Chapter [1]

Chapter 1

Selena.

It was another restless night for me, tossing and turning in my bed, struggling to shake off the deep sleep that had overtaken me. But try as I might, I just couldn't seem to muster the energy to get up. Not that I had partied hard the night before or anything—on the contrary, I was rather enjoying the single life these days. There was a certain freedom and sense of relaxation that came with not having a boyfriend to worry about. I could do what I wanted, when I wanted, and that was a refreshing change.

Just as I was starting to doze off again, the persistent ringing of the doorbell jolted me awake. "Ugh, who on earth could that be at this hour?" I grumbled to myself as I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed. A glance at the clock confirmed my suspicions—it was only 5 AM. "Wait, 5 AM? At least whoever is at the door has saved me the trouble of oversleeping and missing my flight," I muttered, feeling a mix of irritation and gratitude.

I stretched my arms and hurried to open the door, only to be greeted by the one person I had been hoping to avoid. "Steven?! What the hell are you doing here?" I frowned, irritation seeping into my voice. Honestly, I should probably call the police on this guy—he was starting to border on full-blown stalker territory. I just couldn't understand what was going through his head. I had told him a million times that I was no longer interested and had no romantic feelings for him whatsoever.

"Good morning, baby. I've missed you so much," Steven whispered in a low, husky tone, his eyes roaming shamelessly over my body. I desperately wanted to tear his eyes out to stop him from ogling me like that. I hated him so much.

I quickly covered myself up with my hand and tried to slam the door shut, but Steven shoved his way inside. "Go away, Steven! There's nothing

between us anymore. I'm not your 'baby', so stop bothering me," I huffed, trying in vain to push him out, but he only pulled me into his chest and leaned in to kiss me.

"But I never broke up with you. I do love you. I miss your body," he insisted, holding me tightly, as if he thought that would somehow change my mind.

I glared at him, struggling to free my hand from his grip. "Steven, stop this! I never said I was in love with you. That was just a failed relationship, and you know that." I pointed a finger at him, demanding that he leave, feeling an overwhelming mix of anger and despair.

He smirked confidently, his gaze focused on my backside. "Whatever, and I'll never give up. You're mine," he said, practically drooling over me. I had no idea why I had forgiven him so many times before—I guess I was just bored and hated feeling lonely.

I summoned every ounce of strength I had and pushed hard against his chest, yelling in his face. "Stop that! Even so, you can't force me, and you know that being the son of an ambassador won't give you any more power than me. I'm not a weak woman, and my connections could kick you out of this country forever. Don't you dare talk to me like this or threaten me again!" I shouted, shoving him out and slamming the door.

He yelled through the closed door, "Yes, but I'll do my best to make you mine again, and don't forget that sleeping with me is a sin in your country. Don't forget that!" His disgusting threat made me sick to my stomach.

I opened the door again and gave him a look of pure disgust. "Listen, don't you ever try to blackmail me, because no one can do that! Before you say any more crap, I'll cut your fucking tongue!" I warned him in a threatening tone, then shut the door and locked it, ignoring his mumbling.

'Ugh, I just don't understand why he keeps stalking me like this. I gave him a chance, and he betrayed me! How can he come back and act like some kind of loving victim?' I hated this country and everything about it. Now I needed to pack and leave for the airport immediately. I needed a break—three months away could give me a fresh start. 'Love, life, money, and business—I've lost everything.'

I rushed to my room, grabbed my bags and passport, and took out the photo of my best friend Pamela. 'Pamela, I wish you were still here. I miss you so much; you were the big sister who always gave me advice. If only I'd listened to you, I wouldn't have lost everything. Let's hope I don't lose my dignity too. Thank God no one knows about my bankruptcy.'

I kissed Pamela's picture and put it back in my wallet. She had been my rock through it all. 'Now I only have $10,000 left. Ugh, fake friends, my terrible relatives, drinking every night, and all the guys I dated—no one stood by me except Pamela. I need to start over, find a job in another country, and then come back to take revenge on everyone who hurt me.'

I took a quick shower and put on a casual pink dress, trying to shake off the horrible encounter. I used to live life the way I wanted, wasting years on useless things and losing millions. The crazy part is that I wasn't even that superficial. Maybe I just couldn't belong in this country. I've never felt like I truly fit in here, like an outsider looking in. Or maybe I just never found the true love I was searching for.

Finally, I was ready and called the limo waiting for me. I rushed to the airport and boarded the flight to Italy, ignoring all of Steven's calls and texts. I wasn't in the mood to dwell on my miserable past or think about any of my exes.

