One Night Stand With a Stranger

One Night Stand With a Stranger

Adera Bliss

3.5
Comment(s)
15.7K
View
70
Chapters

One unforgettable night with a stranger leaves heiress Elara Kingston in ruin disowned, disgraced, and exiled with a secret she never intended to keep. Three years later, she returns, ready for revenge against those who betrayed her. But her carefully laid plans unravel the moment she locks eyes with Ronan Blackwood, the powerful CEO who was her mystery man...and the father of her child. As Elara tries to shield her secret while seeking her revenge, Ronan's intense, possessive pull is impossible to ignore. Drawn back into his world, she's caught between old betrayals, new passions, and a shocking truth that changes everything. When Ronan uncovers her secret, he'll do anything to claim what's his, including her heart. . Can Elara escape her past or is she destined to fall for the one man who could destroy her carefully built life all over again?

One Night Stand With a Stranger Chapter 1 1

The glittering lights of the city blinked below as Elara Kingston stood on the rooftop terrace, clutching her champagne glass a little too tightly. Her engagement party was in full swing, guests mingling inside under crystal chandeliers, laughter and clinking glasses filling the air. But out here, with the cool night breeze brushing against her bare shoulders, she felt utterly alone. She drew in a slow breath, willing herself to smile, to hold onto the poised expression she had mastered over the years.

"Elara," came a familiar voice behind her, smooth and easy, like honey over gravel.

She turned to see her best friend, Mara, gliding toward her in a shimmering gold gown. They had been inseparable since childhood, sharing secrets, dreams, and late-night talks. Mara, with her dark hair and sharp features, had always been the fiery one, while Elara was the composed one. Tonight, Mara's eyes glittered as she reached out and squeezed Elara's hand.

"Why are you hiding out here?" Mara asked, tilting her head with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Elara hesitated, forcing a laugh. "Just... taking a moment. It's a lot, you know?"

"A lot?" Mara echoed, arching an eyebrow. "You're engaged to Lucas Thorne. Every woman in that room would kill to be in your shoes right now."

Elara smiled, but the tension in her shoulders remained. "I know. It's just..." She trailed off, searching for words she couldn't quite find. For a moment, a shadow of something-doubt, perhaps-flickered in her gaze, but she pushed it away. Lucas was perfect, wasn't he? Ambitious, handsome, attentive. Everyone told her how lucky she was. She should feel lucky.

Mara's eyes sharpened, catching that moment of hesitation. "Is something wrong, Elara?"

"No, no," Elara said quickly. "I think I'm just... nervous. It's a big change."

Mara's hand tightened on her arm, her voice a low whisper. "Don't overthink it. Sometimes, we need to take what we can get in this world. And Lucas is... well, let's just say you'd be foolish to hesitate."

Elara felt a shiver run down her spine, but she brushed it off. Mara was right. She was probably just feeling the weight of the commitment. She forced a smile. "You're right. I just need to relax."

Mara's smile widened, her gaze lingering just a second too long before she released Elara's arm. "Exactly. Now, come back inside. Lucas has been looking for you."

As they walked back into the room, Elara caught sight of Lucas across the crowd. He was laughing with a group of guests, his blond hair catching the light, his blue eyes bright and warm as he scanned the room. When he saw her, his smile deepened, and he lifted his glass in her direction.

"Elara, there you are!" he called, making his way over. He slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "Thought I lost you there for a moment."

"Just needed some air," she murmured, leaning into him, though her mind felt miles away.

Lucas kissed her temple, and for a moment, Elara closed her eyes, letting herself sink into the warmth of his embrace. But something-some small voice in the back of her mind-kept tugging at her. She brushed it aside, telling herself she was just overwhelmed.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of laughter, well-wishes, and sparkling champagne. Elara felt like a doll in a glass case, everyone's eyes on her, waiting for her to perform. She laughed at jokes she didn't find funny, nodded at conversations that floated past her, all while Mara and Lucas circled her like shadows.

At one point, Mara slipped away with a smile, disappearing into the crowd. Elara barely noticed, until later that night when Lucas whispered, "I'll be right back, darling." He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, then vanished into the crowd as well.

Elara stood there, feeling a pang of unease as she watched him go. Something felt off, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Maybe it was just the champagne-or the weight of the evening itself. Deciding she needed a break from the endless small talk, she slipped out the side door and down the quiet hallway.

As she passed one of the rooms, she heard voices-a low murmur, followed by a soft laugh. Her steps slowed, and she paused by the door, her hand hovering over the handle. She shouldn't eavesdrop. It wasn't her business. But something about the tone, the familiarity in those voices, made her heart clench.

Against her better judgment, she inched the door open, peering inside. Her heart stopped.

