Can't handle alcohol
1493 Words
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*Chapter 8*
*The Morning After*
The celebration lasted longer than anyone expected.
By the time Wren finally made it home, the alcohol she had insisted she could handle had thoroughly proven her wrong. Her head was light, her legs felt like jelly, and the city lights outside the taxi blurred into streaks of gold.
She stumbled through the front door, kicked off her heels without caring where they landed, and made it exactly three steps into her room before collapsing face-first onto her bed still fully dressed.
The mattress welcomed her like an old friend. Within seconds she was out cold, one arm wrapped tightly around a pillow, hair spread across the sheets like ink.
The last thought she had before sleep dragged her under was: _I survived NovaTech._
Then nothing.
A few minutes later the front door opened again. Lyra stepped inside carrying two takeaway bags and the soft scent of fried rice and soy sauce.
The apartment was quiet. Too quiet.
“Wren?”
No answer.
She frowned and walked toward Wren’s room. The moment she pushed the door open, a quiet laugh escaped her.
Wren was sprawled across the mattress like a starfish, hair a messy halo around her face, still hugging the pillow as if it were a life raft. One shoe was missing. The other dangled off the edge of the bed.
“I told you not to drink too much,” Lyra murmured, shaking her head. “You always think you’re stronger than the alcohol. And you always lose.”
She set the food on the small table and walked closer. Gently, she brushed a strand of hair away from Wren’s cheek. Wren’s face was peaceful in a way Lyra hadn’t seen in weeks. No deadlines. No panic. No dark circles.
Lyra pulled the duvet over her shoulders and tucked it in. For a moment her smile faded.
“I hope this new beginning really brings you happiness,” she whispered. “You deserve it. You deserve more than late nights and instant noodles and people who don’t see you.”
She stood there a little longer, just watching her best friend sleep, memorizing the rare calm in her expression. Then she quietly switched off the bedside lamp and closed the door.
Instead of going straight to bed, Lyra walked into her own room. Unlike Wren’s cheerful mess of clothes, sketches, and coffee mugs, hers was neat and carefully arranged. A small wooden desk sat beside the window. A plant that was somehow still alive sat on the sill. An open laptop waited on it, screen glowing softly.
She sat down, typed in her password, and a document appeared on the screen.
`Untitled Manuscript.`
Hundreds of words already filled the pages. Scenes. Dialogue. Chapters she’d written in secret during lunch breaks and late nights.
A small, private smile touched her lips.
“I’ve ignored you for long enough,” she said softly to the screen. “It’s time to update.”
Her fingers began moving across the keyboard. The quiet tapping filled the room as another chapter slowly came to life. Outside, Braman was finally still.
*The Next Morning*
For the first time since joining Sterling Group, Wren did not wake up before her alarm.
She remained deeply asleep, face buried in the pillow, completely deaf to the phone that rang several times on her nightstand. The sunlight crept through the curtains and painted the room gold, but she didn’t stir.
Back at Sterling Group Headquarters, the Design Department was already buzzing. Employees moved between desks making last-minute checks before the NovaTech project was officially submitted. The air smelled like printer ink and fresh coffee.
The energy was different today. Lighter.
Caleb looked around the office with a slight frown.
“Has anyone seen Wren?”
Liam checked his phone and scrolled. “She sent me a message early this morning.”
“What did she say?” Mr. Frank asked, already knowing the answer.
“That she isn’t feeling well and won’t be coming in.” Liam tried to sound serious but failed. “She also sent a voice note of her snoring. I’m keeping it for blackmail.”
Mr. Frank chuckled knowingly. “That’s what happens when someone drinks beyond their limit. She’ll be fine.”
A few soft laughs rippled through the team.
Caleb shook his head, though there was no real annoyance in his voice. “Tell her to get some proper rest. I’ll submit the project myself. She earned a day off.”
A short while later, Caleb stood outside the CEO’s office. He adjusted his tie once, took a quiet breath, and knocked.
“Come in.”
The deep voice from inside made him straighten immediately. He opened the door carefully.
“Good morning, Mr. Sterling.”
Damien looked up from the documents spread across his desk. His suit was perfect. His expression was not. “The NovaTech project?”
Caleb stepped forward and handed over the neatly bound file. “It’s complete, sir. We finished ahead of schedule. Under budget. The team worked very hard.”
Damien accepted it without comment and set it beside a stack of other reports. His eyes scanned the cover page for half a second too long.
Caleb hesitated. “There’s one more thing, sir.”
Damien raised an eyebrow slightly. “Yes?”
“Miss Carter couldn’t make it today. She’s unwell.”
For the first time since Caleb entered, Damien paused. His pen stopped moving. His eyes lifted fully from the papers.
“Is it serious?”
The question came out flat, but Caleb looked mildly surprised by it.
“I don’t think so, sir. From what I heard, she just wasn’t feeling well after the team dinner last night. Probably just needs rest and water.”
Damien gave a small nod. “I see. You may leave.”
“Yes, sir.”
After the door closed, Damien remained still for a moment. He looked at the completed project file. Wren’s name was on the contributors list.
Then his gaze drifted toward the empty visitor’s chair opposite his desk. The one she’d sat in during her interview three months ago.
“So,” he murmured under his breath, so quiet even he barely heard it. “You didn’t come today.”
He wasn’t sure why, but the large office suddenly felt a little quieter than usual.
*Elsewhere*
A young woman sprinted through a narrow alley, breath coming in sharp bursts. Her black cap was pulled low over her eyes. Behind her, heavy footsteps echoed off the brick walls.
“Hurry! She went this way!”
Several men rounded the corner in pursuit, flashlights cutting through the dusk.
“Split up!” their leader barked. He clenched his fists when the alley ahead proved empty. “We’ve lost her again. Damn it!”
He slammed a hand against the wall in frustration, the sound bouncing off the concrete. “Let’s move.”
Within moments the alley fell silent again.
Several minutes passed before a storage-room door creaked open. The young woman stepped out cautiously, adjusted her cap, and scanned the street. When she was certain it was clear, she walked out as though nothing unusual had happened. Her heartbeat was still racing, but her face was calm.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She answered on the first ring.
“Hello.”
A worried female voice came through immediately. “Why did you hang up on me? I’ve been calling you for almost twenty minutes!”
The young woman glanced over her shoulder once more. “I didn’t hang up. I had company.”
“What do you mean?”
“They found me again.”
There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end. “Piper! Are you alright?”
Piper’s lips curved into a faint smile. “I’m fine. They’re not smart enough to catch me.”
“You keep saying that,” the caller replied, voice tight, “but one day your luck might run out.”
“It won’t.” Piper adjusted the strap of her backpack. “I’ve survived this long. I know how to disappear. It’s what I do best.”
The woman on the phone sighed. “Where are you now?”
“Somewhere safe. That’s all you need to know.”
“Piper… please be careful.”
“I always am.”
She ended the call before the other woman could say anything else, slipped the phone back into her pocket, and lifted her head.
Across the road stood the towering glass building of Sterling Group. Lights were on in dozens of Windows.
Piper stared at it for a long moment. A mysterious, almost anticipatory smile curved her lips.
“So,” she whispered to herself, the word barely audible. “It all begins here.”
Without another word, she crossed the street and walked toward the entrance, disappearing into the crowd.
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- Writer
