Woke Up Naked Next to a Stranger

Waking up next to a stranger in Thailand—on what was supposed to be a romantic getaway with my husband—was the last thing I ever imagined.

And there he was: a mentally challenged man staring at me with a vacant grin.

Then my phone rang. Ethan's voice dripped with venom. "How do you like the man I picked for you?"

Tears burned my eyes as I screamed into the phone, "Ethan Roscente, what the hell is this? What kind of sick game are you playing?"

"You know exactly what I want," he sneered. "Since you love excitement so much, I'll make sure you get plenty of it today..."

Before I could process his words, the hotel door slammed open. Five massive, shirtless Western men strode in, their predatory gazes locking onto me.

"Stay back!" I scrambled away, clutching my phone. "I'll call the police!"

One of them—a towering Black man—chuckled in broken Mandarin. "Police? Isn't this Bangkok's Red-light District?"

A frantic glance out the window confirmed my worst fear. I was trapped in a foreign country, completely at their mercy.

As they closed in with hungry smirks, I knew I was doomed.

Six Months Earlier

My name is Sophia Laurent, and six months ago, I was a blissfully happy newlywed.

With my sweet smile and curves that turned heads, life with Ethan had been perfect—until he got sick.

After his recovery, everything changed. The man who once couldn't keep his hands off me now barely touched me. Our passionate nights—two, sometimes three times a week—vanished without explanation.

On his birthday, I went all out: seared steak, his favorite red wine, and the slinky black dress he used to love peeling off me.

After dinner, I slid my arms around him, pressing close—only for him to shove me away.

"Go to bed. I have a proposal to finish."

He grabbed his laptop and disappeared into the study, leaving me standing there, my heart shattering.

He hadn't even looked at me.

That night, I lay awake, staring at the ceiling. When Ethan finally came to bed, he turned his back and started snoring instantly.

He didn't notice my silent tears.

The Next Morning

At work, Ryan Lowell—the charming new intern—took one look at me and knew something was wrong.

During a break, he showed up at my office with my favorite coconut latte, pretending it was about a project review.

"Sophia," he said softly, "are you okay? Your eyes… it's killing me to see you like this."