Verena

I couldn't breathe. 

Didn't even blink. 

All I did was stare into his eyes-at his face- waiting for him to burst into laughter, pull me into his embrace, and tell me that he was pulling my legs. To tell me that his suggestion for an open marriage was nothing but a joke and Zita was just here to pass the night. 

I should have caused a scene, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, screamed at him, and pulled Zita's hair but no matter how much I tried to speak, no words came out. 

The words, the questions, and the sounds I wanted to make died in my throat. 

Despite Kian seeing the obvious distraught that was creeping to my face, all he said was "I would take your silence as a yes" with a smile on his face. 

He had never smiled at me since the past three years things went south between us. But knowing that the thought of an open marriage and with Zita as his partner was the reason for that big ass smile drove me crazy. 

How could he make such a suggestion and push me into the arms of someone else with no remorse on his face?

I hated myself.

I hated myself for clinging to the man who had mentally checked out of this marriage for years. 

And, I would never forgive myself for almost losing myself by dressing like the only fan models he subscribed to. And most importantly, for making a fool out of myself before Zita and Kian. 

The house became so suffocating and I couldn't afford to spend another second because of the fear of letting my intrusive thoughts win. I might just douse the house with fire and watch them burn.

Instead of getting blood on my hands, I drove to the beach and decided to burn my love for Kian and the image of the deranged fool he almost turned me into. 

Waves crashed in the distance, the sound blending with the faint sound of music from afar. Anger made my blood boil and the more I wiped off the tears on my face, the more tears cascaded down my cheeks. 

"To hell with Kian, Zita, and me!" I cussed, stuffing the role play costumes, the sex toys, and whatever bullshit I got to spice up our marriage into the burn barrel. 

And then, I lit it on fire, watching it burn into ashes while standing on the beach-still practically half-naked in the lingerie I wore to impress Kian and the coat he had draped around my shoulders. 

The woody scent from his coat mingled with the smoke, clouding my nostrils and instantly reminding me of the fact that they could be fucking each other right now. Not Could. Were.

My heart squeezed painfully in my chest when Kian's words flashed through my mind. "Zita is here to help you have a child"

How dare he make me believe that my in-laws' plan to make him leave me for Zita will never happen? How long has he been fucking Zita under my nose before he suggested an open marriage?

Maybe he was never in love with me and I was the one who expected too much from an arranged marriage built on a rocky foundation. 

Kian and I met during a sophomore party six years back. I had always heard about him because of my father who was close friends with Kian's. Our parents wanted us to get married to each other, to strengthen our family bond and businesses. 

When we both declined, they threatened to cut us off the inheritance list and leave nothing to us. While I wasn't moved by the threat, Kian was and he reached out to me and that was when we met at the party. 

We clicked instantly, got tipsy, and had sex on our first meeting. 

That sex led to my pregnancy so while I contemplated aborting it, Kian had already informed his family and mine who trapped me and guilt-tripped me into keeping the pregnancy. 

So that was how I got pregnant and married to Kian while still in College. 

Then, I had a miscarriage-one that left me with uncontrollable hemorrhage and was the reason I lost my womb. 

However, things took a dark turn when my family got into a bad scandal that wrecked our lives. If no one had ever seen a billionaire fall from grace, the William's family was the perfect example. 

Everything we had was confiscated by the government, my father died behind bars, my mum developed a stroke that claimed her life, and my brother? He disappeared.

We lost everything. 

I didn't know if that was the moment he changed. But, I knew his family had changed towards me and treated me with contempt. 

The same family who would always support my plans to hire a surrogate mother were the same people clamoring for Kian to divorce me and marry Zita. 

I took a tiny sniffle, dropped to my hunches, and wiped off my tears with the back of my hand, glancing at my phone to see if there was any message from Kian. None.

I had to forget Kian. 

Move on because it slowly hit me that the reason he hadn't divorced me was that he was with me out of pity. 

I rose to my feet, lifting my gaze when I caught sight of a stripper's club sitting on a hill. At first, all I did was tug at the pendant around my neck, staring blankly at the club glowing with neon lights. 

Then, a thought slipped into my mind. If I wanted to forget Kian, I needed to start there and on the bright side of it, our marriage was now open. 

I had never attended the club in the last six years. Didn't even know what the trending songs were. 

I went back into my car, wiped off the mascara smeared on my face, and dotted my face with the powder in my purse. A little lipstick. 

I was starting to feel like myself again. 

The moment I stepped into the club, the thumping bass and the feeling of exhilaration slammed into my chest. The urge to sway my body and mingle with the crowd overwhelmed me and I yielded to that exact feeling. 

