The gauze curtain allowed soft morning light to pass through.
Haven West cracked her eyes open only to squeeze them shut again hissing, a stabbing sting stabbing through her skull. Her breath hitched as she shifted -every muscle screamed in protest, her body heavy, aching badly and she felt sore all over.
Biting her lips to ease the pain, her misty eyes scanned the room.
The first thing she noticed was the yellow-golden walls of the spacious and luxurious suite, that were too lavish and unfamiliar.
She was confused. Where am I?Was this a dream? She tried to sit up again while rubbing her forehead but the sight of the room shocked her.
The sheets were a tangled mess. Clothes—hers and a man's—lay scattered carelessly across the floor. The sound of running water drifted from the bathroom, echoing in her ears like a death knell.
Her trembling fingers lifted the quilt.
Bare skin.
Her stomach dropped. Memories—fragmented, broken—flashed like lightning. Her twentieth birthday. The wine she was forced to drink. The bitter taste. The fog that followed. Spiked. I was drugged.
Her eyes widened in fear, Kiara, that was the only person capable of doing such a thing
She also remembered being carried into a room and someone whispering into her ears, 'serve him well'.
It seems like her sister was not tired of making mockery of her but this had gone too far.
Taking advantage of the unknown man she had just slept with in the bathroom, she slipped into her messy clothes and quickly got out of the room.
Walking into the elevator with shaky legs, she steadied herself with the elevator walls and sighed deeply hoping everyone was gone.
It would be a shame for her as an upcoming actress to be seen this way.
The elevator got to the ground floor, dinged and opened, she straightened her posture but froze at the flashing lights.
Cameras. Microphones. Reporters closing in like vultures.
"Miss West, is it true you came out of room 803?"one reporter quickly asked
'That was director Louis room, what were you doing there? 'Another asked, her question harsher than the former.
'Look, there's a hickey on her neck',
'There are so many'
'Did you go the director's Louis room to bribe him so that you could get to cast a role in "Save the princess"?'the questions become more vicious,
'Is this how you got the role of Gizelle in "PowerPoint"?
The reporters questions were filled with venom, laced with accusations and scorn
Haven covered her body, shrinking in on herself and tried to escape the reporter's questions but they gathered around her.
Some of her recent antifans were also gathered, cursing her and trying to rip her dress.
The cameras blinded her, each flash of light capturing her shame, her fear and her broken dignity.
Haven bit back the tears that tried to roll down from her eyes as they darted around and her gaze met that of her stepmother's burden, Kiara West, who disguised herself with a pair of oversized sunglasses and a large hat.
The smirk on her face was wide and cruel not hiding the satisfaction as she raised her wine glass in a mocking toast, the gesture deliberate and cruel telling Haven she had won.
Haven's hand balled into a fist and she connected the dots, so Kiara arranged for her to sleep with that fat director and brought in the reporters, her body shook in anger and disgust.
Meanwhile in room 803…
Director Louis paced furiously, his round belly jiggling with each angry step. His face was red, veins bulging on his bald head.
He had waited all night for his "gift"—an ambitious young actress promised to him—but this morning he discovered the girl was not the one he was supposed to get.
He picked up his phone and dialed a number,
'Damn you woman, who did you send to my room last night?!'he shouted at the person on the other side as soon as the call connected.
ROOM 8003…
The bathroom door opened releasing a swirl of steam that framed the six feet tall towering figure that stepped out, his figure strongly defined and his muscles clumped under the robe he was wearing.
His eyes - piercing, glacial blue, fell on the bed noticing that there was no other person in the room he frowned.
The suite door opened, a good looking man entered, his looks, clothes and aura exuded wealth, charisma and playfulness.
The man was Travis Lewis, from one of the top families in Pear Country.
The man in robe gave out a fierce aura that froze the room almost instantly as his eyes fell on Travis, but the latter chuckled and let his eyes roam about the room, his smile widened,
'It seemed like Amy didn't get that feeling your lucky girl got last night'
Zayden Cross glared at his friend coldly as words rolled out of his mouth, but Travis was already used to this gaze that he shrugged it off.
"Your old man was worried. You've never touched a woman, never shown interest outside work. He thought maybe…" Travis smirked. "So he asked me to help. Which, clearly, I did."
Travis made himself comfortable on a sofa in the room.
Zayden put on his clothes and sat opposite Travis, his eyes fell on the bed again but this time on the bright red path on the bed, he narrowed his eyes.
It was her first time.
He was drugged and she was brought to his room and under the influence of the drug, he had taken her. Her misty eyes welled up in tears showing her innocence and beauty, but that triggered a reaction in him, his body that had not reacted to any girl reacted to her frail soft body.
'Interesting', he thought.
"She wasn't the one I arranged," Travis continued carelessly, "but it seems she gave you exactly what you needed."
Zayden's jaw tightened. He pulled on his clothes with controlled precision, then walked to the door.
'Investigate her for me',
He walked out, his personal assistant was running towards his room but when he saw his boss, he paused and made a small bow,
'Good morning president Cross, you almost forgot… We're getting late for your meeting with the board of directors',
Cody, his personal assistant, swallowed the next words after "forgot" after seeing Zayden's face. How could he, and that his boss forgot? Especially this big boss?
Zayden loosened his tie a bit and checked the time on his Rolex watch.
On getting to the ground floor, his men made way for him but he could hear a commotion not too far away.
'Sir, there're reporters here and they will soon fill this place if we don't leave now', Cody said.
Zayden's cold blue eyes darted around where the reporters were gathered, disinterested.
A small frail figure was in the middle of the gathering and was bombarded with questions.
Someone suddenly charged to the middle and tore a part of her dress exposing her fair milky shoulder blade. There were purplish marks but it did not cover the beauty of her shoulder but her hands were too small, soon the other shoulder was bare and the exposed skin reached her chest area almost showing her ample blossom.
The figure crumpled to the ground, clawing at her torn dress, desperation trembling in her small hands.
Her wide, tear-rimmed red eyes glistened with humiliation and terror .
Something unrecognisable stirred in Zayden's chest as he watched the scene -and unfamiliar heat beneath his cold fury.
His gaze sharpened, a dangerous frost settling over him as the air seemed to thicken with his presence.
'Bring the car around',
He walked towards the commotion with a frosty look and a dangerous aura. Travis, who just came down and saw Zayden walk towards the reporters, was surprised.
He followed Zayden to ask if he knew the girl's name, maybe he could start looking for the girl with that but he was met with this scene.
He knew Zayden was not one to care about someone else's business.
What was he trying to do?