Chapter 2

                         “What’s my schedule for today, Helene?” I yawned and squinting my eyes shut as the sun rays hit my face. I let out a groan when my assistant didn’t respond.

   

                      The sun’s already up and here I am, just had a wild night. I remember taking body shots with random strangers. The After Party Show is really amazing. If can live like that forever, I will do it. I can even recall making out with one of my colleagues. Nevertheless, no one will know it. They are all wasted, just like me. And may my dreams be damned for I have nothing but a peaceful slumber.

   

                       I forced myself to get up from the bed. When a strong arms forced me to be swallowed by the sheets again.

   

                        I groaned in annoyance when I realized that I had a night with a stranger from the bar.

   

                    “Fuck!” I muttered and fluttered my eyes open to see who it is. I may not know the name, but at least I’ll know the face.

   

                           A man.

                   Based on the well-toned arms gripping my waist, my body was unable to make any micro movements. He is pinning me like I am his slave in this bed. I can even feel his hot breath on my neck and his warm body beside mine.

   

                            I sighed when I tried to look at his face but he is covered by the sheets and my neck.

   

   

                        I really need to get up just to see this man.

   

   

                        I shift my body slowly to face the sun’s rays on the window. Blue painted walls are complimenting the morning view. Somewhat it is scenery from a painted canvas.

                          We are at his place. And I don’t know how long I am going to stay here. It is getting annoying and I need to get up to buy some coffee for this damn hangover.

       

                       I slowly removed my body from his grasp but he just tightened it. He enclosed my personal space and hugged me more. I can smell his manly scent and it feels so good!

   

   

                       “Stay,” he whispered hoarsely and pressed his nose on my neck, inhaling my scent. I shivered and just felt his warmth. Somehow, I felt comfort which reminded me of a place like home.

   

   

                        My eyes fell down and before I can do something, I felt myself drifting to wonderland again.

   

   

   

- - - - -

   

   

                       I opened my eyes when I heard the water splashing from the shower. I roamed my eyes and saw the window. The sun was still showing but its rays were focused on the balcony.

   

   

                    “Noon,” I gasps. It is already noon and I am still in this stranger’s bed.

   

                        Shit!

   

                        I quickly get up from the bed and look for my scattered clothes. I picked my maxi dress from the tiled floor. My brassiere was probably tossed near the door. So I waste no time and ran towards the door to retrace my steps.

   

                       Damn!

   

                   I finished wearing my clothes yet I can’t my underwear. I roamed the whole room but I can’t find it!

   

   

                   “Where is it?!” I scolded myself. Realizing that the bathroom was the only part of the room that I didn’t look, I balled my palm into a fist.

   

                    You can do it! Just look for the damn thong and get out.

   

   

                    With heavy breaths I positioned myself to enter the bathroom. But before I can turn the knob, I heard the shower was turned off.

   

   

                    I froze. He finished taking a shower. I need to get out. Damn!!!

   

                    “No more time, Lia.” I whispered, grabbing my purse and my stilettos. With such a swift move I opened the door and shut it carefully.

   

   

                    I rush towards the elevator and pushed the buttons. My hands were shaking in nervous.

   

                   I can’t be caught by that man! 

   

                    A loud ting echoed in my ears and I went inside the elevator. Good thing it was empty! As I the doors shut, I saw the door from that room opened.

   

                My eyes popped open and repeatedly pressed the close button. No one has ever caught me sleeping with them. I always get up first and leave them with nothing but my scent.

   

                This is the first time I overslept with someone!

                  I even left my underwear!

   

                I sighed when the door closed before he can even turn around to look at my direction. 

   

                   My jelly legs can’t stand properly. So I leaned on the metallic frame of this conveyor. Thank god! This machine is invented. Else, I would be panting before I can get to the main lobby.

   

   

                    I wear my black stilettos and few seconds passed I heard the elevator tings. I walk outside and some of the employees greeted me. Other people were looking at me like they saw fire!

   

                    Of course I am a goddess! No need to look at me with envy.

   

                I flipped my hair and fished my phone from my purse. I saw messages from my friends telling me congratulations. Others tagged me in their posts and some DM me with my stolen pictures.

   

                       Being a celebrity brings me joy. Seeing my face in the spotlight is rewarding. It is nothing compared to that student council president position I had when I was in college.

