Chapter 5 SEDUCING

Lina sat alone in her room, with a half glass of red wine in her hand. Swirling in the air, inhaling the sweet scent of the red berry wine.

The door creaked open and Bryce stepped in the room. Closing the door behind him, he was looking around if anybody was coming through the stairs. He immediately shuts the door and turns to meet Lina, sitting on the floor drinking wine. She was putting on a lace material nightgown that shows her body shape perfectly.

Lina's gaze drifted to him, her expression a mix of surprise, "What are you doing here? What if anyone sees you entering my room?" her voice husky from the wine, she stood up immediately grabbing the bed sheets to cover her half naked body.

His gaze fixed on Lina's body, drinking her in.

"Why will you barge into my room like this? Later you will say I am following you around!!" She said, her voice filled with uneasiness.

"Who wouldn't suspect you, we met on a mountain in Berlin. After a week we woke up in the same bed in Columbia. What are the statistics? Who will believe it's a coincidence?" He murmurs to himself.

"What are you saying?"

"Am sorry, but no one is at home except the maids. Ives has gone back to school. I just want to let you know my decision!!" He said, in a calm tone trying to get his mind off her body.

"What is it? What do you want?"

Bryce looked around, his gaze fell on the wine bottle on the floor.

"Lina, who gave you that wine?" Bryce pointing at the wine on the floor.

"Ives did, she said I can take it if I want."

Bryce's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean? This is a century-old vintage! You can't just drink it without asking," he said, annoyance etched on his face.

Lina's gaze met his, a hint of mischief dancing in her mind. "You told me to keep my distance, Daddy. Have you forgotten your own warning?" she said, her voice laced with amusement.

Bryce's face froze at the term "Daddy," his throat constricting. He cleared his throat, trying to compose himself. "Lina, please, don't call me that. I don't...I don't like it," he stammered.

Lina's smile grew wider. "Okay, Daddy."

He puts hands into his pocket and brought out a bank card.

"Lina, this is 5 million dollars. Take it " He shoves it into her hands.

The bed sheet covering her body fell off, she was shocked why he gave her money.

"What do you mean?"

Bryce's eyes were on her body, her nipples were visible from the lace. He stared at her without saying a word.

"Bryce!! Bryce!!" she waves her hand on his face.

He turns around immediately

"Lina, I don't want you in my house again!!" He shut his eyes, and screamed out.

"Just take the money and leave!!"

"Why?"

"I am getting married to Kate in two months. A single girl like you shouldn't be in my house." He added, looking away from her.

"Who said I was single? I have a boyfriend!"

He turns back sharply, he grabs her shoulder.

"What boyfriend? When did you have a boyfriend? What does he do?"

She pulls his hands away from her, "Daddy, it's none of your business!!"

"Am not your daughter!!"

He stared at her, his eyes filled with sadness."Lina, you know men aren't good!! A good girl like you can be cheated on or used by them. Don't trust men around you."

"Are you a good man?" Lina asked, her voice thick with emotions. "Or are you the same as all the rest?"

Bryce couldn't tear his gaze from the red wine staining her lips, his mind racing with the desire to suck on her lips, and taste the remnant of the alcohol.

"Daddy..." she breathed, the husky whisper sending a jolt of electricity through his body.

Without hesitation, Bryce pulls her waist closer to him, pressing his lips on hers. Sucking the wine on her tongue, the kiss turned intense. He drags her to the wall, gently placing her back on the wall. His hands at the back of her head, as their kisses deepens.

Lina pushed him, "Stop it!!" she wipes her lips with her hands.

"This is what I am talking about Lina, I don't want you around my house again. Please leave!! The money is enough to take care of yourself till you go back to Berlin." He barked, his eyes filled with pity but his mouth saying a lot of things. .

"Okay I will leave."

"But don't tell Ives , I sent you away."

"Okay, I won't."

He turns back, he stands for a minute before he opens the door. In a second he was out of her room.

****----*****

Lina dragging her luggages down a lonely street in Columbia. A friend at the hospital where she and her boyfriend Dylan worked at, gave her his address.

She decided to stay with him for a month, since Bryce doesn't want her in his home.

She finally got to the address location, she knocked on the short gate but there was no response.

Suddenly the door cracked open, she immediately hid at the flowers. She wanted to surprise Dylan with her sudden presence. But she saw Dylan hugging a woman, and coming out with their hands interlocked.

Though she didn't see the woman clearly, Lina hid with her luggage at the large flower at the gate.

She thought maybe she didn't see clearly. Her hands trembling like a leaf, she shifted the flower in her way and peeped through it.

She saw Ives' arms were wrapped tightly around Dylan's waist, their bodies pressed close together. The sound of their soft laughter and whispers hung in the air, a cruel contrast to the crushing weight that had suddenly settled in Lina's chest.

"I love you Ives," Dylan said, patting her hair fondly.

"Don't worry Lina won't see us, since I have been ignoring her. She will initiate the breakup by herself. I am sorry Ives, please hold on a bit. We won't hide ourselves anymore." He said and hugged her.

"Okay Dylan, I trust you." Ives responded sweetly, hugging him back.

Her heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces, each shard piercing her like a knife. She felt like she was going to be sick, her stomach churning with a mix of shock, pain, and betrayal.

Lina's eyes burned with unshed tears, her voice stuck in her throat. She only watched Dylan and Ives play their act of love. She couldn't believe Ives was hooking up with her boyfriend.

She mistakenly hit her luggage and it fell.

"Who is there?" Dylan said, as he heard the sound coming from the flowers.