The Morning After

Ella's POV:

My eyes fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the heavy curtains.

For a moment, I felt disoriented, the unfamiliar ceiling above me and the luxurious bedding beneath me whispering that something wasn't right.

Then, the memories of last night came rushing back like a tidal wave, and my heart sank to the pit of my stomach.

Oh no.

I turned my head slightly, dread pooling in my chest as I glanced at the man beside me. He was still sound asleep, his dark hair tousled against the pillow, his features relaxed and peaceful.

He looked every bit as handsome as he had last night, but instead of the awe I felt then, all I could feel now was a crushing sense of embarrassment.

What have I done?

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that if I concentrated hard enough, I could just disappear.

But reality didn't care about my silent plea. I was here, in this stranger's bed, in a penthouse suite that screamed wealth and power, and I had no idea who this man really was.

My cheeks burned as I slowly, carefully, began to slide out of bed. I moved inch by inch, praying the sheets wouldn't rustle too loudly, that I wouldn't disturb his sleep.

My heart pounded in my chest as I finally managed to sit up on the edge of the bed. My clothes were scattered across the room, a trail of regret leading from the door to the bed.

I glanced back at the man, still deep in slumber, and took a deep breath. I could do this. I just had to get dressed and get out of here without waking him.

Quietly, I tiptoed across the room, gathering my dress, my underwear, and finally my heels. I held my breath, not daring to exhale until I had everything I needed.

Standing in the bathroom, I dressed as quickly and quietly as possible, my movements frantic as if someone might catch me at any moment.

My hands trembled slightly as I fumbled with the zipper of my dress, my mind racing with thoughts of how I ended up here in the first place.

Klaus.

The thought of him was like a punch to the gut, a reminder of why I had made such a stupid, reckless mistake.

But even that didn't excuse my behavior. I had slept with a stranger, a man whose name I didn't even know, and now all I wanted was to escape this place and never look back.

I caught my reflection in the mirror, my makeup smudged, my hair a tangled mess, and sighed.

I looked every bit the part of the girl who'd just had a wild one-night stand. But there was no time to dwell on that now.

I slipped my shoes off, too afraid that the sound of my heels on the marble floor would wake him, and held them in one hand as I crept toward the door.

My hand hovered over the doorknob for a moment, my heart pounding in my ears. I hesitated, glancing back one last time at the man lying peacefully in the bed.

He looked so untroubled, so undisturbed by the whirlwind of emotions tearing through me. I swallowed hard and quietly opened the door, slipping out into the hallway with as little noise as possible.

The hotel was silent, the only sound my own soft footsteps as I padded barefoot down the hallway.

My skin prickled with the cool morning air as I reached the elevator, my heart still pounding.

When the elevator doors finally opened, I stepped inside and pressed the button for the ground floor, still holding my breath as if I could somehow avoid being caught in the act of fleeing.

The ride down seemed to take forever, the silence pressing in on me, giving me too much time to think. As the elevator finally reached the lobby, I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding and stepped out. That's when I saw it, the sign on the wall.

Penthouse.

Of course. A man who could afford a place like this was definitely out of my league. I shook my head in disbelief. I'd really done it this time.

I'd not only slept with a stranger but with someone who was clearly far removed from the world I lived in. What the hell was I thinking?

As I stepped outside into the crisp morning air, I pulled out my phone to order a cab. My hands were still shaking slightly, but I managed to get through the motions. My phone buzzed in my hand, and I looked down to see 15 missed calls.

What the hell?

I stared at the screen, my heart skipping a beat as I saw that 10 of the missed calls were from my mom and the other five from my best friend, Kate.

My heart sank further. Of course, I'd been so caught up in everything last night that I hadn't even thought to check my phone. What if something had happened?

I quickly ordered the cab and gave my address, my fingers trembling as I dialed my mom's number. The phone rang twice before she picked up, and I could hear the worry in her voice immediately.

"Ella, where have you been? I've been calling all night!"

"Mom, I'm so sorry," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I…I fell asleep. I was so exhausted from job hunting that I just crashed."

It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. I hated lying to her, but I wasn't ready to talk about what had really happened last night, or the heartbreak I was still trying to push to the back of my mind.

Just remembering Klaus's betrayal hit me like a sucker punch, and I had to swallow hard to keep my emotions in check.

"Are you sure you're okay, sweetheart?" she asked, her concern evident.

"I'm fine, Mom, really. I'm just tired," I reassured her. "I'll call you later, okay?"

She hesitated but finally agreed. "Alright, but don't scare me like that again."

"I won't. I promise."

After hanging up, I leaned back against the cab seat, letting out a long, shaky breath. I tried to remind myself that I had a new job today, a fresh start. But the memory of what had happened with Klaus was still fresh in my mind, making it hard to focus on anything else.

"Ella, deep breath," I whispered to myself. "You can survive this. You have a new job now…"

My heart skipped a beat as it hit me, I had to be at work today. Of all the things to forget! I felt like such a fool. How could I have let things get so out of control?

I berated myself out loud, not even caring if the cab driver thought I was crazy. I glanced up at the rearview mirror and caught his eyes. He gave me a sympathetic smile, his expression kind.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" he asked gently.

I laughed awkwardly, nodding. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a rough night."

"Sounds like it," he replied, his tone understanding.

When I finally got home, I felt exhausted, emotionally and physically. But I didn't have time to rest. I had to get ready for my first day at work, and I couldn't afford to be late, not if I wanted to make a good first impression.

I decided to return Kate's call, before taking my shower, I opened my phone and called Kate. She picked up on the second ring, her voice practically shrieking through the speaker.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, YOU DEMON?" she screamed, and I had to pull the phone away from my ear to avoid going deaf.

"Good morning to you too, Kate," I said sarcastically, trying to keep the conversation light despite the heaviness in my chest.

"Don't you 'good morning' me!" she shot back. "I've been worried sick, and now you just casually call me like everything's fine? Start talking, girl!"

I sighed, realizing there was no escaping this conversation. "It's a long story, Kate. But I'm okay, I promise. Just…a lot happened last night."

"Ella, spill. Now," she demanded, her tone softening a little.

I glanced at the clock. I didn't have much time, but I knew Kate wouldn't let me off the hook without at least some explanation.

"Alright," I began, "but you're not going to believe what happened…"