Chapter 1

ANASTASIA

The pain of being constantly ignored and getting less attention from your lover is no different from slitting your wrist.

I remained in my car, staring at the entrance of his house and the text messages we had a few hours ago. I love Ben, and I will do anything for our relationship to be better again.

We used to be so much in love, but lately it seems like he loathes me. His eyes have gone totally empty whenever he stares at me. Bennett used to stare at me with so much love that I could see it burning in his eyes, but not anymore.

I have been wondering what went wrong. What I did wrong.

My brain has been hurting because I’ve been trying to think of what could have gone wrong, but nothing. I’ve been trying not to think too much because Karina, my only close friend said I have seizures whenever my brain is overworked, and I wouldn’t want to have any of that, but Bennett's silence has been making me lose it. I had been good to him since I met him.

I’ve been loving towards him, always trying to be there wherever he needed someone. Whenever he needed to cheer up, I was there with him, and now he looks at me like a complete stranger. Nothing hurts more than watching your favorite person begin to see you as a stranger to them.

Bennett and I had known each other for a while now. He is a 21-year-old young-looking guy who takes completely after his father's hot looks. And I'm twenty, and we've been dating for two years until he starts to act mad.

I’ve finally had the courage to speak to him and ask him what truly went wrong with us. I’m done with the silence between us. I really want to know why he has been staying away from me for over two weeks without any calls or texts from him.

I’ve decided to confront him; that’s why I’m at his house now, but I’m trying to get rid of the tears before I get out of the car.

My eyes burn with pain as I blink back the tears that've been threatening to run down my cheek again. I read our messages again, and the conclusion was that he was at home and we could talk things out.

I pull out of the car, rubbing my wet palms on the sides of my jeans. There’s no need to ring the doorbell. I walk into the sitting room, and it’s deafeningly silent. Well, I’ve known Bennett to be a noisy person; he is either playing trap songs or singing with his horribly good voice.

I’ve been here a couple of times, and I know my way around, especially to his room. I run through the stairs and the alley until I reach his room.

I flare the door open after taking a quick breath and rub my hand calmly on my chest. I walk in, but I’m stunned at the spotless state of his bed and everything.

He’s not here.

Bennett was never this organized whenever he was home. Did he play me for a fool? No, he wouldn't. I don’t want to think of that, as I still roam my eyes around his room.

He vividly told me he was home and I could come over since I asked us to meet. Now my heart is splitting in half at the realization. He lied to me.

He’s nowhere in the room. I moved from his studio room to his bathroom, and there’s no sign of him. I’m short of breath as my heart contracts. I’m hurting as hell because I feel so stupid now. Why would he do this to me? What wrong have I done?

Isn’t this enough of a sign that he’s totally lost interest and I’m the only one who’s been fucking putting in too much effort? It’s my fault; I should have moved on too and quit thinking about him, but easier said.

I turn around to run out of the room as I bawl my eyes out. I run with so much energy down the stairs, and I reach the sitting room in no time.

I’m about to run for the door, get out of this fucking place, and never return here again, as well as erase Ben from my head forever, when I see something. No, not just something a fucking huge thing!

My teary eyes increase in size, and my mouth falls open. I can barely say anything but stare intently at him. Bennett’s father, Denver Harper. He is a forty-year-old man who is the most handsome man at his age.

“Holy Shit." I scream in a whisper.

"When did you get in here, Anastasia? Ben has been gone for hours now.” His eyes grow wide, but not because he is surprised to see me, but because I don’t stop staring at him, knowing that he is naked in front of me.

“Do you walk all naked when there’s no one at home but you?” I almost bit my tongue out. I feel sudden hotness from within, not because I’m heartbroken but because of something else that I can’t make sense of, and my stupid thigh is already clenching.

"Little girl, are you not afraid to take your eyes off? This can ruin you." His dominance wraps around his voice, my eyes trail off his cock, and I view his entire body. The masculinity got my thighs drooling and gave me the fastest shock I had ever felt in my stomach.

It's the first time I've taken note of how perfect his body curves are. His wide chest and broader shoulders. Fucking manly!

My face heats up as if I’m being steamed. “What can ruin me?” I swallow hard, trying to play dumb when I'm fully aware of what he's talking about.

“Exactly what you are staring at can ruin you, little girl.” I’ve almost never paid attention to his voice, but now I am, and for no reason, it’s making my thigh clench harder, and I can feel my pants getting wet as it vibrates through my stomach.

“And what if I want to get ruined by it?” I know I’m making a deadly mistake by responding dirty to him.

He tilts his head and comes closer with the glass in his hand. He towers over me because he is 6'3 tall and I'm average. “Trust me, you wouldn’t want to start this. Now go back home, girl.” He strokes my red hair and nudges at the door.

“Go home and forget you ever saw me this way.” He demands it with his raspy voice. A voice in my head screams at me to run, but I can’t tear my eyes off him as determination dominates my mind.

“And what if I can never forget what I just saw?” I gulped, staring at his green eyes.

“Then you are damned, baby girl.”