Chapter 3 How We Burned That Night

But Kimberly didn't have the luxury of wondering why he was mad at her right now.

Because the moment his voice hit her ears, the past crashed over her like a wave. Dragging her straight back to that night.

It had started like any other party. A luxurious, loud and soulless one.

Her father's business associate - the man she was arranged to marry, had hosted it in honor of their "upcoming union." Everyone was there to celebrate a wedding she wanted no part of.

It was also her birthday.

And Kimberly felt like a butterfly trapped in a glass jar. Beautiful, but suffocating. Barely breathing.

The gown was tight. The heels too high. The diamond necklace around her throat felt more like a collar. The champagne tasted like poison, burning her throat. The smiles people gave her were full of thorns.

Everyone kept saying she was lucky.

But she didn't feel lucky.

She felt doomed.

Her father had never cared about what she wanted. He only cared about control, legacy and money.

And she'd had enough.

Somewhere between fake laughter and empty toasts, she slipped away, unnoticed.

Her heart was pounding as she fled the mansion, clutching her purse, escaping into the night like a girl on fire.

There was only one person she thought could make the pain go away.

Ryan, her ex. Her almost everything.

But fate had one more slap waiting for her.

The moment she reached his house, her heart dropped.

The sounds filtering out from upstairs, the rhythmic thud, the moans, the voice, all made her freeze.

Her entire body turned cold. Maybe.... maybe she was hearing wrong.

She stepped closer.

Then she heard his voice.

"She's so clingy. God. I was never serious about her."

Kimberly blinked. What?

No.

"Kept her around till I found someone better."

No. No. No.

Her stomach churned. Her chest squeezed so tight she could feel it ripping up.

She inched closer. And then came the voice that broke her completely.

"I think I can keep up with that," Clara giggled.

Clara.

Her friend.

Not a close one, but close enough to twist the knife.

Kimberly's hand trembled as it reached for the doorknob. Her vision blurred.

Her heart shattered the moment she swung the door open.

The room was thick with betrayal. Clothes everywhere. Skin, sweat and guilt lingered in the room.

They froze upon seeing her.

Ryan's eyes widened. Clara screamed, scrambling to cover herself.

"Kimberly?! What the fu..."

Slap.

Her palm collided with his face so hard it echoed. She was trembling, breathing hard, fury and heartbreak pouring from her eyes.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ryan snapped at her.

And that was it. The final crack.

Another slap landed on Ryan's face. This time even harder than the first.

"You bastard!" Kimberly cried, her voice breaking. "After everything I gave up for you?! You cheat on me with.... her? Clara?!"

She could barely see straight. Her mascara stung her eyes. Her whole world spun.

"This was the surprise you promised me?!" she screamed. "Is this it, Ryan?!"

Ryan had told her he had a surprise for her birthday. She had hoped... maybe a ring. A plan to elope. A future.

But no.

This was it.

Humiliation.

Kimberly turned and ran. Out of the house and into the cold.

Her bare feet hit the pavement as her shoes came off somewhere along the way.

She didn't stop. Not when her phone rang. Not when the tears blurred her path. Not even when her lungs burned if felt like she was running out of breath.

She just needed to disappear for one night.

One night without expectations.

One night without pain.

The city consumed her whole. The neon lights, noise, drunken laughter.

And that was where she ended up. At a hotel bar and ordered the strongest drink on the menu.

Gulped down one, then another.... and another.

By the time she stumbled toward the restroom to ease her restlessness, she was numb.

As she stumbled her way toward, she pushed the wrong door open instead, which was a suite.

It was dimly lit.

And iside it sat a man. Dark-haired, half-drunk, expensive jacket on the floor.

It was Bryce Harrington.

And just like her... he looked broken.

What happened next blurred into moans and heat. Hands, skin, desperation.

Two strangers trying to forget themselves in each other.

That night burned.

And the next morning, Kimberly woke up with a hollow chest, a raging headache, and the taste of regret on her tongue.

She left quietly, unnoticed, shame sinking into her bones.

With Cindy's help, she later fled the city.

The wedding was off. Her father had frozen her accounts. His men were scouring the city already, looking for her. Her phone was full of threats.

But she didn't care.

Because nothing hurt more than what came a few weeks later....

She was pregnant.

And now, years later...

That man. The one whose touch she couldn't forget, was standing in front of her.

Looking into her eyes like he couldn't believe he he was seeing her again after so many years.

Of course he couldn't believe it.

"You think I forgot?" Bryce said, jolting Kimberly back to the present, his gaze so intense it burned. "You think I wouldn't recognize the you? The way you looked at me that night?"

Kimberly's lips parted, but no words came out.

"The way you felt beneath me?" he added, voice low and dangerous. "Still pretending you don't remember? Or should I remind you right here and right now, how you moaned my name like it was the only thing keeping you alive?"

Her breath caught, hands trembling against his chest.

She couldn't speak, neither could she move.

Because she did remember.

She remembered everything.

And the scariest part?

A small, stupid part of her wanted it all over again.

That electrifying touch.

She held her breath, shutting her eyes tight as his face loomed over hers, his hot breath on her skin making her insides throb with anticipation.