Chapter 3: The Morning After

Ariana's POV

The pounding in my head was relentless, like a drumbeat echoing through my skull. My eyes fluttered open, and I immediately regretted it. The harsh morning light streaming through the curtains only made the pain worse. I groaned softly, pressing my palm against my forehead, hoping the discomfort would subside. Slowly, I turned my head, and then I froze. Where was I?

There, beside me, was a man. My heart skipped a beat as I stared at him. His chest rose and fell rhythmically with each steady breath. He appeared to be in his early thirties. He has strong jawline with handsome features,so relaxed that he seemed completely unaware of the storm raging inside me. He was a stranger, someone I didn't recognize, yet here I was , lying beside him in his bed.

I blinked hard, trying to clear the fog in my mind. The events of the previous night flickered through my brain in fragmented flashes,hazy, distorted memories. I remembered him, but only in pieces.The stranger, the kiss. How had it all led to this?

My heart raced. Panic set in. How had I ended up here? The last thing I remembered was leaving the bar, my head spinning from alcohol, and then... him. The kiss. And now, I was lying next to a man I couldn't even name. I felt a wave of guilt and confusion wash over me.

I couldn't stay. I couldn't face him. My mind raced, calculating my next move. I needed to get out. Fast.

I glanced around the room, my eyes landing on my clothes scattered on the floor. The reality of the situation hit me like a punch to the gut. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not like this. But there was no time to dwell on it.

Taking a deep breath, I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could. My fingers trembled as I grabbed my blouse from the floor, hastily slipping it on, fumbling in my haste. My head spun, and I felt the weight of what I had done pressing down on me.

I grabbed my phone, noticing the missed calls and texts from my brother, Charles. 6:30 AM. The guilt intensified. I had to leave. Fast.

My bag was on the floor beside me. I grabbed it, slung it over my shoulder, and tiptoed toward the door. Every step seemed deafening in the silence, and I winced, praying he wouldn't wake. Finally, I reached the door, gripping the handle with shaky fingers. I glanced back at him still asleep, his face peaceful in the quiet morning. It was then that I realized just how much I was running from.

Without thinking, I slipped out of the suite, moving as silently as I could, desperate to put as much distance between myself and the mess I'd gotten into. The chilly morning air hit me as soon as I stepped outside, the coolness shocking my senses. But even the cold couldn't distract me from the heat rushing through my veins. I kept moving, not stopping to think, not stopping to care about anything.

I was relieved when I finally reached home. The silence inside was suffocating, but I didn't have time to think. My phone buzzed in my hand. 7:00 AM. I was late.

"Damn it," I muttered, realizing I was supposed to be at work. I rushed to the bathroom, letting the cool water from the shower wake me up. Scrubbing away the remnants of the night, I tried to rid myself of the confusion and guilt that weighed on me. The desire to forget it all was overwhelming.

By the time I was dressed and ready to face the world, it was 7:20 AM. Every second felt like a countdown to disaster.

I bolted out of the house, my heart racing as I hailed a taxi. The tension in my body didn't ease, though. My mind kept racing with unanswered questions. Who was he? How had I ended up in that suite?

****

When I arrived at the office, Julie raised an eyebrow. "Look who's late again."

"Sorry," I mumbled, slumping into my chair.

Julie's concern was evident as she studied me. "Wait... this isn't like you. You look... different. What's going on?"

I hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to speak. Finally, I whispered, "Daniel broke up with me."

Julie's eyes widened. "What? He did? You two have been together for five years. Why would he just walk away?"

"He got engaged last week," I said, voice cracking. "He said he needed someone on his level, someone who understands the business world. Not someone like me. He's the heir to the Hortense Group. I can't blame him. But... I thought we'd be together forever." My voice faltered. "And now..."

Tears welled in my eyes, and Julie squeezed my hand. "Ariana, you don't need him. He doesn't deserve you. Forget him. He's just an ungrateful jerk."

Her words barely registered. The pain of losing Daniel was too much to bear, but Julie wasn't finished yet.

She froze,her eyes narrowing in on my neck. "Wait if Daniel broke up with you,then...did you spend the night somewhere?" Her smile was almost playful,but there was a glint of curiosity in her eyes."That redness on your neck tells a story",

I winced, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. "I got drunk last night and...un...had an encounter with a stranger," I muttered, embarrassed.

"A one night stand?" Julie's eyes widened with excitement. "You slept with a stranger?Tell me everything,what did he look like? Was he cute?"

I opened my mouth to answer but before I could answer, Mr. Davis stormed into the office. His expression was furious. "You're late again, Ariana, and now you're gossiping with your colleague?" His voice was sharp.

"I wasn't gossiping," I muttered, trying to explain.

"She wasn't gossiping, Mr. Davis," Julie interjected quickly. "We were just sorting out some files."

Mr. Davis glared at us both. "See me in my office," he snapped.

Inside his office, Mr. Davis wasted no time. "You're fired," he said coldly, flipping through papers without looking up.

I froze, horrified. "Why? What did I do wrong?"

He finally glanced up, eyes dark. "Just do what I ask, and I promise to give your job back."

"Please Mr Davis,don't do this to me,I can't do what you're asking of,please", I said with tears forming in my eyes

",Oh... Ariana..it wouldn't hurt, just do what I want ",

I swallowed, understanding the implication in his voice. "I'm not interested," I said, my voice shaking with fury.

The last thing I needed was another man trying to control my life. "You can't just fire me over this. It's not fair!"

Mr. Davis smirked, clearly enjoying the power he held over me. "It's not about fairness, Ariana. It's about what I want." He leaned back in his chair, a smug expression on his face. "You'll come crawling back. They always do."

He sneered, standing up and moving closer. "You're being difficult. Just once, and I'll make sure you're set for life."

"Stay back," I said, backing away. "I don't need this job. I'll find something better. I'm not selling myself out.

I stood up straighter, my pulse racing. "I won't," I said firmly, before turning on my heel and walking out of the office. The door slammed behind me, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. My world was falling apart, but I refused to let them see how much it hurt.

He could manipulate other women, but not me. Never me.