THE CEO'S HIRED WIFE

Avalynn shut the large door to the living room behind her as she made her way upstairs, heading for her room. She was tired from the day's work as it was very hectic at the restaurant today, being a Friday.

"Just a little more time Amelia, I'm still waiting for the right time to tell her," Avalynn heard this familiar voice say as she passed through Amelia's room.

She halted for a moment as she became interested and pressed her ears to the door.

"The right time?? So when is the right time Dylan? I cannot handle this anymore. Don't you see the way she stares at you??" She heard Amelia respond.

Avalynn's heart skipped. Dylan? No way. Dylan.. what was.. no. In Amelia's room? Did she mishear? Her heart started hammering so fiercely in her chest like a pestle striking a mortar.

"Okay okay, I will break it off with her tomorrow. I was done with her since I met you anyway. I'll pick you over and over again Amelia" She heard Dylan say again.

Avalynn stumbled backwards a bit, panting so hard and loud as she heard the door to Amelia room open. She instantly dropped her bag and hurried down the stairs into the living room.

She couldn't handle it, she couldn't bear to see Dylan's face.

She refused to accept it and couldn't believe it either. Dylan and Amelia..having an affair??! No way!

While she was sprinting with her heart pounding in her chest and tears clouding her eyes, she struck a familiar figure.

"Watch where you're going illegitimate!" Marvy, her youngest step sister responded.

Avalynn stopped, staring downwards, with her hands held backwards. It seemed like her heart would jump out of her chest as tears streamed freely down her face.

"Did you see a ghost" Marvy inquired, displaying no trace of empathy even when she noticed that Ava was in tears.

Avalynn couldn't keep it in any longer. She collapsed to the ground and began weeping.

"Why? Why? Whyyyy?? Just what did I do so wrong?" She mumbled amidst crying.

"Will you stop disturbing the peace of the house, you fool?!" It was Amelia.

Avalynn glanced in the voice's direction and saw Dylan locking hands with Amelia. In as much as she was an illegitimate child, that was her blood. How could Dylan do this to her?

"How could you?" The words slipped her lips as she disregarded Amelia's remarks, rose and moved towards Dylan staring at him.

"Dylan, please tell me this is a prank.. this isn't happening. You are doing this on purpose to trick me right?"

Dylan grinned, he turned to Amelia who was already staring up at him, he drew her face close with her chin and gave her a very deep passionate kiss right there in front of Avalynn.

Pecking Amelia's cheeks, he turned to face Avalynn with the sneer still on his face, "Does it still look like a trick to you.... Avalynn?"

Avalynn couldn't tell whether it was her heart or time that stopped. Everything suddenly stood still. The only thing she could hear was her hammering pulse. They were thumping so fast and loud, she felt like she could drop dead right there.

No, no, this isn't happening.

"Dylan, this is what I get? This is what I get for loving you selflessly for three years? You...you.. you said..you said you loved me. You always said that.. you.."

"Oh shut your trap, you slut! Dylan is mine now can't you see? And for your information..." Amelia opened her fingers to display the gorgeous ring set on her middle finger. "We are engaged"

Taking a few steps backwards, Avalynn turned towards the main entrance and ran out as quickly as her skinny long gorgeous legs could take her. She didn't know where she was headed, she simply continued running as she allowed the tears flow freely from her eyes as her throat tightened.

She had been running for a few minutes and was running out of breath. She stopped and sat on the floor. She didn't know what was going on yet. Was she dreaming or...? She pinched herself severally but she didn't wake up anywhere. She was there. It's real. Dylan dumped her for her stepsister, a girl she introduced him to not even up to five months yet. What exactly happened and how?

Dylan showed no evidence of falling out of love at all. He had even been the one who was more in love in the relationship. She equally loved him too but had a hectic life to fully concentrate on a romantic relationship. Was that why he left her? But no. Could Dylan really do this to her? He was going to ...

Wait, he engaged Amelia already?

Ava wasn't having it anymore, she was practically going mad. She glanced opposite her and her eyes met a very bright neon light, like a club? She moved towards the light. It was a club. She didn't think twice as she hurried inside.

