DANIELLE'S P.O.V.
The sea waves, unlike the turmoil in my mind, were calm and peaceful. They rolled slowly and crashed with their white caps cresting over and plunging back into the water, displaying the beauty of the sea from the shoreline on which I stood. I buried my bare feet deeper into the sand which was wet from the sea water and took in a deep breath of the fresh, salt tinged air before letting out a deep sigh.
I had hoped that walking along the beach would clear my head and my mind, but it had only barely managed to somewhat soothe my nerves. The tension that had driven me all the way to the beach's shoreline still sat heavily on my shoulders while the wheels of my memory kept spinning the burning scene of abject betrayal that I had been privy to earlier in the day.
I recalled how I had stood, frozen with shock at the doorway to Tony's room earlier that day while my brain had refused to process what my eyes had been subject to. I had refused to believe the scene that unfolded right before my very eyes; the image of Tony, my now ex boyfriend, rolling in bed, stark naked, with a woman whom I was all too familiar with. A woman whom he had introduced to me as his younger sister; a woman whom I had loved and treated like a real sister.
The shock on both of their faces had mirrored mine, and maybe I would not have felt so pissed and insulted if the son of a bitch had not dared to utter the words, "Dannie, it's not what you think it is."
It wasn't what I thought it was? What an absolute joke!
As I gazed out at the wide expanse of the ocean, memories of the failed relationships from my past replayed in my mind, unfolding in my head like a movie. While they continued to run through my mind, I came upon a realization; as different as my exes were and as diverse as the situations were, when compared to one another, they all had one particular thing in common. And that was the fact that they had all gotten into the relationship with ulterior motives.
I had thought Tony was different, but he turned out be just the same; as always, those assholes only chased after me for my money. They had only dated me because they knew just how much they stood to benefit and gain from being in a relationship with the only child of the city's third most popular and successful conglomerate family.
I closed eyes, willing the tears, which threatened to spill over, to remain at bay. Even though I hated to admit it, the pain of the betrayal was a heavy weight on my chest- one that drilled a well of emptiness inside of me. As I watched the sun dip lower, casting a warm glow across the large body of water, I made a silent promise to never get myself involved in a romantic relationship with another man. I would never crush on, like, or fall in love with another person from the opposite gender. Hell, I would never get married to anybody for as long as I lived.
And alongside that promise, I swore to heal from the pain of the numerous betrayals. I swore to never let the betrayals define who I was, and instead I would leave it as a Chapter of my past that would remain forever closed.
The vibrating of my phone alerting me of a message notification drew me out of my reverie. I unlocked the mobile device to see a text message from my Dad.
"Come home, now. We need to have an important discussion." It read.
Letting out another deep sigh, I took one last longing look at the ocean body before turning on my heels and heading towards the parking lot where I had left my car. The drive home was filled with a quiet anxiety as the possible reasons behind my dad’s urgent message, and by the time I was pulling into the estate, I had come up with nothing. As I walked into the house and caught no sight of my father in the living room, I headed for his study, knowing full well that he had holed himself in there with his work.
“You’re here.” He simply said when I pushed open the door to his study.
“You wanted to see me urgently” I said, taking my seat on the chair opposite him.
“Right.” He said, removing his reading glasses and placing them on the table before him.
“What is the important thing you wanted to discuss with me?” I asked.
“You’re getting engaged to be married.” He said.
For the second time that day, I was frozen with shock and surprise. For a few minutes, all I could do was stare at my father, hoping that he would burst into laughter and claim that he had just cracked a funny joke at my expense, but the only expression that remained on his face was stoic and serious.
"You have got to be joking, right Dad? I did not hear you very well; you did not just say that I would be getting married." I said.
"I can not afford the time for jokes, Danielle. I have set your engagement." He said.
"What the hell? What do you mean you have set my engagement?" I yelled, standing up in fury.
"Watch your tone and mind your language, young lady. I can take many things from you, but not disrespect."
"You expect respect when you are upending my life? Really?" I asked.
"This topic is not for discussion. I have told you what is to be; the sooner you accept it, the better for both you and I." He said with a tone of finality and dismissal before resuming his work.
I stormed out of his office, my chest heaving with anger. In that dire moment, the idea of running away was birthed, and the hours following that were spent at the bank, withdrawing as much money as I could in order to fund my get away.