I removed Kian's coat, tossed it into the nearest trash can next to me while in killer heels, and dressed in the cat woman costume. 

I danced- dancing like I was nineteen again and this twenty-five-year-old never existed. 

This was liberating. 

However, I couldn't help but feel that with every movement I made, someone's eyes were on me, burning into me like flames- the type of people willingly burned in. 

That was when I caught sight of him, sitting at the far end of the club, shielded away from the neon lights. His blue eyes flecked with gray never left my face even once and even from afar, I could make sense of the dark aura that swirled around him. 

Who was he?

Sharp jaw-line, dark wavy hair-graying at the temples-that looked slightly tousled, and a perfectly sculpted face- the kind of striking handsomeness that instantly brought Henry Cavill to mind. 

I tilted my head to the side, swaying to the rhythm of the music. It wouldn't hurt to flirt with him tonight plus, we didn't have to meet each other again. Strutting towards him with my eyes locked in his, I couldn't help but notice that there was this spark of dark hunger in his eyes for me. 

No one had looked at me this intensely, like he wanted me in his arms and in his bed. 

The closer I got to him, the handsome he was. 

I took a seat next to the handsome man whose eyes never left mine. "Mind if I pour you a drink?" I whispered, lips slightly brushing through his ear before returning my eyes to his. 

His eyes now burned with something different. Lust. 

"I don't mind" The words tumbled off his mouth so effortlessly that I could listen to him all day. And the smile on his face was to die for. 

My face lit up in a smile and while I poured him a drink, I felt his eyes singeing my face. "So, are you with anyone?" I cast a glance at him. 

"Is that the subtle way of asking me if I'm single?" His fingers brushed through mine and that brief contact sent waves of electricity over my skin.

My body grew taut and I struggled to catch my breath as he took the glass of whiskey from me. 

I breathed, watching the spark of dark amusement in his eyes. "Since you are alone, I guess you are?" I watched him take a sip. 

A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as he set the whiskey back on the table. "Right, you?"

The moment he asked that question, Kian flashed through my mind and I did this big mental eye roll. The moment he opened our marriage, it ended so practically we were over. 

My pulse pounded as I leaned forward, taking the full weight of the handsome stranger's face, a hand pressed softly to his lap. "If I tell you that I am single, would you fuck me tonight?" The words rolled off my tongue. 

His face darkened, his eyes still locked onto mine, and then slowly, a smile slipped through his face. "Bet,"

Before I could even process things, he slammed his lips on mine with a force that I had never experienced, like he wasn't only claiming my mouth but me. 

It all started with a kiss. From a kiss to one of the vip rooms in the clubs. 

Mr. Stranger pinned my hands above my head, breaking the kiss between us. I was completely naked beneath him, his eyes raking down my body like I was the most precious thing he had ever set his eyes on. 

A moan slipped from my mouth, as his dick went up and down my slick folds in this teasing manner that drove me insane already. 

I wanted him completely. I wanted him to just fuck me, fuck Kian out of my system, and make me forget that someone like my husband ever meant a lot to me. 

With one hand gripping my hips possessively, those hungry eyes glided up to me. "Miss Kitty ears, wanting me comes with a price" He drawled. 

I stared at him with need, arching into him, rolling my hips against his dick. "What is the price?" I moaned out the words. 

"You are the price. If I fuck you, it means you are mine now and I am never letting you go" 

I was too wet to think. Plus, we would never meet again so I didn't think much of it. 

Heat coiled in my stomach as moisture gathered in my eyes while I bobbed my head, thinking it was enough for him to thrust into me already. 

His nails dug deeper into my hips, his lust-filled gaze holding mine. "It is either a yes or no" His mellow baritone was edged with dominance. 

I stared up at him, still bucking my hips to grind harder against his thick length. "Yes..." I blurted. 

He let out a happy grunt and like the cue he needed, he pushed his dick into my aching core, stretching me and fucked me with a vigor I had never experienced.

"You are mine now, this pussy is mine and you will never get away from me. I promise."

Verena

My mind whirred around frantically, a groan slipping from my mouth as I tossed and turned on the bed- my fingers splayed on the bed in search of someone. 

The man I had spent the night with. 

But when it hit me that the space behind me was now empty, my eyes fluttered open as I propped myself on my elbow. Still half-yawning, I flitted my eyes around in search of him. "Hello?" My voice was barely a whisper. 

I was about to mutter another word when a memory slipped through my subconsciousness. It was from a blurred vision, yet I could still make sense of it. 

