Plaza Hotel ( The One Night Stand- 1 )

Two months ago (Flashback) Edited.

In the early morning, Isabella shook Ashley, who was still sound asleep, urging her to wake up.

"Sis, today is your special day! Wake up and let's celebrate!" Isabella exclaimed, feigning excitement.

Ashley grumbled as she sat up, irritated by the disturbance. "What do you want, Isabella? Don't you have anything better to do than ruin my peaceful sleep? Are you determined to ruin everything, including my rest?"

Isabella appeared hurt by Ashley's words, pouting and causing her eyes to well up with tears. "Ash, is it that difficult for you to see that I'm trying to improve our relationship? Why do you always see me in the worst light?"

Ashley was taken aback. Isabella was a master at acting, always playing the victim.

"Just tell me why you came into my room, Isabella," Ashley sighed, inquisitive.

Isabella smiled and revealed her purpose. "Today is your birthday, Ash. And guess what? I'm throwing a party for you tonight at Plaza Hotel, starting at 7:00 pm sharp." Isabella announced cheerfully.

"Isabella, what kind of game are you playing this time? I'm tired of your tricks. Please, just let me have one peaceful day," Ashley pleaded, feeling frustrated.

She ran her fingers through her long, black, curly hair, a source of envy for Isabella.

"Come on, Ash. I promise I'm not playing any games or tricks. I know we haven't had the best relationship, and I understand if you don't trust me. But I want us to be real sisters. That's why I'm throwing this party as a form of apology and a fresh start for our sisterhood," Isabella said sincerely.

Ashley stared at Isabella, suspicious of her sudden kindness. Isabella had never shown such generosity towards her unless she had ulterior motives.

However, Ashley hadn't celebrated her birthday in the past two years, so she considered accepting Isabella's offer.

She got out of bed and hugged Isabella, trying to embrace the idea of a genuine sisterly connection.

Unbeknownst to Ashley, Isabella wore a devilish smile on her face. Everything was going according to plan.

"Thank you, Isa," Ash said, though she still harbored doubts about the birthday party. But as the birthday girl, she felt obligated to attend.

"You're welcome, sis. Now get ready to shine tonight, because I also invited your James," Isa said, seemingly genuine in her happiness for her sister.

"Oh, I almost forgot, Ash. Dad, Mom, and I bought you a birthday dress as a gift," Isabella added and showed her the dress which was inside the big box she was holding to Ashley.

The rewritten text:

With a smile, Ashley's eyes lit up at the sight of the dress. "It's absolutely gorgeous," she murmured.

Unbeknownst to Ashley, Isabella maintained her mischievous smirk.

"There's still plenty of time before the party. Why don't you just enjoy yourself for a bit, because your life is bound to change after tonight," Isa said, feigning happiness.

Ashley wasn't fond of Isa's last statement.

"What do you mean, Isa?" Ashley asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Come on, Ash, what I meant was that our lives will be inseparable from tonight onwards," Isa explained, uttering yet another lie.

Ashley simply nodded in understanding.

"Alright then, Ash, I'll take my leave now so that I can get ready, okay?" Isabella said, hugging Ashley one more time before exiting.

As Isabella reached for the doorknob, the door swung open. Mr. Miller entered, accompanied by Mrs. Green.

"Happy birthday, Princess. I heard you're going to celebrate in style this year. I wish I could be there with you to celebrate your special day," Mr. Miller said to Ashley, his words laced with love, which brought tears to her eyes.

Ashley embraced her father tightly. "Thank you, Dad," she said, her voice filled with emotion.

Mrs. Green and Isabella seethed with anger as they witnessed the father-daughter moment. "Happy birthday, Ash," Mrs. Green said, deliberately cutting short their hug. It felt like a slap in the face for her, realizing that her husband would never love her as much as he loved his daughter.

Isabella was the first to leave Ashley's room. As soon as she closed the door behind her, she couldn't help but giggle to herself. "Oh, my poor sister Ashley, tonight marks the beginning of your nightmare," she smirked, heading to her room to prepare quickly.

*********

PLAZA HOTEL

As the clock struck 8:29 pm, the party at the Plaza Hotel was in full swing. Ashley scanned the room, but there was no sign of her boyfriend or Isabella.

She decided to step out of the dancing hall in search of them, but stumbled along the way. Additionally, she couldn't understand what was wrong with her, but she was astute enough to realize that something was off.

Her drink had likely been spiked with a drug.

She shook her head, attempting to clear her foggy vision.

She approached the doors of the homeroom, trying to open them one by one, without success due to the lack of a card key.

After a while, she attempted again and heard the sound of moans and bodies colliding.

Her world came crashing down as she pushed open the door, which surprisingly hadn't been properly locked.

Those moans came from her boyfriend and her step-sister who were having a hot sex to the naked eyes of Ashley.

With a shattered heart and tears, Ashley silently slipped away, refusing to let them catch a glimpse of her.

******

THE WESTWOOD FAMILY

Across from the same hotel, the Westwood family congregated.

This family, recognized as the wealthiest in the nation, owned a multitude of businesses and properties around the globe.

Gatherings at the Plaza Hotel had become a customary monthly event for the Westwoods.

Determined to claim the position of CEO at DWC, Steve Westwood couldn't comprehend why his grandparents had inexplicably handed the company over to David Westwood, his detested cousin.

David possessed remarkable abilities and consistently achieved what most considered impossible, thanks to his sharp intellect and resourcefulness.

Unwavering, David focused all his time and energy on the family business.

When he assumed control of the company five years prior, it was in a critical state due to Steve's mismanagement and inappropriate handling of company funds. At the time, Steve had been the acting CEO.

Driven by his immaturity, Steve's grandparents decided to bestow the company upon David, his cousin.

David proved himself to be far more capable and competent than Steve.

He did everything in his power to salvage the company, which was on the brink of collapse due to Steve's actions.

However, Steve never allowed him the peace he deserved; he consistently plotted against David in an attempt to regain the CEO position.

Once again, Steve's parents called for a family meeting today, with the sole agenda of convincing David to hand over the company to Steve, yet their efforts were always in vain.

David had no interest in attending today's meeting, as he believed it to be a waste of his time.

However, his grandparents implored him to join them, promising that it would be the final time they would subject him to such an unnecessary gathering. Unable to refuse his grandparents, David begrudgingly attended.

At the hotel entrance, David and his grandparents encountered Steve and his parents.

David maintained an air of indifference, which only fueled Steve's anger.

Approaching David, Steve placed his right hand on his cousin's shoulder.

"Don't you dare touch me," David icily warned him.

"Tsk tsk tsk, oh dear cousin, don't be so petty. Remember, we are family. Oh, I don't see your parents here. Have they not returned from their travels yet? How could they bring you into this world and then forget about you? Tsk tsk."

Steve goaded, hoping for a reaction from David. To his dismay, David found that Steve's mockery did not faze him in the slightest, which only served to further infuriate Steve.

Under his breath, Steve growled at David, emphasizing his seniority and asserting his claim to DWC.

In a cold, unwavering tone, David retorted, challenging Steve to reclaim what was supposedly his.

However, Steve's response was nothing short of sinister as he smirked and assured David that not only would he lose DWC, but he would also be completely forgotten by the end of their upcoming meeting. With a whispered threat, Steve left David standing at the entrance, feeling puzzled and unsure of what Steve had planned.

As David contemplated the looming family meeting, a sense of foreboding washed over him. Although he couldn't pinpoint the exact cause, he knew deep down that something unsettling was on the horizon.