Chapter 1: Betrayal

"What's with the long face, darling?" Nathan, Tatiana's fiancé, whispered as he placed a stunning silver necklace around her neck that matched her wedding gown.

"Nervous?" he asked, and she nodded with a small smile. His words sent a shiver down her spine. "Yeah, me too. I can't believe you'll be my wife in the next hour. It means the world to me, my love."

Tatiana's father, Mr. Wallington, a powerful business tycoon, saw his daughters as mere tools for building his empire. Every word he spoke was final, and even her mother had no say against his wishes.

Despite being bound to Nathan, the CEO of Stardust Entertainment Company, by her overbearing father for the past five years, Tatiana had grown to love Nathan. He was sweet and charming.

After Nathan left, Tatiana's smile faded. It was her wedding day, but she felt conflicted. Lately, Nathan's suspicious behavior had left her puzzled. Part of her felt this was all wrong.

Her phone buzzed; it was a message from Jolene, her assistant. Exhaling nervously, she reached out for it.

*You were right, Tatiana,* the message read.

Tatiana had asked Jolene to keep an eye on Nathan due to her unease. She knew it was a crazy request, but she needed to be sure before marrying him.

She clicked on the video attached to the message, and her heart sank to her feet. It showed Nathan kissing another woman, with the camera angle only revealing his face. The woman seemed somewhat familiar.

With shaky breath, Tatiana stormed out of the room and spotted Nathan's assistant, Flynn, and asked,

"Where's Nathan?" her voice cold.

"Over there," Flynn gestured to the other side of the hall, but his expression turned concerned upon seeing Tatiana's distressed look.

"Ma'am," he called after her, but Tatiana was already walking away.

As Tatiana made her way through the hallway, her head spun, and her chest tightened at the sound of moaning. She recognized the voices and couldn't believe it was happening on her wedding day.

"Ma'am, you need to come. The guests are waiting," Flynn called again, his worried gaze following her.

She reached the door and forcefully pushed it open. Her world shattered as she witnessed Nathan slamming himself into one of his artists, Paisley.

Not only was Paisley Nathan's artist, but she was also Tatiana's rival.

Tatiana stood frozen as the two ignored her completely. Her face paled, and her lips parted in disbelief. She had suspected something was going on between them, but she never imagined it would be this extreme.

Nathan groaned at his release, and Paisley laughed sarcastically. Both totally ignoring her!

"It felt amazing," Nathan whispered.

Tatiana felt a chill down her spine as the reality of Nathan's words hit her. Tears streamed down her face like a waterfall, and bile rose in her throat, making it hard for her to breathe.

After they dressed, Nathan's gaze met with her. Those eyes showed no sign of remorse. With slow steps, he approached her and cleared his throat.

"What is this?" Tatiana's voice trembled. "I've given you everything, even sacrificed my dreams to please you. How could you do this to me?!"

Nathan sighed. "Don't take it to heart, darling. I'm marrying you, not her. Forget what you just saw," he said shamelessly. "It was just a mistake."

Tatiana's hand flew to Nathan's face, delivering a swift slap. She was shocked by her own actions, but she couldn't contain her anger. She realized that this man had never treated her well, always treating her like trash and then begging for her forgiveness. And naive as she was, she would always come back to him.

She saw the shocked look on Paisley's face, and Nathan's face reddened with anger. Regret washed over her the moment her eyes met Nathan's again.

Tatiana winced as he forcefully grabbed her neck, slamming her back against the wall, his jaw clenched.

"How dare a bitch like you lay your filthy hand on me? Have you forgotten who I am? I'm your fucking husband, and you should listen to me. Forget what you just saw and go to the hall where our guests are waiting for us to get married."

Even in pain, Tatiana's face remained cold. Normally, she would have begged him to stop hurting her, but not this time. She had had enough of his senseless actions.

"Screw you, Nathan."

He scoffed and pulled her to himself, only to slam her back again to the wall. His hold around her neck tightened and Tatiana groaned at the pain that sliced through her body, but she refused to give Nathan the satisfaction of seeing her break.

"Don't tell me you're planning to break up with me on our wedding day, Tatiana. You'll be humiliated in front of the guests. This wedding is going to bring a lot of resources to your father's company. Are you planning to disappoint him?"

Tatiana bit her lip, knowing how angry her father would be if the wedding didn't happen. She resented the fact that she, as a woman, was expected to bow at the feet of a man like Nathan.

*Well, screw him too," Tatiana's jaw clenched as Nathan let out a mocking laugh.

He released her, and she gasped for air. Her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen.

"Very well then. Let's see how you handle the humiliation you brought upon yourself. I can't wait to see it," he said, glancing over at Paisley, who smiled at him before leaving the room.

"Prepare the car. We are leaving," Tatiana overheard Nathan ordering his assistant.

"But sir, the--"

"It's not happening. My fiancée just broke up with me on our wedding day, so I should drown my sorrows with a drink, don't you think?" Nathan replied sarcastically.

Tatiana shut her eyes, biting down on her lower lip and trying to control her emotions.

"How stupid of you to let such a man slip through your grasp," Paisley spoke as she stepped forward. "If I were you, I wouldn't have let him go."

"Just get your whore ass out of here," Tatiana's blood boiled.

"You know, I should thank you, selfish bitch. First, you got out of my way in the industry, helping Nathan rise to his position, and foolishly thinking that Nathan would appreciate your sacrifice. And now, you've given me the opportunity to have him all to myself. I never wanted him to marry you anyway. Have fun with the humiliation. Don't worry, I'll make sure everyone sympathizes," Paisley said.

Paisley was a famous actress with millions of followers. If she manipulated the media, Tatiana would be even more humiliated, despite being the victim.

___

Tatiana, still in her wedding dress, downed her fifth bottle of beer, the burn in her throat a welcome distraction from her heartbreak. She had left the wedding too without anyone noticing.

She replayed the betrayal in her mind, muttering bitterly to herself and feeling a mix of anger and sorrow. Grabbing a sixth bottle, she sought oblivion in its depths.

Jolene, her assistant, spotted her and hurried over, concern etched on her face. She thanked the bartender who had called her and helped Tatiana to the car.

Jolene made several calls as they drove to a hotel, where she struggled to get Tatiana to the room she had prepared.

Tatiana rolled over, burying her face in the pillow and drifting into a drunken sleep. When she woke up, still intoxicated, she found herself in different clothes and Jolene gone.

"Jojo?" she slurred and stood up drunkenly, staggering out of the room, going wherever her feet took her.

__

Tatiana woke up with a throbbing head, her eyes meeting the strange luxurious room. The only memories she had were of Nathan's betrayal and Jolene's help.

"Ouch," she winced at the pain in her head as she tried to get up. Immediately, the quilt left her chest, her exposed breasts bounced out. She gasped and quickly covered up with a frown, realizing she was naked.

"Did Jolene undress me?" she mumbled and heard the sound of running water, indicating someone else was in the room.

She spotted some clothes on the couch and went to check, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets upon seeing that they were a man's clothes.

'Yes... harder, baby... Fuck me... yes!'

Her hand flew to her lips, as her words echoed in her head. She ended up sleeping with a strange man! The term 'strange man' could mean anything.

An old man, a crippled, a man who has an infection. He could be anyone!

“I’m so dead” She mumbled, and as mind pondered on what she had done, the bathroom's door opened and he stepped out...