Chapter 1 – Who are you and why are you in my bed?

Iris stared in disbelief, her hands clenched tightly, as she observed the birthday surprise her father, The County Commissioner of the Poconos, claimed to have arranged for her.

At her 25th birthday celebration, eight middle-aged pot-bellied men stood before her, their smirks oozing with desire, in full view of all the guests.

Their hungry gazes seemed to strip her bare as she stood there, dumbfounded amidst the applause.

She couldn't fathom what her father was thinking.

"Dad, what on earth do you think you're doing?" Venom and disappointment dripped from her voice.

Her father grinned. Today, his daughter would choose a man and, in a matter of weeks, she would be married.

"Iris, these men come from esteemed political and business backgrounds. Just close your eyes and pick one. You're not getting any younger," her father said, his eyes filled with concern. But Iris was utterly devastated.

Before she could protest, one of the men spoke up.

“Iris Parker, have you ever wondered why I haven't gotten married all this time? It's because I've been waiting for you. Please choose me," he pleaded desperately.

Iris felt a surge of annoyance, fully aware that this man had been pursuing many girls, including her closest friends.

How hypocritical of him to say such things to her.

Tears threatened to spill from the corners of Iris's eyes, but she fought them back, blinking forcefully. Before she could respond and reason with him, another overweight man interrupted,

"Choose me. I'm incredibly wealthy and attractive. I'll take excellent care of you."

Iris almost scoffed at the man's audacity to call himself good-looking, considering his excessive weight. And his talk of wealth only confirmed her suspicion that he was solely interested in her father's fortune.

Iris gasped, her face flushing with embarrassment. Her teary gaze met her father's, but he appeared unfazed as the next person spoke,

"Iris, I know the reason you're still unmarried is because of me. Ever since you turned eighteen, I've been in love with you, and I know you feel the same way."

Iris had reached her breaking point. She no longer saw any benefit in listening or speaking further.

Tears gathered in her eyes, blurring her vision, as she trembled with anger. It was disheartening to see that most people found the situation amusing and continued to pressure her into choosing one of the eligible expired bachelors.

These men were close enough to be considered her father, so was she too old to be paired with them?

Iris didn't hesitate as her feet gave way, propelling her out of the grand, lavishly adorned auditorium where her birthday celebration was taking place.

The cacophony of voices calling out to her gradually faded into the distance, much like the echoing footsteps, as she sprinted towards an unknown destination.

***

Iris couldn't recall how she ended up in this place, but she had already consumed three glasses of vodka, despite her low tolerance for alcohol. It was starting to take a toll on her.

Her close friend, June, promptly refilled her glass. "Drink more. Your father and those men are awful."

"You're correct, they make me feel like an elderly woman even though I'm only 25," Iris slurred, her eyes glazed over and feeling a wave of heat throughout her body.

June smiled, but secretly cursed her.

‘You naive girl. It seems like every man I find attractive is interested in you, and you continuously flaunt yourself, believing you are superior to them. Let's test if any man will still desire you after tonight...’

"I need to use the restroom," Iris mumbled, unable to bear the strange excitement coursing through her, making her desire to touch herself. The bathroom seemed like the best place to go.

June's smile turned sinister. It was time to lead her to the room she had prepared. Knowing that Iris was disoriented and unfamiliar with the club, she intentionally gave her the wrong directions.

"Go up the stairs and take the corridor on your right. The restroom is the second door on your left."

Iris nodded, struggling to stand as her feet threatened to give way. People stared at her strangely, likely due to the expensive dinner dress she still wore.

With the pounding music and her head spinning, the room's temperature felt abnormal. As Iris stumbled on the steps, she collided with something solid.

“Sorry," she whispered.

She stumbled, nearly falling, when a pair of strong arms caught her waist, their eyes locking.

"Gray," Iris murmured, captivated by his piercing gray eyes. This man had a unique scent and was incredibly handsome than any man she had ever seen.

His thin lips were irresistibly attractive, and consumed by passion, she tiptoed and kissed him softly.

At first, his lips were tense, but with a gentle push, they parted and he responded to her fervent kisses. Excitement surged through Iris as their lips devoured each other.

Her fingers slipped inside his jacket, attempting to remove it, but he was equally aroused.

In the next moment, his hand wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her out of the club and into the elevator, then into his car.

Once they reached his room, the sound of clothes being discarded filled the air before their naked bodies collided.

Moans and groans of pleasure filled the room as their bodies intertwined, until exhaustion finally overcame them and they collapsed onto the bed.

