Secret Wife Of The Arrogant Tycoon

I woke up sore in my lower body, in a hotel bed, alone, with vague memories of having had the best s*x of my life. At first, everything was confusing because my bed was softer than usual. The soft sheets were unlike the ones I had bought at the department store on sale; it felt like I was sleeping on clouds. I blinked a couple of times until I realized I was in a luxurious hotel room, a luxury I would never have allowed myself to afford given my tight financial situation. My boyfriend had left me for another woman better than me. At least that's what he told me when he boarded a first-class flight to Dubai. She had paid for his trip and left me with six months of rent debt. I pulled the sheets off me and realized I had several bruises around my hips. Oh my gosh! What exactly had happened? The flash of a man positioning me and thrusting into me as if his life depended on it suddenly hit me in the midst of my innocent thoughts. What had I done? I wasn't the kind of woman who slept with a stranger right off the bat and... I put my hands to my mouth in an attempt not to let out a scream. I saw with my own eyes that all my clothes were strewn about as undeniable evidence that I had let passion unleash completely. "What did you do, Zoe?" I whispered to myself, trying to snap myself out of it. I must admit, with all the shame in the world, that I had fallen into depression after my breakup. He wasn't worth my tears. *** My friend Ariana, in an attempt to console me, invited me to a party hosted by her mom's boss, which I decided to attend so as not to be alone at home. I went to the Moon Castle Resort hotel where the private event would take place. I let my hair down, curled it into waves, put on heels, dressed in the best evening cocktail dress I had, paired with gold-strapped sandals, and did my makeup to make my blue eyes stand out. I was ready to shine amidst the sadness. It was a wedding. I don't remember the girl's name; it seemed to me she was the niece of my friend Ariana's mom's boss. I clearly remember entering the party, and as soon as the waiter approached to offer me a glass of wine, I accepted without thinking because I didn't know anyone there. My phone had run out of battery, and seeing that my friend hadn't arrived, I drank another glass of wine. That's when I saw him. Tall, impeccable black suit, a crooked smile as if life were a private joke only he understood. His green eyes, I think, captivated me instantly when he raised his glass towards me, as if toasting in silence. I don't know how we ended up sharing a table, nor how his audacity had me laughing out loud. The only thing I remember clearly is that when our knees brushed under the table, he leaned in just enough for his voice to send shivers down my spine. "You seem like a woman who keeps strict rules." "Just one," I replied with a crooked smile, dizzy between the wine and his closeness, "I never go to bed with a stranger. Those things always go wrong." He raised an eyebrow, amused. "Then let's make a deal." "No way." I laughed, looking away. He snapped his fingers and asked the waiter for a napkin. With a pen that seemed to have been stolen, he quickly wrote two lines, folded it, and slid it to me as if it were a forbidden secret. "One-Night Contract" 1. Break the rules just for tonight. 2. If someone breaks the rule, that person pays for the next round. It was a trap, a very fun and clever one. I looked at him incredulously, but the audacity of his smile made me laugh even more. " Are you crazy?" "If you don't sign, I think you'll owe me a round." He signed the napkin right in front of me and offered me the pen. I don't know if it was the wine, the tequila, or the challenging gleam in his eyes, but I ended up scribbling my signature clumsily, and he smiled as if he had just sealed a million-dollar deal. The napkin lay crumpled among empty glasses. And I, amidst laughter and a warmth I couldn't tell if it came from the alcohol or from him, crossed the line I swore I'd never cross. And now that I had woken up the next morning, my rule had gone out the window, and all I could do was ruffle my hair in frustration for having broken my own word. As my grandmother used to say, a big talker falls faster than a lame person. *** I felt stupid realizing that the alcohol was free and all I needed to do was snap my fingers to order a round of drinks. "You wouldn't have gone into debt, Zoe." I realized it too late. A male voice brought me back to the present. It came from the balcony. He hadn't left; he was still in the room. "... Yes, I'm done here... Honey, I'm on my way." His low voice drifted in from the balcony like a bucket of cold water. I froze. "I'm done here?" Seriously? Had I just been a distraction for the night? Wait, honey? Was I the side chick? No, I couldn't handle the indignation. Had he used me? When he entered the room, still with the white robe open at the chest, I slowly sat up, clutching the sheet towards me, and gave him a venomous smile. "Let her know you'll be early," I said with feigned sweetness. There wasn't much action. His brow furrowed immediately, his jaw tense with strain. I calmly crossed my legs and put on my heels, as if his annoyance bored me. Sure, his performance in bed had been incredible, but he didn't need to know that. He was a sly cheater. "Although, thinking about it," I added, tilting my head, "the little time you lasted was... acceptable. Nothing memorable, but acceptable. Maybe a urologist could help you with that." He blinked, bewildered, as I put on my dress, ready to head home. "Urologist? What the hell are you talking about?" He looked down as if he really needed to check. I bit my smile, enjoying it more than I should. "No worries," I told him while grabbing a pen and writing on a piece of paper on the room's desk, "I have a friend who's a specialist. Five stars on Doctoralia. I'm sure he can help you with your little problem down there." I took my handbag from the nightstand, slung it over my shoulder, and before leaving, I gave him a condescending pat on the arm, placing the paper with the urologist's number in his hand. "Seriously, I get it. It usually happens when nerves betray you, especially with a woman like me." And before he could say anything else, I left the room like a triumphant queen crushing the dignity of a cheater. As I rushed toward the elevator, my body protested from the night of intense passion. The worst part was that I didn't remember much of what had happened. The metal doors opened, and I entered. I pressed the lobby button. I opened my bag to take out my lipstick, but I found the bride's bouquet. A flashback from the party hit me; I had caught the coveted bouquet of flowers, celebrated with strangers, and I remember crying my heart out with the bride's mother hugging me when the father of the bride said the most beautiful words to his daughter, and not to mention the groom with his first dance with her. The alcohol had set me loose. I found my phone and tried to turn it on. Luckily, it turned on. I exited the elevator. It had only three percent battery, but it was enough to see Ariana's messages asking where I was. She never made it to the party, and I didn't see her mom. My heart raced like a revving car engine. Messages and more messages telling me I hadn't arrived at the company anniversary. . . Wait. . . I looked at the phone horrified, and then everything made sense. "Aaah! I crashed the wrong party!" I screamed in the lobby. And the worst part of all was that at that party, I had hooked up with a stranger after signing a silly makeshift contract.