*"I had a one-night stand with a stranger who turned out to be my boss, oh my goodness what have I done,"* Valerie Skye is a young and hardworking woman, who finds herself entangled in a web of love, lies, and unexpected twists, after getting dumped by her ex-lover. She ends up having a one-night stand with a total stranger, Dante Blaze, who turns out to be her boss. This becomes complicated for Valerie, as she tries every possible way to avoid Dante. But as a charming playboy and her boss, Dante takes this as a challenge to clip Valerie's wings and make her his. Will she be able to stand his charm? Will he succeed in making her submit? Will love end up overruling Dante's Playboy's nature? Or will Valerie continuously live in shame of her night with him?
Chapter 1 ~ Valerie's POV
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"I shouldn't have trusted him, I'm such a fool," I wailed in tears as I downed myself in a glass of vodka.
Seated on my bed, I gulped in my drink slightly as it burnt its way down my throat just like my heart was hurting.
"Why did Raymond break my heart after four years together," I said, as I sulked in my tears continuously explaining my pain to Stephanie, my cat who was looking at me in a very confused way, purring out a meow.
"I can't believe I am talking to a cat," I said as I realized and so I stood up to get another bottle of vodka as I had just emptied a bottle.
Upon reaching my mini-bar section in my apartment, I poured myself another glass of vodka while I felt a bit tipsy.
Not too long ago, I heard my phone ring while I was sipping my drink engrossed in my solo talks.
With that, I stood up while struggling with my steps to reach where my phone was and so I murmured silently, "Who could that be,"
Checking closely, I realized it was Annabelle's name written on the caller's ID. Then I grumbled to myself upon seeing her name, "What does she want now,"
Answering the call I said as my voice sounded like a weak wood. "Hello, Anna,"
"Hello Valerie," Anna greeted, Instantly she began her conversation with me.
"Where have you been? I heard what Raymond did, are you okay babe," she said to me as she portrayed a sympathetic concern towards my dilemma of heartbreak.
"I am fine Anna, don't worry about it," I uttered, feigning a total grip on my emotions.
"Come on Valerie, we both know you are not fine you sound so drunk, I could smell you from here," Anna caught me through my lies, as she knew me way too much for her good.
"Okay, you are right, I'm a mess right now, and all I have right is my resumption to work tomorrow and this cup of vodka in front of me," I expressed it all out, knowing I could be vulnerable to her.
"Where are you, let me come meet you," Anna said to me as she is always ready to comfort me and trust me when I say she is the best of all.
"Alright Mom, I am in my house talking to my cat about my pain," I said in a sarcastic tone,
"I will be there in a jiffy," she replied as the call got disconnected on both ends.
With that, I continued my vodka intake and sulking.
An hour after the call I had with Anna, suddenly I heard a familiar voice hitting the door so loud.
"Who in the world is that freak," I uttered with a growl in my voice.
So I stood up and walked towards the door, "Does the person not have any manners," I said as I reached the door entrance.
"Valerie," the voice uttered in a soft tone as I realized it was Annabelle.
Then I blew a raspberry as I opened the door for her, and she said, "Oh baby, see how bad you look," giving me a tight hug as she could see how much pain I was in.
"Okay, enough with the sorrowful tone," I said, feeling irritated by the pity she gave.
And so we both walked further into my apartment, Anna became so concerned about me as I voiced out, "Anna, I am fine you know," feigning my emotions once more
"Don't tell me that Valerie, I'd find out the truth, because the last time I checked you told me some minutes ago, how devastated you are about Raymond's dumping you," Annabelle spoke out, handpicking my deceit.
"Fine, you heard the right thing, are you happy now?" I said to her, finally agreeing to her sudden detective ears.
And so, she began sniffing my breath space but this got on my aggressive side and I uttered to her, "What now Annabelle, why are you sniffing me that way,"
"You smell like vomit," she said to me as she brushed off one of her fingers beneath her nose.
"Thank you, darling," I responded as I wasn't bothered by her words.
