8
1328 Words
VALERIA
I was having the worst hangover ever. I can’t recall the last time I took alcohol; this one really messed me up. As I stirred in my bed, I tried to prepare myself mentally for the day and how I would handle this hangover because I could tell that it was going to last for an entire day. With my eyes still closed, I stretched my hands as far as they could and opened my eyes.
Wait a damn minute.
I was staring at the ceiling, and it didn’t look like the one I had at home; it looked different. I felt the bedsheets.
What in the world was going on??
Where was I??
I sat up and screamed when I met a man sitting by the couch, looking at his phone with his legs crossed. It was my boss!!!!!!!!
I suddenly regretted screaming because it affected my head pretty bad.
“You shouldn’t scream when you have a hangover; it makes things worse.” He mentioned while his eyes were still on his phone.
I was still trying to assimilate what was going on.
Where was I, and why was he there??
What the hell was going on?
I searched for my phone in my pockets, but I couldn’t find them.
“Your phone is beside the bowl of soup I brought. You should eat it now, before it gets cold.” His eyes were still on his phone.
I couldn’t speak; my mouth was wide open. Nahh, this definitely was a dream. I wished someone could pinch me.
“You are at the hotel, in my suite.” He said this, looking at me this time around.
“You should eat something, Valeria; we have a lot of things to discuss.”
My hair stood. “Wh… what things?” I croaked.
He pointed at the soup bowl on the bedside table and said, “Eat.”
I obediently took the bowl and took a spoonful of the soup. It was so good that I had to finish it all at once. It totally helped with my headache. The hangover wasn’t fully gone, but I felt much better.
He got up, opened the mini fridge, and handed me a bottle of water.
“Thanks.” I muttered and drank half of it.
“Are you okay now?”
I nodded.
“What am I doing here??” I asked. I was so worried and scared. A lot of things were going through my head. I started imagining the worst scenarios ever.
He smirked. “You can’t remember last night?”
Last night? Last night, I drank and took myself home. Right??
Wait, what happened last night?
I looked at him; he was still smirking.
That smirk meant something. Something bad.
Wait a damn minute.
I clasped my palm on my mouth and asked, “Did we…”
“Did we what?” He asked, leaning forward.
“Did we…did we…”
“What, Valeria?”
“Did we have s*x? Did I make a move?”
He leaned into his original position, shook his head, disappointed, and laughed.
“Is that what you think happened? You think we had s*x?”
“I don’t know; you smirked, and I could only think of that.” I started picking my fingers again. I was so scared.
“That says a lot, don’t you think?”
I was silent; I didn’t know what to say.
“It seems like you can’t remember anything from last night, so allow me to help you with that.”
He took a deep breath and began, “I saw you drinking on the rooftop. You were pretty drunk already, but you kept drinking.”
Shit. I understand now that I’m getting fired. Way to go, Valeria.
“You had a lot to say, and you didn’t hold back. You spilled and spilled. Then you dozed off, and I carried you here.”
Oh, my goodness. Note to self: You are never drinking again.
I got up immediately, and I could tell that he was extremely confused. “If I said anything insulting to you, I’m extremely sorry. Yes, I cannot remember, but I’m sorry. But please, don’t fire me, please.” I begged.
“Sit, Valeria.” He said so, and I obeyed instantly.
“For one, I’m not going to fire you.”
Well, that was good news.
“However, I have a proposition for you.”
A proposition?
What is he talking about?
I swallowed hard.
“When I said you spilled, you spilled.” He said this, looking at me. It felt like he was boring holes into my eyes. I started feeling sweaty all of a sudden. I was thinking of all the things that I could have possibly said.
“You told me about your sister.”
A lump formed in my throat. I suddenly found it hard to swallow. My eyes welled up with tears again as I thought of it. I quickly bent my head.
“Look, I’m sorry that you are going through this, but I can help you.”
I looked at him and said, “I don’t need your help, Mr. Adam.”
“You do, you really do. I can help you. Trust me.”
I could tell from his eyes that he wasn’t lying, but did I really want help from him of all people? But he offered. Why should I decline it? This looked like my only chance to save my sister, right?
I cleared my throat and said, “I’m listening.”
He rubbed his palms together and said, “Okay, I’m going to pay for your sister’s surgery and anything that comes with that.”
I felt my heart flutter. I was so happy. It felt like this huge burden had finally been lifted off my chest. The relief!
“On one condition.”
I swallowed hard.
“Which is?”
“You become my wife for a year.”
“Excuse me??” I got up abruptly; I couldn’t believe the words that came out of that opening he sees as a mouth.
“Just listen to me.”
I scoffed, “Listen to what? You want me to be your wife for a year in order for you to save my sister, who is close to dying???”
“I am not done.”
“No, you are. In my books, you are done.”
I grabbed my phone on the table and said, “If this is your proposition, then you are a heartless person, and I’m not interested in it.”
“Would you rather watch your sister suffer?” He asked.
Those words brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t believe he could say that.
“Keep your proposition to yourself.” I spat and proceeded to walk out.
“Think about it, Valeria. I am going to be around all day. Whenever you are ready, come to my suite and give me a chance to explain better.” He said this before I stormed out.
I leaned on the wall beside the door and cried, covering my mouth to avoid anyone hearing me.
He opened the door, and I quickly comported myself. He looked at me.
“I know you haven’t looked in the mirror, but you look a mess. Take a shower; there are other basic essentials in there as well. Once you’re done, you can leave with the card. If you still want to see me tonight, you can use that card to access the room.” He said those words before he walked away, and I couldn’t help but look at him with so much hatred and anger.
I was desperate, I was scared, and he knew. I blamed myself; I opened up to the worst person ever.
Do you want to know the worst thing? I was contemplating his proposition, and I hated myself for that.
- Writer
