Chapter 1

Brenda's POV

The living room brimmed with friends who had turned up for Ralph's birthday party, the clinking of glasses, hearty chatter, and background music adding to the liveliness.

From cutting the cake to making a toast, as a good girlfriend should be, I was right beside him through the whole process.

It was a happy moment and I was supposed to be happy and totally unbothered.

Well, I was happy—for him at least.

But despite the celebration, I couldn't help the unusual clumsiness that descended on me tonight.

I grabbed a drink and started refilling my cup. I was staring into vacancy, but the subconscious part of me noticed the silence that suddenly ensued at the table.

Everyone was looking at me like I were some alien now, and I didn't realize what I was doing wrong until Ralph's voice cut through the silence like a sharp knife.

“Babe! What are you doing? The cup is full.”

Only then did I realize that I had been pouring the drink absentmindedly. It had filled to the brim, and now the cup was running over.

At first, I was thunderstruck.

“I'm so sorry,” I later managed, feeling like a weirdo.

But my apology did nothing to stop me from being in the spotlight. With the scrutinizing gaze of each person at the table, I felt like a deer caught in the headlights.

Could my worries get any more obvious?

Suddenly, the DJ switched up the music to a fast danceable one and Ralph shot to his feet, snaking his arm around my waist to pull me closer to him.

“Ladies and gents, have all the fun that you can have tonight,” he said before gently dragging me with him to the dance floor.

Finally, a rescue from the awkwardness that threatened to consume me.

Ralph had my fingers entwined in his as we moved in synchronism to the rhythm of the music.

Ralph knew how much music exhilarates me. He knew how much of a good dancer I was. But he figured I wasn't in my spirit tonight. As he locked his gaze on mine, his scrutinizing gaze didn't fail to catch how unsettled I was.

You look worried, Brenda,” Ralph finally spoke up.

I shook my head to refute but Ralph wasn't convinced, so he pressed further.

“Don't lie to me, Brenda. I know there's Something wrong. You've been looking at your phone at intervals. You're making me feel like I forced you down here.”

“Aren't you happy to be here with me tonight?” he asked again, his gaze still locked to mine.

“Of course I am Lucian,” I managed a smile. “And I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me,” I added.

But I lied.

How do I remind Ralph that his constant pressures for me to be at his party made me sneak out on my sick father after he took his pills and slept?

How do I explain to Ralph that I just had to turn up shortly because he'll not understand whatever reason I gave for not coming.

He had always expressed his utter disappointment at my unavailability recently even when I had explained to him that my dad was sick and I was taking care of him.

Despite that bad side of Ralph, I still loved him regardless.

“Ralph, I won't stay too long tonight,” I managed.

“Alright babe,” he said, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Since you won't be here for long, let's make tonight memorable.

Before I could open my mouth to reply, he playfully dragged me along with him and we got to his bedroom.

Once the door was shut, Ralph didn't waste time. He pressed his lips to mine and we kissed.

At first, it was a light kiss, but as Ralph deepened the kiss, I couldn't tell if it was borne out of his intoxication or the true love he had for more.

I reckoned it was both reasons so I allowed the kiss to crescendo with every passing second.

Ralph made sure to savor every inch of my mouth, our tongues continuing the dance that we didn't wait to finish as they swept against each other.

After some time, we pulled away to breath.

I took a glance at the time on my phone and I knew I had to start going, but Ralph held my hand.

As I looked into his eyes, the dissatisfaction they reflected was palpable even under the dim light.

For a moment, I thought I heard a faint sound somewhere in the room.

“Are we alone, Ralph?”

“Of course, who else would be in the room with us?” Ralph said and I concluded that I must have misheard.

Before I knew what was happening, Ralph slid his right hand under my gown. His fingers slowly crawled all the way up and I already knew where they were going.

His touch was already sending sparks throughout my body, but I suddenly held his hand to stop him before he could go further.

“Please stop! I'm not ready for this.”

As I said that, I noticed a sudden change in his demeanor.

“You keep saying this,” he blurted out of frustration. “When will you ever be ready, Brenda?”

I froze at his sudden outburst. I didn't even know what to say to him.

“How long do you intend to carry on, being a virgin?” He barked, and the next thing I knew, tears welled up in my eyes.

The moment I started sobbing, Ralph held my hands tenderly again, his demeanor back to normal.

“I'm so sorry Brenda. You know I hate to see you cry.”

“Don't worry, it's fine if you don't want us to…”

I didn't let him finish before I cut in. “You can have me, Ralph. I'm all yours”

His eyes dilated in surprise even as they carried a shadow of lust. “Are you sure Lila?”

I didn't say a word at first. Instead, I leaned in and placed a brief kiss on his lips.

“Anything for you, Ralph,” I finally told him. “We've been together for long and I think it's time I let you in. But be gentle with me, please. It's my first time.”

The next minute, Ralph and I engaged in another passionate kiss. It was as though our lives depended on it.

Shortly after we pulled away to breath, Ralph's hand worked its way beneath my thighs again, making it obvious that he had been starved.

For a moment, I forgot that I was in a hurry to go back home to meet my dad before he woke up.

I could feel the wetness down there already.

As Ralph's hand continued to send sparks throughout my body, I threw all of my cautions out the window as Ralph's fingers had now found the hem of my panties.

He paused, and we locked gaze briefly, a silent acknowledgment of what was coming.

He started this. Now my body and soul were waiting for him to finish what he started.

Just as he was about to shift the hem of my panties, my phone buzzed.

Seeing ‘Dad’ appear on my phone screen, realization crashed down on me that my dad was awake.

Crestfallen, Ralph slumped back unto the bed while I sat upright to answer the call with a trembling hand.

“Hello, Dad,’’ my heart was pounding in my chest as I spoke. I expected that he would express his disappointment for leaving home without telling him. But his next words were far from disappointed.

“Brenda, it's not safe to come home now. Just stay wherever you are for now,” he said in a rush, and the call ended before I could say anything.

Confusion skated my expression as I tried his number again but it didn't go through.

Now, my heart was beating twice its normal rate as I sensed danger in that tone.

“I have to go now,” I said to Ralph as I shot up to my feet and dashed out in a frenzy, ignoring Ralph's confused responses.

I was about to flag down a car when I tried to reach for my phone in my small purse and then I realized that I had left my phone In Ralph's room.

My hurriedness did not even make me process for a second, the kind of noise or pleasure-coated sound that I was hearing.

By the time I swung the door open, I could not believe the sight before me.

I found Ralph lying stark naked above someone else on the bed.

He quickly got off the person as soon as he saw me. Only then was the person's face revealed.

Wait a minute, a man?

Ralph wasn't even cheating on me with a woman.

It was a fucking man!