I never imagined my life could fall apart more than it already had after Ryan broke up with me.
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MARIETTA'S POV
I stirred under the thick duvet, the bed sheets beneath me crumpled as I rolled to my side.
My lips parted, my voice barely a whisper "Mmmhhh. Ryan. Please, don't leave me." I gasped, squinting my eyes.
I groaned as I twirled again, my mouth felt dry, and the faint taste of Vodka lingered, bitter and sour.
Even in my sleep, the thought gripped at me.
I need to get to work.
The sunlight poured in through the crack in the heavy curtains and pierced through my throbbing skull. Regardless of the sunlight, the air felt heavy, almost suffocating, as if the air conditioner had been on full blast for hours.
My body shifted against the firm mattress, unfamiliar beneath me. My fingers brushed silk pillowcase fabric—not mine. My brows knitted as my eyes fluttered open.
This wasn't my bed.
My eyes fluttered open as I scanned the room. The crystal chandelier hung low, the ceiling was high, with crown moldings too expensive to belong to my modest apartment.
I jolted up and pushed the thick duvet off my body but grabbed it back almost immediately when I realized I was naked.
What's going on? My breath hitched, my heart pounded hard, each beat echoed in my ears like a drum.
My hands trembled, curling into fists at my sides, nails dug into my palms.
A knot twisted in my stomach, sharp and unrelenting. My body felt heavy, like it didn't belong to me. My legs refused to move as I tried to remember how I'd ended up here..
"Where am I?"
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I held my head in my hands, endless thoughts circled in my mind as I looked around the room. Clutching the duvet tightly, I froze when I noticed a man lying beside me. Panic shot through me, and I jumped up from the bed.
He was sprawled on his stomach, his dark hair a mess but still perfect. His bare back was all sharp lines and muscles, rising and falling with his steady breathing. I stared, tried to get a glance of his face but I couldn't.
My stomach clenched, the events of last night were in a blur, but flashes came rushing back.
Ryan's words came back to me. "I can't get married to a woman who was raped and has a child, Marietta." His words echoed in my head, sharp as knives, each word cut deeper than the last.
The club. The endless drinks—vodka and iced tea. His smile, his voice, the way his eyes locked on mine. I felt drawn to him. The way my laughter had felt so loud, so fake, trying to cover up the ache in my chest. His eyes—those piercing ice-blue eyes—had caught mine from across the room.
And then…my heart sank, the heat of our kiss. The way my hands had gripped his shoulder. How desperately I had clung to him, hoping to drown in the moment, to forget everything that waited for me outside the club.
My chest tightened as I slid out of bed, holding my breath, careful not to wake him. The room spun slightly as I stood, and I pressed my palm to my forehead, trying to steady myself. My red dress was crumpled on the floor by the vanity, and I grabbed it, slipping it quickly over my trembling body.
I paused and glanced back at him. He was still asleep, his face calm, like he wasn't aware of what was going on.
My heels were tossed near the door, and I tiptoed over to get them. My phone buzzed on the nightstand, the screen flashed with unread messages and emails and I jolted, thankfully, the man didn't budge. I snatched it, my fingers fumbled as I turned it off.
Ashbourne Enterprises wasn't the kind of place you skipped out on, even for a day. Wyatt, the ruthless CEO, made sure of that. I could practically hear his voice in my head…"Marietta, excuses don't pay the bills."
Barefooted, I slipped out of the room, into the hotel's lounge and shut the door quietly behind me. I clutched my heels as I crossed the cold tiles.
My red dress, wrinkled from last night, clung to my body. I pulled it down, tugging at the fabric as if that would make it look better. I couldn't care less about the stares I got from hotel workers. I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering, but it wasn't the cold that made me tremble.
I was a mess…
What was I thinking? I wasn't this person.
The glass gate of the tall hotel swung open, and I stepped out.
The road was busy as usual, cars zipped by, honking and screeching. People rushed down the sidewalk, their heads bent, their feet moved fast. I stood still for a moment, my eyes scanned the road. Then I saw what I needed, a bright blue cab with its light glowing, coming my way.
