Aria's POV 

I got out of the car and the driver nodded at me as he drove away. The entrance of the nightclub was lit with the streetlights, and I entered the building, the bass beating in my chest. It was a dim place, with lamps blinking over vacant booths and a bar which seemed well-stocked. 

I went directly to the counter and asked for  a shot. The bartender poured it swiftly and his eyes shot up. "Rough night?" he asked, sliding it over.

I shook my shoulders, and knocked it back and the fire stung my throat. "You could say that."

He refilled it. "First round on me if you can explain to me why you look like you are in a noir film."

"Nah." I replied, and declined his offer in a polite manner.

"Boundaries, I understand. The offer is still valid tho." He said as he poured me a shot. "On the house." He said, and gave me the glass.

I smiled  and ordered another, then another, and the warmth was spreading through me. I continued to take shot after shot, my head beginning to spin, my body becoming loose.

After some time,  one of the guards came up, his face grim. "You cannot drink any more, Miss," he said, and took the glass.

I looked at him, and the room seemed to spin around now. "Seriously? Just one more," I slurred.

He shook his head. "Rules are rules."

Then I noticed, there was not a single soul here. The dance floor was not crowded, no one around, only me and the music playing in the background. I turned about in confusion, and my gaze fell upon a man sat on a couch. He was an extremely good-looking man, with dark hair, and a sharp  jaw, and a placid gaze upon me.

He rose and walked towards me,  waving the guard away. The guard stepped back. 

The man turned to me. "Why are you here, all alone?" he said, with his low voice over the music.

I was resting against the bar, and the liquor was a-buzzing in my veins. "My boyfriend... I provided him with all that I was a teenager. All my time, all my life. And now he marries my stepsister. The words  came out in a slur. 

His eyebrows  were drawn together in a frown, as though he did not like what he just heard. "You have a boyfriend?"

I laughed bitterly. "Doesn't feel like it now."

He shrugged. "Well, tonight's yours. So what are you going to do with it?

I looked up at him, "Easy? I intend to have the most fun to-night. " The rest of  was mumbled and I stood up to dance as the alcohol gave me courage. 

He smiled widely, watching me. 

The music beat and I began to move my hips in time with the music. He stood and did not say anything at first. I moved nearer, and my hands were running down the sides of my body, touching the material of my dress.

I grabbed the back zipper and pulled it down. "What do you say? Want to help me?" I asked, staring at his belt.

"Don't do this, Liana," he said, and he laid an arm on my arm.

I shook my head, rubbing myself against him. "I do not know who Liana is but I do know I have to feel something different. Please."

He hesitated, but he did not refuse.

I touched his chest, slowly running my hands down to his abs and stopped when I touched his belt. He pulled me closer to him. 

"You'll help?" I asked,  half smiling.

I unstrapped my bra and it dropped, my breasts were free, and his eyes fell there, and he drew me to him, his hands making cups round my boobs, his thumbs rubbing my nipples. They stiffened in his hand, and I felt my pussy heat up. 

I pulled his shirt, buttons unbuttoned. His chest was broad, warm and covered with Tattoos. I pressed my body against his, ass against his cock, and grinded as I danced.

His hands were sliding down to my panties and he pushed them down, allowing them fall down to my ankles. I kicked them off, naked as they were.

He unclothed himself, his shirt, his pants dropping to his feet, his erect cock hitting his bellybutton. I put my hand round it, caressing slowly when I felt something cold.

  Metals.

He pierced his cock! 

He moaned, holding my hand, moving it to slowly stroke him. 

And I went down  on my knees, the music still pounding. I put his cock in my mouth, and sucked him deep, and my tongue went round the end and I gently flicked the rings on his cock: 

He grabbed my hair and slowly face fucked me. "Fuck, you're still good at this."

I sucked  more, savoring him, the saltiness of his precum  on my lips. I could feel him touch the back of my throat, but I was not even sucking half of his length. 

He helped me stand up.

"I do not know your name," I said, gasping.

"Damon," he said, leaning close.

I leaned over an adjacent stand, with my hands holding the edge. He stood behind  me and his cock slowly rubbing my pussy, spreading my wetness all over my pussy lips, then with one swift thrust, he slammed his cock into me. I squealed, the sudden intrusion stretching my pussy. 

He grabbed my hips,his fingers sinking deep into my flesh as he thrust into me, my hole clenching around his cock, the extra fiction caused by the rings on his cock made me roll my eyes back each time they scratched a certain spot in my pussy. 

"Harder," I urged, voice shaky.

He pulled out,laid me down on the couch, face down, ass and pussy exposed to him. "Fuck..." he groaned as he slowly thrust back into me, I screamed into the couch cause it hurt more in this position. He gave me a minute to adjust before he began moving his hips, my pussy making squelchy noises each time he thrust into me.

"Y-Yes Damon." I groaned. "Fuck me good." 

He sped up, slamming  into me and my walls tightened around him. I screamed as I felt my orgasm drawing near.

"Pl-please stop." I begged as I felt like I would pee but he kept going, one hand reaching to rub my clit from behind, and I felt my orgasm hit me hard, my legs shaking as I squirted all over the couch. 

