One fateful night, Elara Haye was drugged at a hotel bar and found herself rescued by a mysterious stranger. What should have been a nightmare turned into an unexpected, passionate encounter. A month later, she's reluctantly heading toward an arranged marriage to escape her manipulative family, while he is ready to marry the woman chosen for him. But fate has other plans. When a wedding coordinator mistakes her for the bride, she is escorted to the wrong ceremony, unknowingly walking down the aisle to the very man who saved her that night. Distracted by her own despair, she doesn't realize the mix-up until it's too late. As vows are exchanged and veils are lifted, their worlds collide once more revealing secrets, unraveling plans, and setting the stage for a whirlwind of chaos, love, and redemption. In a twist of fate, one night becomes the start of a lifetime neither of them expected.
Chapter 1 A Night to forget
"Let's go get this done, Elara!" Rachel shouted, clearly excited and making the music inaudible to her, lol. She reached over and handed her drink over. "You girls need to have some fun!"
Elara laughed and tasted her cocktail. While moving her body to the rhythm, she experiences, for the first time, a feeling she hadn't noticed before, but as a side effect of the music and the lights.
Drugs developed their effect, and Elara started noticing changes within herself. Elara tried asking: "Where is Rachel?" as she stumbled around the ever-waving crowd, gripping the wall somewhere beside her to avoid falling down.
She did not get a proper answer to her questions. Strangely enough, when this realization came to her that her so-called friend was no longer there around her, panic rose within her.
"Going somewhere, sweetheart?" he sneered.
"Please, let me through," Elara whispered, her voice trembling.
Another man joined him, blocking her retreat. "Stay and have some fun," he said, his tone mocking.
"Don't touch me!" Elara shouted, though her voice was barely audible over the pounding music.
Before she could think of a way out, a deep voice cut through the tension.
"Is there a problem here?"
The men turned to see a tall figure approaching, his presence commanding and unyielding.
"Who the hell are you?" one of them snapped.
"The guy who's telling you to back off," Adrian replied, his tone dangerously calm.
The men hesitated, exchanging wary glances. "We were just talking to her."
"She doesn't look like she wants to talk," Adrian said sharply, stepping closer. "Leave."
The group lingered for a moment before cursing under their breath and retreating into the crowd.
Elara swayed on her feet, her body giving out as relief flooded her. Adrian caught her just before she collapsed.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice softer now.
She tried to focus on his face, but her vision blurred. "They... Rachel's gone... I don't know what's happening to me."
Adrian's expression darkened. "You've been drugged."
Tears welled in her eyes. "I just wanted to leave. I didn't know..." Her voice cracked.
"You're safe now," he said firmly. "I won't let anything happen to you."
Elara clung to his jacket, her fingers trembling. "Don't... don't leave me alone."
"I won't," Adrian assured her. "But we need to get you somewhere safe."
He guided her out of the nightclub and into a sleek black car waiting outside.
"Where are you taking me?" she murmured, her voice faint.
"To my hotel," Adrian said. "You'll be safe there."
The drive was a blur, and by the time they arrived, Elara could barely keep her eyes open. Adrian carried her to his suite, placing her gently on the couch.
"Drink this," he said, handing her a glass of water.
Elara sipped it, her hand shaking. "Thank you... I didn't know who else to turn to."
"You don't have to thank me," Adrian said, his gaze steady. "You just need to rest now."
As he turned to leave, Elara reached for him, her voice barely above a whisper. "Don't go."
Adrian paused, glancing down at her hand on his sleeve. "Miss, you're not thinking clearly. You need to rest."
But Elara was beyond reason. The drug coursing through her system had taken control, driving her to act on primal instinct.
She reached out, her fingers brushing against Adrian's chest. His eyes flashed with surprise, but Elara didn't care. She quickly unbuttoned his shirt revealing his bare muscular body and started kissing him.
"Miss, stop!" he groaned . But before he could utter more words his lips were swallowed like she was starving her lips ravenous.
Adrian felt his defense drop and he was swept away by the intensity of the kiss . with a low growl his hands roamed around her body,possessively claiming as he devoured her lips. Mhmm a soft moan escaped her mouth.
In a few minutes he rolls her over and puts it in as if the intermission were ended. This time she is wild. The great bed begins creaking. Her breath becomes short. Adrian has to brace his hands on the wall. He hooks his knees outside her legs and drives himself deeper.
"Oh," she breathes, "that's the best."
When he comes, it downs them both. They crumble like sand. She has not moved. She lies just where she has fallen.
As the morning light crept through the window Elara slowly sat up, rubbing her temples. "What...what happened?"
Her gaze fell upon the handsome stranger lying beside her. She froze, her mind racing. "Who...who are you?"
She scrambled out of bed, stumbling as she reached for her clothes. "Oh God, oh God, oh God..."
As she dressed, her eyes fell upon the bloodstain on the sheet. She felt a wave of nausea wash over her. "No, no, no...this can't be happening."
She grabbed her purse and rushed out the door, not looking back. "I have to get out of here...I have to forget this ever happened."
Few minutes later Adrian woke up.He slowly opened his eyes, groggily taking in his surroundings. "What...where's...?"
He sat up, looking around the room for any sign of the woman. But she was gone. The only evidence she'd been there at all was the tangled sheets and the faint scent of her perfume.
He rubbed his temples, trying to remember the details of the night before. "What was her name...?"
His gaze fell upon the bloodstain on the sheet. He froze, his mind racing. "Oh no...did we...?"
He threw off the covers and got out of bed, stumbling to the bathroom to splash some water on his face. As he looked in the mirror, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd made a huge mistake.
"Who was she?" he muttered to himself. "And why did she leave?"
He stood in the bathroom, water dripping from his face as he stared blankly at his reflection. A few minutes passed before he finally shook off the haze.
As he walked out of the bathroom, his phone rang, shrill in the silence. He hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Hey, Mike. What's up?"
His assistant's voice was crisp and professional. "Good morning, sir. I have your schedule for the day. You have a meeting with the marketing team at 11:30 AM."
He rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Okay, got it. I'll be there."
As he hung up the phone, his gaze fell upon the bed, and the bloodstain on the sheet. He felt a surge of panic.
He quickly grabbed his wallet and phone, and headed for the door. As he stepped out into the hallway, he called out to the hotel staff.
"Housekeeping! I need you to change the sheets in my room. And...burn the old ones. Yes, burn them. I don't want anyone to see them."
The staff nodded, their faces expressionless. "Right away, sir."