Chapter 2

~ Emily~

My eyes flew open, pupils dilating at the sudden brightness.

I was naked, on a bed, and in a room that looked nothing like my bedroom.

Panicking at the sudden realization, I wrapped a duvet around myself taking in the strange surroundings.

The room was exquisite, and a small bright light shone from the slightly open curtains.

“You're awake," A deep baritone voice said, and a naked man stepped out of what seemed like a bathroom.

Suddenly, the events that occurred a few hours ago replayed in my head– I'd caught Andrew cheating on me and, without thinking, made my way to a nightclub to get drunk and ask a stranger for a one-night stand.

What the hell have I done? I thought regrettably

“Did you sleep well?" The voice spoke again coming closer.

As the stranger's face came into focus, I was struck by its chiseled perfection. His features were sharply defined, with high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to bore into my soul. His dark hair was perfectly messy, and his full lips curled into a hint of a smile. He looked like he had just stepped out of a GQ magazine - and, as my mind struggled to process the familiarity of his face, I realized that he literally had.

Well, I'll be damned. Is that Thomas fucking Brown? The billionaire mogul who had graced the cover of GQ just last month? I must be hallucinating. But as he drew closer, his eyes locked onto mine, I knew that I was staring at the real deal.

“I had to lodge us into a hotel after you passed out," he said, ignoring the shock on my face

Did I just cheat on my husband with Thomas Brown? I blinked my eyes as if it would help in clearing my vision, but his face remained the same, his face glued on mine as he picked up a towel.

My eyes traveled down to his groin. Damn, he was big. Something that big would definitely leave me sore, but surprisingly, I wasn't feeling anything close to that under there.

“Ooh, and you passed out after I used my fingers on you” he laughed, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of amusement and arrogance

A sudden knock on the door snapped me out of my trance

“Room service," A female voice said from the other end

"I will get that” he winked, turning around

I sat there, trying to process the surreal situation. I couldn't help but wonder what someone like Thomas Brown was doing in a bar like that. He was a billionaire mogul. A hot one for crying out loud! He definitely had models and actresses clamoring for his attention. What was he doing slumming it with a random woman like me?

And why would he just decide to sleep with me, of all people? I was a mess, reeling from a heartbreak and clearly not in my right mind. It didn't add up.

As I pondered these questions, my eyes caught something on the TV across from me. It was the news, and the anchor was talking about a man who had been found dead. My heart skipped a beat as the photo of the victim flashed on the screen. The familiar face sent a jolt of recognition through me - it was the man who had hit on me at the bar just yesterday. The same man whose advances Thomas Brown had so abruptly interrupted. A chill coursed through my veins as I realized that I had narrowly escaped something terrible.

As I sat there, frozen in shock, memories of the previous night came flooding back. I remembered how Thomas had intervened, and then, out of nowhere, two men dressed like bodyguards had appeared, their faces expressionless as they grabbed the man and dragged him away.

Could they have killed him? The thought sent a chill down my spine. And more importantly, were they working for Thomas? Had he orchestrated the whole thing? I felt a wave of nausea wash over me as I realized the possibility.

But then I shook my head, trying to clear the fog. No, I was definitely overthinking this. Thomas is a public figure and he wouldn't get his hands dirty. He's a billionaire mogul, not some kind of mafia kingpin. I was just being paranoid. Wasn't I?

I shouldn't even be here in the first place!

Thomas appeared some minutes later but I was already dressed. A tray of food was seated in his hands and as much as I really wanted a bite, I needed to be out of here. I would definitely process all of this when my head is clear.

“Leaving so soon?" He said, disappointment evident in his voice.

“Y-yes. Thank you, Mr Thomas." I hustled out of the room, not daring to look him in the eyes.

******

A trail of flowers led from the entrance to the bedroom which was elaborately decorated. A large plaque with a boldly written “ I AM SORRY", hung prominently on the wall.

“I am sorry that you had to see that last night," Andrew said from behind me.

“We have only been together for two years, this is the fifth time," I replied, not bothering to look at him.

“In as much as I regret my actions, let's not pretend that our marriage was ever about love," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "We both knew what we were getting into. A union of convenience, a merger of families. So why should you expect me to be loyal to you?"

"We're a team, a partnership. And partners don't get jealous or possessive. They work together, no matter what." He continued

I felt a shiver of revulsion run down my spine as he took a step closer to me, his eyes glinting with malice. "You smell like male cologne," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "Did you meet with a man?"

Before I could respond, he grabbed my neck, lifting me off the floor and slamming me softly against the wall. A wave of fear washed over me as I struggled to breathe, Andrew's grip tightening around my throat like a vice.

“I swear, if I find out that you've ever cheated on me, I'll rip you apart," he hissed, his teeth bared in a snarl.

Just as suddenly, he released me, and I crumpled to the floor, gasping for air. Andrew's expression changed in an instant, and he smiled, his eyes glinting with malice.

"We'll be going to my father's birthday party later today," he said, his voice eerily calm and collected "We must put up a good show, after all, we are a loving couple"