Who Did I Sleep With?

CHAPTER 2

We headed toward the glass entrance. Daniel’s desk was empty, the mahogany surface bare except for his monitor. The thought of him made my stomach twist for reasons I couldn't explain.

Lizzy and I stepped into the bright afternoon sunlight, greeted by a breeze that cut through the city heat. We walked toward our usual café, my mind heavy with the secret I was about to share. The café was a welcome refuge, enveloped by the aroma of freshly ground coffee and soft jazz.

We ordered our usual—grilled chicken salad for me and carbonara for Lizzy. I watched the condensation form on my iced tea, everything feeling surreal. We found a quiet corner table where the sun created geometric shadows on the white tablecloth. The warmth touched my skin, but I felt cold inside.

I picked at my salad; the lettuce tasted like cardboard. My hands trembled as I finally spoke, my voice a whisper. "I need to tell you something."

Lizzy leaned forward. “Okay. Start talking.”

The words came out in a rush: the party, the drinking, the man I couldn't remember, waking up sore and confused. With each word, the weight on my chest grew heavier. I paused to sip my tea, my throat tight. "I woke up and couldn't remember anything," I continued. "But my body remembered. My body knew exactly what had happened.”

"You did WHAT?!" Lizzy nearly choked on her water. Several customers glanced our way as she set her fork down with a clatter. "I thought you were the responsible one. This isn't like you at all.”

"How would you make this type of mistake?" she pressed. "Where did this happen?"

"The company party last week," I replied. "The one with the partner firm."

"Oh my God, this is bad," Lizzy whispered. "It could be anyone."

"I know I messed up. I just want to know who did it," I said with a flicker of determination. "I'll get to the bottom of this.”

"Why are you so persistent?" Lizzy asked, her eyes widening as her jet-black hair caught the sunlight. "Unless..."

"Unless what?"

Lizzy leaned closer. "Unless you're pregnant."

The words hit like a physical blow. My chest tightened until I couldn't breathe. "Nah, I'm not pregnant," I said, then added quietly, "I think.”

"Are you on birth control?"

"No."

"Did he use a condom?"

"I'm not sure." My voice was barely audible.

"Well..." she raised her brows, and my stomach dropped.

"Now you're making me scared," I muttered.

"Well, you should be," Lizzy said. "What if you have to raise a child alone? Or what if he gave you an STD? There are so many things to consider, Stella.”

I stood up abruptly, my chair scraping loudly. "I need to go get checked.”

"How? We're on lunch break," Lizzy said practically. "And you can't check for pregnancy for at least two weeks."

The panic deflated. "Oh..." I sat back down, staring at my untouched food.

For a few minutes, the only sound was the clink of cutlery and the hum of the café. Then Lizzy reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "We'll figure this out," she said softly. "But for now, you need to get through the workday."

She was right. But as we headed back, my stomach was in knots. How was I supposed to pretend nothing had changed when my world was collapsing?

The office was cool, the air conditioning a stark contrast to the heat outside. That's when I saw him—Daniel. He stood by the water dispenser, back turned, filling a cup. He wore a navy button-down with the sleeves rolled up. I watched his throat move as he swallowed.

He turned, as if sensing my gaze. Our eyes met. For a moment, everything froze. His dark eyes held mine, and my pulse quickened. Daniel wasn’t exactly friendly; as the Senior Manager and my direct superior, he was quiet, controlled, and hard to read. We weren’t friends or enemies—just colleagues who rarely saw eye to eye.

I quickly looked away and headed to my desk, telling myself to get it together. But before I could sit, I heard steady, direct footsteps. Daniel stopped right in front of me.

I looked up. He was already watching me.

“Can I have a minute with you?”