THE CLUB was packed that night and the heat of the room caused my dress to cling to my body like a second skin. The disco balls lit up the dance floor in bright, flashy colors, and the dance floor was crowded with both couples and lone dancers moving in tune the music which blared from overhead speakers.
I threw back my shot of vodka, grimacing when I felt the liquid burning as it slid down my throat. Once I had deposited the contents of the glass into my throat, signalled to the bartender to get me another. My plan was to get intoxicated enough to forget that I was on the run from my sad reality; a reality in which I had no control over my own life.
I threw back my new shot of vodka and looked around the room in search of any form of entertainment. That was when I saw him; his handsome side view made me wonder how good looking his face was. As he sipped his alcohol, I willed him to look at me so that I would be able to see his face better, and when he started to look around the club, I sat up straighter in my seat. By a stroke of luck, his eyes finally made contact with mine and his ethereal features made me catch my breath in awe.
He continued to stare at me and I felt an intense rush as I stared back at him from across the room. Feeling tipsy and wreck less, I approached him without breaking eye contact, sat beside him, and greeted him with a flirtatious smile.
"Hi" I greeted.
"Hey" he greeted back.
His voice was so husky, it caused my heart to beat faster; I loved the way it made me feel.
"What are you having?" I asked him, tracing my fingers across his glass.
"Rum and coke" he answered.
He was still staring at me and his mesmerizing blue eyes felt like they were piercing my soul.
"Big boy" I purred while boldly moving my index finger across the length of his hand.
His eyes turned a shade darker as he looked at me. I ran my tongue across my upper lip and watched as he gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing. The movement of his Adam's apple was very enticing, and I felt a pool of warmth between my legs. The influence of the alcohol encouraged me to be brazen.
"Come with me?" I asked him.
I stood up slowly and walked towards the back door not waiting for his reply. At that moment, I congratulated myself for purchasing my outfit.
I had on a black strapless dress which enunciated my wide hips and backside, and silver pumps that made my legs look longer than they were. My natural brunette waves were packed up in a simple hairdo framing my small face. From my ears, diamond earrings dangled, and clasped around my left wrist was a simple diamond bracelet. I knew that I looked sexy and I felt even more sexy as I seemed to be successful in my attempts to seduce the absolutely handsome stranger.
The back door of the club was empty and the deep thumping of the club's music was dull in that part of the room. I watched as the handsome stranger walked towards me, his gaze intensifying as I moved my hips seductively, in time with the beat of the music. He pulled me close to him and placed his hands on my hips while I wrapped my arms around his neck, our intense staring starting all over. His eyes become hooded as I ground up on him and he took in a sharp breath before leaning into my ear and biting the lobe gently.
Knowing that I was pressing the right buttons made me giddy, and maybe it was the sweltering heat in the club, or the alcohol messing with my head.
Maybe it was the way his arms felt, wrapped around my waist, or the way he looked at me like I was a treat that he could not wait to taste.
Maybe it was the intensity of his gaze, or the way he made me feel like the sexiest woman in the room.
Maybe it was for one of these reasons that I leaned towards his ear and whispered,
"Let's go somewhere...private."