The blaring music invaded her head. Felt like one thing she needed at that time. She glanced around and there were so many lovely females and attractive men dancing. Happy individuals. She thought to herself as she moved towards the bar counter.

At the bar counter, there was a man sitting alone there, he appeared tall, unarguably handsome, at least, judging from the side view she observed. Their eyes met and shifted to the bartender.

"Can I have vodka please?" She managed to whisper.

"Sure." The bar man answered, moving to the counter and pulling out a huge bottle of Vodka. "It's $100 and pay before having your order tonight," he stated as he put the bottle on the counter table.

"$100? Omg why is it so expensive? And pay before order?" Avalynn asked, growing agitated. She needed to guzzle this alcohol as fast as possible!

"Yes, I'm sorry. It's an order." the bar guy replied.

Avalynn signed, evidently annoyed. She didn't even come with her bag. F*ck what was she thinking. Some tears were almost dropping from her eyes, she used the back of her hand to wipe them off. Not here, she mumbled to herself. She withdrew, turning to go.

"If you don't mind, I'd pay for the drink" She heard the guy her eyes had caught as she entered.

She stopped abruptly and looked towards him, their eyes connected. He was incredibly handsome. The club lights didn't let her see the color of his eyes yet but he looked expensive and rich too.

She took a long breath, typically, she should decline this but no, she was going to run insane if she didn't drink alcohol that night.

"I'd really appreciate it," She remarked to him, heading back to the counter.

Avalynn settled on the stool beside the stranger as he ordered a bottle of vodka.

In a few minutes, She was already on the third bottle. She felt a bit drunk, but not too drunk to still be aware of her surroundings.

She could still form normal thoughts, and she was conscious enough to know what she was doing. But she also knew she was drinking too much.

"Please pour me another shot," Ava requested of the stranger, her voice audible even over the loud music playing in the club.

She had been drinking for a while and was now obviously too drunk.

"Sure," the stranger said as he poured her another shot of vodka into her cup and watched her swallow it all at once. He likewise drank down the rest of his cup's contents before pouring another.

"After three good years of my total commitment, that motherf*cking bastard dumped me for my own goddamn stepsister!" She ranted, hitting her cup on the counter.

She staggered and almost fell off the stool.

"Take it easy on yourself, woman," the guy said as he held her back from falling.

She rested her head on his shoulders, her eyes wide open but seeming not to see anything.

"I want some more alcohol!" She yelled, pulling the guy's shirt.

"You're having too much to drink; I'm sorry, I can't grant that request," he replied, still holding her.

Signaling to the bartender, who was arranging drinks in the display area, he rushed over. "Do you by any chance know her?" he asked him.

"I do not exactly 'know her'. I have only seen her a few times; she comes here sometimes with her friend. I don't have any of their connections."

"Oops. She's dead drunk," the stranger guy said, tilting her face upwards and taking a good look at her. She was pretty, with green eyes and blonde hair. Why would a guy dump this pretty lady, though? He smirked a little.

"I am not drunk! How dare you call me drunk, you pervert?" Avalynn raised her head all of a sudden. The stranger and the bartender exchanged glances. "Didn't you hear what I just said? I said that son of a b*tch f*cking dumped me after three years, and you call me drunk?!" she screamed as she lifted the vodka bottle and gulped the contents without bothering to use a cup.

The stranger guy glanced around; she was already drawing attention, and he didn't want that. He adjusted his baseball cap and turned to the bartender.

"Do you know any hotels close by?" he asked.

"Yes, sure, there's one just down the street," the bartender pointed out, trying to describe the location of the hotel. The stranger seemed confused, so he gave a better description, and with that, he lifted Avalynn and took her outside the club.

Avalynn knew he was carrying her outside the club, but she was too weak to do anything; she just kept staring like someone unconscious.

At the parking lot, the guy approached a black Lamborghini, shiny even with the little light of the street lamp shining on it.

He unlocked the passenger seat and laid Avalynn down, then moved to the other side, climbed into the driver's seat, and drove away. In a matter of minutes, he arrived at the hotel parking lot. They went into the small hotel. It seemed like a 3-star? It wasn't his taste at all, but at this moment, he had no choice; he booked a room, and he went in there with Avalynn.

