Her Second First Love

DARLENE'S POV

“What do you think about this one, Lana? I need a dress that’s loud enough to announce me at the same time not too showy.” I turned around to my best friend of twenty years. We’ve been best friends since high school, when we were fifteen. Her blue eyes eyed the dress in my hand, and I watched as her brows furrowed. She shook her head slightly, her blond curls bouncing at the side of her face.

“This won’t do. You need a dress that makes you shine, Darlene.” She turned to rummage through the closest rack, and I found myself rolling my eyes. Lana was super extra when it came to these kinds of things—shopping literally.

She turned to me, holding an emerald dress with a low, deep cut at the back and a wicked slit at the side that went all the way up to one’s thighs. My eyes widened, and I nearly laughed. “Hell no. Roman doesn’t like me exposing my legs.

“The hell, Darlene. Roman doesn’t like a lot of things because he is a selfish man. Try it on,” she urged.

I shook my head slightly, a small smile forming on my lips as I eyed the dress in her hands. It was a beautiful piece, with a texture that screamed luxury just by looking at it.

“I’m not so sure,” I muttered, but Lana would always be Lana. As soon as I stepped out of the dressing room, I heard a loud gasp and someone taking in a sharp breath.

“Yup, that’s the one.” She said, letting out a low, long whistle before turning to the saleslady whose mouth hung open in awe as she stared at me. I turned back to Lana, slightly flustered, then back at my reflection in the mirror. I looked gorgeous with barely a fat hanging out of place. I really did look amazing for a thirty-five-year-old.

“We’re getting this one.” Lana turned to the saleslady, flashing her most brilliant smile. Gosh! I can’t believe I’m doing this.

After shopping for a pair of shoes to go with the dress and a matching purse, we proceeded to the spa before going for my makeup.

Roman should have arrived already. He had been away for three months for business. We were expanding the Hayes corporation internationally while I remained at the branch in LA. I handled everything operational and managerial in his absence, although even when he was around, it was almost the same. We were already so mixed; there truly were no lines. We’ve been best friends for twenty years and lovers for fifteen. Although we were yet to tie the knot or anything, everyone knew Roman was mine, and I was his. There was no disputing that. I smiled as I looked at the picture on my phone for the umpteenth time. It was a picture of a diamond ring in its box. I had stumbled on it before his impromptu business trip. So, when he spoke twenty-four hours ago, and he said we had to talk when he got back and to have dinner, I knew he was going to propose.

After freaking out in excitement, the next thing I did was to rush to Lana’s and ask her to help throw us a perfect party after the proposal. I looked at the time on my phone. I was three hours early for our dinner date. But I wanted to surprise him first. He probably still thought that I only knew of his late arrival. He must have forgotten that I got notifications for almost everything about him, not just his personal affairs but also everything related to the company. But then again, that was Roman. My sweet Roman. I wouldn’t trade him for anything else.

The taxi stopped outside his penthouse in the private estate, and I found my heart racing as fast as it had the first time I saw him when we were teenagers.

“Thank you.” I flashed a warm smile to the driver and left the change before entering the apartment. I had the code to the apartment, so I was able to gain access. But as soon as I stepped in, what greeted me wasn’t the quiet that came with Roman but tiny moans; although faint, there was no mistaking the sound.

Panic gripped me instantly as I slowly took the stairs, the sound becoming clearer with every step I took closer to his bedroom. Someone was here.

Another woman.

My body became hot as though seized with a fever, and my hands shook violently as I got closer to his bedroom door. Roman was there. He was with another woman.

I pushed the door violently to find him balls deep in—

What the hell?

He was with Barbara Grant. His assistant.

“Roman?” The sound that came out of my lips was barely recognizable. Seeing the man I had loved all my life with another woman, naked in the same bed we had both made love countless times, broke me in ways I could never recover from.

He rolled off Barbara in an instant, his face drawn tight in barely concealed fury. “What are you doing here? We weren’t supposed to see each other until tonight.”

“What? Roman, can you hear yourself? I just caught you cheating on me, and this is all you have to say?”

He closed his eyes briefly, then sighed and reached for me. “Don’t do anything stupid, Darlene. Just go back to the house. I’ll come meet you.”

I swallowed hard, tears spilling down my perfectly made-up face as I looked into the familiar blue eyes that weren’t so familiar right now.

“You want me to go to the house? What about her? She’s still here.”

“Just do as I say. We’ll talk about this when I get back tonight.” His eyes flashed with impatience as he spoke.

“No!” I swallowed hard, yanking my arm from his grip. “I am not leaving until you explain what this is.” I choked out a sob.

“Darlene you—”

“Baby, come back to bed. Little kitty still wants your big man down there.”

My eyes widened as I turned to look at Barbara, his assistant, the twenty-two-year-old who started at the company six months ago, then back at Roman, whose attention was now on her with a smile on his face that made my chest twist painfully.

“Roman!” I let out a piercing scream. What was he doing? Who did he take me for? How dare he cheat on me and act this way?”

“Control yourself,” he snapped, turning his attention to me while Barbara pressed her body against his. She was wearing a white silk robe to cover her frame, and my eyes widened.

“How dare you?” I shouted and pointed at her. “You let her wear my clothes?” I turned to Roman, still stunned by the whole scene.

This had to be a fucking bad dream.

Roman met my gaze, his expression cold with a hint of disgust as he glared at me. “I didn’t want you to find out this way. I was going to tell you tonight. But since you already know, well, all I can do is tell you as it is, Darlene."

"We are getting married.”