DANIELLE'S P.O.V"Wake up!"I heard the voice before I felt the tapping and I wondered who exactly could be disturbing me so early in the morning."Wake up!" the voice repeated.This time the tapping was more painful and hurried. I groaned in pain as I sat up on the bed.What do they say about alcohol?It is said to induce inhibition loss, enhance poor decision making, and encourage impulsiveness.So, why do we keep taking alcohol?The answer is very simple actually. We do so because we always want what is bad for us.I questioned my decision to ingest as much alcohol as I had last night. My regret deepened further as the rays of light, which escaped from the shielding of the curtains that covered the windows; fell on my face, causing my already banging head to split further apart in pain. Usually, the feeling of the early morning sun rays on my face was comforting, but this morning, they reminded me of the reasons why the intake of spirits should be declared illegal.I applied pressu
ADRIAN'S P.O.V.I stood, gazing out of the window in my hotel suite. The events of the past few hours of the day replayed in my mind, and with it came a seething anger that coursed through my veins and caused my fists to ball up.How could one person, a mere woman at that, get the better of me?I recalled the way in which she had insulted me and I could still feel the sting of the paper bills as they slapped against my skin.How the hell had she dared to insult me in such a manner?I hated the fact that she had gotten under my skin. I was not easily phased by anything or anyone, and I had never imagined that a mere woman would be able to annoy the hell out of me like that woman had.What?My performance in bed was unsatisfactory?I had never received such a huge blow to my pride before, and the memory of the expression on her face when she had said that caused my ears to redden from fury. I could not even bear to digest the fact that a woman had spoken to me so rudely; the fact that a
DANIELLE'S P.O.V30, 31, 32, 33,...I counted from the car window as the trees passed by in a blur. It had always baffled me; the way the trees seemed to be the ones moving instead of the car. I was no physicist so I registered it as one of the numerous wonders of the world. Although the internet recorded only seven wonders, I believed the world had more mind-blowing, as well as, inexplicable events and sites that should have also be considered wonders of the world.I was sited in the back seat of Dad's SUV while he sat across from me, typing away on his tablet at the same time as he made and received seemingly endless phone calls, as usual.Work, work, work; all my dad ever did was work. It was so frustrating that sometimes all I wanted to do was to scream in his face. I wanted to tell him to just take a goddamned break from all of the work, but I knew that he would just remind me that the reason why he worked so exhaustively was because he wanted to secure my future. I believed tha
DANIELLE’S P.O.V.The news of Dad’s illness continued to echo in my mind and yet, it remained a struggle for me to process it. I tried to wrap my head around it, but the reality refused to settle in. The ground felt like it had shifted beneath me and the weight of the news pressed against my chest, making it hard for me to breathe. I wanted nothing to do with the men sited at the dining table, I wanted nothing to do with the arranged marriage, and I most especially wanted nothing to do with the snotty, rude bastard that sat across from me at the table, but I had a choice no more. Dad’s confession had practically forced my hand, and now, I had to endure the torture. For his sake, and his sake alone, I forced myself to go through with the introductory dinner with Adrian Valentino and his father, Alfredo, putting on my best behavior as if having to act so civil with the rude bastard were not killing me inside.As the evening slowly wore on, I stole quick glances at Adrian, expecting to s
Danielle's Pov"You look gorgeous"Layla, Sofia, and I, hooted at and applauded Janelle as she walked out of the dressing room in a sexy and elegant fuschia colored silk slip dress."It's gorgeous but I don't think it would be appropriate for a wedding" Layla said."That's true. Adrian's sister is going to be a member of the bridal train. She's still a girl; I don't think her parents and brother would like seeing her in such a dress" Sofia added."I think I would disagree to agree with that point." a smooth voice purred.My friends and I turned to see a dark haired beauty. She was tall and was elegantly dressed in a navy blue two piece suit and silver stilettos. Her perfectly manicured fingers clutched a small silver purse and silver jewelry adorned her ears, neck, and fingers. She did not look at all like the girl Sofia claimed she was."You must be Danielle." she said as she approached me.Still stunned by her, I only managed to nod in reply. She beamed with elation and hugged me ge
DANIELLE'S P.O.VUpbeat hip-hop blared from the sound system which was connected to a smart tv that hung on the wall in the center of my bedroom. Layla and Sofia choreographed the moves displayed on the tv screen, moving their bodies in tune with the beat of the music, while Sofia and Alisia flipped through magazines, in search of the best hairstyles everyone would wear tomorrow.It was the night of my bachelorette party. The night before the deal between both Adrian's family and mine will be sealed in holy matrimony. The thought of running away had crossed my mind severally during the day but dad's voice from the night of the dinner when he told me of his illness, rang in my head everytime I pondered on the thought, successfully keeping me from going through with the plan.It scared me that my first and last shot at marriage was a sham. I had always dreamt of a fairytale marriage for myself. A marriage that would be a result of a fairytale friendship that boomed into something deeper
