Addicted | 18+

Chapter 1

Isabella's POV

"Isabella! The magazine."

I almost flinched hearing Anastasia's loud voice. I grabbed the magazine while arranging the others on her office coffee table and placed it on her desk, who was giving her makeup a touch-up.

"You are free for the evening. I have a family dinner to attend."

She tossed her handbag over her arm and disappeared out of the door in a rush. I sighed and packed up my stuff, and started to walk towards the club where I and my friends decided to meet up.

Well, it was my dream to become a fashion designer and work in La Fleur but never knew the reality was so harsh. I have to work as an assistant under a despotic boss before I could secure my dream job. It was overly exhausting, but I wanted it since I was in high school. The sky looked hazy orange, and all the street lights lit up as I made my way in the metro to reach Carmine's. It was our daily meet-up place. I walked into the club and spotted Luna waving her hand at me where she and Grace were already seated, who was busy scrolling her phone as always.

I walked over and sat at an empty seat beside both of them, finally gaining Grace's attention when Luna grinned widely.

"Let's order some drinks first. It's been a while."

I never drank alcohol but today was so exhausting that my body was craving for it. I nodded, and we all walked towards the bar and ordered our drinks.
I sipped on mine and turned to look at Luna.

"Isa, you'll lose your shine if you keep on working like this. "

I sighed, not feeling my bubbly self at all, but replied to her, giving a small smile, and hugged her, earning a chuckle from her.

"It's fine, I just have to bear with it for a few more months, then I'll be creating my own designs. Anyways enough talking about me, it's your celebration girl, congrats on your residency. "

"Let's dance! We rarely have our met ups now."

Luna chirped, earning a nod from me and Grace. We all got up and went over to the dance floor, enjoying ourselves. I let myself drown in the music bursting and swayed my body carefree, forgetting all my life problems. I was busy laughing and enjoying when a blonde girl bumped into me and her drink splashed on my yellow floral skirt. I knew she was totally drunk when, instead of apologizing, she giggled and disappeared into the crowd. I excused myself to restroom and clean the cocktail spot of off my skirt. It was from one of my favorite spring collections that I didn't want it to ruin. I sighed in relief and checked myself for the last time before leaving the restroom.

I barely made two steps in the crowd when I walked straight into a rockhard wall. On hearing a deep groan I tilt my head up only to find a gorgeously handsome man, the owner of rockhard wall or shall I say well sculpted chest, staring deeply into my brown eyes with his shallow secretive dark ones glinting behind the glasses.

His spicy cologne filled my nostrils, making me freeze in my spot, and my mind went blank, disappearing all the people in this room and loud music bursting from the speakers. Our bodies were barely touching, but I could still feel his heat brushing over my skin and slowing my breath.

Thick dark hair brushed his forehead perfectly, matching with his eyes. Sulpted Checkbones. And sharp jawline. A perfectly lean frame covered in black suit to easily make a girl drool over him. He resembled an Italian statue, if not perfect.

"Connor."

A voice broke our intense eye contact, and unknowingly, my ears glowed red when I found myself staring at a dangerously gorgeous man. He turned his head to the owner of his voice, and I skipped myself away from him to find Luna and Grace, steadying my shaky breath by taking deep breaths. They both eyed me suspicious, and Luna squeaked.

"Isa! How much did you drink! You are crimson red!"

I shook my head and cup my cheeks.

"I didn't. It's just too hot in here."

Luna arch her brow, obviously not satisfied by my reply, and shrugged chugging down her drink. Grace looked over at both of us before speaking. She was the quiet one, just like me, while Luna was the woman boss.

"I have to present a very important assignment tomorrow, I'll call it a night."

We both nodded and hugged her goodbye as we, too, made our way to our home. Luna and I have been living together since we graduated. Grace has been living with her colleague so they both can work on paintings together well that's what she says but her bond with her parents and her jackass brother, were not really good despite being the richest families of the town. Her art works were the best I've ever seen, bet she could romanticize hers better than William Blake.

We all met in college and completed our graduation 2 years ago. Luna is a general surgeon and the most bold girl I've ever met. We both almost had coinciding personalities, yet we understand each other well and love each other a lot, maybe because we also knew about our each other's tragic family lives. Her parents died in a car accident along with her older brother when she was 5, and since then, her grandmother was the only one who had raised her.

Well, mine, I suppose my family was the worst. I am the only daughter, raised by a sweet and loving mother and an abusive father. But it seems like god was not in my favor in this life because my mother died when I was in high school. And since then, I've been stuck with my abusive alcoholic father, who still tortures me even after moving out of his house. It was not my home..it had never been, the memories I had of my childhood were too haunting. They were nightmares.