A dull throbbing pain spread through my head as I stirred in my sleep. My body felt heavy, my limbs sluggish. Something warm and firm was wrapped around meânot my pillow. I shifted slightly, and the unfamiliar weight tightened around my waist.
My breath hitched.
The room was dark, the air thick with silence. Slowly, I forced my eyes open, my vision still blurry from sleep and the remnants of alcohol. As my surroundings came into focus, my heart stuttered in my chest.
A man lay beside me.
Not just any manâthe same one from last night.
The stranger from last night.
His face was relaxed, his breathing deep and even. The dim glow from the city lights outside cast faint shadows across his sharp jawline and tousled dark hair. He looked peaceful, completely unaware of the storm raging inside me.
Panic surged through my veins as memories of last night flickered in and out of my mind like broken puzzle pieces. The bar. The shots. The overwhelming betrayal. Adrian's face flashing across my screenâhis lips on another woman's. The ache in my chest as I drank to forget. The guy from the party's steady presence beside me. His voice, calm and grounding.
But then... what happened after that?
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. My fingers trembled as I lifted the edge of the blanket, my stomach twisting into knots. I wasn't wearing my dress from last night. Instead, I was clad in an oversized T-shirt and a pair of unfamiliar shorts.
Oh God. Did heâdid weâ?
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to will the panic away. No. Think, Susan. Think.
I racked my brain for any sign, any memory, any sensation that might confirm my worst fears. But nothing came. My body didn't ache in any unusual way. There were no telltale signs of intimacy. Just a lingering headache and the bitter taste of regret on my tongue.
As soon as he shifted beside me, and I stiffened. His arm loosened slightly, giving me just enough room to slip away. Carefully, I pulled myself out of bed, ignoring the way my pulse pounded in my ears. My dress was draped over the couch, neatly folded. That was a good sign, right? It meant that whatever happened last night, it wasn't reckless or forceful.
Still, a wave of shame rolled over me. I needed to get out of here.
I tiptoed across the room, grabbing my dress and slipping into the ensuite bathroom. The reflection staring back at me in the mirror was a messâmakeup smudged, hair disheveled, eyes red and swollen from crying. I looked exactly how I feltâbroken.
With a deep breath, I changed back into my dress, trying to shake off the overwhelming sense of unease. The night had spiraled out of control, and now I was left picking up the pieces.
As I stepped out of the bathroom, I hesitated. The man who helped meâI still didn't know his name, was still asleep, his breathing steady. He didn't look like a man who had taken advantage of a drunken woman. If anything, he had taken care of me. The realization sent a mix of relief and confusion through me.
I should leave. Now. Before he woke up.
I reached for my heels, holding them in one hand as I quietly opened the door, careful not to make a sound. The moment I stepped into the hallway, I exhaled sharply, my body sagging against the wall.
I needed to get back to my own room. To Lisa. To a place where I could process everything that had just happened.
Back in the hotel suite...
The door to my suite was slightly ajar when I arrived. A wave of exhaustion crashed over me as I stepped inside, only to be met with Lisa's furious glare.
"Where the hell have you been, Susan?" she demanded, arms crossed over her chest. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
The weight of her concern sent a fresh stab of guilt through me.
I opened my mouth, but my voice came out hoarse. "Lisa... IâI don't know what happened."
Her expression softened slightly. She reached for my hand, squeezing it gently. "Okay, take a deep breath. Just start from the beginning. What do you remember?"
I sank onto the bed, my head in my hands, my fingers gripping my hair as if holding on to something tangible could stop the whirlwind of emotions inside me. My voice trembled as I finally spoke. "I was at the bar, Lisa. I saw Adrian's message... the picture. He was with another woman." My breath hitched, and I squeezed my eyes shut, my chest tightening. "He cheated on me." The words tasted bitter on my tongue, as if saying them out loud made them more real, more painful.
Lisa's breath hitched. "Oh, Suzi..." She reached out and rubbed soothing circles on my back, encouraging me to continue. "Take your time. Just tell me everything. What happened next?"
I took a shuddering breath, my chest tightening as I tried to force the words out. "Lisa... I-I was at the party, at the bar, when my phone buzzed. It was Adrian." My throat felt raw as I swallowed hard. "There was a picture... of him. Kissing another girl. Not me. He was with someone else, Lisa." My voice cracked, and my vision blurred with fresh tears.
