Page 43 of Girls Night
When he looked over at her and swallowed hard, reality hit.She had just signed her life over to this woman because of him. Could she forgive him? If she did, it would take some time. This wasn’t something she could ignore by morning like any other arguments they’d had.
This was more than discovering he’d eaten the rest of her Oreos.
Heavy footsteps thudded across the floor, away from her. She stiffened until she heard the door open and shut.
He was gone.
Slumping her shoulders, she released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
“Well, now, it’s time for us to go.” Suddenly, Hadley was standing before her, and gently tilted Raya’s head back. The woman was significantly taller than her, especially in heels, where she topped at least six feet tall. Her blue eyes seemed to bore into hers. “It won’t be so bad. You’ll see. Come.”
Hadley walked away and grabbed her belongings while Raya snagged her purse from the desk, grabbed her suitcase, and followed Hadley out through a secret door that led to an elevator.
This was it.
At twenty-eight years old, she officially belonged to the billionaire businesswoman.
What had she done?
* * *
A private car was waiting for them when they exited the building. Raya was nervous about being near Hadley; they had never been alone together before. She settled back against the plush leather seats and stared out the window, the quiet ride somewhat uncomfortable. She recognized the area they were driving through. It was a gated community in a pricey neighborhood.
The driver guided the vehicle to a fantastic mansion that overlooked a cliff showcasing the Pacific Ocean. The grounds were meticulously decorated and beautiful.
“Welcome to my home,” Hadley purred.
Raya cleared her throat. “It’s beautiful.”
Bringing the car to a halt, the driver stepped out and opened Haley’s door. Once she exited, he shut it, allowing Raya a moment to take a deep breath. She gripped the handle of her purse tight to keep from trembling.
Then her door opened.She looked over to see the driver holding his hand out for her.
“Thank you.” She took it and stepped out.
“Follow me. I’ll give you the tour,” Hadley offered.
Raya followed behind her as they walked up to the front door, where they were greeted by a butler who tipped his head.
“Good evening, Ms. Hamilton.”
“Ian, this is Raya White. She’ll be my guest for the next few months.”
“Mrs. White, nice to meet you.” The older man held out his hand, and Raya took it in a firm shake.
“Likewise,” Raya murmured.
“Shall you be dining tonight?” He asked after he shut the door.
“I’m sure Raya will be tired and wanting to get settled in. We can take our supper in our rooms.”
Raya relaxed at the notion of having her own room.
“Of course, ma’am.” Tipping his head once again, he moved down the grand hallway.
“I promised you a tour. Don’t worry about your things, they’ll be placed in your bedroom.” They fell into step together. “You may have full access of the house and the yard. I’m sure you will love the gardens and the pool. There is much to do on this property. Outside of the telephone call to your husband on Sundays, there will be no outside contact with anyone.”
“Okay.” She had to think of something regarding her parents. They lived on the East Coast, so she didn’t get to travel to see them as much as she wanted, but she and her mother spoke at least once a week. Raya didn’t want to push Hadley by requesting something else, though, and decided to wait until later to bring it up.