   

                        By the time I stepped out of the building, I hailed a cab and went inside.

   

                    The driver asked me about the destination and I replied, Royal Blue Palaces, an apartment complex where my pad is located.

   

                       The whole ride was silent. All I did is stare at the window- where tall buildings stood. It is rush hour and the traffic is getting heavier as time passes. I let out a groan as I remembered I left my undies earlier.

   

                         Damn, Emilia.

   

                        If my friends will hear about this, they would tease me. Better tell them years after this happened. Andy, my best friend, will definitely laugh her ass up. Marco will shriek and say how slutty I am.

   

   

                           “Ma’am, we’ve arrived,” the driver announced. I quietly read the meter and gave him the money. I went out of his cab and immediately went inside the building.

   

   

                    The exterior was kind of old but the interior screams luxury. With purple and white as its dominant colour, and gold for its accent? This is the whole queen Elizabeth era vibes.

   

   

                      The lobby is filled with employees who’re all busy doing their work. Some of them greeted me, while others weren’t bothered by my presence.

       

                        I smiled at them and swipe my card to the elevator door.

   

                        Every house or room in this apartment has their elevator key. The key serves as the elevator command to know which floor you will be lift. I live in one of the highest towers so I need to ride 3 elevators before I can reach my pad.

   

                            Good thing that each elevator end has a lobby and its own reception. In that way, I don’t need to mingle with the ghost of men who were offered in the dark creatures.

   

                        Some may say that ghosts aren’t real, but my family believed in them. My dad believes that they exist with us. We had a strong bond with these creatures to the point that we even have a place in the house dedicated for them.

   

   

                        “Good morning.” My assistant greeted me as I stepped outside the elevator.  I removed my heeled footwear and change it to my comfy Slippers.

   

   

                        I sighed headed towards the kitchen. The big clock on the center of my apartment stated that it is almost two o’clock.

   

                        “Why didn’t you call me, Helene?” I asked her, when I felt her presence following me.

       

                        “You don’t have any schedule today, miss. That’s why I didn’t bother calling you,” she gently replied and opened the cabinet to get some ingredients.

       

                        Goodness! I am famished!

       

                       “What’s for lunch?” I asked when I saw her chopping some carrots.

       

                        “Steak,” she replied while doing her work.

   

                         “Steak in the middle of the day,” I mocked and stood up from my chair. “Great.”

   

                           She didn’t reply. I left her in the kitchen and went inside my room. The sheets were untouched since my arrival. Somehow, sleeping in this room brings nothing but pointless dreams and nightmares.

   

                    I shooked my head and throw my purse along the bags that were scattered on the floor. I opened my closet and look for my hoodie and comfy pants.

   

   

                    I admit I am quite messy with my things. I hate arranging it when I know that it’ll end up getting messy again. My life is always fast paced and there’s no point in tidying things.

       

                    “There it is.”         

   

                   I grabbed the first pair that I saw and headed towards the bathroom.

   

                    I took a cold shower. As usual it didn’t disappoint me. I change to my comfy clothes and grabbed my phone.

        

                    Getting inside the kitchen once again with the aroma of cooked steak, is heaven. I saw Helene arranging the table and I immediately helped her.

   

                   “Its fine, Miss.” She politely declined my help and just motioned me to sit. I rolled my eyes on her and just played with my phone.

   

                    Helene is my assistant since I started my career. She is years older than me and already has two kids.  She is legally separated with her husband and the kids are staying at her parents’ house

      

                    I scrolled through my feed when a message caught my attention. It is from an unknown number yet I received it directly in my inbox.

   

   

                    My messages are always filtered by my social media team. They are task to know, clean, and secure my accounts. Sometimes, there are lapses since humans are the ones tasked for this job. But those were in posts and not on my messages. This is in fact the first time I received one.

                          With no hesitation, I opened the message.

   

                        As soon as I saw it, I felt my eyes fell and my brain stopped processing things. I heard my phone dropped but I’m too shock to get it.

   

   

                    “Hey, miss.” Helene shakes my shoulders but I just felt myself in tears.

   

                    Too shock to move. I glance at her eyes that were full of worry. I can’t say a thing yet she understood that I need my phone.

   

                    She picked it up and saw the message.

       

                    “Hello, Lia.”

                  She read it. With that I burst into tears. She scrolled down and saw an attached photo of an ultrasound picture with my name on it.