Chapter 3 Deal

Krystal hall, uptown Swan city.

Luxury cars pulled into the elegant building, the welcoming party hosted by X groups was in full swing.

"I heard Lorian Axton returned this time to pick a wife from his hometown." Some of the elite young women of swan city, all dressed to the nines were clustered together whispering to each other. Everyone was eagerly awaiting Lorian's arrival to the party.

"Where did you hear that news?"

"Don't worry, it came from a very reliable source. Why do you think most of the guests invited to this welcoming party are women? That too the women from elite high society."

This piece of news began to spread throughout the whole party hall making every woman In attendance alert and eager to catch the eyes of this elusive billionaire.

"On this evening, we celebrate to welcome the CEO of our reputable company. In five years, X groups has grown to the top of the business ranks, please welcome the man behind it all, Lorian Axton."

The tall golden double entrance doors swung open and the long shadow of a man strode through it's entrance.

Unfiltered gasps could be heard. Their awe was because they were seeing the man, the legend right before their eyes. A face most would only see on televisions, social media interviews or magazines, was live in front of them.

"He looks even more handsome in person." A low squeal sounded.

When Lorian stood on the stage, absolute silence was maintained. Who could speak when their eyes were trained on the beautiful specimen of a man.

Thick dark brows, a perfectly tall nose on a sculpted face with sharp jawlines that could cut through glass. His eyes, rich and inky black like a bottomless pool scanned through the crowd as if he were looking for someone he hadn't found yet. His gaze landed on a familiar person in the crowd, the man smiled and waved at Lorian from below the stage.

James Clinton, Lorian's very good friend whom he'd known for some years now.

"Please enjoy the party." Were the only words Lorian said before descending the stage to head towards his friend.

If James was here, then that person would be here too.

"Hey man, you've been gone for so long, I've missed you." James was all wide grins as he greeted Lorian, but his dark eyes kept searching around James yet he didn't see that person.

Lorian politely greeted his friend who introduced him to a woman standing next to him.

"I'd like you to meet Layla Blakewood."

Lorian's brows drew together, "Blakewood? If I remember correctly, the Blakewood family only has one daughter, your wife."

James sighed, "It's a long story. Anyway Layla is the real heiress of the Blakewoods now."

Lorian didn't seem interested in whatever James was explaining to him, he continued to look around the hall and when he didn't find who he was searching for, he excused himself to the balcony to get some air.

Someone heading away from the terrace collided against his chest abruptly.

"I'm so sorry...I wasn't looking at my..." The voice was very familiar, when she raised her head, he saw her face.

Lorian's deeply furrowed brows relaxed like someone who'd found the very thing they were looking for.

Christina had arrived at the party a while back, she had gotten sick of watching Layla standing with James. Even though they were trying to hide their relationship to the world since James was still legally married to Christina, they still couldn't hide their affection for each other.

Christina had controlled her heart ache, she had kept it all in. Her goal here was to meet Lorian, the man who stood as the best man at her wedding whom she hadn't seen again after that time. She didn't expect to suddenly run into him when she'd decided to go back to the party after spending some time on the balcony.

"You're... here!" Christina exclaimed.

"Were you waiting for me?" She was shocked to hear his voice this close to her. It was a grating rumble of masculinity. Like the low rumble out of a predatory animal's throat.

She quickly came back to her senses and pulled away from him. "No..no I wasn't."

Christina didn't know why she had suddenly come up with a silly revenge plan to use Lorian against James, they were good friends. Perhaps he was the type of person who would never betray friendship.

She shook that plan out of her head and made to leave but suddenly stopped when she heard a familiar voice gasp and moan.

"Oh James, you know how to make me wet for you."

Layla.

The voice was coming from a dark secluded corner nearby, with a few steps Christina could see them standing close to the walls concealed by darkness, Layla's legs wrapped around James' body tightly.

What felt like an arrow wrapped in burning coal shot right through her heart, the feeling was tight and it made her forget to breathe for a few seconds, it hurt so much her face reddened in mixed rage and pain as tears welled in her eyes.

That corner might be a bit secluded, but it was still an open space, anyone could walk in on them but they didn't seem to be able to control themselves, both James and Layla were like feral beasts in heat, they devoured each other unabashedly even at a public event yet James claimed he would keep his relationship with Layla a secret till their divorce.

The pain and humiliation gathered inside Christina's chest she could only clench her fist.

"You don't look surprised, did you know?" She had almost forgotten about the man standing behind her. She jolted when he spoke.

"At our wedding, he swore to me that he'll only love me till we grow old together, he swore his heart would always be mine."

Lorian watched her tears fall and a complicated expression appeared on his face momentarily, he seemed to be holding himself back from something, like an internal struggle with himself, in the end he seemed to relent, without another word he turned to leave but suddenly stopped when a hand grabbed his arm.

Christina didn't even realize she had grabbed his arm when he was about to leave, it was a subconscious action to prevent herself from standing here in the darkness alone watching the two people who shattered her heart and ruined her life.

Deep in her heart she was still a child, that young child that had begged for her adopted parent's love, that child that would cling so tightly onto anyone who showed her the smallest affection, just like how she'd clung to James even with how badly he abused her, how much he used to beat her, she had held on telling herself she wouldn't let go as long as he still loved her, because all her life, whether from her family or outsiders, she had never had a taste of what love felt like, but here she was watching him give that love to another woman.

The ache grew rapidly till it became something bitter in her heart, something vengeful.

"I'll let him feel it, this very pain... I'll make sure he feels it a thousand times more." Her tears merged with the determination that shone in her light grey eyes.

She turned to look at the man next to her, he was quiet. He didn't try to comfort her nor say anything soothing, his black eyes were cold unfeeling as if he was incapable of feeling or understanding any emotions.

"I will get my revenge on him."

Lorian cocked his head to the side.

"You plan to cheat on my best friend like he did to you. Are you asking me for help right now Mrs Clinton?" Lorian had read the look in her eyes.

It was feminine fury, unbridled and purely determined.

This kind of look was something he'd never seen on the face of his best friend's wife. It fascinated him.

"If going down low and dirty is what it takes to get back at James then yes, that Is what I plan to do."

Lorian's obsidian eyes glinted with amusement, as if what she was proposing was something potentially fun to him. He leaned towards her slightly, "And what role do I play in this little plan of yours?"

Christina had rarely interacted with Lorian in the past, for no other reason except for the fact that she was afraid of him. There had been rumors about him going around that he was involved in the dark underworld, that he had blood on his hands and that he was a very dangerous man.

He never proved those rumors wrong, instead he seemed to prove them right as he usually carried around a dark aura, one that frightened anyone he looks at.

And with the swirls of dark ink that always peeked out of his neck through whatever clothes he wears, and more wrapped around his arms as well, along with his love for wearing black clothes that further added to the dangerous allure he carried, it was almost impossible for one not to be afraid and wary around him.

But right now Christina was no longer afraid of him, she had been bathed in the pain of heartbreak, the pain of being tossed out by a family who raised her for over twenty years and the physical pain of assault from a man she loved, the darkness of a man who potentially had killed people before no longer scared her.

"You'll be the other man."

Instead of being offended by being asked to play the role of the other man to his best friend's wife, Lorian's face seemed to light up and his lips raised in a smirk.

"I warn you Mrs Clinton, there's a heavy price to pay for using me."

"Then consider me indebted to you, whenever you want, I'll be willing to pay you back."

His eyes flashed with something evil, it was supposed to scare Christina into backing out, but when she didn't he put his hand forward for a hand shake.

"We have a deal."