He kept fucking me and only stopped when my legs stopped shaking. 

He picked me up, my legs wrapped around his waist, and rested  me against the wall.

"Inside." I begged as he continued slamming his cock into me, my boobs bouncing freely.

He nodded, and he sank deep in and hot cum filled me. He pulled out after some time and I could feel some of the cum drip down my legs as he laid me on the couch, whilst he sat next to me, staring as though he did not believe he just had sex with a stranger. 

At this moment my phone rang on the barstool.

Aria's POV 

I woke up with a headache that was as though somebody was knocking in my skull.

Damon.

The stranger from last night.

All came back to my head. The alcohol, the dancing, and then the manner in which I lose myself. I awoke in alarm and sat up. I didn't even look at him again. I simply got dressed, picked my bag on the floor and hurried out of the room, out of the club.

The moment I arrived to the street I stopped a cab.

"Drive me to this address,"I said to the driver.

The ride felt long. All the time my hands were trembling. I did not know whether it was shame, heartbreak or the hangover.

As I reached aunt's place, I silently walked in but she was already in the living room. As soon as she saw me, her eyes were opened.

"Aria? What happened to you? Why do you look like this?" she asked, rushing toward me.

I couldn't answer. I simply stood and stared at her. My aunt held my shoulders.

"Talk to me. Was there anything wrong at the dinner?"

I swallowed hard. "Aunt... the groom... the man Selene is marrying... it is Caleb."

Her eyes widened even more. "What?"

I broke down. All my tears that I had kept since the night before broke out. She took me to the couch where she sat next to me.

"Talk to me baby, tell me what happened ," she said.

So I did.

"I demanded an explanation," I said wiping a tear. "I called him, I texted him, I went to his office, I got kicked out, demanded to know why he ghosted me. He claimed that I was the one who refused to follow him. He said he owed me nothing. He acted like I left him!"

My aunt squeezed my hand.

I continued. "Selene and Helena joined him. Even my father. They all charged me with being jealous, and that I desired to keep Caleb to myself. And like I did not mean anything. I left. I couldn't stay there. I attended a club, and encountered this man-" 

My aunt drew me closer to her. I cried so much my chest hurt. After some time, when my tears subsided, she rubbed my hair.

"And the one-night stand?" she questioned, not judging , not questioning, merely worrying.

I rubbed  my hands over my face. "I regret it. I do not even know how I allowed myself to do it. I was just... hurting. I didn't care anymore. I did not want to remember anything."

"It's okay," she whispered. "You're human. You were hurting. You made a mistake. You do not have to hate  yourself for that." 

I said nothing because  I was somehow embarrassed. The other part  was angry with Caleb. Angry at myself. Angry at everything.

I said, "I had never thought Caleb would do this to me. Not him. Not like this. And Selene and Helena, they knew I dated Caleb!" 

"Then let him go," my aunt said. "Move on. Make a person so powerful and successful that he will know that he has lost something precious. It is you who should not be ashamed. They should."

I wiped my face. "Thank you, Auntie."

She smiled at me and stood up. "Good. Now take a bath and rest. You need it."

My phone was about to buzz me to go to my room. I checked the screen. It was an email.

I found myself with a wide eye after reading it.

"What is it?" my aunt asked.

I said to myself, "they... they gave me a job. A  company I applied to. I did not expect them to choose me. I have applied because the description sounded easy and seemed to me that I did not even need to grace the interview in order to be hired." 

"What job?"

"CEO's secretary."

A smile was on my aunt's face. "Then go! Aria, you do not know where this may go."

I nodded reluctantly but I did not agree. It may have  be a glitch  in the system. 

I took a bath, dressed well and tied  up my hair. When I was prepared I gave the cab driver the address.

It was a large and contemporary structure, all glass. I felt small and odd when I entered it, but I forced myself through the nerves. A young man, well, older than I, was standing in the lobby. 

When he saw me, he froze.

His eyes were wide  and he came nearer. "Liana?"

I blinked. "No... I'm Aria."

He blushed at once. "I apologize, miss."

"Oh." I didn't know what else to say.

"I'm sorry miss," he said, "welcome to the company. I'm Daniel. Your employment has already been authorized by the CEO. I will give you the tour and tell you what you are to do." 

He continued to refer to the name of the CEO- Damon as he spoke.

Damon.

I tightened my stomach when I heard it. It couldn't be. There was no way.

Daniel led me to a private elevator which stopped in front of a big office. My small office was linked to a bigger one via a glass door.

"This is your desk," he said. And that, he indicated, " and that is the office of the CEO. You will be working hand in hand with him."

I nodded although my heart was racing too hard.

Daniel went to the office of the CEO and sat in a manner that showed  he was waiting. I saw him looking through the glass at me over and over again. He appeared bewildered and horrified, the same  he appeared when he said Liana.

Why then did he appear to be shocked at seeing me?

I tried to ignore it. I sat at my desk, and looked as though I were reading the big book on my desk.

Then the office door opened.

I looked up.

A man walked in first. Then there came in another man behind him.

I froze.

It was him.