Shutting the door behind him, Avalynn pulled her hands from his grip.

"I can walk," she said as she walked towards the bed and laid down there. The world around her was spinning. Her head was pounding so hard. She craved more; she wanted more alcohol.

"So this is where you'll spend the night, okay?" He brought out something like a complimentary card from his pocket. "Here is my card; you can call me when you wake up tomorrow," he said, putting the card on the table.

Oh, this won't do, he thought to himself. He searched his cross bag, and luckily, there was a pen. He found a piece of paper somewhere on the floor and wrote the words - 'Call me when you wake up'.

Turning to leave, he heard her voice.

"You're not leaving me alone here, are you?" Avalynn inquired, her eyes closed, while she lay on the bed, facing up, like a block of wood.

"You want me to stay here with you?" He stammered, looking confused.

"Yes," she replied.

"It's obvious you've had too much to drink, young lady. Please get some rest. I'll be back tomorrow morning to check up on you and maybe drive you back home," the stranger said, making to leave when he stopped at her words again.

"Please don't leave me alone here," Avalynn said as she opened her eyes. She stood up from the bed and looked toward the door; the figure standing there seemed like Dylan's. Oh, Dylan, had he come back to apologize?

She stood up and walked toward the tall figure.

"I'm so happy to have you here," she said, smiling so widely and revealing her pretty set of white teeth.

"Excuse me?" The stranger asked, raising an eyebrow. "I don't..."

Before he could finish, Avalynn pulled him onto the bed and landed on him. It was so sudden that his eyes closed for a moment.

He opened them after a few seconds, and right in front of his eyes were her cute pink lips, slightly opened, revealing well-set white teeth. He swallowed his saliva as he tried to push her off him slightly so he could stand up.

"Make love to me," he heard her say, pulling him back, making his heart skip a beat.

"Huh? Sorry?" he asked, puzzled.

Avalynn moved her small soft lips to his right ear, softly licking it. "I said,make love to me," she repeated.

Before he could say another word, Avalynn lowered her lips and gradually covered his. He couldn't hold himself; he flipped her over and got on top of her.

She passionately wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. His fingers grasped her securely as he peered down at her lips with desire.

He carefully targeted her lips and kissed her again, this time with depth, pleasure and sweetness.

It seemed like that was just what she needed.

The bed was so soft and comfortable. Avalynn thought as she adjusted herself, smiling sheepishly.

Wait. Bed?!

She jerked up from the hotel bed; her gaze met the wall clock; it was 7:30 a.m. She wasn't wearing anything aside from her pants. What the heck? How come? She looked around. Where was she? She heard the tap running in the bathroom.

The last thing she remembered was a stranger who offered to buy her a drink at the club. Wait, so Dylan isn't back? She tried to stand up from the bed; her private part hurt. No. What's that pain? She quickly lifted the duvet to inspect.

Damn! It wasn't a dream! Nooo. Who the heck did this to her?

She tried to remember how the night went, but it wasn't coming through. She spotted her dress on the sofa by the bedside. She quickly reached for it and put it on.

"You're awake," she said, hearing a strange voice. She lifted her head and saw the same guy she had met at the club last night coming out of the bathroom shirtless and with a towel around his thighs; it seemed like he had just had his bath.

"How dare you bring me here? How dare you do this to me?" Avalynn cried out.

She was so hurt. What had she done? How could she do this?

"Hey, calm your nerves. I haven't said I wouldn't pay you; just name your price," the guy said with a smirk on his face.

He had concluded she was a prostitute who needed money. Which girl would offer her body so cheaply to a guy she doesn't even know?

"Are you insane?! Pay me? Is that what you've got to say after taking advantage of me?!" Avalynn fired, getting off the bed and moving towards him.

"Calm down. Taking advantage of you? You offered yourself to me. 'Make love to me,' didn't you say that?? So why are you so worked up? Fine, I know you need money; I will give it to you. Like I already said, just name your price."

The words hit Avalynn's heart so deeply. The words he just claimed she said rang a bell, and the memories flashed back. She remembered just how she pulled him to the bed and how she had pushed him into sleeping with her.

