Chapter 1

In the dimly lit corner of the nightclub, Andrea sat on a high stool nodding her head to the music pulsating through the air like a heartbeat. She felt her phone vibrate in her purse and languidly picked it up.

"H-hello?

"Andrea baby, are you at the club again?

"I'm caught again?

The woman on the other side of the phone sighs heavily. Frustration fluttered at the edge of her voice. "Andrea, frequenting the club is not the best way of getting over him—so start coming back right now!

"Just one shot and I will be on my way mum." Andrea slurs

"Listen here, young lady, you have less than fifty minutes, or else I'm pursuing your broke ass from my house! Mrs. Maria yells from the phone.

Andrea chuckles, twirling the content in her glass. "Wow! You are the best supportive mum in the whole world." she snorts, then gulps the whole content. "I don't think I will be coming back anytime soon Mum, the men over there are staring at me, who knows they might find me worthy, unlike D-Damien! Her voice cracks at the thought of her ex.

"You see, that's more of the reason you shouldn't be there, I will call my old friend Travis to—

"To pick you up, blah blah. I'm an adult mum and I can't take care of " She quickly cuts her mum short before ending the call.

Andrea exhales heavily. She had sought solace within the walls of the club, hoping to drown her sorrows in the pulsating music and the whirlwind of the bodies. But as the night wore on, Andrea grew tired of staying in the club, the weight of her heartbreak became too heavy for her.

"What went wrong? She thinks bitterly, and her heart shatters as she thinks of it. Damien has been that perfect gentleman that every girl has on their wishlist but it took only a heartbreaking text message to turn them into two strangers with memories to reminisce about all the days of their lives.

Leaving the pulsing beat behind, Andrea steps into the cool night air, her senses heightened by the contrast. Tears formed in Andrea's eyes trying to escape but she was not going to cry because of him, because of a love that once burned brightly."

Andrea could remember those words that would forever hunt her trust in love and people. She could still remember her desperate pleads

Flashback… Five days ago.

"Andrea please stop crying, believe me, it's beyond my control! Damien's deep voice echoes with pain.

"Come on babe, together we can overcome anything. I know I'm just a broke graduate with little source of income but I can work harder, I can work more part-time jobs to—

"You don't you get it, Andrea? Things can't be the way it was before

"It can, I will make your family like me, I just need you to stand—

"I think I should come clean to you Andrea! Damien interjects again.

"W-what? Andrea stutters, suddenly afraid of his next utterance.

"I'm in love with someone else! Damien says emotionlessly. "My family chose her.

Andrea's phone slips from her hands and falls to the floor. She felt her world crashing.

Hello! Andrea, are you still there? Damien's voice sounded faint from the phone on the ground as she climbed the bed to cuddle with her pillow, bawling her eyes out.

Present

The World around her seems to mirror her pain, the once vibrant cityscape now shrouded in a melancholic haze. As Andrea stood on the precipice of the road, her mind was consumed by the whirlwind of emotions. The traffic light blinked green, urging her to cross, but she hesitated, caught between the desire to escape her heartache and the lingering fear of the unknown.

With trembling hands, Andrea clutches onto the strap of her purse, her knuckles turning white. Every fiber in her screaming for her to take that leap of faith, to step into the unknown and leave her pain away.

As she took a few steps onto the crosswalk, a sleek black car sped towards her, its engine roaring like a wild beast. Time seems to stop as Andrea's heart races with fear. The screeching of tires filled the air as the car came to a sudden halt leaving mere inches between them, smoke billowing from its wheels.

Andrea fell roughly from the impact, scratching their knees at the process. She sat on the road in shock and pain from the wound. The loud banging of the car door drew her attention to the owner of the luxurious car.

The man strode towards her front, appearing like a glorious god except for the annoyed look on his face as he glared at her.

Andrea scrutinizes the man in front of her. From his white shirt buttoned halfway to his sleek trousers, she could tell that he was wealthy, every part of him— the deep, dark mysterious eyes, the Roman nose, the full sexy lips, fair skin, and shiny tousled black hair—looked as perfect as if he were sculpted by gods.

"Can my night get any worse? The stranger huffed, annoyance fluttering in his voice. His mean words brought Andrea out of her reverie.

"Won't you help me out? Andrea asks, motioning for his hand.

No! I don't touch dirty things, especially one sitting on the dirty road," he replies nonchalantly then checks his phone with a crimped face.

"Are you for real? Andrea asks in disbelief. The admiration she once had for him was now replaced with anger.

Andrea manages to stand up and then hisses in pain. "Look, Sir, that's so rude of you! She says and then points to her wounded knees "The least you can do is apologize!—-saying your "sorry" won't hurt.

"What?

Andrea furrows her eyebrows in confusion. The handsome—nope, arrogant man in her front was getting on her nerves.

"I've never said that word to anyone," He gave her a look accompanied with disgust. "Not to talk of a drunk high school teenager."— "Can't do that!

Just then, two sleek black cars park beside the stranger's car. A young elegant man comes down from the first car and rushes to Mr arrogant followed by Men in black suits. "Boss! The man then bows before following his boss's eye to a petite girl in front of them glaring at him Boss.

"Robert! Give me a bundle of cash," he replies with a stern face. The man whom Andrea assumes to be his bodyguard hands him money.

"Take this." he threw the bundle to her feet "And stop leeching around." he spat, then turned to walk back to his car.

"Hey! Andrea yells at him causing him to turn to her. She took a giant step to his side and slapped him hard on the face.

"I pray to God every morning to not cross paths with narcissists like you! She screeches at the now astonished man.