The Morning After

The sun beamed through the dusty window of the old apartment, shining directly on the face of the sleeping young woman. Adelina slowly opened her eyes, the sunlight making her sleepy golden eyes sparkle.

Adelina sat up from the old couch and stretched her arms above her head. She felt well rested and ready to take on the day.

She looked around the small apartment, finding it unusually quiet. She glanced at the ticking clock that hung on the wall behind her. It was already 11 AM. Adelinas mouth dropped open as she realized she had slept in. She tried to recall the last time she was able to sleep in like this.

Losing both jobs was extremely disheartening. However, she didn't have to work the full graveyard shift last night and was able to sleep in since she didn't have to waitress either. It was a bad situation but the silver lining was that she had been able to take a nice rest today.

Adelina stood up as she walked towards the kitchen to make herself some breakfast spotting a small note on the kitchen table. She quickly put a piece of bread in the toaster and picked up the note.

I took the twins to school and went to drop off the stuffed animals at the shop. I should be back in the afternoon. You were sleeping so peacefully I decided to just let you rest today. And don't worry I took medicine before heading out.

Adelina frowned as she read the note. She could have dropped off the stuffed animals, she hated to make her mother go.

It was just another one of the many jobs Adelina had procured. She sewed button eyes onto stuffed animals that were manufactured by a small shop in the city. She had so many other jobs that often she would come home to find her mother sewing them on.

She had scolded her mother for working when she should be recovering. However, her mother insisted that it was just something she could do to help and with her mother's stubborn personality, there was no room for discussion.

It was tiresome and tedious work but it helped pay the bills. Adelina sighed as she put the note back on the table.

"I hope she takes a taxi back home at least." Adelina murmured.

The toast popped out, startling Adelina as she turned to retrieve her small breakfast.

She was so worried about her family and how they would get by. Especially with her losing two jobs now. She didn't have another part time job till the weekend. She frowned. That cursed job was her least favorite.

She shook away the negativity and began to plan for the day ahead as she spread a small bit of strawberry jam on her toast.

A small spark lit up inside Adelina as she thought about the opportunity she had later that day.

No.

"Today will be the day that everything changes." She brightened up the room as she smiled with gleaming eyes.

Yes. Today she had an interview with Night Corp. She would hold her head high and nail that interview.

She flashed a brilliant white smile that shined with hope and possibility. If she got that job today, she would be able to afford rent, get medical treatment for her mother, and begin to claw her way back up the ladder.

She would no longer need to work a million different part time jobs. Maybe only one or two extra just to be able to save up for the twins' tuition.

She wouldn't fail this interview today no matter what was thrown at her.

Her resolve lit a fire in her soul that raged wildly, like a bucket of kerosene had just been doused onto a dying ember.

She took a bite of her breakfast, mentally prepared for the evening ahead of her.

Light streamed through the billowing sheer white curtains, falling on the face of the Adonis that slept in the large king size bed.

Silas furrowed his brows as he opened his ice cold eyes. Wanting to extinguish the very fiery star that had disturbed his rest. He sat up in exhaustion.

He could not sleep last night after the humiliation he had faced the night before. He deeply regretted not chasing that girl down and revealing his identity.

Everytime he closed his eyes, he could still see her golden eyes looking at him, with empathy and misunderstanding. In his sparse dreams, he heard her bell like voice chastising him for stealing and not feeding himself.

He had finally drifted off to sleep sometime near dawn but she had appeared in his dreams as well.

Was she actually a spirit, intentionally placed to haunt him?

Why did he care so much about what she thought?

And why did he feel like he knew her so well?

These questions stormed his head. He cursed in aggravation and threw the silk covers off as he stood to get ready for the day ahead. He tried to wipe his mind of the woman.

He turned his attention to his red haired sweetheart. A small smile graced his face but quickly disappeared. He would have to meet with Vivian in the coming days and explain the contract marriage. He only hoped she would understand and not be too upset.

Once ready, he quickly made his way downstairs to get breakfast. With yesterday's incident, there was no way he was not eating again in fear of another humiliating situation.

He found the dining table empty. Usually it was full in the morning, although he rarely ate breakfast. He frowned in confusion.

Soft footsteps echoed in the hallway behind him and he turned to find Marilyn tidying up. She quickly noticed his presence and abandoned her current duties.

"Ah Master Silas. You're finally awake!" Marilyn greeted with a small bow.

Silas narrowed his eyes. "Finally?" He repeated in question.

"Yes, it's already 11 AM Sir." Marilyn answered.

Silas paused.

He quickly checked his watch on his wrist to find that she was speaking the truth.

He had slept in.

On a work day.

He turned to Marilyn in rage. "Why didn't you awaken me?" He roared.

Marilyn stood looked at the man in wonder and amazement. "I did Sir. Multiple times from 7 this morning. You wouldn't wake up no matter what I tried. You slept like the dead." Marilyn huffed.

Silas paused.

He had slept like the dead?

Just like a certain someone he had met the evening prior?

Was it contagious?

Marilyn sighed. "You really should take better care of yourself Master Silas. You must be working yourself to death if you were so exhausted. Not to mention you didn't eat the meal I prepared last night either." Marilyn cautiously scolded.

Silas scowled. He hadn't worked himself to death, he had been haunted by an embarrassing encounter with a no name store clerk. He clenched his fist at his side. The girl had once again filled his thoughts. What was wrong with him?

Marilyn continued to worry and fret over his well being, but Silas was too preoccupied to pay her any mind.

Silas pondered why the girl had plagued his mind. Sure he had been embarrassed by the events of the evening before but it didn't feel like that was the main reason.

She had touched him yet he didn't hate it. Plus she had felt familiar. Maybe he had met her before? He wanted to ask her if they had met but he had failed.

His thoughts wandered back to how kind she had treated him even being fired because of it.

A lightbulb sparked brilliantly in his mind.

That's it.

He felt guilty about her being fired and that must be the reason she was haunting him. Though it's strange, he felt no guilt about people being fired before. He felt nothing for the jewelry store attendant that had been fired the day before. So why was he feeling guilty about the convenience store clerk.

Maybe it was because she had acted morally and suffered an injustice directly because of him. He nodded to himself in affirmation. He would fix the problem and perhaps he would clear his mind of the girl. He assumed he technically owed her after all, since she had helped him in his embarrassing situation the evening prior.

Finally ending her tirade, Marilyn scanned the quiet, yet intimidating man. "Would you like me to make you some breakfast Sir?" Marikyn asked warily, glancing at the empty dining table. "The food from this morning went cold but I can whip something up." Marilyn offered with a warm smile.

Silas shook his head in refusal and grabbed his coat. "I don't have time. I have things to do today." He stated and walked out the front door to his car.

His driver opened the door for him with a bow.

"Where to Sir?" The driver asked after putting the car in drive.

Silas thought for a moment. He was already late as it was. With Harrison gone for the day, the company might be in chaos.

However, he wanted to clear his mind of the girl as soon as possible.

"Take me to the place you picked me up at last night." Silas ordered coldly. Raging fire burned inside of him as he readied himself.

It was time to put that woman who had called him a stray in her proper place and fulfill the lingering debt he had to the wronged girl.

His cold eyes burned in anticipation as he passed the gates of his mansion.