A tear streamed down the corner of her eyes as she became speechless.

So it wasn't a dream. She wasn't dreaming. Dylan wasn't back. Amelia still had him, and here she was. She had just slept with an unidentified man she had never met; she was unaware of his name as well.

What the heck! She collapsed on the sofa by the bedside. She just cheated on Dylan. Oh God, it was a mistake. She swore she didn't mean to.

"I am so sorry... I don't... I don't even know what to say." She couldn't look him in the eyes.

She turned towards the door, making her way to leave. She didn't even bother freshening up.

"Wait, I don't even know your name. Don't you think we should know each other's names?"

She ignored him, turned the doorknob, and ran out of the hotel to the main road. As she walked by the sidewalk, looking tattered and her blonde hair rough, she tried to rack her brain to remember everything that happened last night, but they weren't just coming.

Though, with the way she was feeling between her legs, they definitely had sex. Shame gripped her. How was she supposed to face Dylan now? For three years, they had been dating, but nothing of the sort ever happened.

They were even eight months into the relationship before she allowed him to deflower her. He was her first-ever boyfriend and first love.

"Ava!" A familiar voice echoed in her ears. She didn't turn the first time. She had probably imagined Lisa's voice, as she was the one person she always turned to when in situations she couldn't handle on her own.

"Avalynn!" The person called her by her full name this time. She turned, and her eyes met her best friend since childhood, Lisa.

Lisa approached Ava, smiling so brightly, and hugged her tightly.

"Did you hear the entertainment news, girl? Jace Malvis is back in New York!"

Malvis is the biggest business company in New York at this time, and the only heir to the company's business is back to claim his inheritance.

"Oh, really?" Ava didn't care about that. Who was he anyway? She forced a smile on. She didn't want her friend to see her sad. It was their first time seeing each other in two weeks. She had been so busy with work.

Work?! Her heart skipped. "What does the time say?!" She asked with a sense of urgency as Lisa approached her.

Lisa glanced at her wristwatch and said, "It's 8:20 am; why?"

"Oh, my freaking God! I am late for work!" Ava was about to run off when Lisa said,

"Hey, it's Saturday; your day off!" she said, laughing as Ava breathed a sigh of relief. "What's up with you? You don't look fine. Why are you so rough so early in the morning? Is something wrong with Dad again?" Lisa said the lines without pause.

The mention of her father, who had been on the sick bed for months after he was diagnosed with heart disease, weakened her. That poor man didn't deserve that much pain.

Her stepmother and sisters had abandoned her to deal with his medical bills alone, which had been a burden she had been carrying ever since. Her restaurant job wasn't helping matters, but at least she was coping.

Taking a deep breath, Ava murmured, "No, nothing is wrong with Dad. He's responding to treatments and will have his surgery soon. It's Dylan; he broke up with me."

There was a moment of silence.

"What?" Lisa couldn't believe her ears.

"The worst part is he dumped me for Amelia." Tears gathered in Ava's eyes. This time, she didn't bother stopping them. She was with Lisa, someone with whom she could be very vulnerable and at her lowest. "He dumped me for that b*tch, Lisa," she cried.

"Wait, you mean Amelia, your stepsister?" Lisa was still finding it hard to believe.

Avalynn just nodded; she couldn't find the words.

Seeing that Ava was wearing off, Lisa offered, "Wanna talk over a cup of coffee?"

"Sure," Ava managed to murmur.

They arrived at the coffee shop, and after ordering Americanos, Ava's favorite, they headed to a very reserved spot and took their seats.

"You want to hear the worst part?" Ava said, taking a brief sip from her coffee cup.

"Spill it, girl."

"I just had a one-night stand by mistake with some pervert," Ava said, her frustration rising.

"One night..." Lisa couldn't finish her words; Ava's phone interrupted their conversation.

It was her stepmother. Her stepmother didn't call her unless it was something very important. She fidgeted, taking a quick glance at Lisa, who urged her to pick up the call. She did and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hello, Mom," she stuttered.

"Come home right now; there's some very vital information for you," her stepmom said over the phone and hung up immediately.