Vows of the Forgotten Night

An intense headache landed on Olivia Carter's head as she woke up while her body found support in the most comfortable bedding she has ever experienced. The smell of expensive cologne blended with fresh linen struck her nostrils simultaneously producing an unknown pleasure that felt disturbingly seductive. Her fingers felt the sheets while she examined the silk fibers which could not be found in her simple bedroom.

Her brows knitted together. This wasn't her bed.

A growing uneasy sensation crawled into her mind when she faced the gigantic windows that stretched across the entire room. Along the windows the city of New York presented itself in distance while the early morning sun gently illuminated it.

She inhaled sharply.

Penthouse.

Her pulse raced. She celebrated her legal win alongside colleagues which would help make her partner at Harper & Moore Corporation before losing consciousness. Drinks started the evening followed by laughter but everything became silent afterward.

The pounding in her brain grew stronger when she attempted to remember what had occurred while she blacked out.

She suddenly became aware of a strange senseless object resting on her left hand.

A diamond ring.

She paused to look at her fingers while gazing at the large diamond solitaire that sparkled. The ring was elegant yet completely alien to her.

No. No, no, no.

She scanned the surrounding room for any indication about her location while questioning how she ended up there. And then she saw it.

The nightstand carried both a marriage certificate together with her beside it.

The spelling of her name appeared neatly parallel to another name below it.

Adrian Blackwood.

Her lips made a sudden surprised noise. This had to be a joke.

She grabbed the paper while her heart pounded against her ribs but her trembling hands made it almost impossible to hold the document. What she read was crystal clear even through the hazy vision before her.

This can't be happening.

The sound of someone rising from the bed made her swiftly turn her head to the other side of the room. Olivia's breath hitched.

A man rested beside her body while his arm rested casually on the sheets.

Panic seized her while she dragged the bedcovers toward herself as her ribcage succumbed to rapid heartbeats. He wore no shirt which displayed the flexible movement of his muscular back. His features boasted an appearance that any fashion magazine should have chosen for its cover yet that did not address the problem at hand.

She remained in confusion because she did not recognize him.

His deep gravelly tone interrupted her confused state of mind.

"You're awake."

The man looked at her now with his emotionless and calculating gray eyes through a seemingly unimpressed expression as if associating with a distressed woman felt normal during his typical Tuesday routine.

With great determination she maintained her posture while holding onto the bed linens as if they were her life shield. Her demanding voice delivered the question more harshly than she intended it, "Who are you?"

With no concern toward her panic, Adrian quickly rose from his bed. Ruffling his loose hair then turning his head, Adrian focused on her as if she was an enigma that fascinated him. "Adrian Blackwood," he said smoothly. "Your husband."

Her veins froze when he spoke those words to her while resting on his knees. A sudden wave of dizziness hit Olivia in full force. She denied his statement by whispering as she shook her head. "That's not possible."

The young man shifted his body to face her while maintaining his knees in a relaxed position. "Yet, there's the proof."

Olivia's hands clenched into fists. "This has to be some kind of mistake." She reached for the marriage certificate again, scanning it desperately. "I wouldn't have-"

"But you did," Adrian cut in smoothly. "And it's legally binding."

Her throat became dry. "No," she whispered again, her voice barely above a breath. She could feel her control slipping, the panic in her rising and about to show itself on her face.

She had spent years planning her future, working toward her goals with meticulous precision. She was supposed to be engaged to Ethan, supposed to be celebrating her biggest career victory yet.

Instead, she had woken up in a stranger's bed with a ring on her finger and no memory of how she got here.

She swallowed hard, pushing back the panic threatening to consume her. "I don't remember any of this," she admitted, hating the vulnerability in her own voice.

Adrian studied her, his expression, emotionless and calculating. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

His voice was quieter this time, but no less intense. "You will."

A shiver ran down her spine at the certainty in his tone.

She wanted to demand answers, to make him explain what the hell had happened last night. But before she could form the words, a knock sounded at the bedroom door.

"Mr. Blackwood," a deep male voice called. "It's urgent."

Adrian sighed, running a hand through his already messy hair. "Give me a moment."

He was about to get up from the bed.

"I want an annulment," Olivia blurted out.

Adrian turned back to face her, and she noticed he had a swift, piercing look in his eyes, a cold and dangerous glint.

"That," he said smoothly, "is not an option."

Her stomach dropped.

"This isn't a game, Olivia," he continued, his voice low. "You wanted this marriage, and now you're in it. Whether you remember why or not. I suggest you start figuring it out. Fast."

Before she could argue, he stood and strode toward the closet, grabbing a crisp white shirt and sliding it on effortlessly. Even in the midst of her panic, she couldn't help but notice how natural he looked in control, like a man who never had to ask for anything, because he simply took it.

And now, somehow, she was his.

Her pulse pounded in her ears as she watched him button his shirt. His movements were slow as if he was taunting her.

She needed to get out of here. Now.

As Adrian reached the door, he glanced over his shoulder, his gray eyes locking onto hers.

"We'll talk when I get back," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Then, without another word, he stepped out, leaving Olivia standing in the middle of the room, clutching the sheets and shaking from head to toe.

She had no idea what had happened last night.

Something was very, very wrong.

And she had absolutely no clue on how to understand and rectify her predicament.