Limits of Destiny (Volume 1) Read online

  Limits of Destiny

  volume one

  Sharlyn G. Branson

  First Original Edition, July 2015

  Copyright © 2015 by Sharlyn G. Branson

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved.

  No parts of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author. This book is licensed for your personal use only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or death, or actual events is entirely coincidental. Names, characters, organizations, businesses, places, events and situations are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Edited by Cassie McCown of Gathering Leaves Editing

  Cover design © by Louisa Maggio at LM Creations

  Formatted by BB eBooks

  About Limits of Destiny – Volume 1

  Alexia Welson is very beautiful and men do not fail to notice. Still, she feels unhappy and depressed because she’s never managed to fall in love.

  But this quickly changes. At a birthday party, she meets the most eligible bachelor in Switzerland—the young and incredibly ambitious multimillionaire Alexander Kraftberg.

  Despite her friend’s warnings against getting involved with him due to his notoriety as a big womanizer, the two begin a love affair full of great passion and powerful sexual attraction.

  However, their future is threatened by Alexander’s depraved and dark past.

  Upon finding out about his lifestyle, Alexia is shocked. She begins to feel torn and terribly insecure…

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About Limits of Destiny – Volume 1

  Epigraph

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Author’s note

  Playlist

  About the Author

  “All you need is love.”

  —John Lennon

  Prologue

  What is love? To me, it is the most wonderful feeling God has given us to experience. Love lifts us up and gives us the sense we are flying and floating through the clouds. I used to think I was unable to fall in love, that I would never get to touch this unknown-to-me magic. How lucky I am that I was wrong…

  I ask myself, Is there any person who has never felt the butterflies in the stomach and the strong beats of the heart when seeing their loved one? And if there is, I believe they are unfortunate—a person without a soul. This is how I used to feel.

  I do not have the right words to describe this supreme joy—when you are with the love of your life, when you give yourselves to each other, and it is as if the world around you ceases to exist.

  To see the gleam in his eyes, to relax in his warm embrace, and to be ready to do anything for him—that is love!

  Stuck in the mundane of everyday life, striving to advance our careers and succeed, we forget the most important part—to love. But it is love that makes us stronger, gives us the ability to overcome difficulties, puts a smile on our faces, and makes us better people.

  To love and to be loved, is this not what we should all seek in life? For the key to happiness is hidden in our hearts.

  1

  It was Friday. I’d just finished the analysis I’d been working on in the last two weeks when I noticed it was five thirty and almost all my colleagues had already left. On Fridays, everyone usually tried to finish work earlier and go home. This was completely understandable, given the accumulated overtime banked during the other workdays.

  The thought I would be twenty-five next month had been constantly niggling at me lately, as I had yet to meet the man of my life. Would I ever meet him? Unfortunately, I’d never been in love, and maybe I never would because something was wrong with me. I couldn’t complain of a lack of suitors, but none of them made me happy. I dreamt of real, all-consuming love, which was why my approaching birthday was making me feel blue.

  I took out my mother’s picture from my wallet where I always kept it and ran my finger across it, as if to caress her. If she were still alive, my life would have taken a very different course.

  Just then, my cell phone rang. Startled out of my reverie, I looked at the display to see it was Lily.

  “Hi, Lily.”

  “Hi, Alexia. Finished work yet?” And without waiting for my reply, she carried on.

  “Ooh, I have so many things to tell you about… I met this really cute Italian guy named Marco.” She giggled through the line. “Details to follow when we meet up.”

  “That’s great, Lily. I’m very happy for you. Is quarter to six good? I’ll come down to meet you in the lobby.”

  “Yes, that’s fine. See you soon. I can’t wait to catch up,” she said and hung up.

  I’d known Lily since college. We met there in our very first month and had been best friends ever since. We always had a good time together. To me, she was like the sister I never had. We hadn’t spoken since she went to visit her cousin Laura in Florence.

  I closed the laptop, grabbed my bag, and hurried toward the elevator, which arrived in a flash. The building in which I worked seemed deserted.

  After graduating from the University of Zurich, I immediately got a job as a financial analyst at UBS, the biggest bank in Switzerland. I was very proud of that, especially since I was one of the few in my social circle who managed to secure such a position.

  I sat on the black couch in the main lobby and waited. After a few minutes, I saw Lily coming up to the entrance. As always, she was dressed very stylishly. Her black pants and lace blouse highlighted her brunette hair and slim waist. I ran toward her and we hugged, giggling like teenagers.

  It was very lively outside on Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich’s main downtown street. You could hear the trams passing by, the pealing bells of St. Peter’s clock tower in the distance, and the familiar roar of a sports car parking on the adjacent street. Over the six years I’d been living in Zurich, it had become my favorite city. I loved its beautiful architecture, luxurious shops, pleasant cafes and restaurants, the lake, the sailboats, and the breathtaking view of the Alps.

