Chapter 3 CASUALITIES.

CHAPTER ONE.

TWO MONTHS EARLIER...

The club was packed; the music was loud. Bodies moving back and forth, well synchronized. Sexual tension was in the air.

She had gone there because she needed a change in her life. Andrew Thomas, her friend for years and then her partner of one year, had cheated on her. She felt frustrated, but at the same time relieved. Two such different feelings that it pissed her off.

She took a sip of her "margarita" drink. Remembering that embarrassing episode in her life. Everything had been bad for a few months now between them, but Diana wanted to fix things, so when she left the office that day, she decided to give it a try.

She sent a message to Andrew telling him that she would stop by his apartment, and that she asked him to take care of the wine. Because she would be bringing dinner. She had texted him about two hours earlier, it seemed strange to her that he hadn't replied. Nevertheless, she set off.

She went to the Chinese restaurant, and ordered everything for a romantic evening. She was very restless, she really liked Andrew, he was very attentive to her, but lately they were very distant. She wanted to stoke the fire between them a little, because the flame of their relationship was apparently dying out.

When she pulled into the parking lot of the luxury building where Andrew lived. She could tell by looking at his vehicle that he was already there. She did the usual, parked hers next to his.

At least he was there. Waiting for her, she said to herself. If it wouldn't be a great pity to waste so much food. Although it seemed very odd to him that she hadn't answered him yet. She stepped out of the elevator, checking to make sure the bags of food were perfect, and that nothing had spilled.

She looked for the keys to the apartment, which he had given her seven months ago. She put the key in and carefully opened the door. Nothing had prepared her for what she saw at that moment.

There were clothes everywhere. Women's blue shoes, black stockings. His tie was also lying on the floor.

"Oh Andrew! Yes!" she had to see. The voice was all too familiar.

He found them naked on the couch, Andrew's body pumping hard inside the woman's body.

"Don't stop, I need more!"

That voice, she knew it. It belonged to Amanda, the marketing girl who worked with them at the company. She dropped the bags of food on the floor. The noise made them stop what they were doing for a moment.

"Diana!," Andrew shouted. Leaping out of the woman's body. "What are you doing here?"

"If you'd bothered to look at the cell phone. You'd know," the voice was between broken, but she wasn't going to cry in front of them. Amanda looked at Diana with a satisfied smile. "But don't go on, I'm leaving. Go on with what you were doing. Don't worry about me."

"We're not worried about you," Amanda exclaimed. "On the contrary, you've interrupted the fun. Just like you always do."

"Diana... You can't leave like this. Please, let's talk."

"We have nothing to talk about."

She walked to the exit. As she felt Andrew quickly get dressed. She picked up her purse, and glanced down at her large engagement ring. She paused for a moment to take it off. She walked back to where they were in the living room, and could tell how Amanda hadn't even moved from the spot. Nor had she put anything on top of it to cover herself.

The rage and helplessness in Diana's body took over. She took off her ring and threw it straight with excellent aim at Amanda's forehead.

"You always liked it. You can wear it now," she turned and walked away.

"Ouch, stupid," was all she heard from Amanda.

She didn't notice when Andrew was in his boxers behind her.

"You can't just walk away like that ," as she saw his gray eyes. She felt like the world had fallen on her.

"We can't do anything more here. This is over."

"I'm not going to leave you, so easily." Andrew retorted.

"Stop the stupidity and leave with Amanda. In the end you're both just like shit," she pushed him away and walked out of the apartment.

She shook her head to erase that memory, it was the worst experience of her life. Days later she had to talk to Daren. His boss and Andrew's father. She asked him to control her son, because he was harassing her and she didn't want to act in a legal way.

Daren Thomas, told her not to worry about him. That he would resolve the situation. All this, so that she would not leave in the middle of the project they were working on. She agreed and continued working for her ex-fiancé's company. It was not an easy situation.

In the last few days, things had become a bit more tense. That's why she decided to keep to her work schedule, not a minute more, not a minute less. That day was Friday, she left at the usual time, and when she got home she felt she needed a little distraction. Because she was a little depressed. Her mother had called her to tell her that she was a bit childish, for not accepting her boyfriend's infidelity at the right point. That she had to turn a blind eye. And above all that maintaining a good marriage meant sacrifice. Once again, and as always, her mother blamed her for everything.