I could feel the ghost of his lips on my cheeks, the fingers that stroked my arm sensually and most importantly, the way he held me in his arms, planting soft kisses on my forehead as he whispered that he had to leave because he had an important summit to attend. 

 Was it a memory or a dream? 

It had to be a dream because he had no reason to be that sweet towards me when we were just meeting for the first time. He didn't even know my name nor did I know his. 

At the same time, memories of me agreeing to be bound to him in that vulnerable state flashed through my mind and my cheeks flushed in embarrassment. 

I couldn't believe that I agreed to that. It wasn't me. It had to be my hormones. 

I was about to move from the bed when I caught sight of a note on the bed-side table. I reached for the note that read; "Forgive me for leaving before dawn, miss kitty ears. In the closet is a new cloth that you can change into. I will see you later."

Miss Kitty Ears? Nice!

Despite the butterflies that floated in my stomach and the smile that onto through my face because of the thoughtful note he left. That last bit of it lingered in my mind. 

What exactly did he mean by seeing me later? Was he thinking that I was going to wait?

On my drive back to the Villa, I couldn't help but reminisce the moment that we shared. His face, the warmth of his touch, the spark in his eyes whenever he looked at me and most importantly, when he flipped me over and impaled me with his dick from behind. 

Bliss. 

My thigh clenched, my lips pressed together in a thin line as heat coursed through me and in that moment, I could still feel his fingers roaming my skin and...

Brrr...Brrr...Brrr- The dashboard display buzzed to life, cutting my train of thoughts as Kian's name glowed across it. 

Kian?

He didn't even slip my mind even once. 

Anger coursed through me as my grip tightened around the steering wheel and I answered the call begrudgingly. "Hi, Verena. I was just wondering where you are and wanted to make sure that you still remember we have lunch with my parents"

My heart sank and even though I had mentally checked out on Kian, a part of me still hoped that he called to speak concerning the whole charade last night. But that lack of care in his voice broke me. 

He didn't even care where I had spent the night. 

"I just pulled up at the gate" I disconnected the call. 

The moment I entered, Zita's saccharine laughter welcomed me as she sat on the armrest, bread and jam in one hand while Kian darted his eyes to me and the moment our eyes met, fury ignited in my veins. "Verena, where have you been?"

I killed the urge to glare at him with burning, reproachful eyes instead, a smile slipped through my face. "I took your advice, Kian and I am here to let you know that this is the best advice I have ever gotten..." I trailed as my eyes darted to Zita. "Hello Zita, enjoyed your night with Kian?"

She only forced out a smile and blinked away. 

My eyes returned to Kian only to see that the color had drained from his face completely. "You took my advice..." He muttered,before a bright smile replaced the look of skepticism he had on his face. "That is actually nice, Verena.  I am glad that you took the suggestion to open our marriage. So, how was it?"

A chuckle bubbled from my throat as I tipped my head back, walking past him. "Good..." I climbed the stairs and then stopped, turning to look at Kian as I shot a wink at him. "The best I had ever had" 

Kian and I were now on our way to his parent's mansion and all through the drive, thoughts of the stranger clouded my mind, his scent still wrapping around me like a cloak. 

I could still feel him deeply buried inside of me. The ghost of his presence clung to me, teasing and tormenting me. 

How could someone be so unforgettable. 

We arrived at the mansion only to receive the same cold shoulders from his parents, fake smiles even though that look of disgust glinted heavily in their eyes. 

Kian's father, Mr. Neil, harrumphed as we all sat for lunch. "In the 80's-" He started. "Divorce was a big deal but now the times have changed, people even get divorced a day after marriage" 

My mother-in-law, Jana, cut in. "True, marriage isn't a necessity anymore. People get divorced when there is a lack of attraction, a fall-out, incompatibility and when their values don't match especially when it comes to the expectations of having children" I could feel her eyes on me. 

The salmon in my mouth suddenly went stale because I knew that those passive insinuations were directed at me. 

"Do you agree, Verena?" Jana flashed a fake smile at me as I forced the content in my mouth down my throat. 

Before I could respond, Kian cut in, changing the subject of the discussion. "Dad, Uncle Daxton's business has been expanding aggressively into Asia. This is the perfect time to buy a lot of shares and position ourselves as the biggest shareholders. What do you think about mentioning it to him when he comes for lunch?"

Uncle Daxton? Who was he? Kian had an uncle?

Neil responded. "Ah, when he arrives..." He trailed before grumbling. "He should be here anytime soon. I wonder why he is taking so long and-"

The housekeeper waltzed into the dining room, cutting his words short. "Mr Daxton has arrived..."