"Have you had dinner?" Anna questioned me as I lay flat on my couch.
"Anna, leave me alone," I yelled out in frustration as I only wanted to cry my eyes blind.
"I will make a lemon and cinnamon drink, I believe that should make you a bit sober, " She said, not minding how I treated her.
After some minutes, Anna arrived with the drink, pleading with me to sip it, but I solemnly refused.
"Girl, if we don't make changes sometimes, we won't see any value infused in this beautiful world," she explained to me as I calmly digested her words.
With that, I stood up and collected the drink from her and drank it, but I must confess, it worked like magic.
Then she tapped my hands as she said, "I don't want us to talk about anything that has to do with Raymon the breakup but what I want to do is get dressed, and let's go to the club, that would free up your spirit and who knows you might meet a dashing young man who's ready to sweep you off your feet,"
"No, not interested," I told her instantly.
"But why? Don't you want to stop sulking," Anna said as she wore an innocent look.
"Don't give me that look, I have a real-life job you know, I can't go," I explained to her, making her realize the importance of my job to me.
"So you don't want to make time for me, right? I don't even get enough time to hang out with you anymore, it's always about your job, like I don't matter to you," she said, as her face saddened showing the weight of her hurt.
Her words triggered my conscience which got the best of me, so I gulped in my final drop of the special drink and then I said to her "Alright Annabelle, I will come with you if that would make you happy,"
With a shift in her expression, she said to me "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Valerie, I love you so much, and trust me Raymond doesn't deserve you,"
"I know," I replied as I began feeling a lot less tipsy than before.
"Come on let's go to your wardrobe, I'd help you choose an outfit because I want you in that sexy look tonight," she said to me, wiggling her body as we both stood up from the couch and went into my room.
After some hours of searching for the perfect outfit, Anna finally saw the dress she wanted me to wear.
"Now we are talking, this dress is the bomb, and no sane guy would be able to resist you in this," she said, wearing a bright smile on her face.
"But Anna," I attempted to speak, but instantly she cut into my words like a knife.
"No buts, miss, you are wearing this and that's final," Anna said in a commanding tone.
Which left me hanged, leaving me no choice but to follow her orders. Then I collected the dress from her and went to get ready.
A few minutes in, I came out all dressed. Looking like the hottest girl one could ever come across that night.
"O-M-G," Anna exclaimed, "I knew I chose the right dress for you, now we hunt," she continued, sounding like she was about to auction me out in a marketplace.
But I remained silent and didn't utter a word to her as a response, all I gave was a slight smile and so we left.
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My family was on the poverty line and had no way to support me in college. I had to work part-time every day just to make ends meet and afford to get into the university. That was when I met her—the pretty girl in my class that every boy dreamt of asking out. I was well aware she was out of my league. Nevertheless, I mustered all my courage and bravely told her that I had fallen for her. To my surprise, she agreed to be my girlfriend. With the sweetest smile I had ever seen, she told me that she wanted my first gift for her to be the latest and top-of-the-line iPhone. I worked like a dog and even did my classmates’ laundry to save up. My hard work eventually paid off after a month. I finally got to buy what she wanted. But as I was wrapping my gift, I saw her in the dressing room, making out with the captain of the basketball team. She then heartlessly made fun of my inadequacy and made a fool out of me. To make things worse, the guy whom she cheated on me with even punched me in the face. Desperation washed over me, but there was nothing I could do but lie on the floor as they trampled on my feelings. But then, my father called me out of the blue, and my life turned upside down. It turned out that I was a billionaire's son.
After a passionate night, Verena left some money and wanted to leave, but was held by her companion. "Isn't it your turn to make me happy?" Verena, always disguising herself as ugly, slept with her fiance's uncle, Darren, in order to escape her engagement with her unfaithful fiance. Darren had respect and admiration. Word of his romantic escapades circulated, some saying they saw him kissing a lady against a wall and others calling it gossip. Who could ever tame Darren's heart? Then, shockingly, Darren was caught bending down to help Verena with her shoes, all to score a kiss from her!
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