There, in the dimly lit room, stood Lucas and Mara, close enough to touch. Too close. His hand rested on Mara's waist, their heads bent together as they whispered, and then... Mara leaned in, pressing her lips to his.

Elara felt the world tilt. Her breath caught in her throat, her fingers tightening on the doorknob as she watched, frozen, while everything she thought she knew shattered in an instant.

She stumbled back, her mind reeling, trying to make sense of what she'd just seen. But the truth was undeniable, sinking into her like a knife.

Lucas and Mara. Her fiancé. Her best friend.

She didn't know how long she stood there, numb and hollow, before her legs finally moved. Without a second thought, she turned and fled down the hallway, pushing open the doors and stepping out into the cool night air. The streets stretched before her, empty and quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos in her chest.

She didn't know where she was going. She just needed to get away, to escape the betrayal that now clung to her skin like poison. Her heels clacked against the pavement as she wandered through the city, her mind a whirlwind of anger, heartbreak, and disbelief.

Somewhere along the way, she found herself in front of a high-end nightclub, the kind of place she rarely visited. But tonight, she didn't care. She wanted to forget, to drown out the image of Lucas and Mara with anything else.

Inside, the music was loud, the lights dim. She slid onto a barstool, barely noticing the people around her as she ordered a drink. Her fingers trembled as she took a sip, the burn of the alcohol grounding her, if only slightly.

"Rough night?" a deep voice asked from beside her.

She turned, finding herself face-to-face with a man who exuded an effortless confidence. Dark hair, piercing eyes, and a smile that was equal parts charm and mystery. He looked at her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken.

"You could say that," she replied, surprised at the steadiness in her own voice.

"Care to talk about it?" he asked, his gaze unwavering.

She shook her head. "Not really."

"Then let's not talk." His smile widened, a flicker of something dangerous in his eyes. He held out his hand. "Dance with me?"

Without thinking, she took his hand, letting him lead her to the dance floor. The music pulsed around them, drowning out everything else as he pulled her close. His hands rested on her waist, his touch firm and reassuring, grounding her in a way she hadn't expected.

For a few precious moments, she forgot. She forgot about Lucas, about Mara, about the betrayal waiting for her back at the engagement party. She let herself get lost in the stranger's gaze, in the way he looked at her like she was the only person in the room.

One song blended into another, and soon they were moving in sync, their bodies swaying together in a rhythm that felt both natural and electric. His hand moved up to her cheek, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his gaze dark and searching.

"Elara," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the music.

She blinked, startled. "How do you know my name?"

He tilted his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You're unforgettable."

Heat flooded her cheeks, but she couldn't look away. Something about him felt... familiar, yet she couldn't place it. And right now, she didn't care. She leaned in, her lips brushing against his, soft and hesitant at first, before deepening as the desperation, the hurt, and the need to feel something-anything-overcame her.

They barely made it to the hotel room before their hands found each other, their movements urgent and hungry. For one night, she let herself forget everything, losing herself in the warmth of his touch, the intensity of his gaze, the comfort of his embrace.

It was only the next morning, when she woke alone in an unfamiliar bed, that reality crashed back in. Her head pounded, memories of the previous night a hazy blur. But as she sat up, her heart racing, she found herself staring at a note left on the bedside table.

It read, simply: Until we meet again.

She clutched the note, feeling an ache in her chest she didn't understand.

Continue Reading

Other books by Adera Bliss

More

You'll also like

One Night With The Wrong Brother

One Night With The Wrong Brother

Tangye Wanzi
5.0

I thought I was waking up in the arms of Arthur, the man I loved. But as the morning light hit the Hamptons estate, the man buttoning his cuffs by the window turned around with eyes like chips of ice. It was Augustus Riddle, Arthur’s cruel younger brother, and I had just spent the night whispering confessions of love into the wrong man's ear. The night I thought was a beautiful beginning turned into a devastating nightmare. Instead of comfort, Gus treated me like a stain on his expensive carpet, scribbling a check for "services rendered" before shoving me into a dark service corridor to hide my existence from his brother. "How much does it cost to buy your silence?" He sneered, before leaving me barefoot in a torrential downpour while he drove away in a luxury Cadillac. Four years later, I am a struggling actress in Los Angeles, working double shifts as a barista just to keep the lights on. My life was finally stable until my roommate dragged me to a high-end dinner to meet her new "influential" boyfriend. The man sitting at the table, looking more arrogant and lethal than ever, was Augustus. He spent the entire night humiliating me, calling me a pathetic amateur and a social climber in front of my only friends. When I fled into the rain and collapsed on the sidewalk, skinning my knee until I bled, he watched from his car. He saw me clutching a plastic baggie containing the taped-together pieces of that four-year-old check—the only proof of my shame. He looked at me like roadkill, rolled up his window, and drove off into the dark. I couldn't understand why he was doing this. Why did he hate me enough to crush me, yet remember that I couldn't handle the smell of cigarette smoke? Why did he leave me bleeding in the street, only to send expensive medical supplies and coffee to my door the very next morning? "I'm moving out." I told my roommates, realizing that Gus Riddle didn't just want to destroy me; he wanted to haunt me. I grabbed my suitcase and walked out with eighty dollars to my name, finally ready to disappear into the city before he could burn the rest of my life to the ground.

