Jayden moved to Alex, who was enjoying the show. He said, “Come on.”
He took her hand, pulled her to her feet, and led her to the dance floor.
“Jayden,” she hissed. “It’s only for couples.”
“We are one, aren’t we?”
“Well, I suppose.”
On the dance floor, he wrapped his arms around her waist and told her to put her arms around his neck. She obeyed and bit her lip nervously. Then he led her along with the slow music. Alex started to relax as she closed her eyes and listened to the beat and lyric of the song.
“Why are you closing your eyes?”
“Because I can understand it better that way. I get myself lost in the song, and I can feel it through my body.”
“Right.” He closed his eyes, too. A moment later, he opened them and said, “It’s true.”
Alex laughed. They danced along, and Alex closed her eyes again. Jayden couldn’t help himself and moved his face to her. Then he kissed her on the lips.
Alex gasped and opened her eyes. When she was about to stop the kiss by moving her head back, Jayden had his hand behind her neck, forcing her to stay still. Then he deepened the kiss. His mouth was sweet and warm against hers, and Alex found it hard to resist. She responded to him and tightened her arms about his neck.
Suddenly, the music stopped. A loud applause followed. Alex flashed her eyes open and moved her head back. She saw indeed all eyes were on them. She flushed in embarrassment as Jayden, grinning from ear to ear, led her back to their seats.
“I need to go to the ladies’ room,” she said to him breathlessly and rushed away.
Once she was safely inside, she sighed and took a deep breath. She started washing her hands, grinning.
So this is love, then? This wonderful feeling she was having right now?
“I see you’re enjoying yourself, bitch,” Britney said at the door.
Alex gasped and turned to look at the sexy woman advancing toward her in a threatening manner.
“I am,” Alex said, squaring her shoulders.
Britney came to stand in front of her and sneered. “Enjoy it all while you can. It won’t last. Jayden’s not over Sarah yet. He’s going to go back to her. You and I both know that. He knew her and dated her for five years. And you? You’ve just met him for what, a month or two?”
Alex gritted her teeth. “I think this is none of your business.”
Britney raised her hand in a defensive manner. “Hey, I know this is none of my business. But I’m just warning you before you get your heart broken because you don’t look like the kind who can handle such a nasty thing.”
Alex folded her arms across her chest and said sarcastically, “Well, thank you for your advice. Now, if you’d excuse me.” She headed toward the door.
Britney grabbed her arm and swung her back. “Admit it! Admit you’re only trying to get Jayden’s money. Admit it’s because he’s rich. Admit it now.”
Alex thrust her arm free. “You think I’d stoop that low? Listen here, Britney. I’m not that kind of girl. I don’t go for a guy just because he has money to throw away. I’m a big girl. I can look after myself. And FYI, I happen to love Jayden for the man he is.” She faked a smile at the woman and turned on her heel.
“Go back to your slum, bitch, and leave us alone,” Britney growled.
Alex swirled around and slapped Britney in the face, hard. She felt satisfied indeed to see red finger marks on the woman’s flawless cheek. “I’m not a bitch, not like you, Britney. And I happen to live in New Zealand, a clean country that’s hardly a slum.” Then with her head high, she marched off.
Along the corridor, still breathing heavily from the unexpected encounter, Alex could hear Britney shouting, “I’ve warned you, Alexandra. You’ll see. He’ll go back to Sarah. He’s still in love with Sarah. He will never love the likes of you, you slum bitch!”
Alex gritted her teeth, holding back tears. God, how she wished she could go back and slap that silly woman again. As she got closer to the hall, however, she wondered if perhaps Britney was right. Perhaps Jayden still had feelings for Sarah. Perhaps he—
“Miss?”
Alex turned to see a handsome receptionist before her. “Yes?”
“Are you Miss Alexandra Stewart?”
“Yes, I am,” she replied, wondering what this was about.
“This is for you.”
Alex took the little card he handed her. She glanced down and saw it had the name Jayden at the bottom. “Thanks.”
The young man nodded and left her. Alex read the contents of the note.
Alexandra, meet me at 11 p.m. exactly in room 879.
—Jayden
She was curious. What could this mean? Why would Jay ask her to meet up with him alone?
When she got back to her seat, Jayden was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he had already gone up to room 879?
* * * * *
Jayden glanced down at the note he received from a pretty receptionist only a few minutes ago.
What is Sarah doing here in the hotel? Why does she want to see me?
He came to stand in front of room 879 and then hesitantly knocked on the door. A few seconds later, it flung open, and Sarah stood there, extraordinarily beautiful and sexy in a short, flimsy nightdress.
“Jayden, you came,” she said, smiling, her eyes shining. “I was beginning to think you had backed out. That you wouldn’t come after—” She broke off dramatically. Her face appeared to have gone terribly sad. “But please do come in.”
The living area was elegant and comfortable, and Jayden noted Sarah had her back to him as she poured two glasses of wine. Of course, he didn’t see that Sarah had dropped a small tablet into one of the glasses. She swirled it about until the tablet dissolved entirely.
“A drink?” she asked softly as she turned around, holding up the glasses.
“No, thanks. Why did you want to see me?”
“Jayden,” Sarah said, striding to him, her voice seductive and sad at the same time. “Why are you talking to me like this? We used to be so close. We used to be in love.”
“Things changed, Sarah. You’ve chosen your path, and I want to know why.”
Sarah gritted her teeth at the reminder. Sure, she chose Kyle over Jayden simply because she thought Kyle was better-looking and had better prospects in terms of money and status, but she wasn’t going to tell him that.
“Jayden,” she moaned, forcing tears to brew in her eyes. “I’ve made mistakes. I now know that. I don’t love Kyle after all. I thought I did.”
She sat on the sofa and put the glass down on the table. She shook her head as she continued, “He’s having an affair with Britney. I just found out. What can I do, Jay?” She looked up at him, her eyes large and glistening with fake tears.
Jayden couldn’t believe Kyle was having an affair with Britney. And all while he was dating Sarah? This was beyond his comprehension.
Suddenly, Sarah started crying so hard her shoulders were shaking. She reached her hand out for him, begging him to come to her. Jayden reluctantly complied and sat beside her. She wrapped her arms around him, her head resting against his chest as she sobbed gently.