'Thank God I still have these business class tickets.' I sighed in relief, smirking to myself. Or in other words, I was blaming myself for destroying my life and losing all my money. The word 'poor' doesn't even begin to describe what I've done to myself.

I settled into my seat and tried to get some rest, but I was soon jolted awake by the sound of loud voices nearby. I opened my eyes to see a group of businessmen talking animatedly. In my typical rude, arrogant fashion, I snapped my fingers and shouted, "Hey, if you want to talk loudly, go to economy class or use your own jet!"

But just as the words left my mouth, all the men fell silent and turned to look at me. One man in the middle slowly raised his eyebrows, a hint of amusement on his face. "Look who's talking! I wonder how you even managed to book a ticket on this flight?"

To be honest, he was infuriatingly handsome—the kind of arrogant man I seemed to be attracted to, despite my better judgment. With his piercing blue eyes, dark hair, broad shoulders, and tanned skin, he was exactly the type of guy I often found myself falling for. And the fact that he didn't seem to be from my country, and we were speaking in English, only added to his allure.

I huffed indignantly and grabbed a glass of water from a passing waitress, throwing the contents directly in his face. "There, now we're even. Don't you dare talk to me that way!" I laughed, reveling in my petty victory, feeling a rush of satisfaction as he wiped his face in shock.

But before I could even blink, the man had reached out and pulled me onto his lap. "I'm not scared, pretty. No one has ever dared to shout at my face like that. And by the way, this is my airline."

I rolled my eyes, pushing his hands away. 'His airline? Whatever!' I cleared my throat, looking him straight in the eye. "Even so, handsome, take your hands off me, or I'll open the emergency door and push you out!" I threatened him directly, but there was something about him—the way his eyes seemed to be peering into my very soul, and the wicked expression on his face—that made me lose all control.

This had never happened to me before. What was going on with my body and my tongue?!

He blurted out, "You're sexy."

I bit my lip, suddenly feeling flustered. "You're hot!" I managed to say before quickly retreating back to my own seat and hiding behind a magazine, desperately trying to conceal the embarrassed flush on my cheeks. 'What am I doing? I'm supposed to be on my way to work, not looking for fun!'

As the plane took off, I couldn't help but sneak glances at the mysterious stranger, captivated by his presence. There was just something about him that drew me in, despite my better judgment. Maybe it was the way he carried himself with such confidence, or the intensity of his gaze. Whatever it was, I found myself increasingly drawn to him, battling with the attraction that tugged at my heart.

I tried to distract myself by reading the magazine, but my mind kept wandering back to him. 'Who is this man, and why am I so intrigued by him?' I wondered, sneaking another peek in his direction. He was deep in conversation with the other businessmen, his brow furrowed in concentration, yet his gaze occasionally flickered back to me.

When the flight attendant came by with a refreshment cart, I seized the opportunity to get a closer look. "Excuse me, could I have a glass of champagne, please?" I asked, flashing the attendant my most charming smile, hoping to calm my racing heart.

As the attendant poured the champagne, I glanced over at the mysterious stranger, only to find him watching me intently. Our eyes met, and I felt a jolt of electricity pass between us, making my heart race. I quickly took the glass and retreated to my seat, my heart pounding in my chest, battling the conflicting emotions surging within me.

'What is wrong with me?' I scolded myself. 'I'm supposed to be focusing on starting over, not getting caught up in some stranger's spell.' But try as I might, I couldn't shake the feeling that this man was somehow different from the others I had encountered.

The rest of the flight passed in a blur, with me alternating between pretending to read my magazine and sneaking glances at the handsome stranger. I couldn't help but wonder what his story was, and why he had such a captivating presence that seemed to draw me in like a moth to a flame.

Finally, the plane touched down in Italy, and I gathered my belongings, eager to put some distance between myself and the intriguing man. As I was making my way through the bustling airport, I couldn't resist one last look in his direction. To my surprise, he was watching me, a small smirk playing on his lips, as if he knew exactly what I was feeling.

I quickly turned away, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment, feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety. 'Get a grip, Selena,' I scolded myself. 'You're here to start a new chapter, not get distracted by some charming stranger.'

With a deep breath, I made my way to the exit, determined to leave the encounter behind and focus on the task at hand. As I stepped out into the warm Italian air, I felt a sense of excitement and trepidation. This was my chance to start over, to rebuild my life from the ashes of the one I had lost. I was ready to embrace whatever adventures lay ahead, even if it meant letting go of my past and the haunting memories of Steven.