms. I narrated everything to Madison and she couldn't help but curse at the man. "You need to stop crying now. You still have a company to save” she said, helping me fix my hair.

      "I will prepare a list of potential investors in this city and outside this country, hopefully this time it will work” she assured. I felt relieved and changed into my clothes before returning to my penthouse.