Completely Ruined by my Sister's Fiancée

KAYLA FIVE MONTHS AGO It was the tenth time I had called Derek. I needed answers. I needed to know why my boyfriend was in bed with another woman. An unknown number had just sent me a video of them together. I wanted to believe he was drunk, but he looked perfectly awake. It was disgusting. It was heartbreaking. We had been together for a year. I had made so many sacrifices for him, hoping he would finally propose and make our relationship legally official. I didn’t even realize I was crying until a voice snapped me back to reality. "Kayla?" It was my colleague, Maya. I quickly wiped my eyes and forced a smile. "Hey, Maya." "Kay? What’s wrong?" she asked, sitting next to me. "It’s nothing," I replied. "I don't think 'nothing' makes people cry like that. Here, take a tissue," she said, reaching into her bag. I took it and cleaned my face. "Thank you. Really, I'm just emotional about a video I saw online. It was sad, and I felt bad for the people in it." Maya laughed. "Those videos are fake, Kay! They’re all scripted. Don’t tell me you’re crying over those prank videos where they give poor people money." "Yeah... it was one of those," I lied again. She stood up and grabbed her bag. "You’re crazy. Come on, I’m taking you out. It’s Friday night, let’s go have fun." "But I’m not dressed for a night out," I said, looking at my boring office skirt and blouse. "You don't need fancy clothes to have fun. Pack your things; I’ll wait outside." I looked at the video one last time. "f**k you, Derek," I whispered. I packed my bag, locked my office, and left. Maya took me to a bar. It was a loud, crowded place that smelled like cigarettes and cheap alcohol. In our professional clothes, we looked completely out of place. "Maya, this is crazy. We look so odd," I muttered, holding her hand. "Just relax! My friend runs this place. A drink will make you feel better," she said, dragging me to the counter. "Hey, Mikey! This is my friend Kay-Kay," she teased. "It’s Kayla," I corrected her with a tired laugh. "I like Kay-Kay better," Mikey joked. He brought over some shots. I didn't know what was in them, but I didn't care. I took one, then another. The liquid burned my throat, and soon, my head began to spin. Maya was already on the dance floor, grinding against some stranger. I stayed in my seat, wishing I was at home in bed. When I finally went to find her, she was sitting on the man's lap, kissing him deeply. "Maya, we have to go. It's late," I said, tapping her shoulder. The man looked at me with anger. "Who the f**k are you?" Maya suddenly slapped him. "Don't talk to my friend like that!" Her voice was thick and clumsy; she was definitely drunk. She turned to me and hugged me tight. "Kay-Kay! Are you feeling better?" "I am, but we need to go home," I said, trying to steady her. "You go," Maya said, waving me away. "I’m not done with this guy yet. Mikey can drive me home later. You're too innocent for this life, Elena—I mean, Kayla!" I sighed, realizing I couldn't win. I asked Mikey to keep an eye on her, and then I stepped out into the night. I started walking. I didn't want a taxi; I wanted the cold night air to wake me up. I took off my high heels and walked barefoot. Suddenly, a black SUV pulled up beside me. I walked faster, but it followed me. The driver honked the horn loudly, making me jump. I turned around, ready to scream, but I froze. It was Adrian. He was a man from my office. I used to think he was just an intern, but he was always on the CEO’s floor. So I was sure as hell he was a client of some sort. He acted like he owned the place, even though no one knew his actual job. We had argued a few times because he always looked down on my ideas. I disliked him, but I couldn't deny he was intimidating. "Mr...?" I started, pretending to forget his name. "Adrian," he finished for me. "What are you doing out so late?" he asked, his voice deep and calm. "None of your business," I snapped. "I’m your coworker. Your safety is my business. Let me drive you home." "I can walk just fine, thank you." I turned to walk away, but he kept the car moving slowly beside me. "A gunshot was just heard a few blocks away," Adrian said coldly. "You can keep being immature and risk your life, or you can get into the f*****g car." I froze. I didn't know if he was lying, but the look in his eyes was serious. Fear took over, and I gave in. I climbed into the passenger seat. He didn't say another word; he just drove.