Chapter 1: Shattered Dreams

LANA'S POV

I was getting ready to spend the rest of my life with Jack, the man I loved. We were at the hotel suite, enjoying some champagne and intimate moments before the ceremony. Jack had left his phone on the couch, and I picked it up to scroll through, out of habit.

That's when I saw it, a message popped - a text from Rachel, my best friend and maid of honor. My heart sank as I read the words that shattered my world.

"Hey Jack, can't wait to see you today. And congrats again on our baby! I love you.- Rachel"

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. Rachel, my best friend, was pregnant with Jack's child. The man I was about to marry, the man I loved with all my heart, had betrayed me in the worst possible way.

I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. All I could do was run. I dropped the phone, turned, and fled the hotel suite, leaving behind the shattered remains of my wedding day and my trust.

I ended up at a small bar, the neon sign reading "The Hideaway" beckoning me inside. I needed a drink, or three, to numb the pain. I stumbled in, already feeling the effects of the champagne and my shattered heart.

As I made my way to the bar, I noticed a tall, broad-shouldered man with piercing blue eyes and a chiseled jawline sitting at the other end of the bar. He caught my eye, and I felt a spark of connection. We both seemed to be drowning in our own sorrows, and we found solace in each other's company.

We locked eyes, and he raised his glass in a silent toast. I returned the gesture, and we both took a swig of our drinks. He stumbled over to me, his eyes glassy and his words slurring.

"Hey there, beautiful. What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" he asked, his voice husky and seductive with a slur.

I giggled, feeling the effects of the alcohol and my own vulnerability. "Just trying to forget my troubles," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, his eyes understanding. "I know the feeling. I'm trying to forget mine too."

We talked, laughed, and cried together, our words slurring into each other's ears. We were both drunk and tipsy, but we found comfort in each other's embrace. We stumbled out of the bar, arms around each other's waists, and into an Uber. The hotel room was a blur of passion and reckless abandon, our bodies entwined in a frenzy of desire.

As the sun crept into the room, I gazed upon his naked form, recognition dawning on me like a cold shower. Eric Lawson - the billionaire mogul of Lawson and Lawson's conglomerates. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.

Panic set in, and I scrambled for my clothes, my mind racing with the implications. I had slept with a stranger, a man I knew nothing about, a man who could ruin my life with a single whispered rumor.

As I emerged into the bright morning light, I felt the weight of my world crashing down around me. The two people I trusted most - Rachel and Jack - had betrayed me in the worst possible way. And now, I had just had sex with a stranger.

The city streets blurred together as I walked, my feet carrying me away from the hotel, away from the pain, away from the shame. I didn't know where I was going, but I knew I had to keep moving, to escape the memories that haunted me.

ERIC'S POV:

I gazed into the mirror, my reflection staring back at me with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. My mind was a blur, the events of the previous night hazy and unclear. I remembered sharing a drink with a stranger at the bar, commiserating over our respective heartaches, betrayals and disappointments. But how did I end up in my hotel room, with no recollection of the journey there?

The only memories that lingered were the piercing green eyes of my mysterious companion, and the wild, passionate night we shared. I dubbed her "Emerald" in my mind, those eyes sparkling like precious gems as she gazed up at me. And that fiery red hair, cascading down her back like a waterfall of flames...

I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd been bitten by the love bug. Who was this enigmatic woman, and how could I find her again? The thought of never seeing her again was unbearable. I needed to know more about Emerald, to relive the magic of that night and explore the connection we shared.