chapter 1

Dari Williams woke up with a nagging headache, the kind that makes you want to stay in a dark, soundproof room.

Yesterday, her decision to drink herself to numbness seemed like a good decision suitable for her mood, but now she realized it was just a temporary solution to a persistent problem.

She was still trying to adjust to the light in the room when she heard the sound of running water. She jumped up with fear and tried to grab the baseball bat she usually kept by her bedside.

As a single lady of twenty-three years old, living alone, her security was her number one priority.

A gun would have been the best option, but her niece and nephews are usually around most weekends, so a baseball bat was the next best option and she made sure to always keep it just within arms reach.

So, it was strange that when she reached out to grab it, and it wasn't there, then it clicked in her head, the missing baseball bat was not the only strange thing in the room, the floor was strange, her bookshelf was missing, the room was painted a different colour from hers.

Instantly, it was like her head had been cleared of the fug that once clouded it, and it dawned on her, This was not her room. Just then, she heard a voice behind her.

"Good morning. " She jumped up in fear and turned to face the direction of the voice.

What she saw was a sight to behold. The man she was looking at could as well be the sexiest man alive, she doubt there is anyone who can compete with him in that category.

He was above six feet and two inches tall, with a lean muscular body, it was obvious that he worked out every day, but he was not bulky, a towel covered his lower body, he was wet from the shower, and Dari can see damp hair that disappeared inside the towel, she forced her eyes away from his body, to his face and she instantly regretted it, she was held captive by eyes that seem to see into her soul.

Slowly bits and pieces from the night before starting to come to her like a forgotten memory.

She had gone to the bar yesterday to drink and indulge in a bit of self-pity, over losing a very important and groundbreaking opportunity.

As a fashion designer, though she loved her work the only thing she had to show for it was her undying passion for it, an uncomfortable work environment and a boss who seems to be insatiable.

She was overjoyed when Caroline, her best friend since College, told her about the movie that they are about to start production on and needs a costume designer.

She had promised to put in good words for her, and she had assured her that so long that she does not miss the interview, she will get the job, Caroline had jokingly told her not to miss the interview, and they had laughed about it because at that moment it seemed impossible.

But that was exactly what she did, she had arrived two hours late to the interview, no thanks to her stupid car and the stupid taxi driver whose drunken state she failed to notice and he had ended up hitting another car.

When she got to the interview venue and realised she was too late and had missed the interview, she made up her mind to go to a bar close by and drink all her bad luck away.

The same man she was staring at now was already sitting when she got to the bar she had taken a sit close to him, after her third drink she stood up to use the ladies and in the process spilt her drink on him. he had stood up abruptly, cursing under his breath.

*****

Maxwell Greenfield stared at the girl. She had a look of complete confusion. Something tells him that she is as confused about last night's events as he was.

He couldn't help but notice how blue her eyes were, it reminds him of the ocean, and it seem to hold much mysteries just like the ocean too. She was beautiful in an innocent yet alluring way. Her face looked like that of an angel, she was petite, but with curves at the right places.

Maxwell needed no one to tell him that last night was a huge mistake, one that will never happen again. He completely blamed his vulnerable emotional state of mind for last night's events.

Yesterday, he had discovered that the child Amanda, his girlfriend of two years, was carrying was truly not his, as he suspected.

A discovery that was prompted by him finding out she had been sleeping with his stepbrother Jason, he would not have believed it if he had not walked in on them himself a week ago.

He had wanted to surprise Amanda on her birthday, but a week before that, he informed her that he would be travelling for a business meeting and would not be available for her birthday.

On her birthday, he had shown up to her apartment unannounced, with various expensive gifts, but instead had gotten the surprise of his life.

Five years ago, his doctor had told him that he was sterile, he never told anyone, not even his family, or Amanda.

So when Amanda told him she was pregnant, he was overjoyed. He had felt that the pregnancy was a miracle.

The next day he brought her a second car, a Lamborghini this time around, though there was nothing wrong with the Ferrari he got her last year, he was happy and felt Amanda had given him the world, so naturally he felt like giving her the world too.

Even after finding out about her infidelity, Amanda had insisted the baby was his, but Maxwell was filled with doubts, so he insisted on getting a DNA test, and yesterday morning the result came and his suspension was confirmed, the baby was truly not his.

He confronted Amanda with the DNA result. She had admitted that the baby was Jason's, not his.

" l never loved you, Maxwell," she had said,

"Every moment I spent with you pretending to love you was torture, I needed your money, that is all, Jason is the love of my life, and the father of my baby."

Maxwell had gone to the bar to reflect on his life.

He is a very wealthy man with a chain of hotels and hospitals. He is the CEO of one of the best hotel chains in the world, and his hospital was the best in the country.

A major shareholder in different business sectors, hospitality, health, and technology, he can afford anything he wanted, anything money can buy he can get, powerful people ask him for help, and yet here he was thinking of a woman that cheated on him with his stepbrother.

Just then he felt something wet and cold land on him, he jumped up in shock and cursed under his breath, watching as the lady tried to wipe off the drink from his clothes, but it was only making it worse.

"I'm so sorry, I'm sorry," she said repeatedly as she tried to wipe the drink.

Maxwell had to stop her because she was only making it worse by wiping it.

"It's alright, don't worry about it, mistakes happen," he had said to her.

After several apologies, she had gone to the ladies, and when she got back,she offered to buy him a drink, he had refused but she insisted so he finally agreed, He must have had too many because somehow he had brought her back to the room he keeps for private use in one of his hostels not far from the bar, and from the confused look on her face, it seems she had too much to drink too.