Played

ETHAN

The blaring sound of my ringtone sends me flying off the bed and rejecting the call. I don't even check who the caller is. All I know is I didn't want the call to rudely interrupt her sleep.

HER. 

Returning my phone to the nightstand, I turn to look at her. She's sleeping calmly, curled up next to me. The duvet is covering her lush, naked body, and I'm tempted to push it down just to get another long, good look at her. 

Her pert boobs are just the perfect size. Her perky ass deserves all the love in the world. Her cascading brown hair is a messy tangle, and again, I run my fingers through it, loving just how it feels in my hand.

Her small rounded face is just like a little, fragile doll, and her small nose and pouty lips give off an erotic but innocent vibe. How can she be so incredibly perfect?

I've met a ton of women to last a lifetime. I married one of the most curvy and sexy sophisticated women out there but she has nothing on the woman lying next to me.

She's different; imperfect but so perfect. And watching her at the nightclub made my heart sting. I don't know, I just felt every inch of her sadness.

Right when she dived into a drinking spree to when she broke into tears at intervals. I felt it all. And it was calling out to me. It was the first time I badly wanted to comfort anyone. At the moment, my heartbreak didn't matter anymore. All I wanted to do was soothe the broken woman drinking alone at the bar.

When she came up to me, I was trying hard not to show how smitten I was at first sight. But it all went down the drain when she started dancing. It was a smoother move than a stripper around a pole. I was awed. But then a fit of raging jealousy kicked in when she grabbed that blond and rocked him on the dance floor.

I reminded myself to sit still and not fall for her games. With her turquoise eyes on me, I could see she was taunting me. Goading me for a reaction. I knew better than playing her games. But damn, I couldn't hold back. Not when she rubbed her ass over that motherfucker's bulged pants. 

Pulling her away from him, I thought all I wanted to do was to dance and soothe her. But when the sparks went off and she kissed me, hell went loose inside me. And right there I knew I would be breaking another rule of mine. HAVING A ONE-NIGHT STAND.

Her long lashes flicker and she lets out a sharp exhale, and then her soft snores follow. Even in her sleep, she looks enchanting. I wanna know her. I badly wanna know what her story is. But I don't wanna disturb her sleep, so I just have to be a bit patient till she wakes up.

"Get out!" A voice yells from outside, and then a few more heated voices follow. It's a goddamned commotion out there. I turn to see that she's still sleeping. I'll be damned if I let them wake her up.

I hurry out of bed and put on loose pants and a shirt before pulling the door open.

"Bro, you need to get out there!" Ricky, one of my cousins, says in a rush. He looks fucking pissed and I wonder why. 

"What's wrong?" I shut the door firmly, not wanting him to barge into the room and see Her. Damn, I don't even know her name. One of the questions she'll be answering when she wakes up.

"Athena." He breathes out and my expression hardens instantly. "She's here. And she's been insisting on coming into your bedroom. George and I had our hands full trying to stop her."

"Why didn't you just call me?"

"I did, but you rejected my call."

Fuck. I didn't even know it was him. I didn't check. I try to head downstairs but he pulls me back.

"Wait a second." He comes closer, dropping his voice in a whisper. "Georgie said something crazy and I just wanna know if it's true or not."

"What's that?" 

"Is there really a girl in there?" He points at the door, with a skeptical expression.

"What?" I stutter at his question. "No. Why would there be a girl in my bedroom?" I glance at the door, wishing – fuck, praying! – that she doesn't come out. Not right now.

"But Georgie said –"

"The old man was only trying to pull a fast one on you. And I think it worked." I pull him with me as we descend the long flight of stairs.

Georgie is waiting at the end of the stairs with his head bowed in courtesy. He's my butler and a striking old man in his seventies. But for him, age is just a number and he's still one of the strongest men I know.

"Where is she?!" I ask in a haughty tone, walking past him with long, angry strides.

"On the patio." He replies trailing behind me with Ricky.

I walk to the patio and find her sitting with her legs crossed. She sees me and gets on her feet.

"Athena –"

"Damn you, Ethan!" She cusses, numbing my face with a slap. I sure as hell didn't see that coming. 

"Wtf bitch?!" Ricky bellows wildly, charging toward her but I stop him. She's not worth it.

"What are you hitting me for?" I ask through clenched teeth, quivering in fury. After the crazy stunt she pulled last night, she has no right to even be here.

