Chapter Two

The Aftermath

Elena's POV

The bed felt so soft, the sheets smelled unfamiliar, tinged with something sharp and expensive. I rolled over, the bed quite bigger than the bed I was used to. My hands slowly pat the empty side of the bed only to feel pillows, as I turned, a sharp beam of light flashes through the curtains poking my eyes. I squinted immediately, my hands rubbing my eyes.

I turned to see a man standing by the window side at the other end. I looked at the room, taking it all in. The large floor to ceiling window was draped in expensive curtains and the room was large enough to contain five king size beds. By the corner of the room was a mini bar with all kinds of wines in stock. I turned, my eyes darting towards the empty wine glass on the bed side table, a half burnt cigarette and a half filled glass of wine.

My gaze went back to the man standing by the window. He was adjusting his cufflinks, he stood there not bothered by my obvious confusion. I tried to recall what happened but my head aches, it suddenly felt heavy and I had to hold up my head with my hand. My hair fell over my face as I threw it back, beneath the bedsheets was my naked body. My grip tightened on the bedsheets upon realization.

“Get up and leave before the cleaners arrive.” His voice was calm, distant, like he was merely reciting a fact rather than delivering an order.

I was startled by his indifferent and cold remark. Everything felt strange and different. First off, I couldn't remember how I got into this room and I had no idea what happened last night.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked. Not like I was expecting an answer but the words just flew out of my mouth.

“Listen.” He said, turning towards my direction. “Whatever happened last night remains in last night. Get up and leave.”

Whatever happened last night? Did something happen? At this point it was obvious that we had sex.

“How dare you take advantage of me?” I said, my voice trembling with both fury and fear. The man just stood there, a trail of laughter rippled through the air.

“Me? Take advantage of you? Oh please.” He said, walking towards the bar at the other end of the room.

“How did I get here? Why am I in your hotel room?” My words were sharp, desperate.

He sighed, like he was already tired of the conversation.“Can you end all this drama and leave already? It's becoming too much.” He said as his hands grabbed a bottle of wine from the bar stand pouring it into his empty wine glass.

“What do you mean?” My voice broke. “You just defiled me and now you're saying I'm being dramatic?” I said, my hands running through my hair.

He laughed again, the sound low and cutting. “I don't understand why you're pretending like I was the only one who wanted this or who enjoyed this!” He snapped, his gaze darted towards mine.

“Of course, this was all your doing!” I yelled. “I can’t even remember how I got here! Did you... Did you give me something? A spiked drink?”

His expression hardened, rage flashing across his face. “Enough with your accusations you slut! Get up and leave or else I would walk out that door.” He said, walking towards me with a half drank glass of wine in his hands.

“Don’t you dare call me that!” My hands trembled as I grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him. It hit his arm, knocking the wine glass out of his hand. Red liquid splattered across his pristine white sleeves.

The room fell into a deep silence as we both stared at each other. His gaze locked onto mine, eyes sharp and murderous.

“You better watch your back.” He said as he walked towards the coat hanger picking up his coat and walked towards the door.

“Where do you think you're going? I know your face now and I'm going to sue you for rape!” I yelled.

I expected him to react, to at least flinch. But he didn’t. Instead, he slammed the door behind him and stormed down the dimly lit hotel hallway, his footsteps echoing against the silence like a cruel punctuation mark.

The silence settled around me, heavier than the sheets tangled around my body. I screamed into the void, my own voice bouncing off the lavish walls.

Who was this man? How come I had sex with a man that I don't even know his name? How did I get here? What happened the previous night? I felt a slight headache as my memory jogged back to the previous night.

FLASH BACK

YESTERDAY NIGHT, 8:30PM

It's been years since my father, Dr. Bennett, had died from a car crash during my 15th birthday and ever since life had been hard for me. Don't get me wrong, I came from a wealthy family but it's the same as coming from a poor family when you're nothing but an illegitimate child. My mother was my father's mistress as I was told by my stepmom but I could remember how my father described her whenever I asked him about my mother, she wasn't just a mistress. She was his love.

My father was caught between responsibilities and love when he was asked to end the affair with my mum and marry my stepmom who was also from another major conglomerate in order to finalize a merger. Dad got married to my stepmom, Selena. My mum died during childbirth so I never got to see her. I only knew that my dad took me in immediately after her death.

However, when my dad died from a car accident, my step mom and immediate step sisters unleashed the gate of hell on me. They took every opportunity they had to remind me that I was nothing but an illegitimate child. I was forced to live in the shadows of the family name. I was never allowed to attend galas or elite events that the Bennetts were invited to even when I was a Bennett as well.

I didn't allow their ruthlessness to get to me, I was barely trying to survive. It was October 15th, dad's death anniversary. Dad's death anniversary was the only activity that I got to do together with the rest of the Bennetts, my stepmother and stepsister but today was different. My stepmom, Selena and my step sister Sophie ditched Dad's anniversary for a gala event. I had carried the guilt and blame for my father's death for such a long time that I couldn't even be angry at them but today I stood in the large room placing a rose beneath dad's large portrait hung over his grave.

I later found myself in a bar drowning down my pains and sorrows. Those sharp words still cut through me till today!

“You're a monster! A curse to the Bennetts. Ever since you came nothing good has come out of it. It's your fault that he died. If he wasn't in so much hurry to come and celebrate your birthday with you he wouldn't have died.”

The voice of my stepmother echoed clearly in my head like she was standing close to me and yelling over again. My grip tightened on the half filled glass of wine as tears rolled down my eyes. While lost in my thoughts, a hand brushed over my elbow sending a tingling sensation over my body. I turned only to see a man standing before me. I was too drunk to care who he was.

“Do you mind?” He asked.

I did nothing but nod. He sat beside me and ordered another glass of wine. He gulped down each glass as soon as he was served. His eyes locked with mine, slowly he placed his hand over my neck with his hand slowly caressing my head. I couldn't tell if I was into him or it was because I was under the influence but I pulled him in, pressing my lips against his savouring every part of him.

FLASH BACK ENDS……..