Lisa's brows furrowed as she reached for my hand, her grip firm yet comforting. "Susan, let me see your phone. Maybe it's some kind of misunderstanding? A prank? Just show me."
I shook my head, my hands trembling. "IâI don't have it. I threw it away. The moment I saw it, I just... I couldn'tâ" I dropped my gaze, staring at my hands as shame curled in my stomach.
"You what?!" Lisa's voice pitched up, a mix of shock and frustration. "Susan, how could you just throw your phone away? That had proof! That had everything!" She let out an exasperated breath, running her fingers through her hair.
I barely had the energy to defend myself. My body felt drained, my emotions worn thin. "I don't know, Lisa. I just... I want to go home." My voice was barely a whisper, but I knew she heard it.
Lisa's expression softened, her frustration fading into concern. "Why, Susan? Why do you want to leave?" Her gaze locked onto mine, searching for an answer I wasn't sure I could give.
I hesitated, the weight of my emotions pressing down on me, threatening to break me all over again. Before I could speak, Lisa sighed, her tone shifting into quiet determination. "Alright. I'm here for you. We'll leave the hotel this afternoon. Pack your bags. If you can't be at peace here, then we won't stay. I'll call my dad and make arrangements."
Her words were final, unwavering. A silent promise that she wouldn't let me go through this alone. A part of me wanted to run, to escape the mess Adrian left behind. But another part whisperedâwas running really the answer? Could I just pretend none of this happened? Guilt twisted inside meâthis was supposed to be her trip too. I had ruined everything. But the pain of Adrian's betrayal burned stronger, a slow fire consuming me from the inside.
One way or another, I needed the truth.
But what if the truth wasn't what I wanted to hear? Was I not enough? Had I been so blind, ignoring the signs that something was wrong? Or was this just proof that loveâreal loveâwas never meant for me? The thought sent a fresh wave of pain through me, tightening around my chest like an iron grip. I had given Adrian everything, trusted him completely, and in return, he had shattered me.
Was I doomed to always be the girl who wasn't enough? The girl who gave too much of herself only to end up alone?
I hugged my arms around myself, my breaths shaky. Maybe Lisa was rightâmaybe I needed to find out the truth, to face it head-on. But part of me feared that once I did, I'd never be able to believe in love again.
After that, Lisa walked out, leaving me alone with my thoughts spinning in endless circles. Was I not enough? Had I been so blind, ignoring the signs that something was wrong? My heart clenched painfully. How could he do this? To me, to us? But most importantlyâwhy? Why did he do it? She reached out and rubbed soothing circles on my back, encouraging me to continue. "Take your time. Just tell me everything. What happened next?"
I shook my head, swallowing down the lump in my throat. "I drank too much. Justin the guy we met at party, he was there. He... helped me. Took me back to his suite when I was falling apart. But I don't remember what happened after that. I woke up in his bed. In his clothes."
Lisa's eyes widened, concern etching deeper into her features. "Did you... do anything with him? Are you sure you're okay?"
"I don't think so." I bit my lip, my hands gripping the blanket tightly. "I don't feel like anything happened, but I don't remember. And that scares me."
She exhaled, pulling me into a hug. "If the guy who saved you really helped you, then you should talk to him. Find out the truth."
The thought made my stomach churn. "What if it's something I don't want to hear?"
Lisa pulled back, her expression firm yet understanding. "The unknown is scarier than the truth, Susan. You need to find out what really happened. Do you feel grateful that he helped you? Embarrassed that you broke down in front of him? Or suspicious that he has some ulterior motive? Maybe all of the above? You don't have to have the answers now, but you deserve to know."
My mind swirled with conflicting emotions. Gratitudeâbecause he had been there when I was falling apart. Embarrassmentâbecause I had been so vulnerable in front of a stranger. Suspicionâbecause, despite everything, I still didn't know him. Could I trust him? Or had I just thrown myself into another mess, blindly believing in someone who might not deserve it? The questions gnawed at me, and the uncertainty felt just as painful as Adrian's betrayal.
I nodded slowly, knowing she was right. But that didn't make it any easier.
Because if last night had changed anythingâif something irreversible had happenedâI wasn't sure I was ready to face it.
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