Collective gasps echoed through the dining hall, the scraping of chairs against the white polished marbled floor grated my ears as my in-laws alongside Kian moved from their seats in excitement to welcome this so-called uncle I had never heard of. 

I shook my head, fingers curled around my knees as I heaved an exasperated sigh. 

The last time I welcomed Kian's maternal aunt, an unapologetic classist who looked down on me and kept throwing funny looks my way, I promised to not put up with her like that. 

And now, another relative?

Would he be worse than Aunt Halsey? 

Mustering the courage inside of me, I pushed the chair to the back, rising to my feet while walking towards the grand foyer. Broad shoulders perfectly carved into a well tailored dark suit faced me, hands slipped down his pocket as his jet-black hair gleamed in the lights. 

The way he stood there with his presence engulfing the room screamed power and elegance. 

Coming down the small stairs, I forced a fake smile onto my face. 

Then he turned, his gaze sweeping to mine and slowly, the smile on my face faded as I froze half-way down the stairs. 

I forced my eyes close, shaking my head while ignoring Kian who beckoned for me to meet his uncle. 

My eyesight had to be impaired and the invisible handprints of the stranger that clung to me was the reason I saw him in this man's face. 

Steadying my breathing, I forced my eyes open only for my heart to slam harder against my ribcage than before and worse, this man was walking towards me with that same spark of dark amusement in his eyes.

With every second that he inched closer to me, it slowly hit me that the one I had s*x with last night was Kian's uncle. 

No.

No. No. No. 

The same voice that almost melted me pierced through my ears. "Hi, Miss Kitty ears?"

He was the one!

My head spun and I caught a glance of Kian whose brows furrowed in confusion as he tried to catch this man's pace.  "Miss Kitty ears?  You two know each other? I never introduced you to her though,"

While Kian nattered away, his eyes were still locked with mine, pinning me in place 

Before I could process things, his hand slipped above my waist and my stomach fluttered despite the turmoil brewing inside of me.  His cheek brushed mine and a wave of dizziness washed over me. 

His breath fanned against my ear, sending heat pooling in my stomach. "I told you, I was going to find you and now, I am never letting you go, Miss Kitty ears" His voice was low, dark and it wrapped around me possesively.

He drew back, his eyes still holding mine as he tucked a loose tendril of hair behind my ear. 

Kian stood next to his uncle, the smile on his face now gone as he glanced back and forth between us. 

His parents also looked confused. 

With Uncle Daxton's eyes still piercing into mine, he said. "Brother, I won't be attending the blind date you set up for me. I have found the woman I want to be with."

Verena

I splashed water on my face- enough to cool the heat of shame that rose on my cheeks but it did little to calm the storm of emotions that crashed within me. 

Dragging my fingers down my face in dread "What have you done Verena? What have you done?" A groan slipped from my mouth, my eyes locked onto the dreadful mess in the mirror. 

This was bad. 

How in the world did he turn out to be Kian's uncle?

At the same time, I was being too hard on myself. How was I supposed to know that he was even related to Kian when I never heard about him? Slowly, images of me flirting with him and...

Wait for a second, the way he acted earlier showed that he knew me all along. That was why he mentioned that he was going to see me later- it was because he knew that I was married to his nephew. 

At that moment, my heartbeat skipped over the other. If he knew that I was his nephew's wife, why didn't he turn me down when I flirted with him, why did he gaze upon me in that manner and why did he promise to never let me go? 

And the way he claimed me before Kian just now. 

What the heck was going on? 

Suddenly, a knock on the door jolted me out of my thoughts, startling me in the process as my hands moved to my pounding chest. For a second, I stilled, thinking it was Daxton until Kian's voice came from the outside. 

"It is Kian, open the door"

Relief flooded through me because I didn't know what I would do if it turned out to be Daxton. I moved to the door, turning the doorknob. The moment there was a slight opening, Kian slipped through it, shutting the door behind him and turning the lock. 

His fingers curled around my wrist and he pulled me behind him to the far end of the bathroom. He dropped my wrist and that was when I took in his face- his hair was tousled, distraught eyes, his tie was slightly unknotted and tossed over his shoulder. 

He ran a hand through his hair, pulling it back. His eyes settled on me. "Where were you last night?" His voice shook with an edge of fear. 

I rolled my eyes, crossed my arms over my chest. "Why?"

He almost yelled. "I just want to know!"

I shook my head. "At the Vastencarver strip club-"

His face fell, terror replacing the expression in his eyes. "That is my uncle's club!"

