Third Person Pov.
Lena woke up feeling unbearably tired and sore, as though a truck had run her over in the middle of the night.
As she struggled to open her eyes properly, she noticed something was wrong. The ceiling above her looked unfamiliar, nothing like the one in her bedroom.
Panic surged through her. She hurriedly tried to sit up, only to realize she was completely naked. Her body ached so badly that she could barely move, and in that instant, the truth of what had happened the previous night crashed down on her.
Her heart pounded violently.
She searched the room and spotted her clothes scattered carelessly across the floor. Fighting through the pain, she quickly dressed herself and rushed out of the hotel room as fast as she could, before anyone noticed her leaving a hotel just days before her wedding.
What a scandal.
Tears streamed down Lena's face as relentless questions flooded her mind.
How did I get here?
How do I explain this to Evans?
Will he believe me if I tell him I was raped?
She tried to walk faster, but the pain between her legs was excruciating.
In frustration, she almost screamed aloud,
"Is he a beast? How can I barely walk?"
Shame wrapped tightly around her as she made her way downstairs. She quickly hailed a taxi, got inside, and gave the driver her home address. Exhausted, she closed her eyes, hoping to rest, even if only for a moment.
As she drifted, fragments of the previous night began to resurface. Her mind was still foggy from the alcohol, but one conversation stood out vividly, the last one she had with Ashley before she blacked out.
"Why did you seduce my fiancé?" she had demanded.
"When did it all start?"
Like a pounding headache, images of the day before came rushing back. She remembered seeing Evans, her Evans, hugging Ashley, caressing her intimately.
Lena opened her tear-rimmed eyes.
"So this is how I ended up in a stranger's bed?" she whispered brokenly.
"You all betrayed me… but why? What did I ever do to deserve this?"
She broke down again, sobbing uncontrollably.
After she finally calmed herself, Lena retrieved her phone from her trouser pocket and dialed her secretary.
"Sylvia," she said quietly, "get me the security footage from last night at Starlight Hotel. I want everything with audio."
Sylvia, unaware of the reason behind the request, didn't question her boss.
"Should the footage cover the entire hotel?" she asked.
"And from what time?"
Lena sighed, glancing at her perfectly trimmed nails before replying,
"From the moment I stepped into that hotel until the moment I left this morning. Be discreet. I want it in twenty minutes."
Exactly twenty minutes later, Sylvia called back.
"Ma'am, I've forwarded the footage to your phone," she said, her voice laced with worry.
"But… is there really a need for you to watch it? The video only shows you and Evans celebrating. Nothing unusual."
Lena stopped her immediately.
"Sylvia, don't worry. I already know what's in the video. I just need evidence."
Unable to hide her anger any longer, Sylvia blurted out,
"Those scumbags won't get away with this."
Lena cut her off gently but firmly. Knowing Sylvia's temper, she warned her to stay low and wait for instructions.
Lena then opened the footage and watched intently, like a hawk. The private suite they had booked—thankfully, was equipped with CCTV and audio recording.
She heard everything.
Every word.
She learned that Ashley and Evans had been secretly dating for two years. Worse still, they planned to use her nude photos to blackmail her into handing over her company.
Lena was stunned by the depth of their betrayal.
Meanwhile, Sylvia replayed the footage repeatedly, scrutinizing every detail. Unable to sit still, she rushed to the hotel to conduct her own investigation.
She would rather cough up blood than allow the company, one her boss had worked tirelessly to build fall into the wrong hands.
"Miss, we've arrived," the taxi driver said abruptly.
"Please pay your fare and step out so I can go about my day."
His voice snapped Lena out of her thoughts.
She apologized softly, paid him, and stepped out of the car. As the driver sped away, he glanced at her through the mirror, disgust clear in his eyes.
Lena stood there alone, her heart heavy, her resolve slowly hardening.