Help me, Stranger!

ONE YEAR LATER.

“What do you think of Trevor, Anna? He’s a nice guy, and he’s a director at Mills Corp,” Shayne said, shoving a picture of the mentioned man into Anna’s face, hoping to pique her interest.

But Anna remained as disinterested as ever. Ever since she was betrayed by Jacob and had her child taken away, it was as though a part of her was also taken away.

They even had to move to a different country to avoid news about him and his wife, but nothing worked. Anna was still shaken by the incident even after a whole year.

“You don’t have a boyfriend either, Shayne. Why don’t you go out with him?” Anna said with a sigh, continuing to scroll through her phone.

Her eyes were glued to the phone, and they held a sad look as tears pooled in her eyes.

“What are you looking at?” Shayne asked with raised eyebrows, but Anna was too immersed in her phone. Shayne quickly snatched it from her hands.

“Jesus, Anna! Can you stop stalking this asshole? It’s been a year already!” Shayne raised her voice at her sister, frustrated by Anna’s daily habit of reading articles about Jacob and his new wife. It had been happening ever since she was tricked by Jacob and now, Shayne was starting to believe that Anna was becoming mad.

“T-they posted a picture of him today,” Anna said and, that was enough to make Shayne quiet. Her shoulders sagged and tears welled in her eyes as she stared at her sister.

“It’s his birthday, and they’re throwing a party for him. I finally saw my son’s face, Shayne,” Anna said tearfully, but with a genuine smile.

“Oh, Anna,” Shayne cried and hugged her tightly. She couldn’t believe it had been a whole year since the horrible incident.

She quickly pulled away from the hug and looked at the phone to see that Emma, Jacob’s wife, had indeed posted a picture of Anna’s son with a caption that read:

“I can’t believe it’s already been a year since I gave birth to you. Happy Birthday, my sweet boy.”

Shayne felt her stomach churn at the lie, but she was quickly distracted by the picture of Anna’s son, a bubbly-looking boy with dark eyes, dark hair, and a sharp nose.

At least God was kind enough not to give him Jacob’s features. The boy was a replica of Anna.

“He’s beautiful,” Shayne said, tears in her eyes.

“He is. He’s my son,” Anna replied with a bright smile.

“You know what? This calls for a celebration. It’s your son’s first birthday, so we have to celebrate. We’re going to a club tonight. I’ll call Dylan and let him know,” Shayne said happily without giving Anna a chance to object.

“You’re right. I should be happy for my son,” she said and went to the bathroom.

She was going to try to be happy for her son, even though the memory from that day still haunted her daily.

She was never going to forgive or forget. One thing she was going to do was get her revenge, and that is precisely why she had been working hard for the last year, even though progress was slow.

If she wanted to go against the Wade family, she needed more money, and money was one thing she didn’t have.

What Anna needed was a miracle.

At precisely 9 pm, Dylan arrived and drove them to a famous club in San Francisco, owned by one of the wealthiest bachelors in the country, Tristian Reyes. It was a club for only the rich but Dylan has managed to get not just one but, three tickets.

“Please tell me you didn’t steal to get tickets to this club,” Shayne joked as they pulled up in front of the large building.

“I have friends,” Dylan said with a smirk and got out of the car.

Anna had never been to a club, so she was nervous, but she was determined to make the most of the day for the sake of her son.

After showing their tickets to the bouncers, they were finally allowed in.

Shayne immediately located the bar and ordered drinks for them.

“You’re going to need this,” she said, placing a shot of tequila before Anna. “Don’t look at it like that. Drink it,” she said when she saw her sister’s expression.

Anna closed her eyes and downed the entire shot. She was immediately hit with a stinging sensation in her throat, but it felt good in a weird way.

“Come,” Shayne said and dragged Anna to the dance floor, where they danced for a while before Anna started feeling dizzy and decided to rest. She went back to the bar and took a seat.

After a short time, she felt a body next to her, and when she looked, her mouth parted slightly. Before her was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen, and for some weird reason, he seemed oddly familiar.

If only she hadn’t given up on love, he would have been a perfect candidate. Men with features like his were nothing but cheats and betrayers. She had experienced one for herself.

“See something you like?” the man said with a cocky smirk, and Anna realized that she had been staring at him.

“I apologize. I got carried away,” she stated firmly, before gazing into the distance.

“You’re free to look,” he responded with a smirk, to which Anna rolled her eyes, sensing the pride in his voice.

“No, thank you. I am well aware of the kind of men that I should avoid,” she retorted assertively, catching the unfamiliar man off guard.

“Hold on there. You don’t even know me. Maybe you should watch your tone,” he shot back, but Anna was already feeling the effects of the tequila, seeing red and consumed by thoughts of Jacob’s betrayal.

“I was considerate for two whole years. And do you know what I received in return? Betrayal! I was cheated on, lied to, deceived, and even had my child taken from me. So, don’t you dare instruct me to be nice!” she declared, her eyes filled with pain.

The man recognized that she was angry, yet not at him, and wisely chose to remain silent.

Despite wanting to walk away, something drew him to this mysterious woman, and for some inexplicable reason, he felt compelled to stay by her side. As she spoke, he could sense the anguish in her eyes.

“Can you help me?” The plea was barely audible over the blaring music, but he heard her. Her eyes were fixed on his, beseeching him. The fury that had initially filled her gaze had dissipated, leaving only agony in its wake.

She was a stranger, and for all he knew, she could be fabricating a story to get into his bank just like other women, yet he felt a tug at his heart.

“Help me get my son back,” Anna pleaded with resolve in her eyes.

She knew she might end up regretting seeking help from a stranger when the alcohol cleared from her system. She just hoped that she would also forget having made such a request.

Little did she know that her simple plea would change her life…forever.