With my heels in my hand, I lifted my arm quickly, waving to get the driver's attention. The cab slowed and rolled to a stop right in front of me.
Before I could get to the door, a man in a gray hoodie appeared out of nowhere. He walked right up to the cab and reached for the handle.
"Hey! I called that cab first," my tone sharper than intended.
The man blinked, his mouth opened, but he pulled back and shrugged. "Fine," he muttered, stepping away.
I opened the cab door and slid inside quickly, my dress brushed against the seat as I sat. I shut the door with a firm pull, letting out a small breath as the driver glanced back at me in the mirror.
"Where to?" he asked.
"Manilaz estate," my voice was quiet but steady.
The ride home was quiet, I stared out the window, my reflection looking back at me. My makeup was smudged, my hair a mess. I looked as broken as I felt.
I thought of my daughter, Isla, back at home. She was the only thing that kept me going most days. I bit my lip.
My hands trembled as I tucked loose strands behind my ear, the same hands that had held a crying Isla when she asked why her father never stayed. I stayed up late helping my teenage daughter with homework, had bills stacked high, lost my parents two months ago and now, Ryan, the love of my life broke up with me because he can't settle for a woman who has a past like mine.
Then why did he date me for 7 years? I showered him with all my love…
The taxi pulled up to my apartment, a crumbling building with peeling paint and broken mailboxes. I handed the driver the last of my cash and climbed out.
I rushed through the door, my heart racing like it might jump out of my chest. I threw my heels by the door and hurried into the living room, grabbing my work bag and dumping it onto the couch. My stomach churned, but then she remembered—Isla was at her friend's house for a sleepover.
I slumped into the couch, it sank under me like quicksand as I glanced at the clock and my stomach dropped. I was already thirty minutes late.
"Come on, come on," I muttered to myself, scrambling to my feet. I yanked off the wrinkled dress, tossing it onto the floor. Pulling on a blouse and skirt from my closet, I fumbled with the buttons, my hands shaking.
Then I grabbed my makeup bag from the bathroom counter, leaning close to the mirror. The dark smudges under my eyes from last night's mascara were still there. I swiped a tissue, rubbing them away, then quickly reapplied eyeliner, foundation and lipstick.
My phone buzzed again from the coffee table, startling me. I darted back into the living room, snatching it up with one hand while trying to shove my feet into her work heels.
The same email notification flashed across the screen.
I'll check it later. I tossed the phone back to the coffee table. Right now, I just wanted to get to the office and pretend the last twelve hours didn't happen.
When I walked into the office, I immediately knew something was wrong. The usual chatter was gone, people whispered behind their hands, stealing glances at me. They stared at me as I walked in, their eyes following my every step.
My chest tightened as I noticed Amara, the HR manager, standing by her desk, nervously glancing toward Wyatt's open office door.
It wasn't like him to leave it open. My stomach twisted as I slid into my seat.
What could I have done now?
At my desk, I barely had time to sit down before Amara appeared. Her face was pale, her expression tense.
"Marietta," she said. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
I blinked, confused. "What's going on?"
Amara's eyebrows pulled together. "Didn't you check your email this morning?"
My body stiffened, my hands trembled in my bag as I pulled out my phone. I scrambled through my apps till I found the email app.
Prominent lines appeared on my forehead as I read the subject line…Termination Notice.
My hands shook as I opened it. The words blurred together, but one sentence stood out. Your employment with Ashbourne Enterprises has been terminated, effective immediately.
My throat went dry. I chuckled dryly as tears stung in my eyes. "What…what is this?"
I reread the email, each word hitting like a slap. My stomach churned, but I couldn't stop myself. This wasn't happening. I had worked too hard to be here.
Before Amara could answer, a door slammed down the hall. Heavy footsteps echoed, and then the CEO, Wyatt, marched toward us. His face was tight, his eyes blazing with anger.
"Marietta," he barked. "My office. Now."