Diana had not agreed with that. So that night she had worn a short silver dress that highlighted every curve of her body, showing off her long, toned legs. Her chocolate-colored hair and green eyes. They made a nice contrast. She was sitting at the bar when the boy she had been most attracted to in college approached her, and was now a successful businessman.

Ian Cooper, as a young man, had been the guy who made more than one girl in college sigh. She had the opportunity to share with him, when she was studying the first years of her career. He was about to graduate, but he was behind in two of his first semesters and saw classes with her.

For Diana, Ian was unattainable. Coincidentally, it was he himself who introduced her to Andrew, as they were studying together. But it wasn't until she graduated with honors from college, and the company where Ian worked had hired her, that they saw each other again. That had been four years ago.

"I can't believe it! Diana?"

Her eyes lit up. She looked at him from head to toe. Now he looked better than before. Tall, with tanned skin. In the modern style of today's guys. He wore his hair in a small ponytail, a three-day beard and eyes more golden than the best Scotch whisky. Nose outlined.

His body exuded, swagger, confidence, determination. They had met after a long time many times, as he had become a partner in the company where he worked. He was practically her "big boss".

"Hello," she said shyly. "Apparently so. That's me."

He hugged her tightly and she breathed in his scent. She let his fragrance flood all her senses, and wished at that moment she could never leave his arms again. She had always been attracted to Ian, but at the time he had a girlfriend. A girlfriend who eventually became his wife. But now, as far as she knew, they had been separated for over a year.

"You look beautiful, as always," he winked at her. "Come, let's dance."

Without giving her time to answer, he took her by the hand and led her to the dance floor. She felt a little uncomfortable at first, since she barely reached his nose with heels and everything. However, she fit the male body perfectly. He placed his hands on her hips, pulling her a little closer to him. She placed her hands on his chest.

"Really this is a beautiful coincidence," he spoke in a very husky voice very close to her ear.

"Yes, it is!" She replied in barely a whisper, not wanting Ian to notice the effect of her words.

They danced to more songs and continued drinking. He, whiskey and she margaritas. The night passed quickly. Between drinks, and looks that said more than their mouths expressed.

"Oh my gosh," she exclaimed, looking at her cell phone. "It's late, I have to go.

He looked at his wristwatch, it was indeed twenty past two in the morning, but he didn't want it to end either.

"Did you bring a car?" he asked curiously.

"No. I came by Uber," she replied with a shrug.

Ian's eyes widened, then he looked at her disapprovingly.

"How can you go out like that," in his voice there was a hint of scolding.

"Go out like that, how?" Diana when he asked the question blinked a couple of times, a little surprised.

"Alone. With no one to accompany you," he waved his hands at her.

"Ian I went out alone for a drink. I was just about to leave, when you arrived," she smiled, as she put her delicate hand on his arm.

"I'll drive you home, " he didn't ask her. "But first let's get something to eat, I'm hungry."

"That's okay," she didn't want the night to end either.

He took care of the bill and led the way. Feeling his fingers in her cleavage that reached her lower back, made her shiver for a moment.

"Are you cold?" he asked curiously.

"A little," she replied to dissimulate.

They drove to the parking lot and Diana could admire his car. A black Maserati that shone as if it were an exotic jewel. In a gallant way. He opened the passenger door for her, and for a moment they were face to face, their noses almost touching.

"Get in," he indicated hoarsely.

The car smelled of him, of his manly perfume. Diana closed her eyes for a moment, she wanted to savor a little the chance of having found him, and let herself go for as long as she could.

She didn't realize Ian was inside the car with her, until she heard the door close, and the locks engage. He stared at her for a moment.

"I'm glad I ran into you tonight," his voice sounded sincere, even grateful.

Diana smiled. The vehicle came to life and snuck through the quiet streets of the city. To her, it was like a fairy tale. She was with the man she had always liked.

They arrived at a café that worked around the clock. They ordered something simple. Some hamburgers, french fries. Amidst laughter at the anecdotes they both shared. They finished eating. He would take her home as he had told her an hour earlier.

When Ian stopped at a traffic light, he could no longer resist the temptation and grabbed her chin and brought his lips close to hers:

"You can't imagine how long I've wanted to do this." he whispered.