Chapter 1 Author's Note to the Reader

Dear Reader,

What you are about to step into is not just a love story. It's a tangled web of passion, betrayal, secrets, and the quiet ache of discovering the truth behind the people we think we know.

Jacqueline's journey is one many of us know too well, the journey of holding on when we should let go, of chasing stability while craving fire, of mistaking comfort for love. Her story unfolds in layers: through the haunting grip of her dreams, the unraveling of a once-promising engagement, and the magnetic pull of a man who exists both in her subconscious and in the shadows of her waking life.

This book explores the power of instinct, the destruction that lies in deceit, and the healing that only truth, however painful,can bring.

You may find pieces of yourself in Jacqueline. In her strength. In her silence. In the storm she learns to survive.

This is a story about second chances, about trusting the unknown, and about the dangerous beauty of a love that finds you when you least expect it, and refuses to let go.

With heart,

[Dee-Jay]

Jacqueline's POV

"Ugh!"

By the time I finished reading the chapter, a warm flush surged through me. My pulse beat slowly and steady between my thighs, and I could feel the ache spreading like wildfire.

I reached for my phone, fingers trembling, and dialed Derek. No answer. I tried again. Still nothing.

"Why aren't you picking up?" I whispered, breathless the embers of longing, I rested my head on the desk. The warmth between my legs was unbearable, my body alight with a hunger only he could soothe.

Sleep found me fast.

And in that dreamworld, he stood there. A faceless man in a black game suit, his body built like temptation, his aura thick and magnetic. He didn't need a face; his energy alone undressed my sanity.

"Hey," I breathed, fingers finding his chest. My touch drifted to his nipples, watching the rhythm of his breath falter. As if responding to a secret chord in my body, his hand found my thigh, sliding upward beneath my silk-black mini gown.

The air vibrated with need. My breath hitched. I was seconds from surrendering completely

A blaring ringtone shattered the moment. My eyes snapped open.

Damn. Just a dream.

I exhaled sharply and picked up. "Hello?"

"Hi, Ms. Jacqueline, this is Sophie's Bridals. Just calling to confirm your final wedding fitting this weekend. Will you be available?"

"Yes. Yes, I'll be there," I said, voice scratchy.

"Great. Goodbye."

Even after the call ended, my body still buzzed with the ghost of that dream. The ache hadn't gone, if anything, it had grown worse.

I was lost in thought, still drenched in the remnants of my dream, when I was jolted by the feeling of warm hands slipping around my neck, followed by a soft kiss pressed to my left cheek.

"I called," I said, realizing it was Derek.

"Yeah, sorry. Didn't realize my phone was on silent," he replied, his voice distant, cold.

His tone stung more than I cared to admit. I should be used to this by now, his indifference, his detachment. But still, a small part of me clung to hope. That one day, Derek would look past my skin and see the woman inside. The one who craves not just his body, but his heart.

"I'm sorry. The meeting took longer than I thought," he added, this time with a flicker of remorse in his voice.

"Uhh...it's okay," I murmured, though the last word never quite left my lips, it was swallowed by his mouth as he leaned in to kiss me.

We kissed deeply, our lips moving in sync, tasting each other with slow, hungry pulls.

"De...Derek," I whispered between kisses, trying to speak, to pause, to breathe, but he held me tighter, his grip firm, commanding.

A part of me wanted to resist, to ask for connection beyond the physical. But the heat in his touch melted my restraint. My body betrayed me, aching for him, yearning for something fierce and raw.

I shivered beneath his hands, every nerve ending alive and electric. My breasts tingle with anticipation, nipples hardened, silently begging for his touch.

He lifted me effortlessly, his hands gripping the back of my thighs. I wrapped myself around him, clinging to the only closeness he ever gave me. Pressed to his chest, I felt the strong, steady rhythm of his heartbeat, a rhythm I wanted to believe was for me.

Still battling with my strong but doubtful feeling, the moment took a better part of me.

Ah...

I moaned softly as he slipped his tender arousal inside me.

We both let out quiet moans as he moved slowly, rhythmically, but I craved more, something deeper, more passionate, something that felt real.

After just a few seconds of moving inside me, he let out a soft, "Fu...fuck," and released what he got down.

That's it? Not again, I thought, my heart sinking quietly.

"Derek, we need to talk," I said, though I wasn't sure how to say what I truly felt, without being judged.

How do I tell him for the thousandth time that I need intimacy that's more than just him climaxing?

How do I tell him I want to be touched there, that I want to be sucked down there, without him looking disgusted, like he always does?

What words can I use this time that will land any differently than before?

"Sit up," he said abruptly.

"Look what I got for you," he added, pulling out a small wrapped gift box.

I chuckled, still torn, wondering how he could be so blind to my needs, and yet still questioning whether maybe I was the problem. Am I not attractive enough? The worry rose quietly inside me.

Still, I faked a smile as he pinned the delicate golden necklace around my neck.

"I'll be out of town tomorrow, as early as the first crow," he announced casually.

I looked at him, my expression unreadable, but inside, a storm brewed. Are you for real right now?! My face held a thousand unsaid words. I wished he could read them.

"I...I.."

Shh, he interrupted, placing a finger gently on my lips.

"I know. I just got back, and yeah, I'm supposed to spend more time with you. But work calls. What can I do?" He shrugged dramatically, as if that explained everything.

"But I promise you, after this trip, I'll be all yours. Just be ready. Make space for me. Don't get tired of me," he said with a laugh, walking out.

I sighed, helpless, letting his words sink in. It wasn't the first time I'd heard promises like that, and yet, nothing ever changed.

Still, I tried to hold on. I wanted to believe him. I tried, really hard, not to think, even for a second, that Derek might be involved with someone else.

Like Allison, my best friend, had always hinted.

But I shrugged the thought off. Not even the tiniest part of me wanted to give it a moment's space in my mind.