Chapter 2 I Choose Someone Else
1565 Words
"What nonsense about a hundred times or two hundred," Adrian said coldly. "Just answer me. Are you doing it or not?"
In that moment, the last shred of hope inside me died.
For the first time in years, love stopped clouding my judgment.
So this was the truth. Adrian had never loved me.
All the care and kindness I once mistook for love... had only ever been scraps he tossed my way.
I looked at him calmly, enunciating every word. "As long as I prove I'm still a virgin, that I've never slept with you, that's enough, right? I'll find someone myself. I don't need you, an Alpha, arranging it for me."
Adrian froze for a second, his eyes turning icy as he stared at me.
Then, as if something amused him, he let out a cold, mocking chuckle. "Suit yourself."
I stared at the man in front of me, the one I had secretly admired since I was seven and loved since I was nineteen.
In the end, only one thought remained. He wasn't worth it.
I had loved him far more than I ever should have. I never expected him to love me the same way.
He didn't have to love me, but he had no right to trample on me or humiliate me.
This time, I truly wouldn't love Adrian anymore.
My gaze must have annoyed him. He frowned, then threw out his next words like a favor. "I'll give you seven days. If you don't do it by then, I'll arrange seven men for you all at once as punishment for lying to me."
With that, he turned and left, taking Zach with him.
Even though I had already given up on Adrian, his words still stirred a faint, aching sadness I couldn't quite suppress.
*****
That night, I didn't wait for him anymore.
I wasn't going to sit around like an i***t anymore, hoping Adrian might show up.
A backless mermaid gown hugged my figure perfectly. I swapped my usual straight black hair for voluminous chestnut waves, styled to look effortlessly seductive. My makeup was bold and flawless, finished with a deep red lipstick that burned like fire.
Once I was ready, I headed to the Velvet Den.
The music inside was deafening, the air thick with alcohol and desire. I slipped onto a barstool, letting my gaze drift across the crowd, casually picking out a man who looked... acceptable.
I was looking for someone I could take for the night.
I hadn't chosen one yet when Adrian walked in.
Even in a place like this, chaotic and crowded with strangers, he still stood out.
But what caught my attention wasn't him. It was what he did next.
Before he even stepped fully inside, he pulled Vanessa into his arms, shielding her instinctively.
The same man who had never once slowed down for me now moved carefully, guarding her every step.
He made sure she didn't bump into anyone.
When the music spiked, he even covered her ears with his hands, as if the noise itself might hurt her.
He couldn't stand seeing her suffer even the slightest discomfort.
And yet, back then, I had actually believed his excuse—that he was only making it up to her.
Together, they looked almost too perfect.
If Vanessa hadn't sent me that video, I might have believed it too.
The video had clearly been taken just moments earlier.
Inside a private room, his friends were laughing loudly, clearly entertained.
"See? Vanessa's the real deal. One word from her back then, and the Alpha kept himself untouched all these years. Now another word, and he's sending men to Claire. Damn, that's impressive."
"No kidding. But seriously... after all this, Claire's still sticking around? She must be completely obsessed with him. Isn't this a little too cruel?"
"Cruel? She's the one acting cheap. What's there to feel sorry for? With an Alpha like him, he could have any woman he wants. If she gets to play Vanessa's little toy, she should feel lucky."
Their voices blended together, one mocking comment after another.
Every word was about me, and every word was meant to tear me down.
The laughter in the room hadn't died down when someone suddenly brought it up.
"So," one of them said, grinning, "Vanessa's been back three months now. She's cooled off by now, hasn't she? When are you finally marrying her, Alpha?"
"Exactly! You've already lost five years. Don't waste any more time. We're all waiting for the wedding!"
Adrian didn't answer.
Vanessa lowered her eyes, a faint blush creeping onto her face, but her voice was steady and almost gracious. "I talked to Adrian about marriage tonight," she said. "He agreed. We'll announce it at the bonfire gathering in three days."
The room instantly erupted.
"Wait, seriously? Congrats! You two hid that way too well!"
Yeah, they really had. I stayed by his side for five years, and never once got a place beside him.
But the moment Vanessa came back, everything I had ever wanted was handed to her effortlessly.
So this was what he meant by "making it up to her", then what the hell did love look like?
The video kept playing as someone laughed and added, "Didn't you promise Claire you'd marry her too? If she finds out about this, she's going to lose it, isn't she?"
Adrian's expression darkened for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was cold, stripped of any warmth. "She won't find out."
He paused before saying, "I'll tell her once everything's settled. She'll understand."
"Careful," someone warned with a chuckle. "You're asking for trouble. You might regret this."
Adrian just smirked, completely unconcerned. "I don't regret anything I do."
I let out a quiet laugh.
Watching him there, so composed, so certain, as if everything was under his control, I almost found it ridiculous.
"Adrian," I murmured under my breath, "neither do I."
I turned off the video. I was done watching, and I was done caring.
Back in the Velvet Den, the music still pounded around me. I scanned the room again, forcing my attention back to the crowd.
Just when I thought tonight might be a complete waste, a tall man in a fitted staff uniform walked into view.
He had a sharp nose, a strong build, and the kind of presence that made him look dangerous in bed.
I didn't hesitate before going after him.
Setting my glass down on the bar, I gathered my skirt and went after him.
I pushed through the crowd, weaving past bodies and noise. By the time I reached a quieter hallway, he was gone.
I turned, a little frustrated, and the next second, I was slammed against the wall. It was him.
My back hit the cool wallpaper, sending a shiver through me.
His hand was so large that one was enough to pin both my wrists above my head. The other settled at my waist, his thumb brushing slowly along my side.
Even through the thin fabric of my dress, the heat of his touch was impossible to ignore.
"You followed me?" he asked, his voice low and rough, laced with a hint of danger. His lips hovered just by my ear.
"I—I didn't..." I stammered, my breathing completely out of sync.
It wasn't fear. He was just too close.
He smelled of pinewood and cigar smoke, layered with a warm masculine scent. The scent wrapped around me, holding me in place before I even realized it.
"Didn't?" he echoed.
He leaned back slightly, just enough to look down at me.
His narrowed eyes were sharp as he looked me over. His gaze moved slowly from my face to my collarbone, then even lower before finally stopping.
I was wearing a backless mermaid dress, the neckline cut low.
Under that kind of scrutiny, I suddenly felt exposed, like every inch of my skin had been laid bare beneath his gaze.
"Then why did you follow me through three different hallways?" His thumb circled lazily along my waist. "Hmm?"
I swallowed hard.
Because I wanted you. Because you were ridiculously good-looking. Because the second you walked out of that room, all I could think about was pinning you to a wall and kissing you senseless.
I didn't say any of it.
The look in his eyes said enough, half confused, half unimpressed.
So I didn't bother explaining.
I just tipped my chin up, letting him see the way my eyes had gone soft and hazy from the alcohol. Then I leaned in.
My lips brushed his, slow and deliberate, before sliding down to his jaw.
"I'll pay you a hundred thousand for the night," I murmured. "And you get me."
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
"That's a pretty good deal, don't you think?"
His gaze sharpened as something about him shifted, subtle but dangerous. Not at all like the easy, polished charm those hired models usually carried.
Maybe I didn't notice, or maybe I just didn't care.
I leaned in again, pressing a slow kiss to his throat, right over the pulse beneath his skin.
"You've got three seconds," I whispered.
"I'm not taking no for..."
I didn't even get to finish.
A faint smile curved his lips. The next second, his hand came down against my hip, firm and decisive.
"I'm in."
- Writer
