Chapter 1 The Other Woman

I inhaled deeply as I walked into the ballroom hand in hand with my husband. Lucas ward. If I can even call him that.

I married the love of my life, but my husband has always loved another. I've known it since the first night with my husband. Five years ago.

Things worsened over the past three years. Ever since my father died. But I never gave up hope.

Maybe I can make it up, maybe I can get my husband back. And today… today was the perfect day to prove it. I made sure I put on something magnificent and for the first time in a while, he looked at me with that look of approval.

We walked through the halls, smiling and waving at the guests, exchanging small polite comments. And for a minute I felt like I actually belonged. Like I could just relax and blend in.

Until—

A familiar voice sliced through the chatter.

“Oh my God, Lucas! There you are!”

Lucas froze. I turned.

The crowd parted as Lisa Vale swept in like a queen returning to reclaim her throne.

Of all the people in the world, of all the nights in the year… Lisa?

Her long, honey-blonde hair flowed in glossy waves, and her red velvet gown hugged her body like sin. Lisa was very beautiful and she knew it. Even the cameras followed her, photographers murmuring her name with excitement.

Other guests pointed at her and whispered excitedly.

I stiffened as Lucas hands left mine.

“Lisa?” he said, breathless.

I swallowed, expecting the worst and I got it. Lucas totally abandoned me, moving quickly to meet her halfway.

“I didn’t expect to meet you here! I just flew in from Milan to… you know, support the foundation. But God, you look incredible. Come here. It's been forever!” she said stretching her arms toward him for a hug.

Lucas wrapped his arms around her. “Of course it's been so long. How are you doing? Where have you been?”

He was no longer looking at me, or even holding my hands.

He and Lisa walked away, in each other's arms. Giggling and catching up like two lovers reuniting after years of not seeing each other.

I smiled bitterly as I watched them. He promised me that tonight would be perfect. That we were perfect together. But right now he was with another woman.

I nodded courtly to guests who greeted me as they passed.

God knows I've tried. I've done everything, given everything but he had never looked at me the way he looked at her right now.

Like she was his world.

Claire appeared beside me. “They look… perfect together right?”

I nodded. Perfect. “Yes.” I replied, but it tore my heart to say it.

“Can you imagine, my son with a high class model and actress, instead of the good for nothing woman he kept at home.”

By good for nothing she meant me. Claire had never hidden her disdain for me. Even when my father was alive, it was very easy to tell that she was faking it.

Pretending to be a sweet woman who cared about her daughter in law. But immediately he died, she showed her real colors.

Now she was here to taunt me.

“Lisa just flew in from Paris yesterday. And I invited her. I didn't even know she would make it. It's just wonderful to watch. Isn't it?"

I managed a smile that felt like it might crack my face. “It is.”

Veronica and Natasha—her two daughters—had already joined us.

"Mom, she looks incredible." Veronica chimmed, her eyes glittering with adoration.

"How I wish lucas married her instead of this…” she paused throwing me a disgusted look. “...thing. And her dress. That dress is Valentino. Custom-made. Something you can never afford."

She laughed and Natasha joined, rubbing it in.

"Afford?” Natasha laughed cruelly. “She would look like a baffoon in it. I head Lisa is being considered for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show," Natasha chimed in. "And they were both high school lovers."

I rolled my eyes. I knew that. We all knew that.

But I couldn't stand here and allow them insult me.

I cleared my throat. "If you'll excuse me, I should check on the catering—"

"Oh, don't bother," Claire interrupted, waving her hand dismissively. "I've already taken care of it. You can just... mingle. Try to enjoy yourself."

They all went toward Lisa, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the ballroom.

My feet remained glued to the ground for ten more minutes. I knew waiting for Lucas to come back would never happen.

He remained glued to Lisa, introducing her to business associates, laughing at her stories, and graciously giving her a glass of wine.

When Lisa gave an impromptu speech about her charity work in underprivileged communities abroad, they all cheered. Lucas looked at her with such admiration that even several guests noticed.

That was when I moved. I walked to the nearest table beside me and grabbed a half filled glass.

I gulped it down in three long swallows, hoping that the alcohol would numb the humiliation burning through my chest.

But it did nothing. Instead the room tilted to the side.

My hand flew to my head as a felt a sharp pang of pain.

The room started spinning.

The crystal chandeliers above me began to blur and multiply.

And I felt… hot.

I set down my empty glass with shaking hands and staggered out of the ballroom.

People laughed and pointed fingers at me as I stumbled out, clearly disoriented but th

ey all blurred out.

And then I saw him on the terrace. His hands resting on her waist as they looked out over the city lights together.

I ran down the hotel lobby praying I don't pass out. I couldn't remember entering the elevator or punching the buttons.

The next thing I remembered was trying my keycard on one door.

And then another. Until one clicked green.

I heaved a sigh of relief and stumbled inside, the darkness bringing relieve from the glistening lights of the ballroom chandeliers and the embarrassment I'd just escaped.

I hurriedly removed my dress and slowly climbed the bed.

But just before I could pass out, I felt a hand move.

I turned and my face met a man with the darkest eyes i’d ever seen staring back at mine.

For a minute, nobody said anything. We just stared at each other. Hope, confusion and embarrassment flooding all at once, and then he spoke.

"Wrong room," he said, his voice rough and low. But he didn't sound angry. Just... tired.

"I don't care." My voice came out hoarse. Desperate.

I took his arms and wrapped them around me, nestling myself closer into his warm embrace.

"You're not thinking clearly," he said softly. "You should go."

"I don't want to." I murmured back. "I just want to forget everything. Please make me."

"Why?" he asked quietly.

"My husband." The word tasted like poison on my tongue. "I’ve never been enough. I'll never be. But I don't want to remember all of that now."

I shocked myself that I could be so vulnerable, even in this disheveled and drugged state.

I felt his groin harden behind my ass. He was responding to my touch. And I, I felt wet in my lower region, my nipples hardening.

"Are you sure?" His voice was barely above a whisper, rough and full of desire. "I am drunk and I think you've been drugged. I don't want..."

I turned and my lips met his. He stiffened for a minute, shocked. But I only deepened the kiss.

Finally he kissed me back, his hands moving in between my legs and inside my panties.

“Are you sure?” he asked once again, breathless.

"I'm sure," I breathed against his mouth. "I've never been more sure of anything."

Slowly, he took my pants out as a moan escaped my lips.

“Please… fuck me.”

I don't know if it was the drugs talking, or if it's was three years of being starved of love and affection from my husband.

All I knew was that I wanted him. Needed him.