DANIELLE'S P.O.VI stared at myself in the mirror of my vanity. The makeup artists and hair stylists had done a spectacular job; I looked breath taking.I opted for natural makeup because I didn't want to look extravagant. The hair stylists curled my naturally curly hair and held it together in a bun with hair pins with some of the curls framing my face. Pearl earrings dangled from my ears and a delicate pearl bracelet sat on my left wrist.The day I have been dreading for the past few weeks was finally here. The D-day.I should not have counted my eggs before they hatched by thinking my nerves would be calmed by the heart to heart I had with Alisia the night before. Letting myself relax in the belief that today would go smoothly was a big mistake on my part.My hands shook in fear, and my left leg trembled from nervousness. I looked like I was having a spasm with the way my body was shuddering.I sat, staring at myself in the mirror as a rush of emotions swirled in my mind. I was sca
DANIELLE'S P.O.V"Welcome New York's latest couple, the newly wedded Mr and Mrs Adrian Valentino." the master of ceremony's voice reverberated.The applause and hooting that followed was deafening. The groomsmen, which consisted of Umar, Adrian's best friend; Michael Smith, Mason Walls, and George Burrell, his friends from college; and the bridesmaids which consisted of Layla, Janelle, Sofia, and Alisia; danced into the room while I looked around the reception hall as Adrian led me to the head table which we were designated to seat at, trying to see if I recognized some of the faces present.I saw some familiar faces from the times when I would visit Dad at work while I was a college student. They waved and smiled at me as I passed and I smiled back.Adrian held on to my hand as I sat and dropped it immediately my behind was firmly planted on the chair. He sat beside me awkwardly and looked around the hall. I had a feeling that he was avoiding me. He had been behaving awkwardly since
DANIELLE'S P.O.VI stirred from my slumber, my eyes blinking open reluctantly. The room was bathed in the soft glow of dawn and a lingering sense of unease clung to me.As consciousness found its way back to me, I felt the sting in my eyes which were heavy from a restless night. My eyes stung as I tried to focus on the familiar surroundings. A few remnants of the nightmares that had plagued my sleep replayed in my mind, their vivid images taunting me.A groan escaped my lips as I tried to sit up, the dryness and ache in my throat were evidence of the tumultuous night I had. The taste of fear lingered in my mouth, leaving me parched and exhausted.When I finally sat up, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I could still hear the faint echoes of my own screams and I took a quick glance around, half expecting to find shadows lurking in the corners of the room. The sheets clung to my skin- further evidence of my night which had been filled with restlessness.The room, usually a peaceful haven
ADRIAN'S P.O.V.It had been a month since the storm called Chase Sinclair, had hit our lives, leaving destruction and doubts in his wake. The air hung heavy, in my office, with the weight of unspoken words as Omar Zayn, my lifelong confidante and best friend, sat across from me. His eyes, filled with understanding, met mine, as if searching for the turmoil that had etched its mark onto my soul over the past month. The weight of the past month lingered heavily on my shoulders, and I couldn't shake the guilt that gripped my conscience."Omar, I messed up big time," I sighed, rubbing my temples.Omar leaned in, concern etched on his face."What happened with you two, Adrian? Last time I knew, you guys were solid. Tell me everything. Maybe there's a way to fix this." Omar said, his expression empathic.In a flash, I recalled the doubts that had plagued me and the message that had led to my questioning Danielle's fidelity" I doubted Dannie's loyalty, questioned her commitment, and worst o
ADRIAN'S P.O.VThe walls of my office seemed to close in on me as I sat there, utterly drained from the dual onslaught of my demanding position and the storm raging inside of me. The dim lights seemed to intensify the shadows that had taken a place in my life recently and the air felt heavy as the weight of my tumultuous life burdened me.The office room felt like a prison of polished wood and cold steel and the distant hum of the city just outside of the office walls did nothing to ease the feeling of being trapped. The room that was usually a place of productivity and creativity, had. now become a battlefield between my professional obligations to the company and my personal emotions.Rubbing my temples gently, I tried to erase the persistent ache that clawed at my skull, but I couldn't seem to find relief from it. Weariness weighed heavily on my shoulders, and burden on my heart as I could not seem to get away from the shattered pieces of my broken life.The weight of my responsibi
