Killian Wellington.
When their eyes locked, no, when Anita took in his features from behind her oversized dark shades, memories flooded her mind in a torrent, but none that was pleasing, only serving to increase her irritation.
"You asshole!" she cursed and swung her bag at him.
The man giggled, taking the first hit, but caught her hand in the air before the second hit landed. "You're only allowed to hit me once, Annette. That's our rule."
Perhaps, she would have blushed at the sound of that, but with her heart and emotions in disarray, she couldn't summon the courage to feel good.
Instead, her anger rose as she kneeled him where it hurt men the most.
His balls.
Killian growled and doubled over as pain shot through his veins.
"That's what you get for being a prick. This better be the last time I see you again." With that, the elevator dinged and she stormed out. She didn't even look back at him.
Killian held the elaborate door, stopping it from closing as he watched her until she disappeared into one of the executive suits. Despite the pain, his lips curled into a beautiful smile. "Still the same."
…
Minutes later…
Anita stood on the balcony, alcohol in hand as she gazed into the city, yet was looking through the colorful city.
Her mind had wandered away, replaying the events from earlier.
The so-called Linda, whoever she was, was back and her husband, a married man, had proposed to her, but Linda had rejected, claiming she didn't want to be a mistress…
Anita savored the taste of that as she washed it down with the drink. The drink burnt her throat, but the taste of that logic was very bitter and difficult to digest.
It made no sense.
She wasn't stupid. Would David propose to Linda if the two of them hadn't shook the sheets a number of times already?
And the harmony inside that elevator – their chemistry was far from those of people who hadn't eaten the forbidden fruit.
Anita chuckled self-deprecatingly. If she was told that her marriage would end up like those stories she'd read, she'd never believe it.
She could carry the weight of the world, she could predict her enemies' moves, but nothing prepared her for this betrayal.
The first time she met David, he was a hard-working intern at her father's company.
David was dead poor and even the decent salary he earned wasn't enough to wash off poverty from him.
His mother worked as a stylist at a low budget salon, where she was constantly humiliated and bullied, yet she couldn't quit because their livelihood depended on what she and David earned.
You would think that a person working at a large conglomerate should be able to afford the bare minimum of a decent life, but no, what David earned was to repay the debt his father incurred from loan sharks, otherwise, his little sister, Charlotte would be taken away.
They couldn't afford Charlotte's school fees, so the girl had to stay at home, getting homeschooled by her brother.
Despite the sad lives they lived, David was ambitious and wasn't lazy, that was what drew Anita to him.
He was handsome but lacked the luster to stand out. When Anita, a billionaire heiress, took interest in him just to spite her family, falling in love was not part of the deal, but it happened... Or so they thought.
Anita lost her family's favor and was disowned because she chose to marry a nobody – to marry for love, over the man they chose for her.
Yet Anita was not deterred, because David was willing to endure the hardship that came with stealing an heiress, and a second generation Young Master's fiancee.
They called her old, yet she was only thirty-five... five years older than David, but you'd never know, unless you were told.
Anita looked younger than her age, she was beautiful, rocking her natural blonde hair with dark roots, green eyes, and curves in the right places.
But age difference was never a requirement for their happiness. However, after Charlotte made her feel old, Anita couldn't shed the feeling that David also had the same opinion.
For eight years, their marriage was smooth-sailing, except the occasional banters - nothing serious, nothing suspicious, and all was good, until now.
Anita loved David. For eight years, she'd loved him and her love for him hadn't dwindled, even after this betrayal, but Anita knew her worth. She marked her territories and didn't share.
David had slipped from her and that was it. It was over. She lost a husband and inlaws she'd always thought were the best in the world.
But one thing remained… her baby.
Anita's hand subconsciously wrapped around her stomach. A small smile crossed her lips, despite the heartache. This child was the only reward she got from her eight years of marriage, and she'd make sure to raise it well, and alone.
David and his family had lost the rights to this baby. She'd file for a divorce and leave the country to go start afresh with her child.
She didn't want revenge. She didn't want anything that would worry her soul. She had a child to give all of her love and trust, and that was enough to make her find happiness again.
Just as she concluded on what to do, the doorbell rang. She returned to the living room and went for the door. Pulling the door open, Anita jerked back.
"Y– you, what are you doing here?"
Killian stepped in, dressed as room service, a smile dangling on his lips. "What does it look like I'm doing here, Annette? I brought your stuff." He pointed at her luggages that lay on the trolley outside.
"You work here?" She frowned. If she knew beforehand, she would have chosen a different hotel.
"Oh no," he wiggled his finger, "I'm only doing this as a part-time worker…I'm here to serve you, Annette," he grinned, that same wicked grin that she'd known for half her life.
Anita wasn't in the mood to battle with him.
Her body was starting to feel strange. She was sure that she wasn't drunk. A glass was not enough to get her drunk, even though she knew she wasn't supposed to be drinking with a child growing inside of her.
Her head felt light and her vision blurred. Anita frowned, feeling a dull pain pooling at the lower part of her stomach.
It could be from stress. I'll be fine after some sleep. She told herself.
Beholding Killian from her hazy vision, she pointed at the door, "Get out." She needed peace and all the rest she could get, but with him around, she'd never get it. "Leave, otherwise, I'll–"
"Inform the manager?" He seemed not to have noticed her changes as he chuckled. "Too bad he–"
Clatter!
Anita's glass slipped and as she suddenly swayed.
Simultaneously, Killian's hand shot out as he screamed, "Annette!"