"So I asked for a divorce last night and you replaced me the same night? How lower can you stoop, Ethan Hunt?!" She rasps, coming for another onslaught. But Ricky steps in and pushes her off me.

"Don't you dare!" He warns her. Ricky can be quite the gentleman, as long as you get your attitude in check. The Hunt brothers would never hurt anyone who hasn't done shit to us. 

But Athena here has done the worst things. Lying about me in the news just to get a divorce. Demanding more than half of my assets. Showing off fake bruises and gashes to the media just to pull off the abused partner stunt to get public sympathy. Throwing away our nine years of marriage just for some bloody desires. She's done it all. So whatever aggressiveness she gets from Ricky, she fucking deserves it.

"What?! You're gonna watch your cousin hurt me? What happened to the Ethan Hunt who never stands any man getting physical with a lady?" 

"You killed him off last night. In front of the media. Right when you made the whole world believe that I'm a monster who beats you to a pulp!" I let out my pent-up anger. "So right now, I don't give a fuck if he makes you bald. You deserve every bit of the cruelty."

"Really?" She laughs dryly. "Is that why you had me replaced just a few hours after my announcement?"

"What are you talking about?!"

"I'm talking about this!" She shoves a phone to my face. It's a picture of me dancing with the woman from the nightclub. How the hell??!

Ricky's brows crease as he stares into the phone and turns to me. I can see the question in his eyes. He did ask. And I lied.

"Get out, Athena. Get the hell out!" I point to the exit. "And stay the fuck gone until the divorce is over."

"I'll do that. But you better sign these today." She places the divorce papers on the table. "And if you don't give me 60% of your assets, I'll make this picture go viral. Then you won't only have the abuser tag. You're also gonna have the cheater tag. And I'm not bluffing."

I'm short of words and just watch her walk away after giving me one long glare.

With her gone, Ricky faces me with his hands around his chest. "What the hell is she talking about?"

"I'll explain later." I hurry into the building, running up the stairs and storming into my room. The thud from the door is deafening and I expect to see her sitting up in a rush. But no. The bed is empty. 

I hurry to the bathroom, throwing it open, totally ignoring the fact that she will be naked. Still, it's also empty. 

Where did she go?

It's too soon to conclude but one thing is clear, she's not in the room. I grab my car keys and hurry out of the building. I pull away from the driveway, swerving into the street.

I step on the gas, racing like I'm filming a fast and furious-episode. Why did she have to leave just like that? What happened?

I get to the outskirts of the private resort and I screech to a stop in front of the guards. They bow to me as I lower the glass.

"Hey. Uh, just wondering. Did a woman walk past here? 5'6''. Pretty. Brown hair. Turquoise eyes. Slightly curvy but still…" I gulp, before adding the last part. "Sexy."

"Yeah. Just a while ago. She boarded a taxi right in front of us."

"Did she leave a name with you? Or say who she was visiting here?"

"She didn't leave a name nor did she say a word. But she had a brief convo with your wife…" One of the men informs me.

My jaw drops at that information but I can't ask any more questions. Don't want them getting suspicious over shit.

"Thank you." I drive back home, feeling like complete shit.

Back in my room, I merely slump on the bed when Ricky barged in, slamming the door shut.

"Not right now, bro." I groan, feeling a painful throbbing in my head. I can't answer his questions. Not when I'm so confused.

I need to know what happened to the woman from last night. I need to know why she left like that. With no goodbyes. 

"What's that?" Ricky asks, reaching to pick up a glistening stuff. "Is this your wedding ring?"

"What? Let me see that." I take it from him and check it closely. It's not mine. Then who has it?

In a few seconds, it hits me like a raging tornado. It's hers. The woman I woke up next to. Goddamn, she's married?!

Fuck! Can't believe I slept with another man's wife! Why would she come here with me if she was married? 

Then I remember what the guard said. She was talking to Athena. Bloody hell! Did Athena send her to me? To pull a scandal that'll give her an upper hand in the divorce?

Was last night all part of a scheme?! Was she not as innocent as she looked in her sleep?

"What's wrong, bro?!" Rick asks, noticing the flood of emotions on my face.

I fist my hands with the ring inside it. Damn her and all the likes of Athena! I'm gonna get back at them for this. I swear to God, I will!