Chapter 1
"The rules were supposed to be easy: Don't look back. Don't leave a name. Don't forget that it was just a midnight mistake."
“The plan is simple… what is there not to understand!” A melodious, high-pitched voice spoke as she drummed her perfectly manicured fingers on the polished table. Her voice was barely audible due to the noise and music surrounding them.
“Chill, Chloe… you're starting to get obsessed,” another one chimed in, this one more calm and meticulous. Chloe, a black-haired lady, cast a deadly glare.
“As I was saying… before Maya rudely interrupted me,” Chloe continued while scrolling through her iPad. The two women before her watched intently.
“You made a 3D… is that a cartoon of Danny?” another one exclaimed in shock. This one was red-haired, a little chubby, with dimples. Chloe let out a frustrated sigh.
“Oh, Quinn… some of us like to be thorough, and seriously… Where is she? What's taking Daniella so long in the restroom?” Chloe made a low yell, her usually poised voice edged with impatience. Her eyes darted around the place searching for one fugitive.
Around them, the elite club throbbed with a bass line that vibrated through their very bones, a stark contrast to the hushed intensity of their conversation in the secluded VIP section. From their view point, they could just make out Shane Miller, a beacon of unruly charm, laughing with his entourage across the room.
“Relax, boo,” Quinn, ever the practical one, leaned forward, her gaze sweeping over the clubgoers with a practiced indifference. “The girl's a pussycat. She's probably hyperventilating in there, trying to psych herself up for the big seduction.” She punctuated the last words with air quotes and a roll of her eyes.
Beside her, the married one, Maya, let out a low chuckle, her eyes distant, lost in a thought only she could decipher. She toyed with the stem of her champagne flute, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
“Some pussycats have claws, Quinn. You just have to know how to draw them out.” She chimed in with a snap of her fingers and picked up her glass.
“That's it, I'm going to get her… oh God… what if she ran…” Chloe was worked up as she rose to her feet. She prepared to head to the restroom when she froze. Her eyes spotted someone.
Just then, a figure emerged from the direction of the restrooms, a dazzling, yet clearly uncomfortable, vision in a shimmering, form-fitting dress. It was Daniella. The dress, a strategic choice by her friends to highlight her stunning curves, clung in all the right places, revealing a hint of cleavage and a long expanse of leg. But Daniella, ever the picture of modest elegance, was awkwardly tugging at the hem, trying to coax the fabric further down her thighs, her movements stiff and self-conscious.
“Good lord!” Quinn mouthed in shock while Maya beamed like a kid given candy.
Daniella’s blonde hair, usually pulled back in a practical bun, now cascaded around her shoulders in soft waves…the result of their pre-club makeover. She pushed through the crowded club with the hesitant gait of someone who would rather be anywhere else, her gaze fixed on their table as if it were a life raft in a tumultuous sea.
“Damn girl! What!” Chloe exclaimed as she grabbed Daniella’s hand and twirled her around.
“Can… Can you stop it!” Daniella stuttered while awkwardly pushing Chloe away. She adjusted her heavy specs; she was already embarrassed with the dress. “I don't like this… no… I'm not doing it.”
Daniella tugged at the hem of the emerald silk dress, feeling like an imposter.
“I hold a master's in structural engineering,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I shouldn't have to flirt for a cubicle.”
“You aren't flirting for a cubicle, honey,” Maya said, applying a final coat of red lipstick to Daniella’s mouth. “You're infiltrating an empire… Shane Miller doesn't read resumes; he reads body language the sexier the better. Now, take off those glasses, go over to that booth, and seduce the hell out of him,”
Saying that, Maya pried the glasses off Daniella's face, making her blink awkwardly.
“Sweetheart, this is fire… that's what I'm talking about!” Chloe squealed like a child and pulled Daniella to sit down.
“Q-Quinn… aren't you going to stop them?” Daniella stammered, glancing at her ever-humble friend. Quinn shrugged.
“Girl, you've got to get that job… it's killing two birds with one stone. Cash and a man!” Quinn remarked sassily. Daniella exhaled in frustration.
“The plan is simple: Seduce Shane… get the job… be rich… and of course a man…” Chloe remarked as she sat down and picked up her iPad.
“I have qualifications… I can get any job!” Daniella spat out, trying to stop them.
“Oh, really? And how many jobs has that qualification gotten you?” Chloe questioned with arched brows. Daniella hesitated . Maybe they were right; she hadn't gotten a decent job despite the qualifications she had. Perhaps it was a curse. But she had hope.
“Over there is Shane Miller… the golden ticket… Now all you have to do is get in his bed and boom… MD Daniella Payton, it's not like you'll have sex with him.” Quinn said in between laughter while Maya nodded in agreement. Daniella glanced at the man, surrounded by countless half-naked women, drinking with his friends. No, this was wrong.
“I need a drink….and probably new friends.”
Daniella picked up the tequila shots and gulped down at least four. She wasn't one to drink, but for this, she needed to be brave…or numb.
“That's my girl, drink more… that's it,” Maya coaxed, and the other two cheered her on. By the time Daniella was done, she was completely wasted. Her friend brought her to a club with a plan to seduce a rich brat for a job at a famous company. How great!
“Which… which way… oh my, I… I feel giddy inside,” Daniella giggled as she stumbled around while Chloe dragged her down the passage.
“Keep still! Shane is already in that room… my connection is never wrong!” Chloe said breathlessly. She had worked too hard for her friend to ruin it now.
“I feel… fine… and good… I feel fine-good.” Daniella slurred, clapping her hands like a child.
“Ahh, so annoying… come on, get in,” Chloe remarked as she pushed the door open with one hand and shoved Daniella inside. She shut the door quickly, dusting her hands with a smirk on her face before bolting from the hallway.
As soon as Chloe disappeared, a man appeared down the hall heading to the same room, humming a tune.
“Mr. Shane… you're needed in VIP Room 8,” a bartender stopped him. He glanced at the door of VIP Room 2 and nodded.
“Ahh, can't it wait?” He let out a frustrated curse and turned around to follow the staff member.
Inside the darkened room, a very drunk Daniella was busy stripping off her clothes, humming to herself, while a man already sitting on the bed watched her in stunned, silent awe.
