Chapter 16

VERA

I couldn’t fall back asleep, so I decided to return to my room. Grabbing my dress and heels from the edge of the bed, I picked up my phone and slipped out quietly.

A sigh of relief escaped me when I finally reached my room. Tossing my things onto the chair, I made my way to the bed. Stripping out of Neil’s shirt, I stood completely naked for a moment before climbing under the covers.

Oddly, the bed felt harder than his.

Wait—why was I calling him Neil?

I cleared my throat and sat up, running my fingers through my hair. From where I sat, I could see my reflection in the closet mirror. My eyes traced over my body—from the curve of my small breasts down to my wide hips.

I’ve never been ashamed of my small chest, but almost every man I’d been with seemed to prefer women with more. It didn’t bother me until they started cheating.

Funny how I thought Berlin would’ve been different. Even though he was an asshole most of the time, I thought he respected me. I really did.

I glanced down at my thick thighs and curvy hips. Were they actually attractive?

The door slammed open, making me snap my head up. My heart skipped when I saw Neil storm in, his face clouded with anger.

His eyes locked onto me—and then dropped lower. They stayed there for a fleeting second before snapping back to my face.

Heat surged to my cheeks as I quickly yanked the duvet over my body.

“You were supposed to stay in my room,” he said coldly, stepping closer. His movements were slow, almost deliberate, as if he were trying to steady himself. The faint scent of alcohol mixed with his rich oud cologne filled the air.

Had he gone out drinking because of me?

“I wasn’t assigned to your room,” I replied, keeping my voice steady. “I’d already overstayed my welcome.”

He scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. His gaze remained fixed on mine, though I could feel the weight of his frustration.

“You never listen, do you?” he said, his tone sharp.

“I thought you’d need your bed to yourself,” I murmured. “You must be tired.”

He rolled his eyes, dropping his arms to his sides.

“Take the day off tomorrow. Do whatever you want,” he said, his voice softer now. “But make sure you rest.”

His unexpected concern made me smile, a small warmth blooming in my chest. For a man who rarely showed care, this moment felt… different. Refreshing, even.

I nodded, not knowing what to say. “I need words, Veronica,” he stated, making me raise my head higher. Was it odd that I wanted him to keep calling my name like that?

“Yes, sir,” I said and I saw a flash in his eyes as his gaze lingered on my face for a few seconds that felt like an eternity. He cleared his throat and turned around to walk away. When he was out of my room, I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding, gripping my chest like I feared my heart was going to fall out.

“Get it together, girl,” I mumbled to myself and got back in bed. My body couldn’t get over the way he looked at me. It screamed at me to go back to him and beg him to touch me. If I let my desire win over my sensibility, I’ll be a total embarrassment in front of him.

Realizing I sounded like an horny teenager, I buried my face in my pillow and forced myself to go back to sleep.

The morning came quicker than I expected with the sun peeking from the blinds and falling unto my face. I still had a faint headache, but I felt better than before. I got out of bed and went to take a shower before going to check my phone. It was still eight in the morning.

There was a message from Austin, telling me to come down to the restaurant for breakfast. Knowing, Neil would also be there, I almost began to panic.

My stomach churned at the thought of seeing him. Would he actlike last night never happened?

My phone blared, making me jump at my ringtone. It was Yvonne calling. I let out a sigh of relief and answered. “Hey, Yvonne,” I greeted as I wrapped my towel around my body and went to my closet to fish out clothes.

“I told you that dress was beautiful! But now, I have to make like five more,” she said with a delighted snicker. I rolled my eyes with a smile as I picked a light green sundress. It has thin straps and the fabric was light and comfortable.

“I deserve a pay for my wonderful advertisement,” I teased as I got into the dress and looked in the mirror. I smiled, enjoying the way the dress hugged my hips—not tightly but in a way that was decent but yet, attractive.

“I’ll take you out on a date, don’t worry. I love you, baby,” she squealed and I chuckled. I grabbed a brush and began to brush my hair.

“You didn’t even send me a picture of you in the dress. What was Mr. Sex on a stick’s reaction? Did he drool?” she asked with so much energy like a puppy on sugar rush and it made my cheeks heat up.

“I didn’t see his reaction and it wasn’t important. Stop being annoying,” I mumbled and slipped on a pair of white sandals. I grabbed a cute light green bag Yvonne had gotten me a while ago and hooked on silver earrings.

“You’re such a dry lady,” she booed in disappointment and I laughed. “Can’t you like shake your ass in his face or something? Don’t you want to scream in bed anymore? Are you already old?” she wailed, making me roll my eyes. If I could see her now, I was sure she’d be rolling on the floor. That was just how dramatic she was.

“I need to get going now. I’ll talk to you later,” I said, needing this conversation to be over quickly. She snorted in response.

“I need my beauty sleep. Take pictures or never speak to me again. Goodbye,” she said and hung up. Rolling my eyes for what felt like the tenth time, I applied lip gloss and grinned at my reflection.

I looked pretty.

I made my way out of my room and headed towards the elevator. I was glad Austin asked me to come for breakfast because I was already feeling hungry. I could mentally picture what I wanted to eat.

Crepes? Pancakes? Waffles dripping with honey? Or maybe mashed potatoes or creamy pasta?

Or Neil….maybe he’d finally stop being a mystery and give me a taste of what I craved.