章)The luxury sedan glided through the quiet streets of River City, slicing through the night’s stillness.
Just returning from a meeting, Ethan Carter was reviewing documents in the back seat, his assistant and driver, Jake, focused on the road ahead.
“Ethan, we finally secured the deal with JR Industries. This is a significant step forward for the Carter Group. Can we take a break now?” Jake asked with a grin.
“Want a vacation?” Ethan raised an eyebrow, his tone teasing.
Jake felt like he had just poked a sleeping bear and quickly fell silent.
Just then, Ethan’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and tossed it aside.
Jake leaned over to see the name and burst out laughing, “Another marriage proposal call? Mrs. Carter is relentless!”
“Shut up! Just drive,” Ethan snapped, his mood darkening.
Jake rolled his eyes but continued driving.
As they approached an intersection, a figure suddenly darted into the street, causing Jake to slam on the brakes...
The screech of tires echoed in the silent night as the luxury sedan skidded to a halt, narrowly missing the figure.
Jake’s heart raced as he realized he had almost hit someone.
Ethan quickly exited the car and rushed over to check on the person.
Mia Thompson felt dazed, rubbing her sore knee after being knocked down. Before she could even cry out, a strong hand lifted her up.
“Miss, are you alright?”
Am I alright?
She was far from it!
Her boyfriend had just cheated on her, and now she was lying in the street—what a cruel twist of fate!
She had just wanted to drown her sorrows in a drink, and now she was hit by a car!
“Why, oh why, did I follow the stars and end up like this?” she shouted at the heavens, feeling utterly defeated.
The man holding her frowned slightly, realizing she was drunk.
But she was still cursing the universe, so he asked politely, “Where do you live? I can give you a ride home.”
“I don’t want to go home!” Mia pushed away from him, swaying as she stood up, but lost her balance and fell again.
This time, Ethan caught her effortlessly.
Instead of the expected pain, she felt a strange warmth, and when she looked up, she found herself staring into deep, captivating eyes.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
But it was only a moment!
“Are you a gift from heaven?” Mia squinted, holding onto Ethan’s shirt, her voice sweetly naive.
Ethan’s expression darkened...
Arguing with a drunken girl was pointless; he decided to carry her and take her to a hotel instead.
But the girl seemed to be having the time of her life, releasing his shirt and cupping his face, excitedly saying, “Looks like heaven has a heart after all, sending me a man in this new age! I’m going to have an affair!”
With that, she leaned in and kissed him!
Caught off guard, Ethan was taken aback, and the unexpected kiss left him stunned.
His mind raced with disgust as he quickly set her down, pushing her away.
Mia felt a sharp pain as she hit the ground, and everything went dark.
Jake, who had been frozen in shock, finally snapped back to reality, witnessing his boss being kissed by a stranger!
This was a historic moment!
Before he could even think to capture the moment, he saw Ethan toss Mia aside without a second thought.
That kind of fall wouldn’t hurt a man of their stature, but for a girl, it was undeniably cruel.
Rushing out of the car, Jake asked nervously, “Ethan, are you okay?”
“Get this girl into the car and take her to a hotel!” Ethan’s face was grim, and he wiped his lips as if trying to erase the memory of the kiss.
Jake was left speechless...
This girl was bold enough to kiss the boss, and now she was being tossed aside like trash. He hurriedly helped Mia into the back seat.
As Mia regained consciousness, she felt like she had been run over by a truck, her body aching all over.
Damn it, had she really been beaten up for getting drunk?
In the unfamiliar hotel room, she blinked in confusion, trying to piece together what had happened.
When her eyes landed on the hotel name, alarm bells went off in her head. Where was she?
After a moment of disorientation, she realized she had been brought here by two men in black suits.
Crap! What had she done last night?
With a throbbing headache, she recalled the events leading up to this moment, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her.
Her boyfriend was getting married to someone else, and here she was, drunk and alone in a hotel room.
Just then, her phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts. The screen displayed her best friend, Lilys name.
Mia hesitated but finally answered, “What do you want?”
“Mia! Did you receive the wedding invitation? You’re coming, right? I’m trying on dresses, and you have to see this one! It’s from that designer you love!” Lily’s voice was bright and cheerful.
Mia’s heart sank, remembering the invitation she had seen earlier.
“Yeah, I got it,” she replied, forcing a smile.
“Great! I can’t wait to see you! You’ll be my maid of honor, right?” Lily continued, oblivious to Mias discomfort.
“Sure, I’ll be there,” Mia said, her voice lacking enthusiasm.
“Perfect! I’m so excited!” Lily squealed.
As the call ended, Mia felt a mix of anger and sadness. How could her best friend be so happy when her own life was falling apart?
With a sigh, she tossed her phone aside, feeling the weight of her situation pressing down on her.
She had to get her life back on track, and fast.