Vivian’s POV

Ryan was out of town, which meant that Vivian should have been hanging out with Amy. Or maybe fast asleep in her own bed. But she had been feeling antsy the whole day, and had finally admitted to herself that it was because she missed him.

That was why she was currently in front of Ryan’s building, making her way through the doors she began moving towards the lift.

As she walked past the reception area, she saw security lift their heads and look at her. She had been there so often that she now recognized most of them on sight. Smiling lightly Vivian raised a hand in greeting, and several of them did the same. None of them even bothering to check who she was or her reason for being there.

It was weird though, they looked genuinely shocked to see her. Almost as though they were surprised that she had shown up. Deciding that it was probably because she was in the building at a time when Ryan was not in town.

Vivian shrugged and continued her way up.

It would not be the same without him. But she hoped that sleeping in the bed that they often shared would cocoon her in his scent and she would stop missing him so much. Maybe she would even be able to have sweet dreams...or even naughty dreams starring the two of them.

***

Entering Ryan’s key code and having the door open for her gave Vivian a thrill that she had not expected at all, (the proof that he trusted her so much was thrilling). It felt a little bit like she had exploding candy in her mouth and it was setting her tongue ablaze, smiling softly to herself.

She pushed the door open and walked in.

Heading straight to the kitchen, she got herself a bottle of water to drink. Opening it with ease, she took a gulp, all the while wondering if she should head straight to bed or watch some TV first.

She walked back to the living room still having not yet decided on what to do. Once in the living room, Vivian came to a stop when she noticed something odd. All of her previous thoughts leaving her as she zeroed in on the new addition to the room.

On one of the couches there was a designer handbag. It was thrown carelessly over one of the cushions.

How strange.

She would have assumed that perhaps Ryan had bought it for her as a gift. But not only had she told him to tone it down when it came to gifting her things, ( the ruby necklace, and the island named after her were more than enough).

There were a few items sticking out from the bag showing that it was already being used by someone else.

What was a woman’s handbag doing in the penthouse?

Her curiosity over the bag quickly vanished when Vivian realized that she could hear the shower running.

Could it be? Ryan was supposed to have left that very morning. Had his trip been postponed or something? Was he showering so that he could go and see her.

Putting her bottle of water down on the table, Vivian made her way towards the master bedroom. Her entire body alight as she thought of spending one more night in Ryan’s arms.

***

"Ryan! Ryan!" She called as she entered the bedroom, her smile growing even wider. From that distance, she could now clearly tell that the shower really was running.

Before she could open the door and go surprise him, it swung open, a cloud of steam billowing out and for a moment Vivian’s heart sang as she waited for Ryan to step out.

Then a figure stepped out from the steam like an other worldly being descending to earth. At first all that Vivian could do was stare, her mind struggling to process exactly what she was seeing. The person who had just walked out of the bathroom was not Ryan Terrell.

The person was not even a man.

She was the most gorgeous woman that Vivian had ever laid eyes on.

She moved with the confidence of somebody who had been told their entire life that they were stunning.

There was no towel covering her as she walked into the room proper and Vivian saw everything.

The flawless skin, the long legs, the damp brunette hair, curling lightly at the ends. Those cold yet bright green eyes that flicked over Vivian and then dismissed her.

Looking away from Vivian the woman took a moment to stare at her reflection in the mirror before turning back to Vivian, not at all bothered by her nudity.

They continued to stand and stare at each other, stuck in some sort of weird staring contest, though Vivian got the feeling that the woman was waiting for her to fall to her knees and bow.

It took a moment, but her mind finally began to make sense of exactly what she was seeing.

There was a naked woman in Ryan’s room, a woman who had been there before Vivian’s arrival.

The woman was in the penthouse and so was Vivian.

Only Vivian was not supposed to be there because Ryan had told her that he would be out of town. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Looking back at the now closed bathroom door, she wondered if he was in there.

But she was too busy feeling her heart tear to want to find out.

Her gaze flicking over to the naked woman Vivian wanted to cry.

Bryce had cheated on her so many times that even as she had been walking through the penthouse, pretending not to understand what was going on.

She had known in her heart of hearts exactly what was happening, only she had not wanted to believe it.

Ryan, her Ryan was not a cheater.

They might have only been in a casual arrangement. But if there was someone else he would have told her, holding on to that little bit of hope, Vivian finally found the strength to speak to the other woman.

"Who are you?"