I was hiding away from myself, away from you
Like nothing, though something was terribly wrong
And I admit that I was only waiting for the right time
Night time, the right moment for you to look away
Though you never did, I pretended for a while
So I could walk where I don't belong

Blindside- Pitiful

Sayuri should have been the one married to Eric. They were in love first. That was only fair. Eric was Sayuri's fiancée first, and Laryssa was Sayuri's best friend. When Eric proposed, Sayuri was the happiest woman in the world. Wedding plans were made. Sayuri even flew in her best friend Laryssa from back home so that she could be the maid of honor. There was no way Sayuri could know that introducing Laryssa and Eric would be a moment she would regret for the rest of her life.

On the big day, Sayuri still had no clue to the unspoken chemistry between the two. The secret smiles and longing looks they sent one another when they thought no one was looking. It wasn't until she was at the church, beautifully dressed in her Vera Wang gown, desperately trying to contact her maid of honor that she realized what was wrong. Eric had jilted her. He left her at the altar. He never came and neither did Laryssa.

Later that day, the two of them had come back. Eric in his tux, Laryssa in her champagne colored gown. Sayuri was still waiting at the church, her heart begging that they come back and tell her that it was all some sick joke.

"We're so sorry."

She hated them both, and yet she wished she didn't. The opposite of love wasn't hate, it was indifference, and Sayuri sorely wished she could feel indifferent about the both of them. But she couldn't, the sting of betrayal still rang in her ears, and she…couldn't make her feelings for Eric go away. No matter how much she hated him, she still loved him. And that was why she was there at the wedding.

"Would you like to dance?"

Sayuri was startled out of her deep thinking by a tall man. He was so tall and the room had been darkened for the atmosphere, so it was hard to make out his face. Standing up, Sayuri dusted off imaginary particles on her red dress with the plunging neckline.

"I would love—" Her reply came up short as she looked into familiar stormy gray eyes. Ones so powerful that it made her breath catch in her throat. It was Eric. No, it wasn't. It was someone who looked like him. A lot like him, but with small, minute differences that set him apart. Instead of Eric's short neat, black hair, this man had long, slightly wavy, sexily disheveled hair that fell into those powerful gray eyes. His jaw line was a bit more chiseled and square than Eric's. Then there was his aura in general. Whereas Eric came off as being friendly and outgoing, this man gave off a feeling of power, strength, and coldness. This had to be Eric's brother. Sayuri had never met the man, since he worked in Japan, but now without a doubt, she knew who he was.

"To?" He finished the sentence for her with a smirk, as his powerful hand came out to take her small ones in his own. He had been watching this gorgeous woman for quite a while. Nearly every male head in the room had turned when she had sauntered into the reception hall, her red dress was the only one in the room, and its daring, plunging neck line accentuated her curves deliciously. She was breathtaking. He hadn't gotten a chance to get a good look at her, and he made a resolution that very moment to ask her dance. He was glad he did. She was even more breathtaking in person. Her eyes were almond shaped and Asiatic, but the color was a warm, light, chestnut color, and her skin was so fair, she had to be mixed. Her hair was loosely tousled into a messy bun, showing off the line and curvature of her back.

"I'm Vincent Grendel." He introduced himself, leading her onto the dance floor. Sayuri tried her best to keep her hands from shaking. There was no longer a doubt in her mind of who he was. He was Eric Grendel's older brother. The prodigal son.

He was Eric's role model, the great businessman who traveled all over the world spreading their family's empire since the death of their father. The infamous playboy who slept with a different girl every night, and he certainly had the looks and swagger to back it up. Eric always spoke of him so highly and now Sayuri knew why.

With firm but gentle hands, he clasped her waist, giving her an encouraging smile. "You know, this is the point in the conversation where you introduce yourself, too." He gently reminded her, a smoldering look in his silvery eyes. With a cock of her eyebrow, she gave him a challenging look out of her eyes.

"Think you can handle it after you find out who I am?" Sayuri taunted, her lips alluringly soft and beguiling, she spoke low purposely so that he would have to bend closer to hear her husky voice.

His gray eyes turned from smoldering to twinkling amusement. Her confidence was intriguing. To wear a red dress gave off the image of passion and confidence, but she didn't just portray the image, she is the image of confidence and sexiness.

"I think I can handle it." Vincent murmured, the song turning from a slow classical waltz to a more casual, sultry bossa nova piece. Their hands dropped and he quickly placed both of his hands on either side of her waist, as she entwined hers around his neck, bringing the two closer. People surrounded them on the dance floor, but the both of them were too focused on their game of flirtation. Sayuri let the knowledge wash over her that Vincent wanted her. It was too clear in his eyes that he did. It empowered her, made her feel desirable, washing away the insecurities, and vindictively, she hoped Eric and Laryssa would see her. They'd see that someone still wanted her, and that she didn't give a damn about either of them, when she really did.

She savored this power she held over him, and she gave him a broad grin, knowing the spell would be broken once she told him her name.

"Sayuri West."

She was waiting for it, the look of disgust, the part where he would push her away, and demand that she leave. She was waiting for the feeling of desirability to leave her and the familiar feeling of despair and loneliness come rushing back to her. What else could she lose?

It never came. His eyebrows rose in surprise, and his eyes were dark and clouded, so she couldn't make out how he felt. If anything, he only pulled her closer to him, instead.

Silence.

Even though the music blared, the dancers were rowdy, and the people were loud, all she could hear was his silence. They were so close now. She could smell his dark cologne with its lingering oriental notes. She stared at the lapel of his jacket, the pinstripes going vertically, making him look even taller than he was. She suddenly felt so small, so pathetic. For the past few weeks, she had been prepping herself for the wedding, making sure that she projected the right image of nonchalance, confidence, and sexiness. Even if inside, she felt broken, rejected, and lonely…she would never let them know that.

"I'm so sorry." Vincent placed his lips directly on her ear. So this was the infamous Sayuri West.

"It must have taken a lot of courage for you to come here." Vincent said softly, enjoying the feel of her playing with the back of his collar, her fingers brushing against the nape of his neck once in a while. Sayuri's eyes glanced up, taking in the handsome contours of his face. He looked…so much like Eric. He hadn't pushed her away. With a weak grin, Sayuri shrugged.

"I still care for him."

Vincent's eyes darkened, how could she still care for him? Even though it was his brother, Vincent found it hard to believe. How could they do such a thing to the girl? Eric and Laryssa had completely screwed her over, but he was glad to see that it hadn't broken her.

"I guess you're a bigger person than I am. If it were me, there'd be hell to pay."

Sayuri didn't bother replying, she glanced over at Eric. Eric wasn't even looking at her. He was outside the door with Laryssa, the two of them bidding their guests goodbye. He probably didn't even realize Sayuri was there. Standing on her toes, Sayuri buried her face in the crook between Vincent's shoulder and neck.

"Please, just take me out of here." Her voice cracked with emotion, the hurt and tumult she had been keeping inside of her finally ripping her apart at the seams.

Thank you so much for your reviews! Yeah, the first two chapters are going to be kind of short, but i promise they will get longer later on!