In the dim hotel room, Rosalind Mitchell took charge, wrapping her arms around her man, and passionately matching his rhythm.
Their wild, intense lovemaking lasted till dawn's early light peeked through the curtain gaps.
Rosalind moved her sore body, memories of the night before flooding back. She opened her eyes, feeling utterly fulfilled.
Five years into their marriage, she and Roddy Lane had kept some distance. Except for their wedding night, they had always slept in separate rooms.
Last night was their anniversary. Rosalind had slipped into a sexy lace nightie and lit some scented candles, setting a sensual mood. In that intoxicating atmosphere, they had shared a bed once more.
Just when Rosalind managed to get a clear look at the face beside her, she was frozen stiff.
How could this be!
It wasn't Roddy!
A wave of fear washed over Rosalind, sending chills down her spine.
She had been expecting to meet her husband, Roddy, at the hotel, but the man in front of her was a total stranger.
Sure, he was handsome and last night's encounters had been pleasurable, but all she felt was fear!
So, she bolted before the guy even woke up.
Rosalind made her way home in a daze. As she was about to push open the door, a familiar voice echoed. It was her best friend, Catherine Chavez.
"Roddy, our son's been calling Rosalind 'mom' for four years. Can you really stand splitting us up?" Catherine buried her face in her hands, feigning tears.
Roddy swiftly pulled her into his arms, "Please, don't cry. It hurts seeing you this way. And Rosalind? I set her up with a guy last night. She's definitely slept with him by now. Got the proof of her cheating, I'm filing for divorce ASAP."
"Then, I'll marry you big time, and we'll live happily ever after, inseparable."
Rosalind, overhearing, was floored. She couldn't believe her ears.
She thought to herself, "Catherine's son has been calling me 'mom' for four years? They're the picture-perfect family, so where does that leave me, still his real wife? Turns out, Roddy purposely set me up with that person last night, it wasn't an accident!"
"Hey, you, why are you by the door? Listening to my mommy and daddy?" A young voice rang out from behind Rosalind.
Rosalind turned around to see a kid gripping a toy, eyeing her like a stranger.
She once figured Liam's coldness was from growing up in Lane Manor without her, but it seemed there was more to it.
The 'mommy' that Liam referred to was not her, but her best friend Catherine.
Rosalind couldn't stand it anymore. She gently plucked a strand of hair from Liam's head, intending to get a DNA test done.
Rosalind Through her connections, quickly got the hair samples to the lab.
Eight hours later, the results were in: no maternal match between the mother and the child.
Even though she expected it, Rosalind's heart felt as though it was being jabbed by a thousand tiny, invisible darts.
The kid she raised for four years was her husband's and best friend's?
Where was her own child then? What happened to her biological kid?!
Rosalind felt her mind go blank, on the verge of a breakdown.
It was all too absurd.
It was crazy funny. She was a mess, bouncing between tears and laughter.
In the depths of her despair, Rosalind was oblivious to the red light and unknowingly walked into the rush of oncoming traffic.
The sudden, sharp squeal of tires echoed loudly as a shiny black Rolls Royce skidded to a stop, just barely missing her.
"What's going on?"
The man seated in the back, interrupted mid-task, looked up. His face was strikingly handsome, carved by the gods themselves, radiating a commanding charisma that commanded respect.
The driver, clearly rattled, quickly apologized. "Sorry, Mr. Kingsley. A woman just dashed into the street. We nearly hit her and she seems hurt."
"Go see if she's alright."
The driver flung open the car door, hurrying out with urgency.
Landon Kingsley closed the file he was reading, massaging his aching temples.
His gaze drifted instinctively, and when he spotted the woman lying on the ground, he froze.
Rosalind, scared by the oncoming vehicle, had fallen to the ground. Her elbows and knees were now throbbing with a searing pain.
The events of the day had been just too much for her to bear.
Rosalind covered her face with her hands and began to sob uncontrollably.
"If pain teaches you anything, it's to be less reckless next time," a deep, magnetic voice drifted down from above her.
Rosalind jerked her head up, her eyes widening in shock as they landed on a familiar face.
The same man she had woken up to in the hotel this morning!
A wave of hidden emotions crashed over her, flooding her mind with flashbacks of their passionate night together. The vivid memories drained the color from her face in an instant.
"We were only apart for a day, how'd you end up like this?" Landon seemed cool but sounded caring.
He pulled out a clean handkerchief, gently dabbing away the tears on Rosalind's face before scooping her up in his arms.
Being so close to her, he could smell her subtle fragrance again, faint but intoxicating. His eyes fell on her pale face, the memory of last night resurfacing. Her beneath him, crying softly, was a sight too beautiful for him to resist.
Rosalind Snapping back to reality, suddenly realized she was in Landon's arms. The warmth seeping through his shirt was more than she could bear.
"Let me go!"
Rosalind struggled to free herself from Landon's embrace.