Chapter 1

Melody Wilson quickly typed away at the computer system before her. She was running short of time, it's almost time for the board meeting. At the tender age of twenty-one, she was the president of Wilson corporation. Her parents had died when she was still a child and her grandfather raised her ever since. She was his favorite grandchild. She was hardworking, highly intelligent with a squeaky-clean reputation. In fact she had a stellar reputation with zero scandals. Little wonder why the old man passed the Wilson corporation to her despite the protests from the other members of the Wilson family. "Madam, the board members are all present and the project research team is ready for their presentation" Her secretary said standing at the door with files Melody might be needing for the gathering. "I will be right there" Melody said and shut down the computer. Her phone began to ring immediately she stood up. She quickly adjusted her clothes while trying to ignore the call, but the caller was persistent. She sighed in irritation and reached for the phone. She was surprised to see that it was her cousin Arlet, Arlet knew she would be in a meeting today. So why call now?. Arlet was the only cousin that likes Melody well enough to associate with her in the whole Wilson family. She picked up the call only to be met with Arlet's loud sobs, Melody's heart immediately skipped a beat on hearing her cry. What's wrong? 

"Arlet?, Arlet please calm down and talk to me. I can't hear you properly. Please stop crying. What happened?". Arlet cried even more loudly "it's Michael", she cried.

"What happened to Michael?", Melody asked alarmed. "Michael he..he...left me" Arlet wailed. Melody's mouth fell open "what?" Arlet began to cry even more profusely scaring melody. Oh no! Arlet has always been so possessive of Michael, he was her pride. This will break her apart, Arlet has always been a crybaby who wept at slight provocations now this. Melody rubbed her temples as she felt a massive headache creeping up. This was why she steered clear of men, she doesn't want anyone to play with her emotions, hence she remained a virgin at twenty-one. She never even had her first kiss! "He .. left me for a blonde-haired bimbo" Arlet wailed again "am so broken, I have been drinking at luxury sky bar for hours but am not feeling any better", Arlet concluded sniffing. Ha! Arlet has been drinking? She can't even hold her liquor and her emotions are messed up right now. What if someone takes advantage of her?. Melody quickly glanced at her watch, she was already six minutes late for the meeting. Ah! Amelia Garcia. "Arlet honey, I will send Amelia to accompany you. I will be there right after" Melody said soothingly as if Arlet was her baby. However, Melody was the youngest among them. Arlet was already twenty-four. "Are you sure?", Arlet asked sniffing. "Of course dear" . Melody quickly cut the call and placed a call to Amelia who was their mutual friend, before rushing to the board room. 

Throughout the meeting Melody was distracted, worrying about what Arlet might do to herself. She quickly declared the meeting over and signed the required documents after the presentation. She ran to the parking lot and drove madly towards luxury sky in her Buggati Chiron. Her grandfather had bought it for her during her graduation from Harvard. She

drove at top speed to the bar, jumping traffic. Thank goodness that there were no road safety officers around, else she would have earned herself a ticket for over speeding. She grabbed her purse, hung it on her shoulder and raced into the bar. She immediately found the duo and moved towards them. Their table was littered with bottles of alcohol. Some were empty, while some were still sealed. A pile of tissue papers was beside Arlet. Melody's heart went out to her cousin. Arlet looked up at her sadly, Melody hugged her while rubbing her back soothingly. Michael must pay!. 

"Am so sorry that you had to go through this, I will make sure I deal with him for hurting you. He will come running back on his own once he realizes you're the best woman for him", melody whispered to Arlet who nodded. "What are you going to do?, Call your bodyguards to beat him up?", Amelia asked chuckling. 

"I don't know yet. Am still thinking" Melody said angrily, sitting between them. "No!, Don't do anything to him!" Arlet quickly shouted. "Why?"

 "It might affect the contract between Wilson corporation and Hernandez. It won't be good if everything gets ruined because of me", Arlet reasoned.

Melody chuckled "I only gave that project to Hernandez because you asked, they were not qualified. I won't let him exploit you" . 

A trace of anger and viciousness zapped through Arlet's face but Melody didn't notice, since she was counting the scattered bottles. Arlet quickly masked it with a smile and pouted. "Let's forget Hernandez, just drink with me" she said, opening a can of beer for Melody. She poured it in an empty glass which was seemingly reserved for Melody. Melody gulped it down and grimaced at the bitter taste but she doesn't want to refuse it for fear that Arlet might feel bad.

Arlet kept pouring glass after glass for her and she downed it despite her misgivings. 

Melody looked up and noticed that neither Amelia nor Arlet was drinking with her, they kept shoving it down her throat. "Amelia don't you want some? You love chicken and beer let me order chicken for you" .

"No! I don't want to" Amelia quickly refused shaking her head. "Why?" Melody asked confused. Amelia looked away in guilt before turning to Melody with a smile. "Your cousin shoved glass after glass of alcohol down my throat when I arrived. My body can't take more" Amelia said with a smile. "Arlet, let's stop here. Am feeling drunk and I still need to drive home" Melody said turning to Arlet. 

"No, we will call an Uber. I already paid for the drinks, I can't let it go to waste. Just this glass" Arlet quickly interrupted.

Melody downed the last glass and looked around for the air conditioner. She unbuttoned her shirt and sighed. "Am feeling hot. Is it just me or is the room stuffy?", Melody asked looking at her companions. 

She saw the mischievous look they shared when they thought she wasn't looking. Their smirk confused her and got her brain working, She quickly stood up.

 Arlet caught her arm and looked up at her smiling " if you are feeling hot it must be because it is stuffy and overcrowded. Let's go inside", she said dragging Melody in. Melody looked around but the bar was still empty. She tried pulling her arm away due to her suspicions but discovered she felt too weak. Her eyes widened. Has she been poisoned?.

 She clutched the purse hanging on her shoulder to herself ready for flight. Arlet dragged her to a room and Amelia followed.

"What are you both doing?" Melody roared. "You said you were feeling hot didn't you?" Arlet asked smirking. Melody stared at her as the second pang of betrayal hit her. Arlet didn't look sad or drunk now, she looked like a witch!

 "I guess the glasses of aphrodisiac you gulped down greedily has set in. You must be feeling really hot and horny, is it itchy down there?", Arlet said cackling wickedly. 

Melody cursed herself for different kinds of fools. She had felt something was off ever since the first glass, she drank it anyways believing they can't hurt her. She had forgotten her pack of ready antidotes in her office. She always walked around with the antidote to different poisons, after some attempts were made to kill her in the past. In her hurry to run to her crying cousin she had forgotten to take any. She looked up in tears at Arlet. 

The last time she cried was when her parents died. "Arlet why? You're not just my cousin but also my friend. I basically do anything you ask for". 

"Oh really? Then I want you to act a pornographic video to entertain the seattle population. It would probably make the headline on the good morning seattle program" Arlet said smirking. The door opened and a man walked in.