Prologue
**Prologue**
Ananya reached her apartment at around 4:00 PM and parked her car in the parking area. She went to the elevator and pressed her floor number. When Ana entered her apartment, she sat down on the couch. Just then, she heard her friend and roommate screaming. Ana covered her ears and asked,
“Why are you shouting, Jenny?”
Jenny replied excitedly, “David proposed to me today! We’ll be getting married soon!”
Ana was happy for her friend.
“Congratulations, Jen!” she said with a smile. “We have to celebrate this! After two years in a relationship, he finally proposed to you.”
Jenny grinned. “Let’s go to a club tonight!”
“Nooo... I’m not coming, Jen. You know I don’t like clubs and parties, so don’t force me. If you want, I’ll give you a party at my hotel instead,” Ana said.
“Please, Ana. This is an important day in my life, and if my best friend isn’t there…” Jenny paused for a few seconds and continued, “Then I won’t celebrate it. Go and follow your stupid rules!” She moved to her room and slammed the door.
Ana felt guilty for spoiling Jenny’s special day. She went to the door and knocked. At first, Jenny didn’t open it, but after Ana’s repeated requests, she finally did. Jenny sat at the edge of the bed, her face still angry.
“Okay, I’ll come to the club,” Ana said softly. “But we should return early. I have work to finish.”
Jenny’s expression brightened immediately. She hugged Ana tightly and said, “Okay, we’ll be back before midnight! Thank you, Ana. You’re the best!”
Both Jenny and Ana went to their rooms to pick dresses for the night.
Ana didn’t prefer revealing clothes; she always chose dresses that covered her curves and looked simple. Jenny, however, picked a dress that reached mid-thigh.
They both reached one of the most famous clubs in New York. The party was hosted by Jenny’s boyfriend, David, and the club was owned by one of his friends. When Jenny saw David, she ran to him and hugged him.
Ana smiled and said, “Hi, David,” hugging him in a friendly, brotherly way.
David greeted her warmly. “Hello, Ana. How are you doing?”
“I’m fine. Congratulations! And you?” she replied.
While talking, they went to the bar and ordered their drinks. Ana ordered an orange juice, while Jenny and David ordered tequila shots.
After some time, the waiter placed the drinks in front of them. Jenny and David drank their tequila, while Ana sipped her juice and continued talking. Later, when Jenny and David went to dance, they asked Ana to join them, but she refused. So they went ahead, leaving her at the bar.
From the beginning, Ana had disliked clubs — the loud music and the alcohol were not her thing. She came only for Jenny’s sake.
Then, a drunk old man came and sat on the stool next to her. He ordered his drink and kept staring at Ana.
“Hi, beautiful,” he slurred. “Can we enjoy tonight?”
Ana replied coldly, “I’m busy, and I don’t enjoy with old men.”
As she stood up to leave, he grabbed her wrist. Reflexively, her hand slapped his cheek hard. She felt disgusted by his behavior. "How can that old man behave like that? I’m nearly his granddaughter’s age,"she thought angrily.
Ana wanted to leave the place as soon as possible. She looked around for her friend but couldn’t find her, so she texted her.
To: Jen
"I’m going to the apartment. I’m tired."
As she was walking toward the exit, her phone buzzed.
From: Jen
" Okay. Take care. I’ll stay at David’s place tonight."
Reading the message, Ana smiled and typed back:
To: Jen
"Enjoy tonight. And please use protection — I don’t want to be an aunt this early!"
She pressed send, chuckled to herself, and continued walking toward the door. After pushing through a crowd of sweaty, drunk men, she finally reached the exit. She stepped outside and took a deep breath, feeling relief wash over her — but before she could relax, she bumped into a large figure and almost fell.
She closed her eyes tightly, bracing for impact, but a strong hand caught her waist before she could hit the ground.
When she didn’t feel any pain, she opened her eyes — and found herself staring into a pair of mesmerizing dark blue eyes. The stranger leaned closer, but she pushed him away with all her strength. He stumbled slightly but managed to regain his balance before falling. That’s when she got a proper look at him.
He was handsome — with sharp dark-blue eyes, jet-black wavy hair, and a chiseled jawline that could make a razor seem dull. She had the strange feeling she had seen him before but couldn’t recall where.
Her thoughts snapped back when the stranger spoke angrily, “How dare you push me? Do you even know who I am?”
“I don’t care who you are!” Ana shot back, her voice sharp. “How dare you try to touch me? Don’t you *ever* touch me again, do you understand?”
The man looked shocked. No one had ever spoken to him that way in his entire life.
Ana continued, “Now get the hell out of my way before I kick your ass.”
With that warning, she walked out of the club.
Ana was fuming. She was sure that man had tried to take advantage of her under the guise of helping. "These so-called gentlemen only use ‘helping’ as an excuse to find prey for their own pleasure " she thought bitterly as she disappeared into the night.
