Scarlett's puppet.

Cara shuddered at his words. She felt her heart pounding with fear as she stood before him, completely at his mercy. She knew that the night ahead would be unforgettable, but not in the way she had hoped. Despite the coldness of his approach, she couldn't help but feel drawn to his raw, dominant energy. Her nerves were frayed and she felt like a deer in headlights, unable to break free from his gaze.

The thought of being alone with him, vulnerable and exposed, sent shivers down her spine. She couldn't deny the power he held over her, but she was terrified of what he might do. The way he looked at her made her feel like a piece of meat, and she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of her stomach. She knew that there was no escaping the night ahead, and she could only hope that she would make it out unscathed.

Cara's heart was heavy as she found herself in the arms of a man she hardly knew. She had agreed to this scandalous arrangement for the money, but she couldn't help but feel dirty and used. He touched her roughly, with a cold detachment that made her skin crawl. She knew that what they were doing was wrong, but the promise of financial support was too important to resist. As the night wore on, they moved together in a passionless dance, their bodies entwined in a mechanical rhythm that left her feeling empty inside.

There was no love, no tenderness, only a business transaction that left her feeling cheap and used. Although she felt an eerie surge of pleasure during the climax of it all, she knew that this was not what she wanted. She was only doing it for the money, and the thought of what her impoverished life had led her to do made her sick to her stomach. As the night drew to a close, she couldn't wait to get away from him, put this sordid affair behind her, and move on with her life.

Cara's heart raced as she hastily bathed and changed into a fresh pair of clothes, hoping to put the night behind her. A lump formed in her throat as she gazed at the man before her, memories of their intimate deeds rushing back and sending shivers down her spine. She felt frustrated with herself for making such impulsive decisions, but she had no choice. Her mother was gravely ill and on the brink of death, and she was compelled to use any means necessary to save the only person she had left in the world.

——————————————————————

"Hey babe, how was your day?" a woman's voice spoke over the phone with a happy tone and Celine turned to face him abruptly in shock. That voice… sounded familiar.

"Difficult, you know how it is…" his hoarse, velvety voice resounded.

Cara's throat tightened with fright. She couldn't help but feel that she knew who he spoke to, but she tried to convince herself that it was only a trick of her mind.

"I miss you so much, Dom, I can't wait to see you again…I know! How about we go on a date evening?"

It suddenly dawned on Cara and her face turned pale.

'...Scarlett?!'

Her heart sank as she recognized the voice of her best friend Scarlett on the other end of the line. Every word they exchanged felt like a dagger to her chest.

"Are they in a relationship?! Is he her partner?!"

Scarlett was very secretive about the men she went out with. Being so fabulous and famous, she was the apple of many men's eyes and so it was quite hard to tell who she was really in a relationship with.

Her mind raced with a million questions. How could she have missed this? Did she enter the wrong room? And most importantly, what would Scarlett think if she found out? The panic was overwhelming, and Cara's hands were shaking as she stumbled to the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

'This is terrible...what have I gotten myself into? I need to get out of here and pretend that none of this ever happened. If Scarlett finds out...she'll never forgive me."

She needed to take a moment to collect herself and figure out what to do next. The weight of the situation was heavy on her shoulders, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she had made a terrible mistake.

Cara's hands shook as she dialed Scarlett's number. She needed to confront her friend about the planned nightstand and her involvement with Dom.

"Scarlett, what the hell is going on?" Cara inquired as soon as her friend picked up. "How could you do this to me?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Scarlett responded. "Cara, I did it because I care about you. I know things have been tough for you since your mother got sick, and I thought this would help."

Cara couldn't believe what she just heard.

"How could you bring me into your relationship with Dom like this? And how could you do this behind my back?"

Scarlett sighed. "I'm sorry, Cara. I thought you would be okay with it. And besides, Dom and I have been together for nearly five years, he's going to marry me anyway."

Cara was furious.

"How dare you use me like this? I don't want anything to do with your relationship, and I can't believe you would think I would be okay with it. You've betrayed my trust, Scarlett."

There was another pause before Scarlett spoke again. "I understand if you need some time to process all of this. But please know that I never meant to hurt you. I was just trying to help you…"

"That's not helping, Scarlett! You are wrong…you're so wrong on many levels!" she fumed and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "I need some space, Scarlett. I can't just pretend like everything is okay after what you've done."

"I understand," Scarlett softly. "Take all the time you need. But please don't shut me out completely. I still want to be there for you, even if I messed up."

Cara ended the call abruptly and remained motionless against the bathroom wall, the weight of the recent events bearing down on her. The reality of her closest friend's betrayal was difficult to comprehend, leaving her feeling lost and uncertain about her next move.

The sight of Dom standing at the bathroom door, his gaze detached and frosty, added to her despair. She realized that he must have overheard her conversation on the phone, and a wave of embarrassment engulfed her…