The Scars She Hid From The World

The Scars She Hid From The World

REGINA MCBRIDE
4.6

The heavy iron gates of the Wilderness Correction Camp groaned as they released me after three years of state-sponsored hell. I stood on the dirt road, clutching a plastic bag that held my entire life, waiting for the family that claimed they sent me there for "rehab." My brother, Brady, picked me up in a luxury SUV only to throw me out onto a deserted highway in the middle of a brewing storm. He told me I was a "public relations nightmare" and that the rain might finally wash the "stink" of the camp off me. He drove away, leaving me to limp miles through the mud on a snapped ankle. When I finally dragged myself to our family estate, my mother didn't offer a hug; she gasped in horror because my muddy clothes were ruining her Italian marble. They didn't give me my old room back. Instead, they banished me to a moldy gardener’s shack and hired a "babysitter" to make sure I didn't embarrass them further. My sister, Kaleigh, stood there in white cashmere, pretending to cry while clinging to her fiancé, Ambrose—the man who had once been mine. They all treated me like a volatile junkie, refusing to acknowledge that Kaleigh was the one who planted the drugs in my bag three years ago. They wanted to believe I was broken so they wouldn't have to feel guilty about the "wellness retreat" that was actually a torture chamber. I sat in the dark of that shed, feeling the cooling gel on the cigarette burns that covered my arms, and realized they had made a fatal mistake. They thought they had erased me, but I had returned with a roadmap of scars and a hidden satellite phone. At dinner, I didn't beg for their love. I simply rolled up my sleeves and showed them the price of their silence. As the wine spilled and the lies crumbled, I sent a single text to the only person I trusted: "I'm in. Let them simmer." The hunt was finally on.

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book
One Night Stand With a Stranger One Night Stand With a Stranger Adera Bliss Billionaires
“One unforgettable night with a stranger leaves heiress Elara Kingston in ruin disowned, disgraced, and exiled with a secret she never intended to keep. Three years later, she returns, ready for revenge against those who betrayed her. But her carefully laid plans unravel the moment she locks eyes with Ronan Blackwood, the powerful CEO who was her mystery man...and the father of her child. As Elara tries to shield her secret while seeking her revenge, Ronan's intense, possessive pull is impossible to ignore. Drawn back into his world, she's caught between old betrayals, new passions, and a shocking truth that changes everything. When Ronan uncovers her secret, he'll do anything to claim what's his, including her heart. . Can Elara escape her past or is she destined to fall for the one man who could destroy her carefully built life all over again?”
1

Chapter 1 1

31/10/2024

2

Chapter 2 2

31/10/2024

3

Chapter 3 3

31/10/2024

4

Chapter 4 4

31/10/2024

5

Chapter 5 5

31/10/2024

6

Chapter 6 6

31/10/2024

7

Chapter 7 7

31/10/2024

8

Chapter 8 8

31/10/2024

9

Chapter 9 9

31/10/2024

10

Chapter 10 10

31/10/2024

11

Chapter 11 11

31/10/2024

12

Chapter 12 12

31/10/2024

13

Chapter 13 13

31/10/2024

14

Chapter 14 14

31/10/2024

15

Chapter 15 15

31/10/2024

16

Chapter 16 16

31/10/2024

17

Chapter 17 17

02/11/2024

18

Chapter 18 18

02/11/2024

19

Chapter 19 19

03/11/2024

20

Chapter 20 20

03/11/2024

21

Chapter 21 21

03/11/2024

22

Chapter 22 22

04/11/2024

23

Chapter 23 23

04/11/2024

24

Chapter 24 24

04/11/2024

25

Chapter 25 25

06/11/2024

26

Chapter 26 26

06/11/2024

27

Chapter 27 27

06/11/2024

28

Chapter 28 28

06/11/2024

29

Chapter 29 29

06/11/2024

30

Chapter 30 30

06/11/2024

31

Chapter 31 31

06/11/2024

32

Chapter 32 32

06/11/2024

33

Chapter 33 33

06/11/2024

34

Chapter 34 34

06/11/2024

35

Chapter 35 35

06/11/2024

36

Chapter 36 36

06/11/2024

37

Chapter 37 37

06/11/2024

38

Chapter 38 38

06/11/2024

39

Chapter 39 39

06/11/2024

40

Chapter 40 40

06/11/2024