CHAPTER ONE

~JESSICA~

“What?” I was shocked as she shone her diamond ring in my face.

“You need to clear your vision to see the ring,” She said in a kind tone.

My eyes were blurry due to tears so I wiped away my tears and that’s when I realized she wasn’t lying to me. I knew the ring well because it is the same ring I wore just a week ago.

“How long have you been married?” I finally gathered the courage to ask although sounding broken.

“Just five days, do you need anything else as you can see we are still on our honeymoon.” She said not carrying off what I had just told her. I scanned her and realized that she was wearing his shirt, the same shirt I’ve worn here at his apartment.

“Can —can I talk to him? Please,” I pleaded.

“No, he’s busy. I already told you he is my husband and showed you my wedding ring. What more do you want?” She asked, it was not her fault she was just played as me.

“Do you know that is the same ring I wore a week ago, when we got engaged?” I asked hoping it could mean something to her.

“Yes but I have it now, so it clearly doesn’t matter. Do you have something important to say apart from your winning?” She asked, it's clear she was irritated but I was hurting more, this might be some kind of prank or something.

“Yes, I want to talk to Jade and I’m not leaving here until I do,” I said, meaning it, although I sounded not confident she realized I was not going to leave as I stood firm by the door while she blocked the entrance.

“Alright fine but don’t make it long, honey someone is here for you!” She sweetly called out to him, she even had the audacity to call him a pet name.

Then the bastard did appear, he was cooking I could tell as he had an apron on. He didn’t wear much, just the apron and jeans, even at this moment my knees felt weak. He didn’t seem surprised or shocked to see me at all, instead he kissed his wife’s cheeks before greeting me.

“Jessie you’re here, how are you?”

“Can I talk to you, privately please.”

“Private? I see you’ve met my wife, anything you want to say, you can say it right in front of her,” he said.

“I insist.”

“Alright honey it’s fine, I am going to watch our pot before it burns, don’t be long,” his wife said as she kissed his lips right in front of me while he smacked her ass before leaving the two of us.

“You have five minutes,” he said turning his attention back to me,

“What? Five minutes really?” I couldn’t believe this, he was my fiancé. “You owe me more than five minutes Jade, I’m your fiancé.”

“Well not anymore as apparently I’m married now,” his response, I couldn’t believe my ears, was this some kind of a prank?

“Listen if you’re playing a prank on me you better stop it because it’s not funny at all,” I shouted this time,

“Hey hey, lower your voice. Do you want the neighbors to hear? listen I know I gave you false hopes but what were you really thinking? That I would marry a prostitute seriously.”

“I’m not a prostitute, I’m a stripper,” I corrected.

“Still the same thing, my family will never accept you as their in-law.”

“But you never cared, you said that yourself.”

I remembered the time we met how I told him I was a stripper and he said he didn’t care.

“A man will do anything to get into your pants, I can’t believe you fell for it. I thought you were smarter than that.”

“For three years?”

“Yes it can even go on for twenty years, listen Jess I’m not saying it’s the end of our relationship,”

“Then what are you saying?” I sounded desperate.

“My time will be limited that's all, otherwise I’ll see you at times.”

“You promised to marry…”

“As I said we men do anything to get into your pants and besides I can never marry everybody’s property. Jess as you can see I’m busy with husband duties. I’ll call you okay, you wait for me to call first,” He shamelessly said and shut the door in my face.

I was about to bang on the door and cause a commotion but saw the neighbors come out of their apartments, people loved drama with Jade being from a respectful family that could go viral on social media. We have been together for three years, three good years so I still cared for him. I gave up and walked away.

He never cared that I was a stripper, he always told me he understood my situation. I needed to pay for my college fees and rent, having just lost my parents in an accident and no family to fully rely on. Things were extremely difficult. I only had my aunt. She couldn’t manage to pay for my college fees, rent and food. She had her children to care for too. So when Loren introduced me to the job I went for it with no thoughts, I had the skills and a body for it. I worked with the hope of quitting one day and living a peaceful life.

