Chapter 01

“I can't believe that Rex would do that.”

“Well, believe it or not - here I am. Engagement broken off and single once again at the age of thirty six. Yippee!!!”

My best friend, Keisha smiled sadly but snatched the bottle of beer in my hand.

“Okay. I understand you are heartbroken but A: You have had enough alcohol…for now. B: We should be celebrating - not you here moping around. This is a testimony, a blessing in disguise. Really, look at me. Rex has been nothing but a liability tied around your neck for six good years. If anything I'm so glad that the burden chose to detangle himself.”

I sighed, and reached out for the drink but she swapped my hand away with a glare.

“You are not going to sit here mopping like a loser. Especially not for that low life. You deserve better than Rex.”

“Yeah right. Look at me. I'm thirty six years old - I'm certainly not getting any younger so trust me, I'm not that hot in the market anymore. I'm disappointed!”

I slammed my palm on the table and hiccuped.

“Say one more rubbish about yourself and I'm gonna smack you into next week. Are you crazy? You are a beautiful young woman - with a successful career and business. You are smart, wise and all that.”

My shoulder dropped because she would not fucking understand me.

“I understand how you feel, but snap out of this self pity. Rex Is not worth it. Right now just focus on celebrating your freedom, having fun, and your life. I mean, you are single after being tied down in the dating pool of years. If I were you, I'd be taking advantage of this.”

Typical Keisha. She would find a golden linen in everything, no matter how bad and ugly the situation was.

“I really loved Rex. I really loved him and I did so much for him now this is how he pays me back?”

“Well Rex is a grade - A - douchebag. We all know that.” Keisha said and I smiled.

“Thank you Keisha, for being here.”

“Sure. You are my girl. Home training is the only thing stopping me from seeking out that bastard and killing him. But I'm two seconds away from making some calls.”

I laughed between tears and shook my head.

Keisha said nothing again and I motioned for the bartender to get me another drink.

The moment I told Keisha about the break up, she had come to me, and dragged me to a popular club, demanding that I need a distraction

But the bottles of beer and the lloyd music were not enough to distract me from the pain coursing through my veins each time my mind goes back to what happened - which was every other minute.

Six years.

Six years of putting my life on hold, doing everything I could possibly do for Rex and what do I get in return?

It wasn't just about it being a good riddance. It was the fact that I had wasted too much, my time, my resources on him only for me to be paid back with this.

I let out a sharp breath, and snatched the open bottle the bartender kept by my side.

“Well, a toast to loser exes.” I said raising the beer and Keisha snapped her fingers.

“Now that right there is the energy I'm talking about.”

We laughed and resumed drinking.

I kept on drinking, sip after sip, bottle after bottle until I could feel the room spinning over my head and my vision became blurry.

“Uh - oh.” Keisha murmured leaning closer to me, “don't look now, but there's the demon ex and a new girl.”

Rex?

I whipped around to stare, ignoring Keisha groans and ‘I said do not look.’

And lo and behold, there was Rex, walking into the bar with a very beautiful lady in his arms.

My heart shattered all over again as I stared at him, just taking in how hot he looks.

And the lady with him, was that his new girlfriend?

She looked rich, dashing and of course younger.

Certainly can't be compared to an old hag like me now, can she?

Oh Rex…

I saw his eyes searching through the room until they fell on me. Our gaze held for a few seconds then he grinned, whispering something to the young fiancé snatcher and they started walking towards us.

“Oh please, do not tell me they are coming here.” Keisha groaned.

“Fine, I won't tell you.” Because they were really coming here.

“Fuck.”

I almost laughed, but I didn't, because my gaze was on Rex as he approached us. He looked different today. Dressed in a dashing blue suit.

“Hello there, Elara. I had no idea that we would find you here.” Rex greeted pulling the lady closer.

“Hi,” I croaked out, finally averting my gaze from him.

I'm not gonna be an idiot.

I'm not gonna be an idiot.

“Meet my girlfriend, Nina. Nina is Elara. I've told you about her, and her friend Keisha.”

The girl, Nina smiled but I could tell just how forced the smile was even from my drunken mind.

“It's so lovely to meet you, Elara. Yes, Rex has told me so much about you.”

“Funny, he never mentioned a thing about you.”