Damon.

The Damon from last night. The man I slept with.

My one-night stand was with a man who was my new boss.

The CEO.

Damon's POV 

I was sitting behind my desk and looking at the file before me, but I could not make sense of any words. My head had been in the same rut over years- Liana. My girlfriend that disappeared after that accident. No one, not my girlfriend, thought that she was alive.

Daniel was standing opposite me, crossing his arms, and looking at me with that wearied expression which he had when this subject was brought up.

"Any update?" I requested him the third time that morning.

He sighed. "We are still searching, Damon... however, as I have said, I think you know my honest opinion. It's been years. No sighting of camera, no hospital record, no travel record. Nothing. I believe that you need to come to terms with the reality that you keep denying."

I looked up at him sharply. "Don't say it."

"Why not?" Daniel shot back. "She had had a terrible accident. They never found her body. Everybody thought that she drowned in the river. Damon, maybe she really-"

"She's alive." I cut him off, my voice steady. "I know she is. Dead people don't disappear. Dead people are found. Had she died, somebody would have discovered something, anything. But no one did."

Daniel rubbed his forehead. "Or they didn't because.." 

"Daniel." I sat back in my chair and stared him right in the eye. "Keep looking."

He let out another sigh. "You're crazy, you know that?"

"Probably," I muttered.

He opened his mouth to protest once more, when my phone started to ring. The name of my sister appeared on the screen.

I groaned. "Here we go."

I picked up. "Hello..." 

"Damon!" she snapped. "Do you know what time it is? You are nearly late to dinner with Caleb and his fiancee!" 

I closed my eyes. "I'm not late. I'm almost late and by the way I do not think the words almost late should be placed side by side in a sentence. It makes no sense."

"It makes sense, every sense! Get in your car right now! And do not go here with your freshly rolled out of office appearance. Look like an uncle! Not a CEO!"

"I'm literally in my office. I have to look like a CEO!"

"Exactly! Move! Head home and change from your suit! You know what, just come like that." 

She hung up without my response.

Daniel snorted. "You're dead."

"Yes, yes," I said to him, and took my keys. "Call me as soon as you get any information on Liana. And don't stop looking."

He threw his hands up. "I already said you're crazy!"

I ignored him and left.

When I got to the house of my sister, she was already at the door with her arms crossed across her chest. 

"Do you enjoy stressing me?" she asked.

"I'm here arent I? ," I said, "and I'm not almost late at all." 

She grinned and rolled her eyes , hugged my arm and walked me in. Caleb was seated beside a young lady, his fiancee, apparently. Pretty girl. Polite smile. Looked nervous.

"Uncle Damon, so glad to see you. " Caleb said. "This is Selene, my wife-to-be."

"Nice to meet you," I said with a nod.

Selene smiled too brightly. "Nice to meet you too, sir."

We sat for dinner. My sister continued to boast about Caleb and his new CEO  status, their upcoming marriage and that Selene was the best girl to marry him. I made an attempt to listen, but my thoughts went back to what Daniel said.

Move on.

Accept the truth.

Liana is gone.

I clenched my jaw. No. She wasn't. I would feel it if she was gone. I always believed that.

Midway into dinner, my phone was buzzing. I anticipated it to be Daniel whining yet again. Rather, I received a message of one of my guards.

Boss, we found Liana.

My heart stopped.

I opened the picture which he had sent, and stood still.

It was her.

She was standing in front of one of my clubs. From the cab behind it, it looked like  she had just gotten out of a cab.

I shot to my feet. "I got to go." 

"Damon!" my sister snapped. "And where do you think you are going! We are still eating!"

"I have an emergency," I said hastily. "I need to leave."

"Emergency? What kind..."

"I'll explain later."

I didn't wait for her reply. I left the house and was literally running to my car.

As soon as I entered it, I called the guard.

"Is it true?" I demanded. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir. About five minutes ago she came in. She's drunk. I think she's alone."

I tightened my hands on the steering wheel. "Don't let her leave. In fact, clear the club."

"Yes, sir. I already started. But please hurry."

"I'm on my way."

I ended  the conversation and floored the accelerator. I did not mind about the traffic lights. I didn't care about the rules. I didn't care about anything.

She was alive.

Alive.

I couldn't breathe properly. Years of searching. Years of refusing to give up. Being labeled obsessed and crazy over the years. And now, finally...

She was here.

Upon my arrival at the club, the guard was waiting outside.

"She's inside," he said.

I entered, and my heart beat the more as I went on.

The club was empty. Chairs scattered. Lights dim. And at the bar, where she sat, back to me, was a young woman. Her head was as drooped as though she was tired or drunk. Probably both.

My guard pointed. "That's her."

I gulped, my legs were trembling and I managed to sit.

Was it really her?

Did I dare believe this?

I continued to stare at her in fear that she might disappear once more.

My guard took the glass of alcohol off her and she raised her head.

And I froze.

Her face.

Her eyes.

Her.

It was her.

Exactly her.

The woman I loved.

The woman I lost.

The woman who had been dead, everybody said.

I sounded low, tremulous, incredulous.

"Liana?"