DANIELLE'S P.O.VI woke up with a splitting headache. The piercing pain that seared through my head dragged me out of the depths of unconsciousness. As my eyes fluttered open, I groaned, clutching my throbbing temple. The room spun and my vision blurred as I blinked."Where in the world am I?" I muttered while trying to make sense of my surroundings.As I tried to sit up, the sharp pain in my head intensified, sending shockwaves through my body. It felt like a sledgehammer had collided with my skull and I could hear the faint echoes of my own pained groans. With my muddled senses, I struggled to make sense of my situation. I continued to blink rapidly to clear off the dizzy spell until the dimly lit room slowly came into focus.Suddenly, I felt restraints on my wrists and ankles."What the hell...?" I muttered pulling at the ropes that bound me and restricted my movement. On seeing that they would not budge, undiluted panic started to creep into my body and coursed through my veins an
DANIELLE'S P.O.VThe weeks following my traumatic ordeal at the hands of Chase were a blur of hospital rooms and tests. I had also been offered therapy sessions, but I rejected them as the very last thing I wanted to do was revisit the torture I had gone through. However, I could not seem to run away from those days of captivity as even after I had long been discharged from the hospital, my mind was still trapped in the nightmares that had plagued me ever since that fateful day- the day Chase Sinclair had kidnapped me.It felt like I was trapped in a unending nightmare, unable to escape the memories of what had happened to me- memories of how my baby had almost been taken away from me. I was back in the safety of the mansion Adrian and I had gotten but the house which used to bring me so much peace now seemed as oppressive as it was comforting.I sat on the plush couch in the living room of our grand mansion, surrounded by my friends and family. Adrian was on a business trip and they
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.The hospital corridors stretched before me, a maze of sterile white walls, distant echoes of life, and busked whispers. Their white walls were an unsettling reminder of the captivity I had endured for far too long at the hands of Chase Sinclair. Determination surged through my veins as I made my way towards the women's restroom, a small glimmer of hope guiding me towards the next step in my escape. I walked with purpose and my steps were fueled by a desperate determination to reclaim my life from the clutches of the darkness that Chase had surrounded me with. My footsteps faltered as both anticipation and apprehension coursed through my veins and each footfall echoed in my ears as I made my way to the restroom. Every step that I took felt heavy with anticipation and my heart pounding in my chest as I neared the restroom. It was a moment that held the key to my freedom; the key to reuniting with my family and escaping the clutches of Chase once and for all.As I pushe
ADRIAN'S P.O.V.I sat at my office desk which was surrounded by a sea of important documents related to the impending project that the company was about to start. I was engrossed in the stack of documents that were spread out before me as the impending project demanded my utmost attention.A knock on the door resonated in the room, interrupting my work. The door to my office creaked open, and Karen, my secretary, poked her head inside."Mr Valentino, it's already closing hours," she announced, her voice gentle. "I'm heading home for the night. Do you need anything else before I leave?"Her words jolted me back to reality. Closing hours? I glanced at my watch, realizing that I had lost track of time. I couldn't believe how late it had gotten as time seemed to have slipped away while I busied myself with analyzing every detail of the upcoming project meticulously."Oh thank you, Karen. I had no idea it was that late. Go ahead, call it a day. I'll be fine here for a while longer. You can
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.Chase’s eyes bore into mine, and I could see the rage simmering beneath them. His gaze moved around the room, scanning for any signs of betrayal and then, suddenly, his eyes locked onto my shaking figure. A cruel smile pulled at his lips as he lunged towards me and on reaching me, he grabbed my hand with his grip tightening around my wrist. Panic engulfed me as he wrenched the phone from its hiding place under the pillow and he held it up, triumph gleaming in his eyes.“You really thought you could get away, didn’t you?” he sneered, his voice dripping with maliceI stood there, transfixed to the spot by the fear that caused my heart to pound in my chest, my hands trembling. The stolen phone rested securely in Chase’s grip; a small but strong weapon that I had used against the man who had held me captive for far too long. Chase loomed over me, his eyes burning with a mix of anger and desperation."You think you're so clever, don't you?" His voice was a venomous hiss,
DANIELLE’S P.O.V.The days, weeks, or perhaps months, following my abduction felt like an eternity; I had lost track of time as those moments that I spent while being trapped in this desolate room passed in a hazy blur of fear and despair. Each passing moment was filled with fear, uncertainty, and a desperate longing for my freedom, every second spent in Chase’s clutches was a reminder of the very fragile line that separated both my life and death, every waking moment that I spent in that godforsaken room was tainted by the knowledge that I was at the mercy of a man I once called a friend; a man whom I had thought to forgive and let go of the hurtful things that he had done to me in the past; a man that had now turned into an obsessed captor; a man that had snatched me away from my peaceful existence.The room was always dark and even with the air conditioner, who’s hum served as the only other source of sound in the dreary space, it always felt suffocating as the only other means of