“Why would he?” Keisha chimed in, “she was just a side chick he was shagging by the sides.”

The girl turned to Keisha, her eyes flashing in anger, “whatever. In the end, I'm still the one he's gonna marry.”

“Oh honey,” Keisha laughed, shaking her head, “is that what he told you? Guess who heard that before? My friend here but that didn't stop him from breaking her heart. If he could do that - what makes you think he wouldn't do the same to you?”

I nudged Keisha's legs urging her to stop but she only fixed me a glare before turning back to the couple. I'm really not in the mood for a fight or whatever I can see this turning into.

“Do not listen to her, baby. They are both just bitter old hags.”

“Of course I know. I mean look at her,” Nina jabbed a finger in my direction, “look how pathetic and disgusting she is. What makes you think that I can be compared to your friend? She is nothing! Mo man would want to have anything to do with a low life like her.”

Ouch.

That wounded me.

Like I was being stabbed, but I still said nothing.

“She might have a low - life according to you. I'm not even interested in exchanging words with you

As for you Rex, since you are now all high and mighty, why don't you pay Elara here the ten million you owe her?”

“Keisha!” I gasped but she waved me off.

Dear God, we really do not need to do this here - not right now.

“Do not Keisha me! This bastard does not get to suck off you like a parasite for half a dozen years, break your heart then bring his empty headed bimbo in here to insult you! He either pays back, or I'm going to disgrace the hell outta him here.”

“Like I said, low lives. Not a single class. Just ten million?” Nina said and opened her purse, bringing out a flashy back card, “here. There is thirty million dollars in this card. Take it, keep the change - I'm sure you definitely need it.”

“I do not need your fucking money!” I growled, glaring at her but she gave me a nonchalant shrug and threw the card on my bare lap.

“Sure you do. Forget the pride, it' Always looks stupid in wretched souls like you. You will never - ever hold a candle to me, Elara. And that's why Rex chose me over you.”

Keisha snatched the card before I could do anything - like pick it up and break it - and placed it in her purse muttering, “this doesn't even cover for what you have wasted on the bastard so, you are entitled to it.”

“Nina Willows,” A deep voice cut through the tense air and we all turned around to see who the new audience was.

My jaw dropped - because no way in hell is it possible.

The man, standing right next to us, was a perfect embodiment of a Greek god.

Maybe it's my drunken mind, or something but I could grab him, eat him all up and then some.

How was it possible for a man to look so dangerously hot?

He was dressed in white tees, and white pants - an angel - and he had beautiful blue eyes that were as deep as the ocean, and something told me that this man right here - possesses secrets just as deep.

And his red hair, which looked curled from what I could see, was styled in a messy bun which brought out his perfectly chiselled facial features.

“Excuse me,” Nina answered haughtily, “do I know you?”

“I'm sure you will know the answer to that question soon enough. I suggest you take your… little man friend and run along now, or blood will start flowing.”

He cracked his fingers, but my eyes were just drawn to his bulging biceps.

Oh I'm definitely ovulating again.

Nina, surprisingly, grabbed Rex's arm and they left.

“Thank you,” Keisha greeted the stranger whose eyes were now on me.

“It's not an issue. I hate intentional bullies. Hi, my name is Stefan.” He said with a kind smile that sent butterflies up my belly.

“Hello Stefan, I'm Keisha,” my friend said when I took too long to respond, “and my tongue tied friend here is Elara. You have to pardon her. She is going through a Tia crisis so she must have forgotten how to be polite.”

Stefan laughed — and oh the sound of his laughter was so sweet to the ear, like the sounds of music.

“Can I buy you ladies a drink?”

“Oh there are lots of things I'd love you to do for me,” I said dreamily, “but none of them involves sitting down and drinking.”

Somewhere in my drunk mind I heard someone - possibly Keisha - clear their throat but I didn't give a damn.

“How sweet of you Elara, and …straight forward too.”

He thought that was straight forward?

“Oh you ain't seen nothing yet handsome.”

“Really? Enlighten me.”

Blame it on the alcohol - which I'm definitely gonna do tomorrow morning if I remember any of this.

I hooked my finger around the hem of his shirt and leaned close to him, with the best seductive look I could come up with.

“I want you, to take me to the nearest empty space - get us naked and fuck the hell out of me until I scream.”