Today was supposed to be my graduation day, I had received a letter from the college telling me my graduation was canceled as someone reported to them that I was a stripper. They didn’t condone such a lifestyle especially for law students. I had come to my fiancé’s apartment for support only to be met with his wife.

He was my hope, he had promised to get me a job as soon as I graduated as his family were influential in the industry. I never met his family as he kept waiting for the right time which was supposed to be this weekend as I had just quit my job to his instructions and now I had lost my job and fiancé, life was really playing a joke on me.

I hiked a cab to drive me back to my apartment as I needed to be alone and think straight, he didn’t initially break up with me, he just got married. I blinked away tears which the driver noticed.

“Are you alright?” He sounded concerned,

“Yes I’m fine, just keep driving please,” I responded I didn’t want anyone to pity me.

After I had paid the driver who shamelessly asked for my number I headed inside my small apartment, upon entering I took a bottle of whiskey and gulped it down my throat as I was better off drunk than having eye bags — it wasn’t good for a stripper because like it or not, I still had to go and beg for my job.

Even if I tried to look for other jobs I knew I couldn’t be hired as now I was blacklisted as a stripper. I’m sure I’ll be in newspapers and everywhere. I just prayed my aunt wouldn't see it.

I grabbed my phone as I dialed my boss’s number. I knew I will get my job back as I was the most like stripper and I brought him money. He didn’t even want me to quit when I did yesterday — he offered to double my salary but being stupid and thinking it was for the best I refused and quit.

“Jess, how are you? Have you thought of my proposal?” He asked immediately as I picked up, he offered that I be the head just so I don’t quit.

“Yes, and I accept it, just don’t forget to raise my salary,” I said. I thought I was going to beg for my job. Lucky me.

“Good, trust me you’ll make more than lawyers,” he sounded happy.

“Can you come to work after your graduation or will your boyfriend not allow you?” He asked, I explained part of the reason I was quitting was because of my boyfriend.

“I will be there shortly,” I said before I ended the call.

I was not going to sit here and cry —maybe later but not now, I had to secure my job first.

****

“He can’t take his eyes off you,” Loren whispered in my ear as she pointed at a man who was seated on the VIP table with his friends but his eyes on me, he sipped on his glass of wine and licked his lips in a teasing manner. From far I could smell his money, there was no doubt he was a billionaire.

“And guess what?”

“What?”

“He has just moved into town, so that means he’s single,” she said. Loren was my trusted friend. I already told her what happened with Jade as soon as I got here. I was still waiting for my boss so we discussed the deal as he had left for a family emergency.

“Can I go say hi for you?” She insisted, she really wanted me to be happy but I was not ready to. My heart has just been broken. I needed to heal. When she saw I was hesitant she added,

“A one night stand could help you heal faster.”

She knew I never slept with just any man even when I was a stripper I don’t even know why she think I could ever do that.

“Loren?”

“I’m just saying and besides it will be payback because guess what.”

“What?”

“He’s Jade’s uncle,” she lowered her voice.

“What?”

“Yes,”

“You’re kidding.”

“No I’m not.”

I knew she wasn’t lying as she was the investigator here, besides strippers we also had prostitutes so she was responsible for knowing all the clients here. Well now I was interested, it would make me feel better to fuck his uncle maybe I will send him a pic.

“Watch me,” I said as I made my way to his table, he was with two other men who were occupied by ladies.

“Hey stalker?” I teased as I sat on the chair just across from him. He was intrigued by my confidence, I could tell as he placed his glass on the table and turned his focus on me.

“My friend saw you staring at me, were you or was she just trying to get me to talk to you?” I playfully asked, he licked his lips again before responding.

“Maybe,” he sipped on his glass, his voice hinting he was enjoying my tease.

“So you’re not sure? Do you need a little push maybe to be sure?” I seductively teased as I pushed my chest out making my breast look even bigger.