The next morning, Iris awoke naked in an unfamiliar room, realizing it was not her own. The familiar scent of cologne lingered, causing her heart to race.

'Gray curtains?'

'Oh no!'

She couldn't bring herself to recall everything that had transpired after she and her friends arrived at club 112 following the disappointing birthday party.

A terrible headache began to overwhelm her, and her memories slowly started to piece together. She was in a dreadful state.

She wondered if she was in a hotel room. As she attempted to get up, her body ached terribly and her muscles felt sore. Just as she turned to the other side, she was taken aback.

A stunning man lay beside her. She couldn't remember how everything unfolded, but her lips curled into a smile, her heart raced, as she admired his attractive features.

'Goodness! Why does he have to be so incredibly handsome?' Iris was captivated. 'A man like him should be locked away to protect us young women from succumbing to temptation.'

She was about to run her fingers through his hair when two pairs of cold gray eyes snapped open. Iris's hand froze in mid-air, as his gaze sent chills down her spine.

“Who are you and what are you doing in my bed?” His voice was icy, causing her to shiver, suddenly recollecting fragments of what he had done to her the previous night.

The passionate way he kissed her and took her. The details were hazy, but certain moments couldn't be forgotten, especially when her gaze met those gray eyes.

His now familiar emotionless voice grew more agitated, irritated by her silence, as he instantly suspected that she was a pawn in one of his enemies' schemes.

Garvin Berret was a successful CEO, who had built his company from the ground up with the assistance of his two closest friends.

He was a man who treated women as men and was taken aback to find a naked woman in his bed.

Wasn't this how influential men fell? Perhaps she was a reporter or a spy sent to gather information about him, considering he had always maintained a low profile due to his enemies.

Regardless of how many times the media attempted to uncover his secrets, they always failed.

"It was an accident, but we both enjoyed it. Let's not pretend otherwise," she mustered up the courage to speak, causing Garvin to realize his own state of undress.

Swiftly, he got out of bed and retreated to his closet, leaving Iris feeling helpless as her dinner dress lay in tatters on the floor.

When Garvin returned, he was dressed casually, but Iris's heart sank when she saw what he held in his hands.

"Take this and never come back. Do you understand?" he demanded.

Iris shielded her face as bundles of cash rained down on her. She felt humiliated, worse than she had at her own birthday party. However, she believed that Garvin misunderstood the situation and attempted to explain herself.

"What happened was consensual. Let's discuss it over lunch or something," her voice trembled due to his overpowering presence. He leaned in, and she quickly pulled the duvet to cover her naked body.

“You just don't understand, do you?" he snarled, his anger evident in his expression. "I don’t eat the same food twice!"

Iris froze, tears welling up in her eyes as his words sank in. He had mistaken her for a prostitute, shattering her hopes and filling her heart with bitterness. The affection she once felt for him turned to anger as she retorted,

"Excuse me, did you just call me a whore?"

Her previous admiration for him vanished as she saw his cold and distant gaze upon her.

He retreated to his closet, retrieving something before grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Don't act ignorant. Now take these pills, take the money, and leave my house."

Iris couldn't hold back her emotions any longer, tears streaming down her cheeks. Garvin grew impatient, believing she was being insincere.

However, he didn't want any scandal, so he removed the pills from their packaging and approached Iris. Her eyes widened as more tears fell, and he pressed her cheeks a little too hard.

Forcing her mouth open, he dropped the pills inside. "Swallow them. I want to ensure you don't come back here with any child and claim it's mine."

Hearing his reasoning, Iris reluctantly swallowed the pills he forced upon her, disappointment evident in her gaze as it never left him.

Garvin remained unmoved by her feigned innocence, raising his wristwatch to eye level and speaking with a sense of satisfaction.

"I have some matters to attend to. Once you're finished here, the maids will escort you out."

With her having swallowed the pills, he no longer had to worry about any future complications.

Iris was deeply upset, her voice filled with tears as she shouted, "I don't want your money."

His words made her feel like a commodity, as if she were being paid for her services. Iris was in so much pain that her entire body felt numb. Garvin glared at her, his words dripping with venom.

"Stop pretending. Every woman likes money, and if that's not the case, then why are you here? If I find you here again, don't blame me for pressing charges. I wouldn't even be surprised if you drugged me, considering I don't remember bringing you here."

Without so much as a glance, he walked out on her, leaving Iris to break down in tears from the humiliation she felt she didn't deserve.