Anya is an upcoming actress who is new to Hollywood and the showbiz industry, meets Damien, a billionaire businessman who sweeps her off her feet. What starts as an idyllic, whirlwind romance soon turns dark when Damien reveals his obsessive tendencies. He becomes controlling, isolating Anya in his mansion under house arrest. Anya initially tries to escape, but her attempt leads to a near-assault by a stranger, which Damien saves her from. Torn between fear and the painful realisation that the outside world isn't all rainbows and sunshine as she had thought, Anya decides to stay with Damien and play the role of the perfect girlfriend in order to earn her freedom. However, things take a heartbreaking turn when she discovers that she is the spitting image of Damien's deceased ex-wife, who was mysteriously murdered. Anya flees in horror and anger but is soon kidnapped by the same people who killed Damien's ex-wife, demanding a document that once belonged to her. Damien devices a plan to save Anya, handing the kidnappers a fake document, which leads to a dangerous chase. In the end, Damien and Anya escape, and their love is rekindled.
Chapter 1 Could it be a coincidence
Ever since I was a little girl I have always dreamed of walking down a red carpet, of being under the spotlight, of fame. And although even speaking about my dreams would have led to a cane on the back of my hands at the orphanage; Tonight is different. it's finally happening. I stand at the entrance of the theater, the bright lights making my head spin. Flashing cameras are going off in every direction, and I can barely see past the wall of photographers shouting my name.
"Anya! Over here!"
"Anya, smile!"
I turn, flashing the best smile I can manage, trying to calm the fluttering in my stomach. My beautiful silver dress hugs me just right, and I feel both beautiful and completely out of place at the same time. No matter how much I dreamed of this life I am still not entirely used to it.
But like I said, tonight is different. It's my night. My movie is premiering, and I've been waiting for this moment for months. Finally, all the hard work, the countless auditions, and the late night rehearsals have led to this. And I intend to make the most of my debut into the big leagues.
As I make my way down the carpet, familiar faces from the movie greet me.
"Anya, darling, you look stunning!" Claire, one of the supporting actresses, pulls me in for a quick hug. Her perfume is overpowering, almost suffocating, but her smile is genuine.
"Thank you, Claire! It feels so surreal," I reply, my voice shaking a bit.
"Oh, enjoy it sweetheart! You've earned it," she says, winking before being whisked away by her boyfriend.
I'm still absorbing everything when I spot a server with a tray of champagne flutes. Grabbing one, I take a small sip to calm my nerves, glancing around the elegant hall. Crystal chandeliers hang above us, the sound of laughter and chatter fills the space, and for a moment, I feel like I belong.
Just as I'm about to move through the crowd, someone bumps into me, and my drink slips from my hand, spilling champagne all over my dress.
"I'm so sorry, Miss" A deep voice immediately follows.
I look up, a bit flustered, and meet the gaze of a man. He's tall, sharply dressed in a black suit, and has dark hair that is slicked back to perfection. His eyes...there's something about them. They're intense, almost too intense, like they see right through me. For a moment, I forget about the champagne soaking into my gown.
"I..uh, it's fine" I stammer, wiping at the wet spot.
The man quickly pulls out a handkerchief from his pocket and hands it to me. "Here, please, take this. I didn't mean to ruin your dress."
"Thanks" I mumble, dabbing at the fabric. "It's just champagne. It's no big deal."
He gives a small, almost apologetic smile, but his gaze lingers on me for a second. "You are Anya Taylor right?."
"Yeah I am" I say, trying to maintain some semblance of poise while blotting the stain. "Nice to meet you."
" Congratulations on the movie. I'm sure it's going to be a huge success."
"Thanks," I say, not really sure how to respond.
Before I can ask about him, someone from behind me calls my name. I turn for just a second to acknowledge them, and when I look back, He is gone.
I didn't even get his name.
I blink, scanning the room, but he is nowhere to be seen. Shrugging, I head toward the bathroom to clean up the mess on my dress.
In the brightly lit bathroom, I stare at myself in the mirror. My hair is still intact, my makeup is perfect, and the dress...well, it's not too bad, just a small wet patch. I wipe it off as best as I can with the handkerchief the stranger gave me. As I smooth out the fabric, I can't help but think him, our slightly awkward conversation, and the way he disappeared. Am I so horrible that he couldn't wait to get away from me?
I shake off the thought and head back to the hall, but he is still nowhere in sight. It's like he disappeared into thin air. Weird.
Before I can think about it too much, I'm swept up by a group of co-actors pulling me in for a selfie.
"Anya! There you are! You were amazing!" Shawn says, pulling me into a hug.
"Yeah, you totally killed it too" I reply.
" Stop being a self righteous biatch and accept my compliment sis"
I laugh, thanking him, but my mind is still stuck on the stranger from earlier. Who is he? Why is he so good looking? And why is my mind hell bent on not forgetting him.
The rest of the night is a blur of handshakes, congratulations, and forced smiles. By the time I get home, I'm utterly exhausted. I kick off my heels the second I step through the door of my apartment, sighing in relief.
"Finally," I mumble, stretching out on the couch. The night had been amazing, but I'm glad so it's over.
As I hum a little tune to myself, the events of the evening play over and over in my mind. The red carpet, the flashing lights, the applause and the blue-eyed stranger. Something about him sticks with me. His aura, his eyes, the way he said my name.
Absentmindedly, I rummage through my purse for my phone, but my fingers brush against something else, something smooth and hard. I pull it out, my brow furrowing.
It's a sleek, black business card. The name printed on it in gold letters catches my eye immediately: "Damien Blackwood."
"Who gave me this?" I mutter, turning the card over. There's nothing else on it, no contact info, no company name, just a name.
I stare at the card for a few seconds, my curiosity growing. The name.... I can vaguely recall hearing the name before, but I can't quite place it. Maybe he was one of the people I had been introduced to at the event, I thought.
My phone buzzes in my lap, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was my best friend, Emily.
"Omg! I saw your photos on Forbes! You looked so stunning!" She screeches
"Thanks, Em," I said, smiling. "It was... A lot, to say the least."
"Of course it was! The premiere of a lifetime, right? Did you meet anyone interesting?"
I hesitate, my mind flashing back to the blue-eyed stranger. "It was a premiere Em, the place was packed with interesting people"
" You know what I mean" she replies and I can sense her rolling her eyes.
" Umm.. actually... I met someone. Kind of."
"Oh? Who? Spill the tea!"
"We talked for like 30 seconds and I didn't even get his name"
Emily pauses on the other end of the line. " Well, aren't you lucky? What did he want?"
"I don't know. He disappeared before I could find out."
She laughed. "Well I do hope you and Mr. mystery man meet again pretty soon. Anyways, just be careful, okay?"
"I will," I said, my gaze drifting back to the card. "I promise."
After the call, I place the business card on my bedside table and crawl into bed. As I lay there, my mind can't help but return to the blue eyed stranger and the card. It can't just be a coincidence.... Or could it?
Chapter 1 Could it be a coincidence
03/10/2024