Chapter 1
In a karaoke room, Marissa Monroe lay there naked, while the man next to her had his shirt unbuttoned, showing everything below the
waist.
A video recorder sat on the coffee table, quietly blinking.
“Jonathan…” She bit his arm lightly. “Can we stop recording?”
Jonathan paused, then let out a low laugh.
He gently cupped her face, locked eyes with her, and smirked as he said, “Getting shy, are we?”
“Don’t worry, baby. I’m just capturing your most beautiful side. Let met keep this, alright?”
That “baby” made Marissa flush bright red, her heart pounding.
At that moment, Jonathan was all she could think about, so saying no was not even an option.
Meanwhile, pop songs kept playing in the background, one after another.
Finally, their bodies moved in syne with the rhythm of the music as they both reached their peak.
Marissa collapsed onto the sofa, breathing heavily.
Jonathan straightened his suit slowly, then leaned down to kiss her gently on the lips.
He traced her mouth with his thumb and said softly, “My friends are still waiting on me. Let the driver take you home first. I’ll come find you after the party, okay?”
Marissa smiled, her dimples adding a touch of charm. “Got it.”
After Jonathan left the room, Marissa looked at the messy stains. around the room, blushed a little, dressed herself, and grabbed some tissues to clean up.
She stood up and got ready to leave when she noticed Jonathan’s phone. still lying on the sofa.
He had not been gone long. If she hurried, she might be able to catch him.
Grabbing the phone, she dashed toward the elevator.
Jonathan had just stepped inside one when she shouted, “Jonathan!”
However, he did not hear her.
The private room was on the tenth floor of the building, and who knew when the next elevator would come?
Clenching her jaw, Marissa turned and bolted for the stairs.
By the time she reached the main hall, Jonathan was already outside, laughing and chatting with a group of guys.
They were being loud–so loud she could hear their conversation from the stairwell. Curious, she slowed down and crept closer.
“Jonny, that was wild. Even for a karaoke room, you were being a bit much,” one guy joked.
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“Yeah. I passed by, and the noise had me standing at attention,” another laughed.
“Chet spoils that niece of his. If he ever finds out what you’ve been up to…”
Marissa’s legs felt unsteady, and she gripped the wall to keep herself from collapsing onto the floor.
“Chet and Jonny have been at odds for years; everyone in Houston knows that,” one of them said.
“If it wasn’t to break him completely, Jonny wouldn’t have gone after her.”
“Jonny, you’ve been together for over two years now. The memory on that recorder must be running low, huh?”
“When can we see the video? Ms. Monroe’s famous for her curves.”
“I’m more curious about how Chet reacted when he saw it!”
They all laughed, oblivious to the fact that the woman they were discussing was just behind a column.
Marissa leaned against the pillar, gradually sinking to the floor.
The words she had overheard struck her like a punch to the gut.
“Jonathan…”
So, all the initial sparks and the frequent encounters were all part of his plan?
He had pursued her and stayed with her just to make her uncle suffer?
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“Jonny, why the daze?” One guy teased. “Didn’t you go after Marissa just to teach Chet a lesson?”
“Are you really falling for her now?”
“Fall for her?” Jonathan muttered, a cigarette dangling lazily between his fingers.
He took a long drag, exhaling a slow smoke ring.
“Ive been butting heads with Chet Monroe for years. You really think I’d fall for his niece?
“Of course, I had to pick the right moment to crush his spirit.”
Jonathan tapped his own forehead and grinned, “How about I throw her a Valentine’s Day bash and play the video on a big screen?
“Invite Chet too. Imagine his face when he sees I’ve slept with his precious niece–now that’s a show worth watching.”
“Damn, not bad! Jonny, your moves are still top–tier!”
Marissa clenched her fists tightly, her head bowed as silent tears splashed onto the sleek floor.
Just then, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder and heard the voice of a staff member.
“Ma’am, are you okay? Do
you okay? Do you need any help?”
Marissa quickly wiped her tears, handed the phone over, and pointed
toward the door.
“This belongs to the man outside. Please return it to him and just say
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you saw him drop it. Don’t mention me.”
The staff nodded, took the phone, and walked off toward Jonathan without another word.
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