The Billionaire's Secret Identity

Chapter Two- The Accusation

CHAPTER TWO.

She woke up with a start. The nightmare had been too real. 

“How could it feel so real?

Her breath stuck in her throat. She placed her hands on her chest to bring them out.

She paused, eyes roaming. Why was the bed this grand? And since when did she own a brown bedsheet?

Was she still in that nightmare? Has it found its way to reality? She had no one to question but herself.

Lord please let me be mistaken. Her heart throbbed as she struggled not to read meaning to her disheveled hair and—scattered dress?

It was at the side of the king-size bed. It might not have been scattered but it wasn't on her. That alone spoke millions.

But she rubbed her eyes to confirm. She was in reality and a sinking feeling told her something was seriously wrong. 

Pulling back the covers, she confirmed her worst fears: she was completely naked, her body covered in intimate marks, and an unmentionable part of her still throbbed painfully.

What she termed “intimate marks” was something she could not explain. Her body felt used.

Someone had truly touched her? The wild thought skittered into her mind and transformed itself into a scream. 

She screamed her stomach out, every note, shaking her intestines to the realization.

“How could it have happened?” The thought echoed in her head as she tried to imagine what could have happened to her. 

Even she, not the sharpest, realized the truth. She, the proud eldest daughter of the Van Del family, had somehow been violated.

The scream grew even louder as she remembered how long she had kept herself for her husband. Something that was laughable everywhere.

She had rejected everyone just to have it taken from her when she was unconscious? The tears did not fall yet. They stood and waited for her scream to subside.

They waited for the stampede in her head to calm down for them to descend with all might.

She stood from the bed, hearing the whispered wisdom of the street.

How could she have stupidly screamed out. Yes—it might have helped but she was in an enclosed space and anything could come to her.

She struggled not to think about that as she dragged her gown to fit. Tony pushed the door open. 

Without a second glance, she grabbed a water glass and hurled it at him.

“You pervert!!” Her nostrils smoked. “How could you let your animalistic tendency take charge?” Her head buzzed.

“How—” the words stuck in her throat; she saw red. The glass jar shattered at the wrong place; it spattered piercingly to her feet, moving where it was not wanted.

“You lowlife rapist. I'll make sure you pay!!” She howled till her voice cracked. Yet the tears didn't pour out.

“Good for nothing bastard,” she went on, struggling with her zipper, finding it difficult to catch the rough object.

“What…”

“I'll have you thrown in jail,” she berated, teeth grinding.

“Wait till I get out of this hell hole”. Even her confidence surprised her. But she wasn't about to waste time to grace the surprise.

“Wait!!” He fired back, eyes wide and meaning business.

“What do you mean by ‘rapist’?” he pushed himself forward. She stepped backwards in fear with a gasp.

What was he doing? Her heart cascaded.

“It was I who rescued you when you were to be raped; draped in aphrodisiac; helpless and pitiful,” he spat, fury simmering below his stomach.

“And here you are, tagging me a rapist?” His lips quivered just as much as his voice.

“Oh, cut the lies, thug. Do you really want me to believe that?” She replied with a confidence that didn't match her brain.

She couldn't remember anything from the previous day but she could at least attest to the fact of being fully dressed before she had left home.

Without hesitation, she reached for her phone. The police will decipher whose lie sounded cuter.

Tony cursed under his breath, lines of frustration appearing on his face. He pinned her to the bed, sending her phone rolling to the floor.

“You were kidnaped by three thugs,” he began the explanation, lips right in front of hers; it's top touching. There were no sparks. At least, he wished so.

“They all had rainbow-dyed hair with tattoos on their arms,” her eyes immediately registered remembrance. 

“Guess who had been your saviour?” He let go of her arms and stood over her laid figure, looking at her like a school kid entering kindergarten for the first time.

“Who do you think you owe apologies and gratitude?” He went on. Maybe she indeed was a school kid that needed a lesson.

He didn't mind the redness on her cheeks nor the dilating pupil that seemed to take in everything at the same time.

He wanted to pass on that palpable guilt that seared his throat like hot morning cereal into her soft but heated heart.

“Here is my business card.” He pulled the card from his pocket. “Since I've supposedly taken advantage of you, I'll love to make up to you; mend things,” he shrugged.

She looked uncertainly at the card. But he continued anyway.

“ I just arrived in New York City and still have many things to handle. If you run into any trouble, you could contact my deputy directly”.

He pointed to the card. 

She looked closely. The card belonged to the famous local tycoon, Michael? Someone even her father might not have the status to associate with.

She scoffed and grabbed the card. “You con artist. What in the world would make you have connections with such a person?” She rolled her eyes and flung the card into the nearest bin.

To give her actions more credence, she eyed him, taking in the plain blue polo he wore and his faded jeans. And oh, God, his sneakers. They surely had seen better days.

Seriously? The famous Michael Leo, CEO of Toneo Company, his deputy? She scoffed again. Surely, even a toddler would catch that lie.

“You may be good in combat and everything. But I don't think you're worthy to even act as Michael’s cleaner”. She hissed, pushed him out of the way and made her way to the door.

He was stunned. He couldn’t believe someone would reject the olive branch he had offered. 

Was the drug still having an effect on her?

He was still trying to figure it out when she suddenly returned, her expression dark.

“One last thing,” she pointed a finger.

“If you dare speak a word about what happened between us, I will find you and kill you.”

Her face contorted.

“This time, I won't miss the target”.