  The cool breeze refreshed me after my stressful day. At the moment, all I wanted was to enjoy a portion of Spaghetti alla Carbonara and a glass of wine in the company of my best friend.

  We managed to find a table for two in the Italian restaurant Toscana. As always, the tables were covered with immaculately ironed white cloths and set with posh silverware, linen napkins, and spotless wine glasses. The interior was made entirely of wood. Landscape paintings hung on the walls, bringing the beauty of Tuscany into the restaurant’s atmosphere. They served the best red wine from the region here.

  The entire evening, Lily didn’t stop talking about Marco, with great enthusiasm. I thought she’d fallen in love, which for her wasn’t difficult at all. Unlike me, she always fell in love with her boyfriends, but fell out of love with them just as easily. Her br
own eyes gleamed as she spoke about him with such love and passion, and this made me feel genuinely envious. I was happy for her, and at the same time, I was angry with myself. Why couldn’t I also fall in love with a man?

  “Alexia, you should know Italians are very gentle and gallant in bed. You must try it with your colleague,” she said, winking at me.

  She was referring to my coworker Roberto. He liked me a lot and wasn’t shy about making it known. I also had feelings for him, but I saw him more as a friend to share experiences with or to ask for a piece of advice.

  “Don’t even think about it… I have no intention of ruining my friendship with him for something I’m certain has no future. These Italians have definitely turned your brain to mush.”

  “I was only kidding.” She shrugged apologetically.

  “That’s what I thought. Otherwise, I would have had you committed. You know how much my friendship with Roberto means to me, and I don’t want to ruin it by leading him on and giving him false hope. And for what? Just sex? Sex isn’t everything, Lily. There must be chemistry, mutual attraction…” I said before taking a generous sip of red wine.

  “Really, Alexia! I don’t understand why you don’t like him. He’s so hot and he adores you. His eyes always sparkle when he sees you. Believe me. He’s the kind of man who would climb a mountain for you. You just have to click your fingers and he’ll do anything for you,” she said, winding spaghetti around her fork.

  “You may be right, but to me, he’s just a friend, nothing more. You know I’m a hopeless romantic looking for my one great love, which I’m starting to think exists only in books… Well, whatever. I’m looking for a man who’ll make me weak at the knees and leave me breathless when he holds me in his arms—”

  “Yeah, yeah.” She interrupted. “Sounds like you’ve been watching too many chick flicks. Maybe you go the other way…” she speculated, and I gaped at her suggestion. “I’m joking. I know you aren’t. I said it just to clear the air. You’re so serious. What’s up with you? Is it that you’ll be twenty-five soon? If yes, don’t despair. I, already a member of the club, know from personal experience it’s not so bad.” She grinned and her eyes gleamed.

  Of course, I could not, and would not, want to hide anything from Lily. She knew me too well.

  Reaching over, she took my hand and squeezed it encouragingly. “You’ll find your prince, Alexia… in due time. Don’t sweat it so much.”

  “What would I do without you?” I regarded her, grateful.

  “You’ll never find out, because you’ll never get rid of me. That’s what best friends are for—to support each other,” she said, raising her glass. “Let’s drink to real friendship and to the man who’s waiting for you somewhere… and who’ll very soon steal your heart.”

  “Cheers… I love you, Lily.”

  “I know. I love you too and want to see you happy.”

  * * *

  I got back to my apartment on Giesshübelstrasse, feeling exhausted. Tomorrow night, I was going to a party for Lily’s uncle, who was to celebrate his sixtieth birthday, so I wanted to get a good night’s sleep. I brushed my teeth, took off my makeup, and went to bed. Drained from the tense week of work, I fell asleep instantly.

  Next morning, I woke up at nine. After a cup of coffee and some muesli for breakfast, I went for a run in the park. Jogging always relaxed me and recharged my batteries. Running every Saturday morning had become a kind of ritual for me. Naturally, when it was cold, I went to the gym or to aerobics, but the day looked set to be nice and sunny, and I really wanted to enjoy the morning in the cool park near my apartment.

  When I got back home, I had a quick shower. I was just coming out of the bathroom when my landline rang. It was Daniel Walter Hug—my second ever boyfriend. We’d remained good friends after our breakup. Whenever he came back to Zurich to see his parents, he gave me a call.

  Daniel worked as an international model. He participated in fashion shows in Paris, Milan, and New York. His face had graced the covers of some very famous magazines. The photo shoots took him to America, South Africa, the Caribbean, and who knows where else around the world? In short, he travelled a lot and didn’t spend much time in Switzerland. He was always at parties to make new contacts to further his career. And on one such night, the unforgivable happened—he cheated on me. I would never forget how sick I felt when I found out. Daniel had just come back from Paris. After we’d made love, I decided to upload a Rihanna song on his cell phone while he was having a shower. I was holding his phone when he received a message on WhatsApp from some Natasha. In the message, she “poetically” described how happy she would be if they were to spend another unforgettable night together.

