Isabella slowly stirred awake as sunlight poured through the tall windows of the presidential suite at The Argent Royale, a hotel so exclusive that only the city's elite could afford it. Every inch of her body ached, her limbs felt heavy and unresponsive, and a wave of exhaustion pressed down on her chest. Panic fluttered in her stomach as she tried to remember… what had happened last night?
It had been her eighteenth birthday. She remembered the laughter, the music, the clinking of glasses with her friends, her boyfriend Victor, and her cousin Aurelia. She had sipped on a cold drink, feeling light and carefree… until a sudden weakness overtook her. Aurelia had caught her, whispering soothing words, insisting on escorting her upstairs to rest. But somewhere in the corridor, Aurelia had stopped, excused herself, and vanished—leaving Isabella barely conscious.
Isabella's heart pounded as she struggled to sit up. Her eyes widened in shock. She was completely naked, and a man was lying asleep beside her. A sickening wave of panic washed over her. Could it be Victor? Shakily, she turned her head to see the man's face.
And then… horror.
It was Adrian Frost. Her mind refused to comprehend it. How could this be possible? How had she ended up here—with him? No… it couldn't be real. Maybe it was a dream.
But then she saw the crimson stain on the pristine white sheets. Her breath caught. Her fingers trembled as she clutched the blanket around herself. The truth slammed into her like a tidal wave—her virginity had been taken. By Adrian Frost.
Tears pricked her eyes, but there was no time for them. Panic made her hands shake as she scrambled to grab her clothes, her mind spinning with fear, shame, and disbelief. Every step toward the bathroom felt like wading through quicksand. She could hear the faint rustle of Adrian stirring beside her.
Adrian's eyes snapped open, and the moment he saw a girls retreating figure and anger—flickered across his face. The night's events hit him with brutal clarity. He threw on his clothes with practiced speed and pulled out his phone.
"David. Get to my room. Immediately," he barked, his voice cold and sharp. There was no trace of hesitation.
In washroom Isabella's mind raced, terror clawing at her chest. What would happen now? How could she face him—or the truth of last night?
As expected, David arrived at Adrian's room in less than a minute.
"Good morning, Mr. Frost," he said, bowing slightly. But even before he could speak further, he sensed the atmosphere in the room—cold, tense, and heavy. The aura of Adrian Frost was different today; it was sharp, dangerous, and unforgiving.
His eyes fell on the white bedsheet, stained with blood. A chill ran down his spine. Something significant had happened. This was no ordinary morning. For the past three years, Adrian had been chasing his first love, Ms. Grace. How could he have ended up with another girl, under these circumstances?
David waited silently, giving Mr. Frost the floor. After a few long seconds, Adrian's voice finally cut through the tension.
"Search for the person who drugged me last night," he said coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I want a full report within two hours. And find out everything about this girl. I will not spare anyone. What does she think, that she can cling to my life using these tactics?"
Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, Isabella was lost in thought. For the past year, she had been refusing Adrian's proposals, resisting his persistent efforts to make her his girlfriend. And yet, last night, he had barged into her room and taken her virginity.
What did he think he could achieve with this? That she would suddenly fall for him? No. She would never allow that.
Fueled by anger and a rising sense of defiance, Isabella quickly got dressed. She opened the bathroom door, steeling herself to face Adrian.
At that moment, Adrian was about to leave the room, but he stopped midway. A familiar voice calling his name made him turn—and when his eyes fell on her face, everything changed.
It was Isabella Grace—the girl he had spent three years loving. The realization hit him like a thunderclap. This was the same girl he had shared last night with? How could this happen? Isabella was not the kind of person to need such tactics to hook him.
And yet, there she was, standing before him.
David, too, froze, astonished to see Ms. Grace in the room. He knew the history: Adrian had first met Isabella during a business meeting with her father, Mr. Lawrence Grace, a rival in the business world. Even then, Adrian had sensed she was his mate. Everything changed the moment Isabella Grace walked into his life. For two years he watched her silently, holding back the storm inside him. She was too young then, too untouchable. So he waited, burying his desire beneath layers of patience.
But last year, when Isabella turned seventeen, the news hit him like a blade to the chest—she had a boyfriend. Victor. A simple college boy from an ordinary family.
Adrian remembered that day vividly—the helpless rage, the way his chest burned as he saw her smile at someone else the way he longed for her to smile at him. He could have crushed Victor with a single command, erased him from her world without leaving a trace. Yet, for the first time, Adrian Frost feared something he could not control—losing Isabella to someone else.
That fear broke his restraint. He could no longer hide behind silence or patience. For the first time, Adrian showed her the raw edge of his emotions. He told her what she meant to him, made it clear she wasn't just a fleeting obsession, but the only woman he had ever wanted.
But Isabella… she rejected him. Again and again.
And now, standing in front of her after last night, after the impossible twist that tied them together, Adrian's heart wrestled with a storm of triumph and disbelief. The very girl he had chased for years was his at last.
Before Adrian could fully process what had happened—or even express the joy that Isabella had finally accepted his love—a sharp slap landed across his face.
Isabella's eyes blazed with fury as she grabbed his shirt collar. "How dare you! I'll kill you!" she shouted, her voice trembling with rage.
But before she could act further, Adrian snapped back to full awareness. With one hand, he caught her wrist, and with the other, he held her waist firmly. In a swift, bold move, he pressed his lips to hers, taking revenge for the slap. His kiss was deep, commanding, and left Isabella gasping for breath before he finally released her.
David, sensing the intensity of the moment, had already turned his back, giving them privacy.
Adrian smirked, his dark eyes glinting. "You are really something, Isabella. Last night, you entered my room, slept with me… and now you're blaming me for it?"
Isabella's mind spun. "I—I entered your room? That's… that's impossible! You're lying!" she stammered, still reeling from the shock.
Adrian chuckled, casual and teasing. "If you think I'm lying, you can check the room number yourself."
Isabella's heartbeat raced. Surprise, anger, and disbelief collided inside her. How could it be true? And yet, every word he spoke carried a chilling certainty she couldn't ignore.