My heart stopped, my hands slamming over my mouth in shock. Could the lore get any deeper?

Kian's dark eyelashes fluttered continuously and with the way his lips wobbled, it seemed like different emotions warred inside of me. "He called you Miss Kitty ears and you had those ears sitting on your hair"

Despite the obvious turmoil that surged inside of me, my eyes lit up in amusement. "So you noticed and..."

He cut in. "That isn't the issue. Don't tell me that the man you spent the night with was my uncle..." His eyes searched through mine, pleading for me to say the opposite of what he had insinuated. 

My heart thumped harder in my chest but then, memories of Kian telling me to open our marriage and bringing Zita into our home made my blood boil with fury. The urge to spite him suddenly overwhelmed me. 

The corner of my mouth tilted upwards in a smirk and I stepped forward, almost closing the space between us. "What if I told you he is the one, what are you going to do Kian? I only followed your advice"

A growl rumbled from Kian's chest as he stumbled back, his jaw clenched so hard that a muscle twitched. Then he raised his hands like he was about to wrap them around my throat before they curled into fists and dropped to his side. 

I scoffed, clicking my tongue in my mouth at the pathetic sight of him. 

Kian gulped hard. "You had sex with my uncle"

With a face devoid of emotion, I tilted my head, acting as nonchalant as ever. "How was I supposed to know that he is your uncle? With such vigor, who would have known that he was older?"

Kian's eyes turned red-a visceral sight of rings of flames flaring from his ears and nostrils. Laughable. 

He sucked in a breath, deep enough to calm the storm inside of him. "I am going to take it as you not knowing he was family. In other words, the whole open marriage thing is over. Our marriage is close!"

Chuckles erupted from my throat before escalating into a full-blown laughter that had me throwing my head back. 

This had to be a joke or he'd clearly lost it. 

Slowly, the smile on my face died and I stepped closer. "What marriage? The moment you brought up the idea of an open marriage, the love I had for you died and our marriage is clearly over"

"Expect divorce papers before next weekend. I am done!"

It's been two weeks since Kian has been blowing up my phone with incessant calls and messages left unread. And now that I thought about it, was he calling because I had drained most of the money in our joint account, or because of the divorce papers, or the fact that I had sex with his uncle? 

Daxton.

I didn't want to think about him or that night. In fact, I wanted nothing to do with the Cooper family anymore.

All that mattered right now was acing this interview because if I didn't, things could get really bad for me financially. I had invested the money left in the joint account, thinking the return would be massive.

But overnight, the cryptocurrency platform disappeared-rug-pulled- and now, I was left with a thousand dollars.

It felt like fate made a collaboration with Kian to stick a middle finger to my face because how was this even happening? 

So, I needed this job badly. 

I had applied for the position as the personal assistant to the managing director of the V.R. five-star hotel-a director notorious for firing assistants for the slightest mistakes. 

I didn't care. I just needed something to fall back on financially. 

They had just opened the VR hotel in the city and I thought to apply since other hotels rejected me because of my family's scandal. 

This new job was my chance to build a fresh start and keep my mind busy from the distracting thoughts of Daxton that had engulfed my being. 

The sound of fingers being drummed on a keyboard filled my ears as I flashed a smile at the secretary whose eyes slid up my face. "Miss Verena?" She returned my smile. 

"Yes," I responded. 

"Here for the assistant's position, correct?"

I nodded. "Yes and umm, I am having a hard time finding where the other applicants are seated and..."

She cut in. "You wouldn't be interviewed like the rest of them, the managing director himself will be interviewing you so come with me–"

I froze. 

What did she mean by the managing director would interview me himself when it was supposed to be done by the interview panel? 

As I traipsed behind her, different questions flooded my mind. Was there something with my application that piqued his interest or did he know who I really was and was about to taunt me with my family's predicament before rejecting me- like the others did? 

Maybe I should have done thorough research on who he was. 

My hands moved to the back of my neck in anxiety as we stopped before a huge mahogany door. "Wait inside, he will be with you shortly" She opened the door while I stepped inside. 

I gaped at the office interior as I settled on the visitor's seat. Huge chandeliers hung from the lofty ceilings, leather seats, and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the cityscape.  

It was elegant. 

I sucked in a deep breath, enough to steady my breathing while going through the expected questions that could be asked. 

The door clicked open, my heart almost leaping into my throat as I sprang to my feet, smoothening the non-existent wrinkles on my skirt when a familiar mix of perfume snaked up my nose. Sandalwood and Oud.

Too familiar to ignore. 

Too unforgettable not to recognize. 

Daxton.