  When I asked him about her, his face couldn’t hide his guilty conscience, so he admitted his infidelity and thus ended our relationship.

  Soon after our split-up, I met my third boyfriend, Ralph, and my thoughts were no longer occupied by Daniel’s betrayal. This was probably why I forgave him and we remained good friends. I couldn’t stay mad at him long—after all, we were apart most of the time and Daniel was a very attractive man who needed a woman by his side.

  “I trust you won’t turn down a lunch invitation from your rather good ex?” he asked in his typical playful tone.

  “Daniel,” I replied excitedly. It was nice to hear his voice. “The pleasure will be all mine.”

  “Great. Is one o’clock good for you?”

  “Yes, it’s fine.”

  “’Til later, then.”

  “Bye.”

  The weather had become quite warm, so I decided to put on short beige pants, which I combined with a backless blouse. We’d arranged he would wait for me in front of my building’s entrance. When I came out onto the street, he rushed toward me, lifted me, and spun me round.

  “Daniel!” I squealed. “Have you gone mad?”

  “I’m so glad to see you.” He smiled from the heart, let me down, and kissed me on each cheek.

  “I’m glad to see you too,” I admitted. “You’ve become very strong.”

  He lifted his arm, flexing it to show off his biceps, and said proudly, “Right? Do you like it?”

  “Yes, but if you want my opinion, don’t take it too far.”

  “You know I’ve always valued your opinion,” he said, a little sad. Was he referring to the past? Oh no, I don’t want to talk about the past…

  “Overly big muscles… I don’t find that attractive… and the designers’ jackets won’t fit you.”

  “That’s right.” He laughed, and small crow’s feet appeared at the corners of his eyes.

  He opened the door of his sports Mercedes for me and said, “After you, milady.”

  I thanked him and sat on the soft seat. The Jason Derulo song “Trumpets” was pumping out of the speakers.

  “Since when are you a Jason Derulo fan?”

  He shrugged. “I know you’re a fan.”

  “Yes, I am. So where’re going?”

  “It’s a surprise.” He smiled boyishly and slid the car into gear.

  He looked so carefree, but I knew it was all an act. He had told me how difficult it was to stay relevant and stand out from the rest in the fashion business. How much effort, worries, and nerves that cost him. It was no accident many of his colleagues resorted to drugs, but thank God, Daniel wasn’t like them.

  We parked in one of the paid lots in Zug and went to lunch at a restaurant called Zugersee, from whose terrace there was a great view of the lake and the Alps.

  Daniel told me about his work, and I told him about mine. He boasted that lately, his schedule had been full—next week he was to take part in a Gucci fashion show in Milan and the week after in a Jean Paul Gaultier show in Paris. I was truly happy for him. He deserved it. Perhaps one day he would become one of highest-paid models in the world. He had the potential for it; he was young, handsome, and full of energy.

  After we’d finished our meal, we walked along the alley and sat in the park on a
picnic blanket, under the shade of a tree. We watched the boats passing by and the couples lying on the grass. We enjoyed our time together.

  “I miss Switzerland,” he said and brushed aside a lock of hair hanging across his forehead. Daniel had very beautiful, wavy blond hair, which was always cut in the latest style.

  “Really?”

  “Yes. I miss the nature, the calmness. I’m not complaining about my life, but it’s quite hectic. I’m always on the move. I can’t relax, except when I come home.”

  “Happiness is the key to life. Aren’t you happy?”

  “I like being successful, but I miss certain things.”

  “What, for instance?” I asked, curious.

  “I miss you,” he said simply.

  “Don’t be sad about that. So much time has passed. Look ahead.” I tried to encourage him.

  “It’s hard.” He lay down, took off his sunglasses, and covered his face with his hand. “When we were together, it was… very real.”

  I lay next to him, on my side, and used my bag as a cushion. “We cannot build a stable, long-distance relationship. You know full well how things went last time.” I didn’t want to lecture him or make him feel guilty.

  “I know, and I’m sorry,” he turned toward me and looked me in the eyes.

  “Daniel, I’m not mad at you anymore.”

  “You’re a treasure. I got drunk, gave in to temptation, and messed up everything. Now I’ll never find anyone else like you.”

  I laughed. “Girls like me are a dime a dozen.”

  “Ha, that’s what you think.”

  When his cell phone rang, he took it out of his pants pocket, looked at the display, and declined the call.

  “It’s probably some hot chick.”

  “I don’t know who it was. I don’t recognize the number,” he replied and put the phone back in his pocket.

  “Aren’t you curious about who called you?”

  “I don’t care. I’ve come out with you and want to spend this time paying attention to you.”